MANILA (UPDATE) — The Department of Agriculture is set to officially launch the P20 per kilo rice in Kadiwa stores and markets this Thursday, May 15.

The pilot of the program was postponed after the elections to comply with the COMELEC ban on 'ayuda'. On its 'soft launch' on Tuesday, a lot of people lined up to buy cheaper rice.

"Marami po ang nakausap natin at sila ay lubos na nagpapasalamat sa ating pamahalaan, kasi yung benteng bigas meron na silang nabibili," Asec. Genevieve Guevarra of DA said on Wednesday.

(We have talked to a lot of people and they are grateful to the government as the P20/kilo rice is now available.)

"Maganda po ang quality ng bigas natin, maputi, may mga nagsaing na, nagsabi malambot, maalsa, mukha nga raw hindi bente lang," Guevarra added.

(The quality of rice is good. It's soft when cooked. People said it didnt look like it's just P20/kilo.)

The P20/kilo rice will be available in at least 32 Kadiwa sites and public markets within Metro Manila and neighboring areas, with some opening as early as May 13. However, one of the buyers, Elmer Estarias, said there should be more supply available.

Supply of P20/rice ran out early at the Bagong Silang Public Market in Caloocan on Wednesday as many people lined up early.

"Sana sa susunod, hindi lang yung price, sana yung mismong supply marami rin," he added.

(We hope more supply will be available soon!)

Some 370,000 metric tons of rice will be allocated for the sale during the pilot run until December, with P5 billion pesos earmarked to subsidize the program.

Meanwhile, Malacanang said it believes that the implementation of the government’s P20/kilo rice program will not be affected by the results of the 2025 midterm polls.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro made the statement after she was asked whether Cebu governor Gwen Garcia’s recent failed bid for reelection will affect the resumption of the government’s affordable rice program in the province after the midterm polls. Garcia, a strong ally of President Marcos Jr, had been supportive of the P20/kilo rice program which was launched in Cebu. 

“Hindi po natin nakikita na ito ay makakaapekto dahil tandaan natin, ang serbisyo naman po, sinuman po ang nakaluklok diyan, ay para sa taumbayan. So, hindi po dapat gamitin kung nanalo o natalo ang mga kandidato. Ito po ay para sa taumbayan so dapat po sana ang lahat ng maaaring makatulong sa kanilang mga constituents ay maging bukas ang kanilang isip at bukas ang kanilang puso sa pagtaguyod ng programang ito,” Castro said. 

Meanwhile, Castro says the government is bringing the P20/kilo rice to KADIWA markets in the National Capitol Region, as well as in Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Mindoro and Rizal. 

“So, sa tingin po natin dahil bumababa po at nabibigyan po natin ng pagkakataon ang ating mga kababayan na makabili ng bente pesos kada kilo na bigas, ang market po nito ay maaaring maimpluwensiyahan. We hope na kahit sa market po ay maibaba nila ang presyo ng bigas nang hindi naman po din naaapektuhan ang ating mga magsasaka,” Castro said.