Article by:
Stephanie Sevillano
MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Tuesday rolled out the “Benteng Bigas Meron (BBM) Na” program in Makati City with 750 members of vulnerable sectors initially benefiting from the PHP20 per kilo rice.
This, as the government pushes to expand the flagship food initiative of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. amid rising living costs tied to global energy volatility caused by the Middle East tension.
“During these challenging times, initiatives envisioned by President Marcos, such as the P20 rice program, are a big help for the tight budgets of Filipino families,” DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in a statement.
Eligible beneficiaries include senior citizens, persons with disabilities, solo parents, minimum wage earners, transport workers, and other low- to lower-middle-income households.
While Makati is known for its strong fiscal position, officials acknowledged that pockets of vulnerability persist, particularly as fuel-driven inflation squeezes household budgets.
Makati City Mayor Nancy Binay said they aim to make the PHP20 per kilo rice accessible in 30 barangays — even through door-to-door distribution, if necessary — five times a week in adherence to the recommendations of the DA.
“Kung kakayanin na mayroon kaming set ng sasakyan na mag-iikot (We can deploy sets of vehicles to go around),” Binay said in an interview, citing the need to ease accessibility for the elderly.
"Nakita natin ngayon na medyo nahihirapan ‘yung senior citizens na magbuhat din ng rice, na pwedeng ibaba na lang namin bahay to bahay (We have seen that our senior citizens are somewhat struggling to carry the purchased rice, which we can actually deliver house-to-house).”
Meanwhile, the DA is deploying the PBBM Registry System to improve targeting and streamline distribution
Under the system, QR codes are assigned to beneficiaries for monitored purchases across Kadiwa ng Pangulo (KNP) outlets.
To date, the BBM Na is accessible in about 900 KNP outlets in 82 areas nationwide.
The DA targets to open a total of 1,800 KNP outlets within the year. (PNA)
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