ILOILO – The provincial government has moved closer to rolling out its P20-per-kilo rice program after the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) authorized Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. to sign agreements with 43 local government units (LGUs) across Iloilo province.
The authority, granted during the SP’s 10th regular session on September 2, clears the way for the province to enter into Memorandums of Agreement (MOA) with city and municipal governments, which will act as frontline distributors of the subsidized rice.
“This is tied up with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). We have a list, and the DSWD is crosschecking it. These beneficiaries are receiving their AICS (Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation). The AICS that they will be receiving will help them buy a maximum of 30 kilos rice and then the rest, they can have it as their allowance. Thirty kilos of rice is the maximum,” explained Aulynn Yue Sin, Local Economic and Development Investment Promotion head.
The program, branded “Sipag at Tiyaga,” aims to ease the burden of food insecurity by making rice affordable to low-income families, particularly those identified as nutritionally at risk.
Beneficiaries will be identified by the Provincial Health Office in coordination with the DSWD.
“Our Provincial Health Office (PHO) has submitted the list of undernourished beneficiaries of the recipients for this particular program. We have tied this up with the Nutrition program of our PHO, together with the Agriculture’s office Serbisyo program, to implement this. Secondly, the beneficiaries, all of our municipalities, 43 LGUs, cities, in the province of Iloilo will be benefiting from the 20-peso rice,” Sin added.
The rollout is expected to begin in October, with the provincial government emphasizing that LGUs will play a crucial role in ensuring rice reaches targeted families at the community level./PN