BACOLOD CITY – Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson backs the national government’s  P20 per kilo rice program.

LACSON (Glazyl Masculino) 

“Negros Occidental will do its best to be part of this program,” the governor said in a media interview Friday.

Although Lacson missed the recent meeting of Visayas governors in Cebu City due to prior campaign commitments, he said Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia — who proposed the idea — briefed him on the program.

Lacson said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. will have a meeting with regional directors, particularly in the Visayas, on Monday, April 28, to discuss the mechanics. 

“I am waiting. I hope things will be clearer by then. We’ll know more about how this program will be implemented,” he added.

Lacson emphasized that launching the program may take time, mainly because funding still needs to be secured. 

With rice priced at P33 per kilo, the local and national governments will subsidize the P13 difference to make the P20 pricing feasible, he said.

Despite being under a state of calamity due to Kanlaon Volcano, the provincial government is looking into how it can support the program, possibly by incorporating it into its annual investment plan. 

“We’ll have to assess how much we can afford,” Lacson said.

Lacson  assured that the rice to be distributed — sourced from the National Food Authority (NFA) — will be freshly milled and not more than three-months-old.

“My instruction is that it must be good quality rice, edible, and not meant for animal feed,” he said.

The province consumes about 1.3 million bags of rice every two months, covering a household population of around 2.6 million. 

According to Lacson, rice distribution will bypass retailers and be delivered directly to consumers.

However, he expressed uncertainty about how the program might impact local farmers.

Target beneficiaries will be identified on the barangay level, likely with support from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The program is set to pilot in several Visayan provinces next week, with the region taking the lead. 

Lacson credited Garcia for spearheading the initiative, saying the unity and coordination among Visayas governors reflect their commitment to supporting the administration’s agenda.