MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) has approved the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) request for 490,000 sacks of rice from June to December to support disaster response and feeding programs for vulnerable communities nationwide.

Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian expressed gratitude to Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. for the approval, noting that the monthly supply of 35,000 sacks will keep DSWD’s repacking hubs in Pasay and Cebu operational.

“This consistent rice allocation is vital to assist tens of thousands of at-risk Filipinos,” Gatchalian said.

The arrangement aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive for inter-agency cooperation to enhance public service delivery. The DSWD is among several government agencies that regularly source rice from the National Food Authority (NFA) for social support initiatives.

Agriculture Secretary Tiu Laurel highlighted the partnership’s benefits, saying the arrangement helps clear warehouse space, enabling the DA to buy more palay from local farmers at fair prices.

NFA stocks currently exceed eight million sacks, nearing full storage capacity. Supplying rice to the DSWD and the P20 rice program helps sustain procurement efforts, supporting farmers while providing relief to consumers.