Deonesia Manubag of the City of Naga, Cebu, bought P20-per-kilo of rice on the city’s first day of selling the affordable rice under the “Benteng Bigas Meron Na! (BBM Na!)” program. (PIA7)CEBU CITY, Cebu (PIA) – The City of Naga is eyeing to sustain the P20/kilo rice program initiated by the national government by subsidizing the cost of 10 kilos of rice per month for each family in their area.
City of Naga Mayor Valdemar Chiong said they aim to sustain the program for the 50,000 target families in the city.
“I just hope, mangita mi’g paagi og di gane ni ma-sustain in 2 months, we will be writing the Office of the President na we will do the subsidy but the intention there is ang rice nga among pang ibaligya, ang kaya namo is 10 kilos every month for the targeted families,” Chiong said.
(We will look for ways for this program to be sustained. If this cannot be sustained in 2 months, we will write to the Office of the President that we will cover the subsidy, but we can only do that for 10 kilos every month for the targeted families.)
When the P20/kilo rice program was launched in Cebu on May 1, only those who belong to the vulnerable sectors were given priority to buy the government-subsidized rice, such as persons with disabilities (PWDs), solo parents, and senior citizens.
However, the City of Naga expanded the beneficiaries to include even those who are not part of the vulnerable sectors.
Chiong said that in order for each family in their city to avail of the P20-per-kilo rice, they are allowed to buy at least 3 kilos of rice per week for each family.
“For now, 3 kilos lang usa aron every week, for each family aron mas daghan sad ang makatilaw,” Chiong said.
(For now, only 3 kilos each so that every week, for each family, more people can avail of the rice.)
The mayor, however, said they are eyeing to provide a maximum of 10 kilos per family every month.
Chiong said they crafted a contingency plan for subsidizing the P6.50 share, which is currently shouldered by the provincial government, while the other half is handled by the Food Terminal Incorporated (FTI).
“In fact, I was looking at our budget because kung dili gane ni ma-sustain sa provincial government because I understand that there is a sharing man ani noh because the rice is supposedly to be sold at P33 but there’s P6.50 being shared by the provincial government and the other 6.50 is being shared by national,” Chiong said.
(In fact, I was looking at our budget because if the provincial government can’t sustain it, I understand that there is a sharing scheme because the rice is supposed to be sold at P33 but there’s P6.50 being shared by the provincial government and the other P6.50 is being shared by the national government.)
“So we’re going to need a budget of around P39 million to P40 million because the target is gi-set nato of 50,000 families. So I just hope nga 10 kilos every month na, at least makatabang ta,” he explained.
(So we’re going to need a budget of around P39 million to P40 million because the target we set is 50,000 families. So I just hope that with 10 kilos every month, at least we can help.)
Barangay level distribution
The city government distributed 15 sacks of rice to each of their 28 barangays, allowing them to sell it to their constituents based on the list of families as provided through the city’s survey.
City of Naga Information and Community Relations Officer Ruth Rowena Alensonorin explained that ‘families’ do not equate to ‘household,’ as there are 2 to 3 families who live under the same roof.
“Kung household, naay 2 or 3 families. Pananglitan, nag-ipon sila dinha, tulo ka families ang nagpuyo, each family can buy 3 kilos of rice,” Alensonorin clarified.
(If a household, there are 2 or 3 families. For example, they live together there, three families live there, each family can buy 3 kilos of rice.)
Big help
Fifty-nine-year old Anastacia Geonzon from City of Naga, Cebu has felt the impact of the P20-per-kilo rice program on her family’s food expenses.
Since the government has rolled out the P20/kilo rice program in Visayas, Geonzon said it has been a big help for families like her who live on a meager income.
“With your P100, you can now bring home 5 kilos of rice, from what used to be one-and-a-half kilos before the P20-per-kilo rice was realized,” said Geonzon, who works as a job order employee at the Department of Public Services at the city government.
With five children and a husband who makes a modest income as a farmer, Geonzon described budgeting for every meal as “difficult.”
“Dako na kaayo’g ikatabang ang tag P20 kilo na bugas para sa mga luoy kaayo pareha ra nako ron job order ra, pila ra’y sweldo,” Geozon said.
(Rice at P20 per kilo would be a great help to the poor just like me, a job order worker with only a minimal salary.)
“Dako na kaayo (og tabang) kay liman ka, ang imong P100 pila ra’y mapalit, usa ka kilo’g tunga. Kaysa aning naay na’y tag P20, sa usa ka gatos 5 kilos na imong mapalit,” she added.
(It’s really a big help because imagine, with your P100 before, you can only buy one and a half kilo of rice. Now that we have the P20-per-kilo rice, with you P100, you can already buy 5 kilos.)
Geonzon shared that she can now spend more for groceries and school allowance for her children.
Arnel Encina, 32, a security guard at the Naga City Hall, is also thankful for the government’s P20/kilo rice program.
Encina shared that they can stretch their budget for other needs like more money to buy food items.
“Para nako, dako na kaayo ni’g ikatabang sa among pamilya, at least na bisan naay ginagmay, nga dili kaayo dako ang presyo, dako na kaayo’g tabang namo… at least naa na’y ikapalit para panud-an,” Encina said.
(For me, this is a huge help to our family, at least even if it’s a small thing, the price isn’t that high, it’s a huge help to us… at least we have something to buy to eat.)
The P20-per-kilo rice, or the ‘Benteng Bigas Meron Na! (BBM Na!), is an initiative of Pres. Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. through the Department of Agriculture (DA) in fulfillment of his campaign promise of providing affordable rice to Filipino families. (JJT/PIA7)
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