President Marcos ordered the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) to expand its P29 rice program and establish more Kadiwa centers across the country.

President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. (center) meets DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel (2nd right) and NIA Administrator Eduardo Guillen (2nd left) at Malacañang Palace. (Photo from Bongbong Marcos Facebook page)

In a Facebook post on Tuesday night, Nov. 5, the Chief Executive underscored the need to ensure the supply of affordable rice for all Filipinos.

“We called on the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) to meet with us for a single agenda, to ensure every Filipino family has access to affordable rice,” he wrote.

Aside from expanding the government’s P29 Rice-for-All program, the President also asked the DA and DBM to increase the number of Kadiwa ng Pangulo centers from 21 to 300 by mid-2025.

“This will bring affordable rice within reach for more communities across the country,” Marcos said.

During their Palace meeting, the DA requested the President to fund the rehabilitation and repair of warehouses for potential Kadiwa sites for an estimated 600 Kadiwa stores nationwide.

"The expanded sites would be selling Rice-for-All at P43 per kilogram or less, with selected stores to sell P29 rice depending on stock availability," according to a statement from the Presidential Communications Office (PCO)

The P29 Rice-for-All program was launched in selected Kadiwa centers in August to bring closer Marcos’ vision to ensure the availability of affordable food, particularly rice, to every Filipino.

The Kadiwa centers, on the other hand, were established as one of the government’s interventions to address the current state of the agricultural sector in the Philippines, including the continued modernization of farming in the country.

It aims to strengthen the local distribution channels of basic goods in the country, especially in rural areas.

The DA reported that 148 new sites for expansion for 2024 was approved by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel.

The President also urged local government units to buy rice directly from local farmers.

“This way, our farmers receive fair prices for their hard work, and we can secure a steady supply of rice for everyone,” his post read.

Marcos likewise instructed the Department of Finance (DOF) and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) “to address rising input costs and climate impacts that affect food prices.”

“This is a united effort to support our farmers and keep rice prices within reach for every Filipino family,” he stressed.