Tiu Laurel Vows Quality Assurance for P20 Rice Under NFA Program

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. is pushing to improve the image of National Food Authority (NFA) rice by ensuring that the government’s P20-per-kilo rice program offers high-quality grains.

Tiu Laurel, who also chairs the NFA Council, recently met with regional managers and agency officials to emphasize this goal. He said this initiative offers a chance to change the public’s perception of NFA rice as being inferior.

“We want to prove that our rice is not only affordable but also delicious, nutritious, and comparable to—or even better than—some imported brands,” he said.

The remarks come after Vice President Sara Duterte raised concerns about the quality of subsidized rice, even suggesting that it could be fit only for animal feed. Meanwhile, Malacañang has cautioned the public against misinformation, particularly a viral video claiming poor rice quality in the P20-per-kilo rollout.

According to the Department of Agriculture, the NFA is expanding its trucking fleet and improving storage and drying facilities to source more palay from local farmers, particularly in remote areas. The agency currently has over ₱9.8 billion for rice procurement, enough to produce 5 million bags of 50-kilo rice. Half of the current 8 million-bag inventory was acquired in the first four months of 2025.

Consumers, especially in Metro Manila, have been requesting increased access to the affordable rice amid growing interest in the subsidy program.