THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Department of Agriculture (DA) officially launched Friday, June 13, 2025, the “Benteng Bigas Program” in Zamboanga City, benefitting 1,000 minimum wage earners.
The official launching was held at the Project Hope Agricultural Cooperative (PHAC) Commissary Store in Zone 8, Ayala village, Zamboanga City, the pilot area for the subsidized rice program of the government.
DA-Zamboanga Peninsula Executive Director Marcos Aves Sr. said the beneficiaries of the “Benteng Bigas Meron Na” are from the local fishing and canning factories.
Aves said that each of the 1,000 beneficiaries bought 10 kilos of rice at P20 a kilo as 10,000 kilos were made available during the initial launching.
“Through this sincere effort of DOLE in collaboration with DA and NFA (National Food Authority), we can help in stabilizing the price in our local markets and provide the basic needs of the public,” Aves said.
Engineer Wesley Tan, DOLE-Zamboanga Peninsula assistant director, said the 1,000 minimum wage earners who received 10 kilos of rice each on Friday are part of the 3,795 identified beneficiaries of the program in Zamboanga City.
“This is just the beginning. Our goal is to sustain the P20 rice program and eventually expand it to other sectors and provinces in Zamboanga Peninsula,” Tan said.
He said that under the program, each eligible minimum wage earner can avail up to 10 kilos of rice monthly at P20 a kilo.
Jordan Valente, NFA assistant regional manager, assured they have a sufficient supply of rice in their warehouses and are ready to provide the rice required for the Benteng Bigas Program. (SunStar Zamboanga)