DA: Transport sector eligible for P20 per kilo rice starting September 16

MANILA, Philippines — Starting Tuesday, September 16, workers in the transport sector will be eligible to purchase subsidized rice under the government’s P20-per-kilo rice program.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) announced that an initial 57,000 public transport workers can begin availing of the subsidized rice starting Tuesday.

“From bus, jeepney, and tricycle drivers to transport operators, the transport sector now joins the ranks of those benefiting from rice priced at just P20 per kilo—part of the sweeping effort of President Marcos to bring down the cost of living for millions of Filipinos,” the DA said in a press release.

Eligible drivers and operators will be allowed to purchase up to 10 kilos of rice per month.

The initial rollout will cover:

• Bureau of Animal Industry in Quezon City – 17,633 beneficiaries
• Philippine Fisheries Development Authority in Navotas City – 1,001 beneficiaries
• Barangay Pandan in Angeles City, Pampanga –  9,961 beneficiaries
• Food Terminal Inc. in Cebu City – 24,742 beneficiaries
• Tagum City – 3,650 beneficiaries

Designated distribution centers include the Bureau of Animal Industry in Quezon City, the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority in Navotas, and Food Terminal Inc. facilities in Cebu and Angeles, among others.

DA eyes program expansion. The government's P20 per kilo rice program has expanded beyond its original beneficiaries, senior citizens, solo parents, persons with disabilities, and low-income families, to now include minimum wage earners, farmers, and fisherfolk. 

According to the DA, the program is also set to cover public school teachers, non-teaching Department of Education (DepEd) staff, and beneficiaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.