P20 per kilo rice for minimum wage earners launched

MANILA (UPDATE) — More affordable rice is now available to minimum wage earners as the Department of Agriculture (DA), in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), launched the pilot for the government’s expanded P20/kilo rice program on Friday. 

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and Labor Undersecretary Benjo Benavidez personally led the distribution of the P20 rice to 800 employees of the Manila Multipurpose Terminal at the Manila Harbour Center.

This coincided with distribution programs in other provinces. In total, 16,000 workers benefited from the initiative on its first day. The government’s goal is to reach 120,000 beneficiaries by the end of 2025.

According to Benavidez, they have already pre-selected 120,000 minimum wage earners but promised to add more to the list in the coming years. Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Agency, he said there are currently over five million minimum wage earners in the Philippines. 

“Hinahanap po namin yun sa pamamagitan ng aming mga regional offices. May mga field offices po kami na may direct na pakikipag-ugnayan sa mga establishment sa kanilang mga rehiyon so that is an actual list with names and warm bodies,” said Benavidez. 

The P20 rice program used to cater only to vulnerable groups, namely: senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps.

NOT THROUGH KADIWA CENTERS

But unlike them who can buy the P20 rice directly from Kadiwa Centers, the DOLE and DA clarified that the sale of cheaper rice to minimum wage earners will be coursed through the companies they work for. 

“Sa ngayon, hindi pa pwede ang mga manggagawa sa ordinary Kadiwa store. Yung mga minimum wage earners, kung saan lang may listahan ang DOLE at sa mga kumpanya or organisasyon na nagpa-participate sa programa ng DOLE or P20, yun lang ang pupwede,” said Tiu Laurel.

The officials said they will use this time to figure out better mechanics for distribution. The DA plans to come out with a national policy by October. 

“Titignan po natin yung resulta ng pilot ano yung mas epektibong pamamaraan ng pagbabayad, ito ba ay magiging salary deduction o sila po ay direktang magbabayad? Kaya po tayo nagkakaroon ng ganitong initial launch,” said Benavidez. 

Tiu Laurel also said that, eventually, the private sector may shoulder the logistics costs. 

“Maybe mixed in the future. Sa ngayon, sagot muna namin. But of course we’re also asking the help of lalo na yung mga malalaking kumpanya, baka sila na ang sumagot kung pwede para matulungan din ang gobyerno to make it sustainable,” he said.

Minimum wage earners who are also senior citizens, PWDs, or 4Ps members will be allowed to buy from both Kadiwa Centers and through their companies for now, pending the official regulations. 

“At the end of the day, hindi dapat pwedeng ma-doble ang benepisyo kasi siyempre kung makarami yung isa, mababawasan yung iba diba?” he said. 

Tiu Laurel said the DA is also currently developing a mobile app that can keep track of recipients. 

“We are developing a software now na hopefully matapos yun by October. Kung nakarehistro ka sa app na yun, at approved ka sa programa, titirahin nila yung bar code, alam na nila kung nakakuha ka na, ilan ang nakuha mo, kailangan mo nakuha, saan mo nakuha,” he explained. 

Amid questions of sustainability, Tiu Laurel said the DA still has lots of stock. The agency also plans to allocate more budget for the program in 2026. 

“As we speak parami nang parami ang stock namin. Tandaan niyo nung una tayong nag-usap about this program ang stocks natin was only 320,000 (metric) tons. Ngayon aabot na tayo ng 420,000 (metric) tons. We have a lot of rice, don’t worry,” he said. 

He also assured that these are being bought fairly from local farmers. 

“Hindi naman dehado ang ating magsasaka sa P20 program dahil sa bawat sako ng bigas na nalalabas mula sa bodega ng NFA (National Food Authority) ay katumbas ng isang sakong palay na binili ng ahensya mula sa ating mahal na magsasaka sa tamang halaga na hindi sila nalulugi,” he added.