Rice priced at P20 per kilo is now available in all three provinces of Samar following the inclusion of Eastern Samar in the government’s subsidized rice distribution beginning Monday.
The program, “Benteng Bigas Meron Na,” was launched in Samar on Dec. 4, Northern Samar on Dec. 8, and Eastern Samar on Dec. 15, completing the rollout across the island.
The initiative aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s push to make affordable rice accessible to economically vulnerable households, particularly during the holiday season.
The P20-per-kilo rice is also offered under the banner “Pamaskong Handog ng Pangulo,” making low-cost rice available in Samar and nearby Leyte.
According to the Department of Agriculture–Regional Field Office 8 (DA-RFO 8), the program is implemented through provincial government-led distribution, partner agency initiatives, and the Kadiwa ng Pangulo program.
Accredited farmers’ cooperatives and associations (FCAs) serve as partner outlets to ensure wider reach at the community level, DA-RFO 8 said.
During the final provincial launch in Borongan City, Eastern Samar, about 400 bags of locally sourced rice were made available to some 2,000 household beneficiaries, with each household allowed to buy up to 10 kilos at P20 per kilo.
Francis Rosaroso, head of AMAD-DA 8, said the availability of P20 rice will be sustained beyond scheduled Kadiwa activities and that NFA warehouses are open for walk-in buyers from Monday to Friday.
The program, initially targeting RSBSA-registered farmers with two hectares or less, has been expanded to include other vulnerable sectors, Rosaroso added.
Provincial LGUs in Samar also participate in selling the subsidized rice, though stock withdrawals depend on how quickly they can liquidate previous allocations.