Manila: Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. on Friday assured consumers of sufficient stock of mixed imported and local well-milled rice worth PHP43 per kilogram under the expanded Rice for All program.
This came as the Department of Agriculture (DA) expanded its Rice for All and P29 program or the sale of aging but good quality stocks of rice from the National Food Authority (NFA) worth PHP29/kg in 41 Kadiwa ng Pangulo sites in Luzon.
Tiu Laurel said the agency has stocks that can last until early next year following the initial large-scale trial of the Rice for All and P29 programs in 21 existing Kadiwa ng Pangulo sites.
‘Base sa run rate niya, meron na kami stocks hanggang Enero, Pebrero (Based on its run rate, we still have stocks until January, February [2025]),’ he said in an ambush interview in Mandaluyong City.
‘Unless na biglang naging popular nito talaga at hopefully nga maging popular at sumipa yung pagbili ng tao (Unless it becomes too popular, which hopefully it will be popular so
the consumers’ buying will spike), then I’m confident we can supply,’ he added.
Among the expanded Kadiwa ng Pangulo sites as of Friday are:
Ocean Fish – Barangay 8, Caloocan
Barangay 28 Zone 3 Caloocan City – Site 1
Barangay 28 Zone 3 Caloocan City – Site 2
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources – Longos, Malabon City
Kalt Alles – Navotas Fish Port Complex-Philippine Fisheries Development Authority, North Bay Boulevard, Navotas
18 Tuazon, Brgy. Potrero, Malabon
Kalt Alles – Potrero, Malabon
Sauyo, Quezon City
Barangay Canlubang, Calamba,, Laguna Compound
Barangay Daang Bakal, Mandaluyong
Barangay Hulo, Mandaluyong City
Barangay Addition Hills, Mandaluyong City
Bayani Fernando Central Terminal or BFCT Bagsakan, No. 1 Marcos Hiway, Marikina City
Barangay Tañong, Marikina
Fortune Barangay Hall, Barangay Fortune, Marikina City
Concepcion Uno Barangay Hall, Concepcion Uno, Marikina City
Lot 12 Blk 4 R Thaddeus St. Marietta Romeo Village Brgy. Sta. Lucia Pasig City
No 4 Geronimo, Philand Driv
e, Brgy Pasong Tamo, QC
Zamora St. Cor A. Bonifacio, Brgy Sta. Lucia, Quezon City
Alley 4, Bulacan St., Brgy. Payatas B, Quezon City
Before the year ends, the DA is planning to open 169 Kadiwa ng Pangulo sites nationwide.
As of Oct. 9, the DA has already benefited 142,829 households with around 126,000 kg. of rice sold under the Rice for All, and 723,000 kg. under the P29 program.
Tiu Laurel, meanwhile, urged the public not to abuse the Rice for All program even if there is no purchase limit.
‘Baka bilhin dito ng mura, tapos ibenta naman din sa kabilang lugar nang mahal. So, kung pwedeng panawagan sa tao na kung pwedeng for home consumption lang, huwag gawing negosyo (They might buy here at a cheaper price then sell it in other areas at a higher price. So, we are calling to buyers to use it for home consumption only, don’t make it a business),’ he said.
The P29 program, meanwhile, carries a 10-kg. in 5-kg.-increment purchase limit per household of the vulnerable sector, including senior citizens, membe
rs of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipinong Program (4Ps), persons with disabilities (PWDs), and solo parents.
Source: Philippines News Agency