P20/kilo rice for all Pinoys depends on LGUs – Palace

MANILA, Philippines — It’s up to local government units (LGUs) to decide whether to make the P20-per-kilo rice available to those who do not belong to the vulnerable sector, Malacañang said on Friday.

At present, the P20-per-kilo rice initiative is limited only to vulnerable groups including low-income families, senior citizens, solo parents and persons with disabilities.

The low-cost rice can be purchased in select Kadiwa centers nationwide until December.

Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said the availability of the low-cost rice for all Filipinos would depend on the guidelines to be issued by LGUs. 

Castro said the government is planning to allocate an additional budget for the program next year, to fully realize President Marcos’ vision to make the staple affordable and accessible to the public.

If the P20-per-kilo rice will be made available for all, Castro said the program’s implementation would still depend on the availability of funds.

Malacañang earlier said it is counting on newly elected local chief executives to continue implementing the affordable rice program.

Several Kadiwa stores in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Mindoro and Rizal started selling the P20-per-kilo rice this week.

PhlPost selling low-cost rice

The Philippine Postal Corp. (PHLPost) yesterday started selling P20-per-kilo rice at the Manila Central Post Office annex in Liwasang Bonifacio.

The initiative is part of a memorandum of understanding entered into between the PHLPost and the Department of Agriculture (DA) in April.

Postmaster General Luis Carlos said aside from the low-cost rice, affordable agricultural products will be available at the Kadiwa ng Pangulo located inside the post office compound.

Carlos said the P20-per-kilo rice is available only to senior citizens, solo parents and persons with disabilities 

He said each beneficiary is allowed to purchase 30 kilos of low-cost rice per month. 

Carlos said the Kadiwa at  the post office is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Friday.