Around 5,000 residents in this town were able to purchase subsidized rice last Friday as the government expanded the rollout of the “Benteng Bigas Meron Na” program in Leyte.
The rice distribution, organized by the regional office of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Eastern Visayas in partnership with the provincial government of Leyte, allowed beneficiaries to buy up to 10 kilograms of rice at P20 per kilo.
The subsidized price is significantly lower than current market prices, which range from P54 to P58 per kilo in many areas.
The program was originally intended for indigent households but has recently been expanded to include wage earners and members of the lower-middle-income sector.
Officials said the adjustment came as the effects of rising food prices continue to be felt by a broader segment of the population.
DA Assistant Secretary Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra said the program now covers workers such as tricycle drivers and school personnel, along with other households whose incomes are increasingly strained by higher food costs.
The government has presented the initiative as part of its effort to keep staple food affordable while maintaining a market for locally produced rice.
According to the DA, the program links rice farmers to government-supported distribution channels, which officials say could help stabilize supply and prices.
Still, the subsidized rice distribution primarily addresses immediate consumer needs rather than long-term price pressures.
Over the past months, the cost of basic commodities, including rice, has increased due to inflation and global supply challenges.
Some residents who availed of the subsidized rice said the lower price helped ease their household expenses, even if only temporarily.
“Sana pati ha iba nga lugar kay makuri gud yana it kabutangan. Kuna kaya man ha usa nga lugar, ano ka diri ha iba?” Reynaldo, a resident of Tolosa told OpinYon 8.
Local officials assured the public that similar distributions may continue in other areas of Leyte as the government expands the program’s coverage.
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