Senate OKs distribution of rice to 4Ps beneficiaries

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate approved on second reading on Wednesday a joint resolution directing the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to use part of its budget for the conditional cash transfer program to buy rice from local farmers. 

Under Senate Joint Resolution 8, rice instead of P600 in cash should be given as monthly food subsidy to beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang  Pilipino Program or 4Ps.

The distribution of rice to 4Ps beneficiaries will be piloted in Pangasinan, Ilocos Norte, Cagayan, Isabela, Occidental and Oriental Mindoro, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Zamboanga del Sur and Iloilo.

Sen. Cynthia Villar, chairperson of the Senate committee on agriculture and food and one of the sponsors of the resolution, said the measure is expected to benefit local farmers as the country transitions to “tarrified” rice importation.

The Senate resolution noted that the DSWD gets the bulk of the P33.9 billion allocated for various rice subsidy programs.

Senators Juan Miguel Zubiri, Imee Marcos, Leila de Lima, Sonny Angara and Francis Pangilinan are the other sponsors of the measure.