The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has confirmed the rollout of P20 per kilogram rice under the “Benteng Bigas Mayroon (BBM) Na” program at Kadiwa ng Pangulo (KNP) sites across Metro Manila starting May 13, immediately following the midterm elections.
DA Assistant Secretary Genevieve Guevarra said during a press conference in Quezon City that preparations are already in place for the program’s implementation.
“Kami po ay nagre-ready na ma-implement ito by May 13 after elections. At umasa rin po kayo na mayroon pa rin naman tayong P29 ngayon, iyong murang bigas. And then after elections, mata-transform natin iyan to P20,” Guevarra said.
The current P29 rice price is part of an ongoing initiative that distributes aging but still good-quality rice stocks from the National Food Authority (NFA) to disadvantaged groups such as 4Ps beneficiaries, persons with disabilities, senior citizens, and solo parents.
Following the initial launch in Cebu province on May 1, at least 19 KNP locations in the National Capital Region are set to join the pilot rollout.
Among the areas to be served starting May 13 are Kamuning Market in Cubao, Quezon City; two Mandaluyong public markets; Bagong Silang Phase 9 Market in Caloocan; Libertad Market in Pasay; Navotas Agora Complex; and the New Las Piñas Public Market.
Additional sites will begin offering the subsidized rice every Thursday starting May 15. These include the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority in Las Piñas; Bureau of Plant Industry in Manila; Bureau of Animal Industry in Quezon City; PNP headquarters in Camp Crame; Food Terminal Inc. in Taguig; Bagong Sibol Market in Marikina; Disiplina Village in Valenzuela; Midway Park in Caloocan; the DA Agribusiness Center in Quezon City; PhilPost in Intramuros; and Navotas City Hall.
The BBM Na program will also expand to Pangasinan, with the Lingayen KNP site joining the rollout on May 15.
Each participating site in Metro Manila is set to receive a weekly allocation of 50 rice sacks, totaling 950 sacks per week. In Cebu, 600,000 sacks will be delivered in phases as part of the pilot program.
The overall rollout in the Visayas aims to reach approximately 800,000 households, or about four million individuals, across Western, Central, and Eastern Visayas, including the Negros Island Region.
To ensure equitable distribution, the DA has imposed a 30-kilogram monthly purchase cap for Metro Manila beneficiaries, while those in the Visayas are allowed up to 40 kilograms per month.
The P20 rice initiative is being supported by a P4.5 billion subsidy sourced from the contingency fund of the Office of the President. A full nationwide rollout of the program is targeted for January 2026.