P29 brings high-quality rice to 35M poor Filipinos

By Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation (IBC-13)

Because rice is considered the essence of the Filipino, it’s only fair that they should be offered to the Pinoy consumer in the most affordable way possible.

This is exactly what the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has set out to do since it assumed office in the wake of a global inflationary trend that affected the prices of local agricultural products.

Adding to the inflationary conundrum in the price of rice are various factors that have negatively affected Philippine agriculture. These factors include long government neglect, Climate Change, and societal trends that lead to drop in the number of farmers.

These factors have resulted in the current inadequacy in the supply of locally produced rice that would satisfy domestic demand. As a result, the country became one of the top rice-importing nations in the world.

A study conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture published in March 2024 projected that the Philippines’ rice consumption for the monitoring period 2024 to 2025 will increase in line with the country’s population growth. 

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) estimates per capita consumption at 120 kilos, which means on average each Filipino consumes 10 kilos a month.

These projections highlight the urgent need to not only improve food production in the country, but also make the price of rice more affordable—particularly for the poor whose rice consumption accounts for nearly 20 percent of their budget, double that of the average Filipino consumer. 

The latest report from PSA indicates that at the national level, a kilogram of regular milled rice had an average retail price of over 49 pesos during the second phase of November 2024 or from November 15 to 17. 

In a bid to make rice more accessible to the public and in line with President Marcos’ goal of ensuring food on the table of every household, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has launched two programs that seek to provide affordable rice to Filipinos – the Program 29 (P29) and the Rice for All (RFA) Program. 

These two programs are in line with the President’s aim to achieve food security for the country. “Food security remains at the forefront of our national agenda,” according to the President. 

“Anchored on our vision for a prosperous, resilient, and secure Philippines by the year 2040, the overarching goal of this administration is to build an inclusive society when no one is hungry, where Filipinos live long and healthy lives, and where they are provided with an environment built upon trust and security, and where they can be innovative and remain smart and responsive to the problems of the day,” the President added.

 The P29 was launched on July 5, 2024 and was initially available at 10 KADIWA ng Pangulo (KNP) centers in Metro Manila and Bulacan, with the end goal of eventually making the affordable rice available nationwide. 

KNP is a market linkage facilitation program where basic commodities, including agricultural products, are sold at a more affordable price.

The P29 aims to provide affordable high-quality rice for vulnerable households across the country. It aims to reach as many as 6.9 million such households or around 35 million Filipinos, particularly the disadvantaged such as indigents (4Ps beneficiaries), senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWD), solo parents, and indigenous people.

“Ang Program 29 ay isa sa dinirektiba po ng ating mahal na Pangulo bilang tugon sa mataas na presyo ng bigas,” DA Assistant Secretary for Agribusiness, Marketing and Consumer Affairs Atty. Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra explained. 

Since the “Program 29’s” initial rollout in July, the initiative has expanded to other cities and provinces in the country, with the government eyeing to make the 29 pesos per kilo rice available also in Visayas and Mindanao areas.

 The rice used in the program is sourced from the non-regular stocks of the National Food Authority and purchased by the Food Terminal Inc. (FTI) — a corporation under the DA — and then sold to Filipinos in the vulnerable sector at a more affordable price.

Taking another step closer to reaching the government’s goal of providing Filipinos access to affordable food, the DA also rolled out the “Rice for All” program by selling well-milled rice for only 40 pesos per kilo. 

The program, which started on August 1, 2024, provides every Filipino consumer an affordable rice option. Under the initiative, well-milled rice is sold in various KNP centers and public markets in different areas, primarily in Luzon, at P40 a kilo, with a limit of 25 kilos a day.

RFA is a self-sustaining initiative unlike the subsidized P29 program.

 “‘Yung Rice-for-All program natin was following yung pag-launch natin ng Program 29.  We launched it to cater to vulnerable sectors. There was a concern na parang bakit sila (vulnerable sectors)   lang ang merong rice na mas mura. So ito po yung naging response natin,” Velicaria-Guevarra explained. 

According to Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr., grains sold under “Rice for All” program could be further lowered depending on the wholesale market prices of rice.

 He assured that in general, the price of rice sold under the initiative is lower than the prevailing retail price. 

“President Marcos wants to ensure that every Filipino has access to affordable food during these trying times. In line with this, we will continue to expand the KADIWA network and make available more basic goods to the general public,” the official said. 

