About 1,000 residents in Tacloban City were able to get cheaper rice as the city government expanded the rollout of the national “Benteng Bigas Meron Na!” program, which sells rice at P20 per kilo to vulnerable sectors struggling with high food prices.
The distribution was held Friday at the Tacloban City Sports Complex, where 200 sacks of rice were initially made available to qualified beneficiaries.
The program was implemented by the Department of Agriculture in Eastern Visayas (DA-8), in coordination with the Tacloban City Agriculture Office, the National Food Authority, and Food Terminal Incorporated.
Tacloban City Agriculturist Romel Anade said the local government has purchased 3,000 sacks of rice to sustain the initiative and bring the subsidized supply closer to more communities.
“Only 200 sacks were initially distributed at the launch, while the remaining supply will be rolled out to barangays across the city,” Anade said during the distribution.
The “BBM Na!” program is intended for indigent families, senior citizens, and low-income households, allowing them to buy rice at a price significantly lower than prevailing market rates.
The DA-8 said the initiative forms part of the Marcos administration’s food security agenda, which seeks to make rice more affordable and accessible to Filipino families.