Negros Occidental readies P10M for P20 per kilo rice sale

CHEAP STAPLE HERE In this photo taken in December 2023, Negros Occidental residents avail of rice sold at P25 per kilo facilitated by the Federation of Irrigators Association of Central Negros-Bago River Irrigation System. The same group is now preparing to sell the staple at P20 a kilo under a program initiated by the Department of Agriculture. —BIGASAN NG BAYAN OF THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT OF NEGROS OCCIDENTAL AND FIACN-BRIS

BACOLOD CITY—The Negros Occidental provincial government is prepared to allocate an initial P10 million as its counterpart subsidy for the sale of rice at P20 per kilo.

Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II said they could replenish the amount when needed.

“We are already preparing the groundwork to commence the sale of rice at P20 a kilo,” he said last Thursday.

Diaz said the provincial government has so far allocated P7 million as its counterpart fund for the purchase of rice from the National Food Authority (NFA) to be sold to Negrenses at P20 a kilo.

They were also preparing the groundwork for the purchase of rice from the irrigators’ association in the province to be included in the cheap rice program.

“The provincial government will allocate about P3 million for that,” Diaz said.

In the past, he said the provincial government, through the irrigators association, sold rice to indigent individuals at P25 a kilo.

Beneficiaries

Department of Agriculture (DA) Director Jose Albert Barrogo of the Negros Island Region (NIR) said senior citizens, persons with disabilities, indigents and those listed as Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiaries could avail of the P20 per kilo rice.

“Under the program, each family can buy 10 kilos of the P20 rice per week,” he said.

The Food Terminal Incorporated will buy rice from the NFA at P33 per kilo. The P13 difference will then be subsidized by the Department of Agriculture and the local government unit, Barrogo said.

In April, President Marcos quietly flew to Cebu for an unannounced closed-door meeting with the Visayas governors at the Cebu provincial capitol to discuss the initial rollout of the P20-per-kilo rice program in the Visayas.

The program was implemented in Cebu on May 1 but was suspended the next day by the DA following a warning from the Commission on Elections that selling rice at P20 per kilo still fell under “ayuda” or assistance that was prohibited 10 days before the May 12 elections.

The DA announced the program was to resume on May 13 when the prohibition had ended.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. had told reporters that the program would be launched in the Visayas—composed of the Central Visayas, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas and NIR—because “there are more people in need in these regions.”

But he said the eventual intention of this program is to launch it nationwide.

Laurel said the administration has been doing its best to fulfill the President’s campaign promise to sell rice at P20 per kilo.