DAVAO CITY – To enhance food security, the government facilitated the purchase of rice at a subsidized price of PHP29 per kilo for 1,400 vulnerable individuals in Davao Norte through the “Kadiwa ng Pangulo sa NIA” initiative. This program was held at the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) – Davao del Norte Irrigation Management Office (IMO) on Friday.
According to a report by the Philippine News Agency, the initiative features the “Bagong Bayaning Magsasaka (BBM) Rice,” designed to support marginalized groups, including senior citizens, persons with disabilities, solo parents, and beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).
Engineer Brendo Audiencia, the operations unit head and contract farming focal person at NIA-Davao del Norte IMO, shared that 1,400 bags of rice, each weighing 10 kilos, were specifically allocated for the vulnerable sector.
“Our immediate priority is to support these vulnerable groups, but we plan to extend the PHP29-per-kilo rice offer to the general public in November,” Audiencia stated in an interview.
He emphasized that the initiative is not profit-driven; its primary aim is to assist consumers and support local farmers. This is why the contract farming program was established.
However, Audiencia highlighted a challenge: while the province aims to enroll 150 contract farmers, only 32 have participated so far. The contract farming program aids farmers who utilize NIA’s irrigation systems by providing PHP50,000 worth of farming inputs.
The initiative seeks to achieve a yield of up to five metric tons of rice per hectare, with an additional compensation of PHP50,000 for those who meet the yield target.
“This program has a noble purpose. We hope to see more farmers getting involved, as it significantly benefits both the farming community and consumers,” Audiencia added.
One beneficiary, 76-year-old Fedelina Maasin from Barangay La Paz, expressed her gratitude for the BBM Rice program, saying, “Thank you, Mr. President, for providing affordable rice. We hope more programs like this will be implemented to help marginalized people like us.”
This initiative reflects a crucial step towards ensuring food security and supporting the most vulnerable sectors of the community.
