P20 Rice Program Expands to Transport Sector, 57,000 Workers Among First Beneficiaries

AGRI-NEWS | Farming Posted on 2025-09-16 01:18:55

MANILA – The government’s “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!” program, the flagship P20 rice initiative of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., is rolling out to the transport sector starting Tuesday, September 16, reaching more than 57,000 public transport workers in five major cities.

From bus, jeepney, and tricycle drivers to transport operators, thousands in the sector will now gain access to rice priced at just ₱20 per kilo—a key step in the administration’s broader effort to make food more affordable for Filipino families.

“This is more than a food program. It’s a promise being fulfilled—a fight against hunger that meets people where they are,” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. He thanked the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) for helping identify eligible beneficiaries.

Under the scheme, each qualified driver or operator can purchase up to 10 kilos of rice per month at the subsidized price. The initial rollout covers:

• Quezon City (Bureau of Animal Industry) – 17,633 beneficiaries

• Navotas City (Philippine Fisheries Development Authority) – 1,001 beneficiaries

• Angeles City, Pampanga (Barangay Pandan) – 9,961 beneficiaries

• Cebu City (Food Terminal Inc.) – 24,742 beneficiaries

• Tagum City – 3,650 beneficiaries

Distribution hubs include DA offices and facilities in Navotas, Quezon City, Angeles, Cebu, and Tagum.

Originally designed for senior citizens, solo parents, persons with disabilities, and indigent households, the program has expanded to cover minimum wage earners, farmers, fisherfolk, public school teachers, non-teaching DepEd staff, and DSWD’s Walang Gutom beneficiaries.

Tiu Laurel emphasized the long-term goal: “We are fully committed to President Marcos’ directive to extend this program to 15 million households by 2026—and to keep it going until the end of his term in 2028. From city markets to rural roads, the message is clear: Benteng Bigas, Meron Na! is no longer a campaign promise but a reality.”

NPO News Team | DA-PR

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