More Kadiwa outlets, markets sell P20/kilo rice

MANILA, Philippines — Starting today, more Kadiwa outlets and markets in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon and Mimaropa will sell P20-a-kilo rice, according to the Department of Agriculture.

The DA targets to sustain the program until yearend with the P5-billion fund released to the Food Terminal Inc., Agriculture spokesman Arnel de Mesa said yesterday in a radio interview.

Selling the rice stocks of the National Food Authority will allow the NFA to procure more palay from farmers, he noted.

Meanwhile, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has asked DA officials to fast-track the implementation of critical projects.

“We must guarantee that the funds for these projects are disbursed, not just obligated,” he noted.

Aside from the P20-per-kilo rice program, Tiu Laurel said other deliverables include the construction of cold storage facilities, streamlining guidelines for the daily price index essential to the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act and fine-tuning proposals to align with the new procurement law.

P20-a-kilo rice in Cebu

Malacañang is counting on newly elected local chief executives to continue implementing the P20-per-kilo rice program.

Cebu Governor-elect Pamela Baricuatro, a known ally of former president Rodrigo Duterte, won the midterm elections.

Asked if the administration expects Baricuatro to continue the low-cost rice initiative, Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said elected officials should support programs that would benefit their constituents.

Baricuatro defeated Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, an ally of President Marcos.

On Monday, up to 35,000 bags of well-milled rice from Mindoro arrived in Cebu for the pilot run of the P20-a-kilo rice program.