No sale of P20/kilo rice in Metro Manila on Nov. 16 to 18

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There will be no sale of government's P20 per kilo rice in Metro Manila from Monday, November 16 to Wednesday, November 19 after the said dates were declared as special non-working holidays due to the ASEAN Summit.

"Bilang bahagi ng paghahanda para sa pagdaraos ng ASEAN, pansamantalang walang bentahan ng ₱20 kada kilong bigas sa lahat ng P20 Centers sa National Capital Region (NCR) mula Nobyembre 16 (Lunes) hanggang Nobyembre 18, 2026 (Miyerkules)," the advisory read.

(As part of the preparations for ASEAN hosting, the sale of ₱20-per-kilo rice at all P20 centers in the National Capital Region (NCR) will be temporarily suspended from November 16 (Monday) to November 18, 2026 (Wednesday).)

The sale of the subsidized rice in the capital region will resume on Thursday, November 19.

The "Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!" program provides subsidized rice to vulnerable sectors, including senior citizens, persons with disabilities, solo parents, minimum wage earners, public transport workers, indigents, and registered farmers and fisherfolk.

The program sources rice from the stocks of the National Food Authority (NFA), which are procured directly from local farmers. The government subsidizes the program through the Food Terminal Inc. (FTI).

In September alone, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said that a total of 961,346 beneficiaries were recorded —the highest turnout for the program yet on a monthly basis. They collectively bought 21.4 million kilos of locally produced rice.

The program has sold 135.98 million kilos of rice from January to September, the DA added.

The P20 per kilo rice initiative is expected to last until June 2028. —Vince Angelo Ferreras/RF, GMA News