Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. on Tuesday (June 17) rolled out in Siquijor, Siquijor the P20 rice program, a bold initiative aimed at delivering affordable rice to Filipinos and fulfilling the vision of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of inclusive growth and a food-secure Philippines.
With this initial deployment, the Department of Agriculture hopes to draw crucial insights into the logistical and community challenges of delivering subsidized rice to remote and underserved areas.
The Siquijor rollout follows a similar pilot conducted in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, another province in the recently re-established Negros Island Region (NIR). The NIR, one of the poorer areas in the Visayas, has been identified as a focal point for the program’s pilot phase, which will run through December 2025. ### (Photos by Jay Morales, DA-OSEC)
