ILOILO – To combat child malnutrition and rising food insecurity, the Iloilo provincial government is set to roll out in August the highly anticipated P20-per-kilo rice program, prioritizing over 9,500 households with undernourished children as its first beneficiaries.
Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. confirmed the initiative, saying the provincial government has allocated around P8 million in subsidies under the national “SiPag at TiyaGa for MoRProGRes sa Bagong Pilipinas” campaign. The initial rollout will directly benefit families identified under the province’s nutrition program.
“We are about to roll out. Ma-ceremonial signing pa kita with the Food Terminal Inc. (FTI). Ang aton nga budget is around P8 million, subsidy ina siya… Ma-roll out kita sa around 9,000 beneficiaries, amo na sila ang pamilya nga may malnutrition, stunting, undernourished,” said Defensor. “We will distribute it to beneficiaries as rice assistance. It is important to recognize that we cannot guarantee that these beneficiaries have the means to buy even rice at a low cost.”
The program’s cornerstone is the “P20/kg Rice Para sa Bayan” component, which enables qualified indigent households to purchase rice for only P20 per kilogram — substantially lower than the P33 procurement price from the National Food Authority (NFA). This is made possible through a dual subsidy scheme: P6.50 per kilo from the provincial government and another P6.50 from Food Terminal Incorporated (FTI), a government corporation handling the distribution.
“We are simply making the most of our available resources. There is financial assistance accessible to us, which we will provide to the beneficiaries of our malnutrition program to help them purchase rice,” Defensor added.
To ensure smooth implementation, the province has already procured 20,000 bags of rice (50 kg each), and distribution will be facilitated through MoRProGRes Kadiwa ng Pangulo Centers, Bigasan ng Barangay outlets, and other authorized government retail stores. Local government units (LGUs) are also being encouraged to establish Kadiwa Centers to serve as permanent access points.
“What is important is the next step, how do you regularize… the setting muna is the permanent outlets of rice available, anytime may magkadto nga beneficiary. We are setting that up. Right now, the LGUs are helping us,” said Defensor.
He also confirmed that many municipalities are ready to participate in the program depending on their respective beneficiary count. “Sa subong sini nga rollout, may ara kada banwa ma-establish sina… but it can change later on kay may KADIWA kita and bigasan ng barangay.”
The provincial government will issue “SiPag at TiyaGa IDs” to qualified beneficiaries following validation by the Provincial Health Office (PHO) and the ICT Management Office. Beneficiaries will then receive a P3,000 payout from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-VI) under the Aid to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program, and may purchase 10 kg of rice worth P200 per transaction.
Ma. Teresa Solis, regional technical director of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Western Visayas, assured the public of the rice’s quality: “The rice supplied under this initiative will meet high quality standards, ensuring that beneficiaries receive a product that is both nutritious and safe.”
Iloilo joins other localities in Western Visayas that have already launched the program:
* Bacolod City began on June 5, purchasing 5,880 bags worth P7.7 million from FTI.
* Capiz launched on June 30, benefiting 60 construction workers during the initial phase.
* Antique rolled out the program on July 4, reaching 105 minimum wage earners.
* Guimaras expanded the program to all five of its municipalities beginning July 18.
Through this nutrition-focused implementation of the P20 rice program, the Iloilo provincial government aims not only to ease the burden of rising staple prices but also to directly confront malnutrition—an enduring public health challenge in the region./PN
