METRO MATTERS
By MAYOR FRANCIS ZAMORA
For months, the weight of rising prices of rice has been a heavy burden on Filipino families, with prices hitting an all-time high of up to ₱60 per kilogram. Since rice is a staple in every household, this sharp increase has put a significant strain on families, squeezing pressure on households across the country.
Recognizing the urgency of the situation, the national government has launched the “Rice For All” program. This initiative is designed to make rice more affordable and accessible, reinforcing our government's commitment to food security, restoring price stability, and ensuring the well-being of our citizens.
On Feb. 3, 2025, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. declared a food security emergency due to the drastic rise in the price of rice. This declaration empowered the National Food Authority (NFA) to release at least 25,000 metric tons of rice per month, amounting to 300,000 metric tons in total. The goal was to bring rice prices back to pre-July 2023 levels and alleviate the financial burden on consumers.
To be able to begin selling buffer stocks of rice, I signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the National Food Authority on Feb. 19, 2025 during the ceremonial turnover at the NFA Warehouse in Valenzuela City. This launch, which served as a template for other LGUs who wish to sell at a low price as well, paved the way for our initial rice selling with the end goal of stabilizing market prices and ensuring that affordable rice reaches communities most affected by the price surge.
The role of local government units
LGUs play a critical role in implementing the "Rice For All" program. Through this initiative, LGUs can procure rice from the NFA at ₱33 per kilogram and sell it to their constituents for a maximum of ₱35 per kilogram—significantly lower than prevailing market rates.
Here in San Juan, we’ve taken this program to heart, understanding that rice is a necessity. That’s why we’ve committed to providing NFA rice at cost, at ₱33 per kilogram or ₱1,650 per sack. Although LGUs are allowed to mark up up to P2 per kilo effectively increasing the price to ₱35 per kilo, we chose to sell the rice to our constituents at ₱33 per kilo with the city government absorbing all logistical expenses such as trucking, hauling, and transport. We did this to ensure that no additional financial burden is placed on our people.
On March 24, a week after the MOA signing, San Juan became the first city in the Philippines to roll-out the selling of rice at ₱33 per kilo. To facilitate for an organized and well-accounted for distribution and to ensure that the sacks of rice will not be sold at a higher price by unscrupulous traders, our city government implemented a pre-registration system, to be able to account for the correct number of orders and payment remittance as well since payments collected by the City Government of San Juan will have to be remitted to the National Food Authority.
The people have truly patronized this rice selling initiative, and their support has inspired us to find more ways to help. That is why we created an option for families who cannot afford a full sack of rice which costs ₱1,650.00. We repacked it into five-kilogram bags, still at the same price of ₱33.00 per kilo, or just ₱165.00 for a five-kilogram pack, so that no one is left behind.
The registration process continues, and the sale of affordable rice is no longer limited to San Juan City Hall but is also being made available through the Makabagong San Juan Barangay Caravans. The Makabagong San Juan Barangay Caravan is an LGU initiative wherein services from the City Hall are brought directly to the barangays, offered for free, and made accessible to all San Juaneños. As part of this initiative, the Barangay Caravans now also facilitate the sale of affordable rice, ensuring greater access to the murang bigas for more families.
The success of “Rice For All” hinges on widespread participation. We are very happy to note that there is an increasing number of local government units that have already joined the initiative. To my fellow local chief executives, let us support the Rice for All Program of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and the Department of Agriculture. The objective of which is to bring affordable rice to every Filipino household in the Philippines.