THIS IS FOR REAL.

PANGLAO—A kilo of rice costs only P29, and it is selling like hotcakes, so to speak, at the Pier Area of Jagna town in Bohol, province, thanks to the municipal government.

The regional director of the Department of Agriculture for Bohol and Cebu, Angel Enriquez, validated the price and quality produced by farmers in Jagna town in Bohol under the leadership of Mayor Joseph Ranola.

Enriquez and her team validated the price and the quality of the rice during a visit to Jagna town last week. The rice variety is of good quality and sustainable, she said.

When she gets back to Manila, Enriquez would report this piece of good news to Agriculture Secretary Francis Tiu Laurel and President Marcos Jr., she said.

She said this was the closest we could do far to the once-promised P20 per kilo of rice.

“I hope we can do this in all the towns in the Philippines. This has been the target of the government. And Jagna is doing it, has been doing it,” she said.

“Probably we can make things even better.”

The visit coincided with Jagna town’s launch of its buy-back program, which aims to sell rice, meat, vegetables, and other agricultural products at a cheaper price last week. 

The buy-back has two dry runs before the launch and is now operational every Thursday. The buyback attracted other residents and officials of nearby towns in Bohol.

And it is not just a kilo of rice that costs less. Other agricultural products do. 

(Let the pictures taken by the Republika News team tell the story.)

How did Jagna town do it?

For one, Ranola, a national budget expert and former consultant of Sen. Panfilo Lacson, refuses to accept any cut in any infra projects in his municipality. He thus gets tractors, and machinery, including rice milling and rice drying machines at costs, for free use of Jagna farmers. (Lacson himself is an anti-pork barrel advocate).

He likewise sets up cold storage facilities for free use of fishermen.

With the help of the DA regional offices, Ranola provided the Jagna town farmers with free seedlings, fertilizers, irrigation, and some cash assistance, among others.

“The program has improved the lives of farmers and residents,” according to the head of Jagna town Agricultural department, Wendy Galero.

“Let’s do this,” Enriquez said.

“Mayor Ranola should run for governor of Bohol,” she said.

Now on his second term as mayor, Ranola is not seeking a reelection in the May 2025 election. He’s taking a break for now.