Visayas regions to embrace "Cebu model" for PHP 20 rice distribution
Layman's Take:
Life just got a bit easier for a lot of folks in the Visayas, as provinces across the region are set to jump on board a government initiative to offer affordable rice. The Department of Agriculture (DA) will be rolling out a budget rice program similar to Cebu's successful Sugbo Merkado Barato (SMB) initiative next week.
During a meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and governors from Western, Central, and Eastern Visayas at the Cebu Provincial Capitol, the P-20 Program was discussed and agreed upon by all governors in attendance. The program aims to make rice available at a subsidized rate of P20 per kilo, with the difference of P13 between the purchased price and sold price evenly split between the local government and the national government.
Aklan Governor Jose Enrique Miraflores was quoted saying, "We're not as big as Cebu, so we can catch up with 80 percent of our households. But we will prioritize the frontliners." Each province will tailor the program to suit their unique demographics when it comes to identifying "priority beneficiaries."
While the P-20 Program isn't a carbon copy of Cebu's SMB initiative, it's closely modeled after it, particularly in the use of QR codes. The program is part of a broader effort to make rice affordable for those in need across the Visayas region, following in the footsteps of Cebu's pioneering work in this area.
As the Visayas moves to realize President Marcos Jr.'s campaign promise, the government looks to expand the program nationwide, bringing the hope of affordable rice and increased food security to more Filipinos. Turns out, a little rice on the table goes a long way in making smiles brighter!
More Bites:
As promised during his campaign, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is making good on his pledge to make rice cheaper for Filipinos by launching the P-20 Program. The program has been in the works since last year and aims to roll out across the Visayas region starting next week.
The P-20 Program allows provinces to purchase rice from the Food Terminal Incorporated (FTI) at P33 per kilo and sell it locally at P20 per kilo. Half of the subsidy cost is shouldered by the national government, while the remaining half is split between the province and its local government unit.
The Visayas region was chosen as the pilot area due to its high rice retail prices and a significant number of people in need. The program aims to eventually expand nationwide once logistical issues are worked out. The National Food Authority (NFA) is providing the program with stocks to ensure a stable supply of rice.
Each family will be allowed to purchase a maximum of 10 kilos per week or 40 kilos per month, depending on the province's implementation. The governors of the Visayan provinces are working together with the DA to implement this program across their provinces, modeled closely after the successful SMB initiative in Cebu.
- The government's initiative to offer affordable rice, known as the P-20 Program, is set to be implemented across the Visayas region, following the successful model of Cebu's SMB initiative.
- The program, which aims to make rice available at a subsidized rate of P20 per kilo, will be implemented in Ilioilo and other provinces, not just in Cebu.
- Each province, including Ilioilo, will tailor the P-20 Program to suit their unique demographics when it comes to identifying "priority beneficiaries," particularly frontliners.
- Government subsidies will play a role in the P-20 Program, with the difference of P13 between the purchased price and sold price evenly split between the local and national government.
- In addition to making rice affordable, the P-20 Program is part of a broader effort to improve lifestyle in the Visayas region, with an emphasis on food-and-drink, travel, cars, education-and-self-development, and even casino-and-gambling sectors.
- President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has said that the P-20 Program is part of his campaign promise to make rice cheaper for Filipinos, and the program is expected to eventually expand nationwide.
- The National Food Authority (NFA) is providing the program with stocks to ensure a stable supply of rice, which could have positive implications for food security in the Visayas region and beyond.
