PHP20-per-kilo rice program sustained until Dec 2025

The government's PHP20-per-kilo rice initiative under the Kadiwa ng Pangulo (KNP) program can be sustained until December this year and may extend into 2026, with the subsidy potentially included in next year’s national budget.

Initially launched on May 1 for vulnerable sectors such as senior citizens and persons with disabilities who are eligible to purchase up to 30 kilograms of National Food Authority rice per month at PHP20 per kilo, the program will be rolled out in Metro Manila immediately after the midterm polls starting May 13.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) Assistant Secretary Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra assured that at least 19 KNP sites across Metro Manila are prepared to prioritize those most in need with a weekly supply of 50 sacks, totaling 950 sacks per week.

Each beneficiary will have a monthly purchase limit of 30 kilograms for the vulnerable sector in KNP sites and 40 kilograms in the Visayas region, expected to benefit around four million individuals from an initial rollout of 600,000 sacks of rice in Cebu province.

The nationwide implementation of the P20/kg. rice program is planned for January 2026, with PHP4.5 billion worth of funds granted from the contingency fund of the Office of the President to subsidize the initiative.