MANILA — The Department of Agriculture (DA) is accelerating the nationwide expansion of the government’s “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!” program as authorities move to cushion vulnerable households from rising prices driven by higher fuel and logistics costs.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed the DA to scale up the initiative, which provides rice at P20 per kilo, by extending operating hours and increasing the number of selling sites across the country.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said the expansion aims to stabilize access to affordable food amid continued pressure from transport and supply chain costs.

“We have sufficient food supply, but elevated fuel and logistics costs are pushing market prices to levels that further contain the budgets of many Filipinos,” Tiu Laurel said. “By expanding access to affordable rice and essential goods, we are directly easing that pressure and ensuring vulnerable sectors are protected while we work to stabilize both prices and supply.”

As of the first quarter of 2026, the DA reported 932 operational P20 rice selling sites nationwide, including KADIWA outlets, National Food Authority (NFA) warehouses, local government units, national government agencies, and Food Terminal Inc.-accredited sellers. These outlets have served about 6.45 million beneficiaries as of April 7, 2026.

Qualified beneficiaries include senior citizens, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) households, solo parents, persons with disabilities, as well as farmers and fisherfolk.

A key expansion driver is a new agreement between Food Terminal Inc. (FTI) and the NFA, which secures funding and supply arrangements for 2026.

Under the agreement, the DA plans to roll out an additional 900 selling sites, with priority areas including Capiz, Bukidnon, Cebu, Cotabato, and Catanduanes, among other high-need provinces.

The deal covers the procurement of around 1.8 million 50-kilogram sacks of well-milled rice, supported by a P3-billion allocation as part of the broader P10-billion rice program. The initial funding for the NFA will also support increased palay procurement from farmers.

National Food Authority Administrator Larry R. Lacson said the agency is stepping up its buying operations to protect farmgate prices.

“We assure that this budget will be used to secure better prices for our farmers, especially during the harvest season. In some areas, we have already increased our buying price to as much as ₱30 per kilo to prevent a drop in farmgate palay prices,” Lacson said. “The NFA continues to step in to protect the income of our farmers,” he added.

FTI President and CEO Joseph Rudolph C. Lo said rising demand is expected as global conditions continue to affect market prices.

“Given the current instability in market prices due to external conflicts, we are seeing a significant increase in buyers turning to our outlets to access quality rice at lower cost,” Lo said. “We are closely coordinating with government partners to manage this demand and are preparing to expand our network further, with a target of reaching 1,800 P20 rice selling sites nationwide by the end of 2026,” he added.

Government officials said the program is part of broader efforts to manage food inflation while ensuring support for both consumers and farmers, particularly amid global energy-related disruptions affecting prices and supply chains.