HOUSE Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Sunday lauded the Department of Agriculture’s launch of the P20-per-kilo rice initiative, calling it a significant first step toward achieving food security and promoting economic justice for Filipino families.
Speaker Romualdez said the House of Representatives is fully backing President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr.’s flagship initiative by preparing to institutionalize the P20/kilo rice program through the 2026 national budget, ensuring that it becomes a sustainable, nationwide policy, not just a pilot project.
“This is not a one-time rollout. This is the beginning of a national transformation. President Marcos is showing us that with political will and smart budgeting, P20/kilo rice is not just possible—it’s happening,” Speaker Romualdez said.
The Department of Agriculture began distributing P20/kilo rice in select areas through the National Food Authority (NFA), using locally sourced palay from Filipino farmers. Speaker Romualdez emphasized that Congress will support and expand this model, buying from farmers at fair prices and selling to people with low incomes at subsidized rates.
“We will allocate the necessary funds to scale this program nationwide through the 2026 General Appropriations Act,” Speaker Romualdez said. “This kind of ayuda uplifts everyone—consumers, farmers, and the economy.”
Speaker Romualdez noted that the House is studying ways to consolidate and align existing programs, such as the 4Ps, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) food assistance, and DA’s Rice Program, to build a unified Rice Assistance Fund.
This fund would empower the NFA to stabilize supply and deliver rice at P20/kilo to qualified beneficiaries on a sustained basis, Speaker Romualdez said.
“We will also consider tapping AKAP and other targeted subsidy programs as complementary channels to reach the near-poor and vulnerable,” Speaker Romualdez added.
Speaker Romualdez assured the public that the House, in coordination with the Executive, will ensure that the rollout of the P20/kilo rice program will be efficient, transparent, and protected from corruption or abuse, utilizing technology like national ID integration, e-vouchers, and digital monitoring.
“No Filipino should go hungry when our farmers are ready to feed the nation. P20/kilo rice is not a fantasy—it’s a question of priority. And it is a top priority under this administration,” Speaker Romualdez said.
Speaker Romualdez also credited President Marcos Jr. with leading the push for bold, people-centered solutions to address inflation and food insecurity.
“President Marcos is turning a vision into action. The House of the People stands solidly behind him as we turn this action into permanent policy,” Speaker Romualdez concluded.
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