DA gives 800K public school teachers, staff access to P20/kilo rice

The Department of Agriculture (DA) extended the access to rice at P20 per kilogram under the Benteng Bigas Meron (BBM) Na program to almost 800,000 public school teachers and non-teaching personnel nationwide.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said the public schools, particularly in remote areas, will be the first to receive access to the subsidized rice program.

“These areas of cheaper rice will be more accessible, especially with the help of DepEd (Department of Education) and our school systems, ensuring even remote and far-flung areas are served starting January 2026,” Laurel said in a statement.

He further affirmed that areas with public schools that have nearby municipal or barangay halls, technically, fall under the local government units (LGUs). 

“In places without those (nearby municipal or barangay halls), the DepEd will probably prioritize them first. It depends on Secretary Angara,” Laurel said, citing the DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara.

The DA previously targeted to roll out the P20-per-kilo rice for school personnel last October 15.

Further, the agency signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with DepEd to formalize the BBM Na program expansion during the 2025 Kadiwa ng Pangulo Expo in Intramuros, Manila.

“We were just discussing this previously, but now it has been formalized. Soon, Kadiwa stores will be in our schools,” Angara said in a statement.

According to the MOU, the DepEd would head the implementation of the program expansion.

The DepEd is set to validate eligible beneficiaries of the program and handle the monthly rice distribution. 

Meanwhile, the DA will oversee the steady supply of P20-per-kilogram rice.

The initiative will begin its rollout in public schools in several provinces to determine the readiness of possible large-scale implementation in 2026.

Island and upland communities in Camarines Sur, Romblon, and Camiguin are among the remote locations aimed to first receive the subsidy.