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Josiah Antonio - The Philippine Star
April 20, 2026 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) has expanded the rollout of the P20 per kilo rice program, as the government moves to temper the impact on vulnerable households of rising food costs driven by the ongoing energy emergency.
President Marcos has directed the DA to scale up the initiative by extending selling hours and opening more distribution outlets across the country, broadening access at a time when higher fuel costs continue to feed into food prices.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the expansion is designed to steady food access as transport and logistics expenses push retail prices upward.
As of the first quarter of 2026, the DA has established 932 selling sites nationwide, composed of Kadiwa outlets, National Food Authority (NFA) warehouses, local government units, national government agencies, and other sellers accredited by Food Terminal Inc. (FTI).
A total of 6.45 million beneficiaries have been serviced across all operating sites, as of April 7, it added.
Eligible beneficiaries include senior citizens, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) households, solo parents, persons with disabilities, and farmers and fisherfolk.
“We have sufficient food supply, but elevated fuel and logistics costs are pushing market prices to levels that further constrain the budgets of many Filipinos,” Tiu Laurel said.
NFA-FTI agreement
The program is boosted by a newly formalized agreement between FTI and the NFA, securing funding and supply commitments for 2026.
Building on this renewed FTI–NFA agreement, the DA is set to roll out an additional 900 selling sites nationwide, prioritizing Capiz, Bukidnon, Cebu, Cotabato, Catanduanes and other high-need areas to further expand access to affordable rice for vulnerable communities.
The deal covers the procurement of about 1.8 million 50-kilogram sacks of well-milled rice, backed by a P3-billion budget, which is part of the P10-billion “rice for all” program.
The initial P3 billion allocated to the NFA will scale up palay procurement by directly linking affordable rice distribution with stronger support for local farmers.
As rice stocks are released into the market, revenues are reinvested into further palay purchases, creating a continuous procurement cycle.
FTI, led by president and CEO Joseph Rudolph Lo, will serve as a procuring entity, while the NFA will supply rice stocks under a negotiated agency-to-agency framework designed to speed up implementation.
The NFA’s mandate to maintain a buffer stock supports supply resilience, particularly during disruptions, while FTI’s distribution network is expected to improve last-mile delivery.
