CITY OF BACOOR, Cavite (PIA) — More residents in Bacoor City are set to benefit from the government’s P20 rice program as the Department of Agriculture (DA) Calabarzon and the Bacoor City government rolled out the expanded “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!” initiative.
Around 2,500 Bacooreños were able to purchase P20-per-kilo rice during the ceremonial selling held on March 6, which also signaled the start of regular rice distribution by the Bacoor local government unit for qualified residents.
Residents were also registered in the P20 Benteng Bigas Masterlist Registry System (PBBMRS), a web-based application developed by the Information and Communications Technology Service of the Department of Agriculture (DA-ICTS) to facilitate the registration of program beneficiaries.
According to the city government, around 200,000 Bacooreños are expected to benefit from the P20 rice program, which prioritizes vulnerable sectors such as senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs), 4Ps beneficiaries, solo parents, farmers, fisherfolk, public transport drivers, minimum wage earners, and public school teachers and non-teaching staff.
Other groups, including teachers, jeepney drivers, students, house helpers, and the city government’s job order workers, will also be included among the beneficiaries as endorsed by Bacoor City Mayor Strike Revilla.
According to Assistant Secretary for Agribusiness, Marketing, and Consumer Affairs Atty. Genevieve E. Velicaria-Guevarra, the program’s scope has been expanded in its second rollout in Bacoor City to allow more residents to benefit.
Meanwhile, Efren Capacite, a resident of Barangay Niog III, expressed gratitude after purchasing 10 kilograms of rice at the subsidized price. He said that as a senior citizen whose wife is currently ill, the program greatly helps reduce their household expenses.
Farmers’ groups in Cavite were also allowed to sell their products through KADIWA, which was part of the activity.
DA Calabarzon reaffirmed its commitment to assist local government units in the region in rolling out the Benteng Bigas, Meron Na! program to benefit more residents and help ensure food affordability for vulnerable sectors. (FC, PIA)