By Ferdinand Patinio
MANILA – About 2 million individuals from the vulnerable sector in Metro Manila will benefit from the P20 Rice Project once the Department of Agriculture (DA) resumes selling the staple food for many Filipinos on May 13, a day after the midterm polls.
DA Assistant Secretary Genevieve Guevarra, during the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City, said they are looking to serve about 400,000 families in the National Capital Region (NCR) who would benefit from the program.
“We are targeting 400,000 families in Metro Manila for the government’s P20 Rice Program. Multiply the number by 4 or 5, the average number of members per family,” she said.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. led the Labor Day launch of the P20 Rice Project in Cebu City.
Its succeeding roll-out was, however, temporarily put on hold in line with the Commission on Election’s request to prevent claims that the government is politicizing the program.
On May 13, the P20-per-kg. rice will initially be available in Quezon City, as well as the cities of Pasay, Mandaluyong, Las Piñas, Caloocan, and Navotas through the DA’s Kadiwa program, a farm-to-market program that links farmers directly to consumers.
“These are the aging stocks but have gone through quality control. We will not sell them if they are unsafe,” Guevarra said.
The DA is also looking to partner with other retailers to expand the program, she added. (PNA)
