President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is ensuring Filipino rice farmers have a steady and guaranteed market by requiring local government units to source the supply of his administration’s free rice program directly from local producers, bypassing traders and middlemen under the government’s Sagip Saka initiative.
Executive Undersecretary Georgina Hernandez-Yang told DZRH News program Special on Saturday on May 16 that the direct purchasing arrangement ensures that the economic benefits of the Bagong Pilipinas Rice Program flow both to low-income consumers and to the farmers who grow the grain.
“Karamihan po ng ating mga local government unit ay bumibili po ng bigas directly mula na sa mga magsasaka sa Nueva Ecija, sa Isabela, kahit sa Bulacan, sa Mindoro,” Yang said.
She said Metro Manila LGUs, despite being far from rice-producing regions, are already sourcing their supply directly from farmers in these provinces rather than going through commercial channels.
“Tumataas ang kanilang kita dahil direkta na pong bumibili ‘yung mga lokal na pamahalaan sa kanila sa pamamagitan po ng Sagip Saka,” Yang said.
The program distributes 10 kilos of free rice per tranche to low-income families across all provinces, cities, and municipalities, with four distributions planned from May to December 2026 for a total of 40 kilos per household.
Yang said the timing of the program is particularly significant as rising crude oil prices have strained household budgets, making the dual benefit to consumers and farmers even more critical.
She said local government units are responsible for identifying beneficiaries, with priority given to minimum wage earners and low-income workers who still struggle to make ends meet despite having regular employment.
“Kahit may trabaho, kung minsan ay kinakailangan ng kaunting dagdag na tulong at ito po ‘yun,” Yang said.
The program is implemented under the Local Government Support Fund in partnership with all LGUs nationwide, with Marcos personally visiting distribution sites across the country including in Pampanga, Tuguegarao, General Santos, Tacloban, and General Trias, Cavite.
