The Department of Agriculture (DA) is set to begin the pilot rollout of ₱20 per kilo rice for public school teachers by the first week of October.

In an interview on Dos Por Dos, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the initiative is part of the Marcos administration’s flagship food security program and will cover around 800,000 teachers nationwide. Each teacher’s household is expected to receive 10 kilos of rice per month.

“Ang logistics po nito, kinocoordinate po natin sa DepEd so we are hoping na baka first week of October po. Balak namin baka gamitin ng mga eskwelahan para sa massive distribution next year,” Laurel said.

The agriculture chief admitted the rollout faces logistical hurdles, particularly in transporting large volumes of rice nationwide.

“Hindi ganoon kadali pero uumpisahan natin para tuloy-tuloy nating palawakin. Ang challenge is the manpower. Pati pagkuha ng driver, mahirap din. Pati ang bidding process, medyo matagal din,” he noted.

Laurel added that while the DA aims to increase allocations per household, limited resources require the agency to prioritize reaching as many beneficiaries as possible.

The pilot program is seen as a critical step toward fulfilling President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s campaign pledge to bring down the price of rice to ₱20 per kilo, with the DA preparing for broader expansion in 2026.