“The vision is to lower the price of this staple food under the Rice-for-All program to the most affordable level possible,” he added.

The Program is successfully serving its target population as a result of the Publicus Asia PAHAYAG survey from September 15 to 19, 2024, which showed that 82 percent of respondents approved the two programs’ launching, making them the top or considered the “most approved” government initiative. 

DA Assistant Secretary Arnel V. de Mesa disclosed that as of October 2, 2024, the P29 program sold around 688 metric tons or 688,015 kilograms of non-regular NFA rice stocks; while the Rice for All sold around 122 metric tons or 122,000 kilograms of well-milled rice on top of 0.85 metric tons or 850 kilograms of premium rice.

As of November 2024, a total of 704,126 kilograms of P29 rice were sold through various KADIWA Centers, serving 140,827 households.

Reaching Filipino households 

On the ground, thousands of Filipinos have benefited from the two programs. 

Not only is the rice sold at a cheaper price, but the savings from their purchase can also be used to buy other items that could help run the household. 

Among those who have purchased affordable rice is 72-year-old Alicia Casaol, a resident of Malabon City. 

Alicia stays in a home with seven other family members–her husband, her two children, and her four grandchildren. Living in a huge household, Alicia purchases rice three times a week.

“Malaking bagay ang KADIWA, mura ang bilihin. Lalo na ang bigas. Hindi namin kaya bumili ng 60 kilo, ang mahal. Ito, 29 pesos o 42 pesos meron ka na. Sa iba, malaking halaga ang magagastos,” she said.

“Noon, 53 pesos ang binibili namin nung wala pang KADIWA. Eh ngayon, gustong-gusto ko talaga sa KADIWA, doon lang kami bibili,” the senior citizen said. 

With a budget of 200 pesos, Alicia was able to purchase five kilos of rice at P29 per kilo, two cans of sardines and five eggs good for three days.

 “Sa totoo lang, marami nang bumibili talaga rito sa amin ng bigas sa KADIWA. Lalo na yung mga walang-wala. Kasi malaking bagay yung 29 pesos na bigas,” she said.

“Malaking bagay ang KADIWA sa amin. Malaki naitutulong. Lalo ng ganyang mga bilihin. Sabi ko nga, tuloy-tuloy sana ang KADIWA,” Alicia said. 

“Malaking pasasalamat namin sa gobyerno dahil malaking bagay ito lalo sa mga kagaya ko na walang pera,” she added. 

Mary Grace Akuin, a 44-year-old mother from Malabon City, said she used to purchase rice at 52 to 60 pesos per kilo. However, she was able to save money due to the rice sold under the Rice-for-All program. 

“Pinakamababa na bigas sa palengke 60 pesos. Sa KADIWA 43 pesos. ‘Yung isang kilo na mabibili mo sa palengke sa KADIWA magiging isa’t kalahati na. Or makakabili ka pa ng sardinas o kaya itlog doon sa matitira. Para sa akin malaking tulong talaga yung KADIWA,” Mary Grace said. 

The rice program does not only benefit common consumers. It also  has a positive ripple effect on the NFA itself. 

The P29 program, for example, provides NFA, a government corporation under the DA, a ready market for its non-regular stocks that it needs to sell to raise funds to sustain its operations and pay the salaries of its workers.

Currently, both the “Program 29” and the “Rice-for-All” program are already operating in 21 KADIWA sites in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, and Calabarzon.

The government is still eyeing to further expand the affordable rice’s availability to other parts of the country.

 President Marcos has likewise ordered the DA, together with the Department of Budget and Management, to expand the coverage of the rice programs. 

In a meeting with the DA and the National Irrigation Administration, the President approved the utilization of P29 Program’s 5-billion-peso allocation for the Rice for All program to finance logistics repair and rehabilitation of government facilities and warehouses where KADIWA Centers may be set up.

 The opening of more KADIWA Centers in the country will expand the number of areas where affordable rice is available. The rehabilitation is expected to benefit an additional 2.3 million Filipinos in its initial rollout.

 “The DA and DBM have been directed to expand the P29 and the Rice for All program and increase our KADIWA ng Pangulo centers from 21 to 300 by mid-2025. This will bring affordable rice within reach for more communities across the country,” he said.

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This article is brought to you by Presidential Communications Office through PDI.