President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has defended the rollout of his administration’s P20-per-kilo rice initiative, stressing that it is not just a political gimmick but a promise now being realized.
“Watch me sustain it,” the President told Filipino reporters when asked about criticisms that the program is merely for show. Marcos acknowledged skepticism among the public but affirmed, “We found a way to do it… We could not do it before. Hindi kaya kasi hindi pa kaya ng sistema. Iba pa ‘yung presyo ng bigas noon.”
Initially launched in the Visayas under the Kadiwa ng Pangulo program, the initiative allows members of vulnerable sectors—including indigent families, senior citizens, PWDs, and solo parents—to purchase rice for P20 per kilogram. The rice is subsidized through the Food Terminal Inc., helping offset the costs to consumers.
The program’s second phase is scheduled to begin in Mindanao this July. According to the Department of Agriculture (DA), the goal is to eventually implement the initiative nationwide. Marcos, who also serves as the DA Secretary, emphasized the need to first strengthen support systems for local farmers, including access to machinery and other forms of government assistance, before fully rolling out the project.
Officials say that if sustained, the program could benefit up to 15 million households—or roughly 60 million Filipinos—by the end of Marcos’ term in June 2028.
