MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Wednesday announced the rollout of the Rice for All program in four Kadiwa sites starting August 1.
In an interview, DA Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said under the program, commercial well-milled rice shall be sold at PHP45 per kilogram at the Food Terminal Inc. in Taguig City; Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) in Manila, Potrero, Malabon; and Llano Road in Caloocan, which will operate every Thursday to Saturday.
“Isa ito sa mga hakbangin ng ating pamahalaan na mapababa yung epekto ng food items sa inflation natin. So, mapababa yung mga presyo, and of course, mahila ito yung presyo rin sa pamilihan (This is one of the steps of the government to tame the effects of food items on inflation. So, lower the prices, and of course, also pull down market prices),” he said.
De Mesa said the prices of imported commercial well-milled rice range from PHP51 per kilogram to PHP55/kg., while the local well-milled rice ranges from PHP45/kg. to PHP55/kg.
The DA, however, set a 25-kg daily purchase limit per buyer to avoid abuse.
“As a group, we decided that we set a limit na rin na 25 para hindi rin na ito nga may mga experiences na kapag inallow mo na walang limit, lalo na iyong may kaya na bumili (to 25 kilos so they cannot [abuse], because we have experiences that when you allow it with no limit, especially those who have the means), so they can buy huge volume and probably resell it,” De Mesa said.
He said a long-term rollout of Rice for All is possible considering that its supply will come from both farmers cooperatives and associations (FCAs) and private traders.
He said the program shall be expanded alongside the operations of the P29 program, or the sale of aging but good quality rice at PHP29/kg. to the vulnerable sector including members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), senior citizens, solo parents, and persons with disabilities (PWDs).
To date, there are 17 Kadiwa sites implementing the P29 program including outlets in the Bureau of Animal Industry dome and National Irrigation Administration in Quezon City; Bureau of Plant Industry in Malate, Manila; Food Terminal Inc. in Taguig City; Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority in Las Piñas; Bayani Fernando Central Terminal or BFCT and Barangay Fortune in Marikina; as well as sites in Llano, Caloocan; Valenzuela; Pantao Fisherfolks Consumer Cooperative in Malabon; Navotas Institute in Navotas; San Jose del Monte, Bulacan; Antipolo City; Bacoor, Cavite; San Pedro City Hall and Santa Rosa in Laguna.
The DA, earlier, expressed plans to expand the program in Visayas and Mindanao by August or September.
It eyes to roll out the P29 program in 1,500 municipalities to benefit 6.9 million households nationwide. (PNA)
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