P20/kg rice arrives in Davao City

ABOUT 4,000 beneficiaries from two barangays in Davao City benefitted from P20 pesos rice rollout of the Benteng Bigas, Meron Na as part of the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) initiative to provide affordable rice to the vulnerable sectors. 

The P20 rice was launched on February 20, 2026, in Barangay Matina Crossing 74-A with 600 sacks of rice, and in Barangay Tungkalan in Toril District with 300 sacks of rice.

DA Assistant Secretary Genevieve Guevarra said that through the launch of the program, many people especially those from vulnerable sectors such as senior citizens, solo parents, persons with disabilities (PWDs), low-income families, transport workers, farmers, and fisherfolk, among others will be able to benefit from it.

Guevarra said that Barangay Matina Crossing 74-A was the first barangay in 2026 to benefit from the P20 rice rollout of the Benteng Bigas, Meron Na program.

“Dati ang pinupuntahan natin ay probinsya na kung saan po natin nila-launch, ngayon naman po dahil meron tayong proyekto na expansion, iniisa po natin ang mga barangay (Before, we used to go to the provinces where we launched our programs. Now, because we have an expansion project, we are going through the barangays one by one),” she said. 

Guevarra said that the department aims to expand the program so that it will cover more sectors, thereby ensuring that all members of the community will be able to benefit from affordable rice.

Helpful for beneficiaries

Belinda Beno, a minimum wage earner and a beneficiary of the P20 rice program, said that the initiative is very helpful since she is able to save more money because of the low price of rice, considering that the average price of rice is P55 per kilo.

“Dako gyud imong matipid, makapalit naka ug sud-an (I can save a lot of money and I can buy a viand),” she said. 

Cherry Lou Saraon, a 4Ps beneficiary, said that she is thankful for the program since she is able to purchase rice at an affordable price. She said that being a mother of three is very challenging, but with the program, she is able to buy 10 kilos of rice for her children.

BBM admin flagship program

The Benteng Bigas, Meron Na program is a flagship food security initiative of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., which aims to make rice affordable and accessible to vulnerable sectors while at the same time supporting local farmers.

The rice sold under the Benteng Bigas, Meron Na program is supplied by the National Food Authority (NFA) and is procured from local farmers.

The program was initially launched on June 13, 2025, with a pilot rollout and simultaneous events marking its start. RGP