ILOILO – At least 1,000 residents of Passi City — mostly from marginalized sectors — have gained access to rice priced at P20 per kilogram following the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) rollout of its subsidized rice program, marking a significant push to ease food costs among vulnerable households in Western Visayas.
The initiative, launched under the Benteng Bigas, Meron Na! Program, prioritizes beneficiaries from sectors most affected by rising food prices, including senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs), solo parents, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries, farmers, fisherfolk, TODA members, and lower middle-income families.
To ensure proper targeting and monitoring, beneficiaries were enrolled through the P20 Benteng Bigas Masterlist Registry System (PBBMRS), a web-based platform developed by the DA’s Information and Communications Technology Service.
The program’s launch in Passi City was led by DA assistant secretary Atty. Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra, alongside local and regional officials including Mayor Stephen Palmares, Vice Gov. Lee Ann Debuque, DA Region 6 executive director Dennis Arpia, and National Food Authority (NFA) Region 6 manager Rodolfo Corpuz.
The accelerated rollout of the Benteng Bigas initiative forms part of the administration’s broader commitment to make affordable, quality rice accessible to Filipinos, particularly those in economically vulnerable groups.
Mayor Palmares expressed gratitude to the DA, NFA, and partner agencies for selecting Passi City as one of the pilot areas for the program, underscoring its importance in helping local residents cope with the rising cost of basic commodities./PN
