CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga (PIA) – A total of 1,000 minimum wage earners in Pampanga benefitted from the pilot roll-out of the ‘Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!’ program in the province.
The program, facilitated by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Department of Agriculture (DA) Central Luzon, aims to make rice more accessible and affordable to low-income workers by offering it at a subsidized price of P20 per kilo.
The beneficiaries are from SUPERL Philippines Inc., one of Pampanga’s major manufacturing firms, who were able to purchase up to 10 kilos of rice each.
DOLE Regional Director Geraldine Panlilio said the initiative is part of the Marcos Jr. administration’s commitment to improve food affordability and uplift the lives of low-income earners.
“We want people to be free from poverty and worry. This is one of the many programs designed to support you,” she said.
The director also thanked its partner agencies like the DA, National Food Authority (NFA), and the city government of San Fernando for providing logistical support in the roll-out of the program.
SUPERL Vice President Alex Fung noted that the program is a win-win situation for the government, employers, and employees alike.
“This program allows our employees to stretch their earnings and provide more for their families,” he said.
One of the beneficiaries, Cristina Villanueva, a 51-year-old sewer and mother of six, thanked the government for the subsidy.
“Thank you to those who created this program that finally brought the P20 rice. I am very happy because there are eight of us at home, and we cook about two and a half kilos of rice daily,” she expressed.
For his part, DA Regional Executive Director Eduardo Lapuz Jr. said the program is designed for long-term sustainability, adding that plans are underway to expand the program across the region.
DOLE said that more than 7,000 minimum wage earners in the region were identified as initial beneficiaries of the program.
Under the scheme, participating employers sign a memorandum of agreement with agencies. Meanwhile, rice is procured by Food Terminal Inc. from the NFA then distributed to the companies for employee purchase. (CLJD/MJSC, PIA Region-Pampanga)
