P20 per kilo rice rolled out by DA in Cebu

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The long-awaited P20 per kilo rice has been launched in Cebu on Labor Day, May 1.

As early as 8 a.m. on Thursday, beneficiaries started lining up at the Cebu Provincial Capitol to purchase a maximum of 10 kilos of rice per household per week.

The event was spearheaded by Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and he was joined by other government officials of the Province of Cebu. 

Also in attendance were DA’s Food Terminal Inc., Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco and Deputy Speaker Duke Frasco.

READ: NFA rice rollout begins: Tabogon among first to collect supply

The ceremonial roll out began around 11 a.m. following the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement between the DA and Cebu Province, led by Governor Gwendolyn Garcia. 

The agreement pertains to the “shared subsidy of the P20 rice initiative pilot test in the province,” according to DA. 

Moreover, the selling of the P20 per kilo rice will be until December 2025 only, but Laurel previously said that they would do their best to extend it until the term of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. would end as requested by the country’s chief executive. 

According to DA, the pilot test is expected to benefit around 800,000 households or equivalent to four million people and will also cover other regions in the Visayas. 

The DA added that several local government units in Cebu have started drawing stocks from the NFA warehouse in Cebu City from April 29 to May 1.

Around 3,700 of 50-kilo bags of rice were withdrawn.

READ: National sale of P20/kg rice still lacking Comelec approval

Since Cebu has a little rice output, the NFA continued to receive stocks of rice from rice-producing areas in the Visayas and from Mindoro to ensure the sufficiency of supply, the DA said.

Under the Rice Tariffication Law, officially known as Republic Act No. 11203, enacted in 2019, NFA the NFA is not allowed to sell rice directly to the public. 

However, through the KnP20 program or the Kadiwa ng Pangulo, rice is made available using specific channels aimed for vulnerable groups which include the senior citizens, solo parents, persons with disabilities, and recipients of the government’s 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program). 

As of writing the DA is seeking for the response from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on whether the P20/kilo rice program is exempt from the May 2-12 election ban on the distribution of any government assistance. 

READ: DA: P20 rice in Kadiwa centers starting May 2

But Laurel said on Thursday that they would comply with whatever the Commission would advise, especially in halting the program until May 12 or after the elections, to prevent it from being politicized. 

“Ayaw ko naman makasuhan,” Laurel said. 

(I don’t want to be sued.)

But Governor Garcia told reporters on Thursday that the P20 per kilo rice will remain available to sell throughout the province through the Sugbo Merkadong Barato (SMB) program, which received an exemption from by the Comelec from restrictions on public fund spending.

“Here in Cebu, under SMB, we can continue. Other governors can request exemptions directly to the Comelec,” said Laurel. 

In Cebu Province, over 20 municipalities and component cities already started selling the subsidized P20 per kilo rice which include Aloguinsan, Argao, Asturias, Balamban, Bantayan, Barili, Bogo City, Borbon, Carcar City, Catmon, Compostela, Daanbantayan, Ginatilan, Medellin, Minglanilla, Naga City, Oslob, Pinamungajan, Pilar, Poro, San Fernando, Santander, Sogod, Tabogon, Tabuelan, Talisay City, Toledo City, Tuburan, and Tudela. 

Garcia also clarified that the P20 per kilo of rice was not a form of “ayuda” and that the province was only fulfilling the program of Marcos. 

TAGS: Cebu, P20 per kilo rice