ILOILO CITY – The provincial government is targeting to initially implement the P20 per kilo rice program of the Marcos administration to families with undernourished children in Iloilo.

ILOILO Gov. Arthur “Toto” Defensor Jr. holds a copy of his executive order on food security, including beneficiaries of the P20 per kilo rice program of the government. (Iloilo Capitol PIO)
In Executive Order No. 40, Series of 2025, Gov.Arthur “Toto” Defensor Jr. specifically stated that only families with undernourished children can avail the first phase of the food security program.
The provincial government is set to provide subsidy for the first of the three-pronged program on food security known as “SiPag at TiyaGa for MoRProGres sa Bagong Pilipinas.”
According to Provincial Health Officer Dr. Maria Socorro Colmenares-Quiñon, there are around 11,000 undernourished children in the 42 towns and the component city of Passi.
Defensor said an initial P19 million will be allocated to subsidize the rice program for families with undernourished children until December 2025.
He said there is no exact date when it can be implemented as the provincial government has to discuss the operational guidelines with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and its attached agency, the National Food Authority (NFA).
The provincial government also has to talk to the Department of Health (DOH) and National Nutrition Council (NNC) as the first batch of beneficiaries are families with undernourished children.