House: Make P20/kilo rice program a national policy

House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez —Inquirer file photo

MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Martin Romualdez pledged on Sunday the full support of the House of Representatives for the government’s P20 per kilogram rice program by institutionalizing it in the 2026 national budget to ensure it becomes a sustainable national policy.

“We will allocate the necessary funds to scale [up] this program nationwide through the 2026 General Appropriations Act,” Romualdez said, adding, “This kind of ayuda (aid) uplifts everyone—consumers, farmers and the economy.”

“This is not a one-time rollout. This is the beginning of a national transformation. President Marcos is showing us that with political will and smart budgeting, P20/kilo rice is not just possible—it’s happening,” he said.

The DA has begun distributing P20/kilo rice, using locally sourced palay from Filipino farmers, in selected areas through the National Food Authority (NFA).

READ: P20/kilo rice to reach 32 Kadiwa centers in provinces near NCR

Romualdez said the House is looking into ways to consolidate and align existing programs, such as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino program or 4Ps, the Department of Social Welfare and Development food assistance, and the DA’s rice program, to build a unified Rice Assistance Fund.

Complementary channels

“We will also consider tapping Akap (Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita program) and other targeted subsidy programs as complementary channels to reach the near-poor and vulnerable,” he added.

Romualdez said that the House, in coordination with the Executive branch, will ensure that the rollout of the P20/kilo rice program would be efficient, transparent and protected from corruption or abuse, utilizing technology like national ID integration, e-vouchers and digital monitoring. /cb