MANILA — The Department of Agriculture (DA) announced on Friday that it is close to finalizing the launch of the "Rice for All" program, which aims to provide affordable rice to the general public. The program's rollout has faced delays, initially set to launch alongside the expansion of the P29 program in Malabon, Navotas, and Marikina.
According to Philippines News Agency, the launch could occur as soon as this week or the next. "We are just resolving our logistics, and we are also arranging our partner FCAs, coops, because it will go simultaneously with the P29 program," Guevarra explained during an interview. She assured that despite the slight delay, the DA's supply for the Rice for All program is ready.
The Rice for All program, which blends imported and local well-milled rice, is set to be sold at PHP 45 to PHP 48 per kilogram at Kadiwa sites where the P29 program is already active. This price point is aimed to be competitive, as local well-milled rice in Metro Manila is currently priced between PHP 48 to PHP 55 per kilogram, and imported well-milled rice costs PHP 51 to PHP 55 per kilogram, per DA's Bantay Presyo monitoring.
Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa has emphasized the sustainability of both the P29 and Rice for All programs. He highlighted the management of aging stocks and the acquisition of 3.36 million bags of local palay by the National Food Authority (NFA), complemented by an expected 121,000 metric tons of palay harvest from the National Irrigation Administration (NIA).
The P29 program continues to operate across various locations in Metro Manila, including the Bureau of Animal Industry Dome and National Irrigation Administration in Quezon City, and additional sites in Marikina, Caloocan, Valenzuela, and San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.