Manila: Bus and taxi drivers, as well as teachers, may soon avail of the government’s PHP20-per-kg. rice program, the Department of Agriculture (DA) announced on Tuesday. The expansion follows the official rollout of the “Benteng Bigas Meron (BBM) Na” program to tricycle and jeepney drivers who are part of operators’ and drivers’ associations.
According to Philippines News Agency, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. mentioned the department’s coordination with other government sectors to prioritize specific groups. He indicated that a finalized list of beneficiaries would be available next week. The DA is expanding coverage weekly to ensure the program’s full readiness by 2026.
Bus and taxi drivers might begin benefiting from the program in two weeks, while teachers and non-teaching personnel of the Department of Education (DepEd) are also under consideration. Tiu Laurel noted that the list for the school system in DepEd is still being finalized. The DA aims to implement the ‘BBM Na’ expansion with the DepEd on October 15, taking into account salary grades of teaching and non-teaching personnel during deliberations.
Tiu Laurel assured the program’s sustainability despite its nationwide expansion, emphasizing its role in aiding the National Food Authority (NFA) to free up warehouse space and prepare for local palay procurement during the wet harvest season. The DA aims to move out rice stocks quickly, targeting 1,000 tons a day in October and increasing to 2,000 MT per day in November and 3,000 MT per day in December.