Manila city government to sell cheaper rice

Financially strapped residents of Manila will be able to avail of quality rice at lower cost beginning next week as the Manila city hall has set aside P1.7 million a month for its rice subsidy program.

Arnold "Ali" Atienza, chairman of the city government’s Inner-City Development Program, said they will revive their "Murang Bigas Para sa Mahihirap" program, under which rice will be sold at almost half the average market price, down from P25 to P12 per kilo.

With help from local barangay officials, the city government will make sure that only poor families will benefit from the program. Each family would be allowed to buy a maximum of three kilos.

"We intentionally did not give the rice for free because we do not want to teach the people to beg for alms. We think it is better to promote the concept that this is part of our bayanihan spirit when the local government would shoulder half the cost, but they would have their share of the burden as well," said Atienza.

Atienza said their price offer is comparable to the rice sold by the National Food Authority.

From Monday to Saturday, two trucks will visit one barangay zone in each of the six congressional districts of Manila. Officials expect up to 2,000 families a day will benefit from the program.

Atienza added that the program has been a project of his father, Manila Mayor Lito Atienza, for the last five years. "But we always have to revive the implementation of the program every year because we have to wait for the budget allocation."