Iligan City — Hundreds of residents lined up before dawn as the city government launched the “Benteng Bigas Meron Na” program, offering rice at ₱20 per kilo to vulnerable sectors as part of the national government’s food security campaign.

The program, held at the City Public Plaza, aims to help low-income families cope with rising rice prices by giving qualified beneficiaries access to subsidized rice at lower cost.

City Agriculturist Marie Ann J. Beley said priority beneficiaries include senior citizens, solo parents, persons with disabilities (PWDs), indigent families, 4Ps beneficiaries, rice farmers, farm workers, fisherfolk, jeepney drivers, and below-minimum wage earners.

Vulnerable sector beneficiaries waiting for the government 20 pesos per kilo rice program launch in Iligan City.
For many Iliganons, every kilo counts. Beneficiaries wait for hours at dawn just to secure affordable rice at P20 per kilo during the program launched, April 30. (Photo by Bonita L. Ermac)

“Even our rice farmers are considered vulnerable because of extreme heat and calamities affecting production,” Beley said.

For residents, this means:

Qualified beneficiaries may buy up to 10 kilos of rice per batch.

Valid identification is required during on-site digital registration.

Distribution follows a first-come, first-served policy.

More batches, including deliveries to hinterland barangays, are expected in the coming months.

A total of 10,000 kilos, or 500 sacks of rice, were distributed during the launch, benefiting around 1,000 individuals. City officials said another 15,000 kilos are expected in succeeding distributions.

The rice supply came from Lala and is kept within a three-month storage period to ensure quality. The City Agriculture Office also conducts cooking tests before distribution to check food safety.

Beley clarified that rice is now sold strictly at ₱20 per kilo after the local government subsidy counterpart was removed. 

The subsidy is now supported through the national government partnership.

Hundreds of residents queuing at dawn at Iligan City Public Plaza for the P20 per kilo Benteng Bigas program.
Residents lined up as early as 2:00 AM at the City Public Plaza to avail of the P20 per kilo rice under the "Benteng bigas meron na" program, a food security initiative of the government under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (Photo by Bonita L. Ermac)

City Administrator Darwin Manubag said the city hopes to sustain the program monthly, depending on rice supply availability.

Councilor Ian Uy, chair of the Committee on Agriculture, meanwhile said the city is also pushing for a permanent Kadiwa Center to expand public access to affordable food products through support from the Department of Agriculture, Food Terminal Incorporated, and National Food Authority.

Residents welcomed the rollout, citing the continuing increase in rice prices.

Romeo Amira, 73, of Sta. Elena, said the subsidized rice helps stretch limited household budgets, while Myrna Soong Roxas, 69, from Rogongon, shared that she lined up as early as 2 a.m. to secure a slot.