For 72-year-old Lucia Espino-Undaloc of Barangay Paknaan, lining up at the Mandaue City Public Market as early as 6 a.m. was worth it.
Undaloc was among the first beneficiaries of the Benteng Bigas Meron Na! program, which lets indigent residents buy rice for as low as P20 per kilo.
“Dako kaayo og tabang, unya 10 gud na ka kilo. Barato ra man, unya maka-save ta,” Undaloc said, referring to the subsidized rice now available at the market.
She arrived early and was 116th in line to secure her allocation. But with a household of seven, she noted that the current 10-kilo limit per transaction only lasts about four days.
“Daghan man mi, di kaigo,” she said, adding that once the subsidized rice runs out, she buys regular-priced rice.
She plans to return in April while the program continues and hopes it will eventually operate daily, especially for senior citizens.
The pilot program officially rolled out Thursday, March 12, 2026, at the Mandaue City Public Market—the first in Cebu to display and sell the subsidized rice.
Qualified beneficiaries may purchase up to 10 kilos per transaction.
Patrick Michael Bariquit, Senior Administrative Assistant of Food Terminal Inc. (FTI), said the program can accommodate up to 250 beneficiaries daily from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“Ten kilograms per transaction mao sa na ang gi-impose para maapod sa tanan,” Bariquit said.
He added that when additional stocks arrive, beneficiaries may be allowed to buy up to 30 kilos per month or 10 kilos per week.
Beneficiaries unable to personally visit the market may authorize a representative, provided they present an authorization letter, a photocopy of the beneficiary’s valid ID, and the representative’s valid ID.
Verification is done on the second floor of the market, while rice is purchased at the Kadiwa ng Pangulo stall on the ground floor.
The program, implemented by FTI in coordination with the National Food Authority, aims to provide affordable rice to low-income families amid rising food prices.
Aside from senior citizens, qualified beneficiaries include solo parents, persons with disabilities, 4Ps households, rice farmers and farm workers, fisherfolk, jeepney and tricycle drivers, minimum wage earners, and Department of Education teachers and non-teaching personnel. (VCL)
