DA: P29-Per-Kilo Rice for All Filipinos Requires Over ₱50 Billion Annually

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has revealed that implementing a nationwide program to sell rice at ₱29 per kilo would require over ₱50 billion annually, a cost the government currently cannot afford.

Speaking before a joint congressional inquiry into food prices, smuggling, price manipulation, and hunger, Agriculture Undersecretary Asis Perez explained why the ₱29-per-kilo rice under the Kadiwa program is limited to the poorest and senior citizens.

“Putting ₱29 peso rice on everybody’s plate would require tremendous resources, and the fiscal space is limited for us,” Perez said. “So, we have to prioritize who will be the recipient of the cheap rice, and we focused on the vulnerable sector.”

Fiscal Challenges

Perez noted that while providing affordable rice for all Filipinos is ideal, the government’s current financial constraints make it infeasible.

“This would require probably ₱50 billion or more annually. It would really be very hard for us to pull that off,” he said, adding that efforts are being made to reach as many vulnerable individuals as possible.

Widespread Inaccessibility to Healthy Food

Mildred Guirindola, Supervising Science Research Specialist of the state-run Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), highlighted the broader issue of food affordability. She reported that 80% of Filipinos cannot afford healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, fish, and meat.

“Fruits, vegetables, fish, and meat are very expensive, and poor Filipinos cannot afford [them],” Guirindola said, citing data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.

She explained that while rice is affordable and high in protein, it is often the primary source of nutrition for many, leaving other essential dietary needs unmet.

Congressional Response

Albay Representative Joey Salceda, chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means, emphasized the urgency of addressing food insecurity.

“Laws are in place to guarantee that every Filipino family has food on their tables, yet this is still a dream for many. We want to uncover the gaps that we need to plug to achieve this goal,” Salceda said.

Super Panel on Food Security

The House of Representatives has formed a “super committee” to tackle these pressing food issues. The panel includes the House Committees on Ways and Means, Trade and Industry, Agriculture and Food, Social Services, and the Special Committee on Food Security, created through House Resolution 254 by Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.

The committee aims to investigate and propose solutions to improve food access for all Filipinos.