P20 per Kilo Rice to Be Available in Metro Manila via Kadiwa Stores Starting May 13

The Department of Agriculture (DA) announced that rice priced at ₱20 per kilo will be available in select Kadiwa ng Pangulo centers across Metro Manila and nearby provinces starting May 13—just a day after the midterm elections.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. confirmed that the program, which began in Cebu City earlier this month, had paused temporarily due to the Commission on Elections’ spending ban. It will now resume and expand beyond its original six-month Visayas pilot.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the extension of the ₱20/kilo rice program until the end of his term in 2028, fulfilling one of his major campaign promises.

The initiative not only aims to provide affordable rice to low-income families but also allows the National Food Authority (NFA) to clear warehouse space and buy more palay from local farmers at competitive prices.

The program’s expansion is backed by sufficient DA funding and NFA inventory, according to Laurel. It will roll out through 32 Kadiwa outlets in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Mindoro, and Rizal starting May 15.

Local governments and DA’s Food Terminal Inc. will split the ₱13-per-kilo rice subsidy, and LGUs will manage the identification of eligible beneficiaries. Target groups include solo parents, PWDs, senior citizens, and 4Ps program recipients.

Each household can purchase up to 30 kilos per month. The expanded pilot is expected to benefit around 2 million households, or roughly 10 million Filipinos, by the end of the year.