By Kaiser Jan Fuentes

LAPU-LAPU CITY — As provinces continue adopting the P20-per-kilo rice program, the National Food Authority (NFA) highlighted its strengthened mandate to support local farmers and ensure food security.

The National Food Authority – Central Visayas (NFA-7) is now focused on maintaining emergency rice reserves while exclusively sourcing palay from Filipino farmers, a shift in policy brought about by Republic Act 12708.

NFA-7 information officer Olma Nedia said the agency stays competitive with private traders. The NFA offers P27 per kilo for dry palay and P21 for wet palay, giving farmers a reliable and fair market for their harvests.

Nedia also assured that all rice released to the public undergoes strict quality checks to meet safety standards.

This pricing allowed the agency to surpass its 15,000-bag procurement target by acquiring 16,000 bags, mostly from Bohol and Negros Oriental.

As of June, NFA-7 has a total of 80,000 bags of rice in its inventory, with around 66,000 sacks stored in Cebu.

The region recently received 35,000 sacks from Mindoro. Bohol and Siquijor are preparing to launch their BBM rice distribution programs, while Negros Oriental is finalizing its memorandum of agreement with Food Terminal Inc.

Nedia also said NFA implements a strict quality assurance process through its grain classifiers who inspect every bag of rice based on moisture, grain purity, and the Equitable Net Weight Factor.

“Each sack to be issued under this program will be checked bag by bag to ensure that the beneficiaries receive only quality rice,” said Nedia.

The Department of Agriculture officially launched the BBM rice program in Cebu on May 1, 2025, during a Labor Day event held at the Cebu Provincial Capitol grounds.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. led the activity and signed a subsidy-sharing memorandum with the Cebu provincial government.

Recently, in a separate radio interview, Tiu Laurel announced that close to 80 Kadiwa centers across the country are now selling rice at P20 per kilo, as the government continues to expand access to affordable staple food.

He noted that the program has already started in key areas like Cebu and Bacolod. Upcoming sites include Siquijor, with preparations underway for Bohol and Camarines Sur.

In Metro Manila, Tiu Laurel added that Kadiwa centers in San Juan and Navotas are also nearing launch.

Published Date: June 16, 2025