Some 1,000 minimum wage earners in Pampanga benefitted from the pilot roll-out of the ‘Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!’ program facilitated by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Department of Agriculture (DA).
The beneficiaries are from SUPERL Philippines Inc., one of Pampanga’s major manufacturing firms.
Each worker was able to purchase up to 10 kilos of rice for P20 per kilo.
The program that aims to make rice accessible and affordable to low-income workers.
DOLE Regional Director Geraldine Panlilio said the initiative is part of the Marcos Jr. administration’s commitment to improve food affordability and uplift the lives of low-income earners.
She said that more than 7,000 minimum wage earners in Central Luzon were identified as initial beneficiaries of the program.
Participating employers sign a memorandum of agreement with agencies.
The rice is procured and distributed by Food Terminal Inc. from the National Food Authority (NFA)