THE Department of Agriculture (DA) on Friday added San Juan City in Metro Manila as the latest beneficiary of the expanded rollout of the government’s P20-per-kilogram rice program.
Also known as Benteng Bigas Meron Na! (BBM Na!), the program, an electoral campaign promise of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., makes affordable rice accessible to the public.
The rollout in San Juan came only a day after the DA said it had met with officials of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and representatives of local government units (LGUs) to discuss the program’s expanded implementation in the National Capital Region.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora, and MMDA chairman Romando Artes attended the rollout.
The program prioritizes vulnerable sectors including persons with disabilities, senior citizens, solo parents, beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, minimum wage earners, farmers and fisherfolk, and transport workers.
Qulaified beneficiaries must register on the DA’s “P20“ app for faster processing in buying the rice. “The P20 app will not only help speed up transactions, but also assist the DA in making the food program more equitable and ensuring a steady supply where it is needed,” Tiu Laurel said.
The DA wants to open at least five outlets for program in every LGU in NCR.
“We are opening more opportunities for every Filipino family to buy quality rice at an affordable price. This is not a promo. This is not a sale. This is a serious step toward food security, and a lifeline for those who need it badly,” Tiu Laurel added.
Zamora pledged full support to the program and asked fellow mayors to help in facilitating its expanded nationwide implementation.
The inclusion of Metro Manila in the program is part of a coordinated supply strategy in time for the peak of the rice harvest season when palay output increases, the DA said.
By directing supply through government-supported channels, rice is kept affordable to consumers while ensuring consistent market demand for locally produced rice, the DA added.
“With more outlets set to open across Metro Manila and in the provinces in the coming weeks, the government is positioning Benteng Bigas, Meron Na! as a centerpiece of its food security drive — offering immediate relief at the checkout line while reinforcing the domestic rice supply chain,“ the DA said.
The program is targeting to reach 15 million households or 60 million individuals, particularly members of vulnerable sectors and lower middle-income households, by the year-end.
Marcos had ordered the DA for the program to continue until his term ends in 2028.
date:2026-02-13 16:22:00