Around seven million families have benefited from the government's free rice program, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said. The program provides 10 kilos of rice to each beneficiary six times a year and supports local farmers.
Executive Secretary Ralph Recto made the announcement during a rice distribution event for 55,000 families in Oriental Mindoro. He was accompanied by provincial Governor Humerlito Dolor.
Recto said the program is important to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to ensure no Filipinos go hungry. The government buys rice from local farmers to supply the subsidy.
The initiative forms part of the Bawat Bayan Makikinabang program, which also offers scholarship and development assistance. It is funded through the Local Government Support Fund, allocated P57.88 billion for 2026.
Recto stated that successful implementation could lead to increased funding for the program. Earlier, Mandaluyong City blacklisted a supplier for delivering underweight rice sacks under the same initiative.
