Gov’t to offer P20 rice to minimum wage earners

Metro Manila, Philippines - Around 120,000 minimum wage earners may initially benefit from the cheap rice program, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Wednesday, May 28.

Agriculture spokesperson Arnel de Mesa told reporters that the workers can buy P20 per kilogram of rice but with a 10-kilogram monthly limit during the initial rollout in June.

The plan to include them as beneficiaries of the subsidized program was agreed in principle between Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma on Tuesday.

“For now, participation is limited to workers from companies that have expressed interest in the pilot program,” Tiu Laurel was quoted as saying.

De Mesa said the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will announce the companies covered by the project.

He added that talks between the DA and DOLE are ongoing to finalize the plan, including the distribution system of rice.

The cheap staple is only available to senior citizens, 4Ps members, PWD, and solo parents in Kadiwa stores across Metro Manila and nearby provinces. They could buy 30 kilograms monthly.

The DA previously said it will expand the coverage of the pilot implementation to Mindanao in the second and third phases in July and September, respectively.

The cheap rice program targets to benefit 14 million households until December, the agency said.