P20-per-kilo rice will be available in Mindanao in July, says DA
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MANILA, Philippines — The government is set to roll out the P20-per-kilo rice program in Mindanao starting in July, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. announced on Monday.
The program is divided into three phases.
Phase 1 is already implemented in Negros Oriental, Samar, Eastern Samar, Negros Occidental, Northern Samar, Leyte, Bohol, Antique, Cebu, Iloilo, Capiz, Biliran, Southern Leyte, Guimaras, Siquijor, Aklan and Mindoro.
At a Palace briefing, Tiu Laurel said Phase 2 will cover Zamboanga del Norte, Basilan, Cotabato City, Tawi-Tawi, Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Davao Oriental, Sorsogon and Maguindanao del Norte.
The second phase will start in July.
READ: House: Make P20/kilo rice program a national policy
Meanwhile, Phase 3 will begin in September in Sultan Kudarat, Lanao del Norte, Catanduanes, Agusan del Sur, Sarangani and Dinagat Islands.
These provinces have the highest poverty incidence, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority’s 2023 report.
Poverty incidence serves as the basis for the Department of Agriculture in choosing where to implement the program.
“Inutos na ni presidente sa akin na gagawin na natin ito hanggang 2028. Yung formula na lang ang basically pinag-uusapan. Mayroon na kaming ideas kung magkano’ng magagastos,” Tiu Laurel said.
“The president has already instructed me that we will carry this out until 2028. What we’re basically discussing now is the formula. We already have ideas on how much it will cost,” Tiu Laurel said.
READ: Negros Occidental sets aside P10 million for P20-per-kilo rice program
“In general, the idea, as of the moment, is to serve 15 million families. If each family has four or five members, that will be around 60 million people,” the secretary noted.
“Then, that quantify per month. We are still identifying it, of course,” he added.
DA is also determining which sectors are most in need of benefiting from the program, Tiu Laurel concluded./apl
