BACOLOD City – The city government is gearing up for the second tranche of its “Benteng Bigas Meron Na!” program, which offers rice at P20 per kilo to qualified beneficiaries.
Secretary to the Mayor Marty Go said in a press briefing on Monday, September 1, that the purchase request for the additional supply is already being prepared and will be sent to the Food Terminal Inc. (FTI) within the week.
“We’re hoping to expedite the process so that the program can resume within the month,” Go said.
The program, launched in June, is carried out under a memorandum of agreement with FTI, the marketing arm of the Department of Agriculture, which sources rice from the National Food Authority (NFA).
During its initial rollout, the city government procured 5,880 sacks of rice worth P7.971 million. For the second tranche, about 3,000 sacks are expected to be purchased using the remaining program funds.
Under the scheme, each qualified household can buy up to 10 kilos of rice weekly, or a maximum of 40 kilos monthly, at the subsidized price. Beneficiaries include senior citizens, solo parents, persons with disabilities, indigent families, minimum wage earners, rice farmers, and fisherfolk.
Meanwhile, Go said the program will also be introduced to the transport sector starting September 16 in five pilot areas nationwide. (PNA)
