Residents of storm-hit provinces will soon have access to cheaper rice as the Department of Agriculture (DA) announced Monday plans to sell PHP20 per kg. rice under the ‘Benteng Bigas Meron Na’ (BBM Na) program in Masbate and Eastern Samar.
The initiative comes after Severe Tropical Storm Opong (international name Bualoi) caused an estimated PHP1.95 billion in agricultural damage, compounding losses already inflicted by Tropical Depression Mirasol and Super Typhoon Nando (international name Ragasa), according to the DA-Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Operations Center.
“For one month, doon sa Masbate at Eastern Samar na (in Masbate and Eastern Samar’s) affected areas, the DA will be selling PHP20 rice,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in an ambush interview.
He said the availability of cheaper rice aims to meet the immediate needs of affected residents and help them recover from Opong’s impact.
Each household will be allowed to purchase up to 30 kg. for one month, Tiu Laurel added.
A price freeze will also be enforced to make other agricultural goods more affordable in the affected areas.
“Nag-order na tayo ngayon ng price freeze sa Eastern Samar, sa affected areas, and sa Masbate. The memos, of course, ito ‘yung mga covered lang na produkto ng (We have now ordered the price freeze in Eastern Samar, in affected areas, and in Masbate. The memos, of course, only cover the products under) DA,” he said.
