News Details

NFA warehouses to sell P20 rice to RSBSA-listed farmers; launch set for Aug. 13

NPO

•

July 31, 2025

MANILA, Philippines – Starting August 13, National Food Authority (NFA) warehouses will not only buy palay from farmers but also sell rice at ₱20 per kilo to those registered in the Department of Agriculture’s Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA).

The initiative, part of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!” program, aims to make low-cost rice available to those who produce the nation’s staple grain.

“It is only fair that those who produce the rice we eat have access to the ₱20-per-kilo rice we make available to vulnerable sectors, including minimum wage earners,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said. “There will be KADIWA-FTI booths in NFA warehouses that will sell ₱20 rice.”

The pilot rollout will cover Regions 2 and 3. Eligible farmers can purchase up to 10 kilos per month, with around 2.9 million rice farmers currently listed under the RSBSA. The DA is also fine-tuning logistics to include the 2.8 million registered fisherfolk in the program.

Under the plan, farmers may opt to buy in bulk, such as a 50-kilo sack covering five months of allocation. If all registered farmers avail of their entitlement, NFA would release about 520,000 50-kilo bags of rice monthly. To sustain stocks, the agency must procure two bags of palay for every bag of rice sold, boosting farm-gate prices and providing additional income opportunities for local producers.

Currently, ₱20 rice is distributed through KADIWA ng Pangulo centers, select government agencies, and local government units. Food Terminal Inc. sources the rice from the NFA, which by law buys only from domestic farmers for its buffer stock.

President Marcos has instructed the DA to expand the program to reach 15 million households (around 60 million Filipinos) by 2026. The administration plans to sustain the initiative until the end of Marcos’ term in June 2028 as part of his campaign promise to ensure affordable rice for all.

An ₱18-billion budget has been approved for the 2026 rice program, complementing the proposed ₱9-billion allocation for NFA palay procurement under the 2025 General Appropriations Act.