The Department of Agriculture has launched the P20 Benteng Bigas Masterlist Registry System to create a centralized and regularly updated list of eligible recipients for the government’s P20-per-kilo rice program. The initiative known as “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!” was among President Bongbong Marcos’s major commitments during the 2022 presidential elections and is now being implemented through a national registry system. The list includes senior citizens, solo parents, persons with disabilities, 4Ps beneficiaries, farmers, fisherfolk, minimum wage earners, and transport workers.
According to the Department of Agriculture, the program began in 13 provinces earlier this year and has now been extended to all 81 provinces nationwide. The registry is expected to simplify tracking of beneficiaries and help the agency streamline support, based on the DA’s statement. President Marcos has directed that the P20 rice initiative continue until the end of his term in June 2028, with a target of reaching 15 million Filipino families.
Beneficiaries may claim up to 10 kilos of subsidized rice per month using identification or digital proof recognized by the Department of Agriculture. The department’s information technology unit is finalizing the use of scannable QR codes to validate transactions and track purchases, according to the DA.
Program implementation is carried out through the Kadiwa ng Pangulo network, with rice sourced from the National Food Authority. Stocks are procured by government agencies involved in the program and sold at the subsidized P20-per-kilo price under the Benteng Bigas rollout.
The Department of Agriculture is also expanding beneficiary coverage to include sectors such as jeepney and tricycle drivers, based on ongoing program announcements from the agency.
