ORMOC CITY – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) spearheaded the implementation of the PHP20.00 Benteng Bigas Meron Na (PBBM) program at the OSPA Training Center on October 24, in partnership with other government agencies like the National Food Authority (NFA), Department of Agriculture (DA), and the private sector.
Sugar workers, mostly from the Ormoc and Kananga area, are the latest beneficiaries and were able to buy rice at twenty pesos (PHP20.00) per kilo or at two hundred pesos (PHP200.00) per bag.
In her message, Darwinda Labastida of DOLE here said that one of the agency’s priority roles is every worker’s welfare. She further revealed that 4,000 bags were scheduled to be sold that day. With this, the P20BBM initiative where rice as a staple food is bought at the lowest price would hit its objective that “every sugar worker should not go to work hungry,” said Ms. Labastida.
On the one hand, an NFA representative revealed that the rice being sold are locally produced, harvested during last May’s cropping and then milled. “Gikan sa Pilipino para sa mga isig ka Pilipino,” added the NFA rep. They also have high hopes that with this scheme, people’s perceptions on NFA rice would change.
Finally, Atty. Roy Bernard Fiel, who represented the Ormoc Sugar Planters Association (OSPA), shared that he is grateful to President Bongbong Marcos for the commitment and for keeping his promise of PHP20.00 per kilo of rice during the campaign. This low price, accordingly, is a big help for the sugarcane workers especially now that the sugar industry is facing challenges where the produce is only at a very low price of PHP2,350.00 per sack. Lastly, he prays that the government under PBBM would also implement interventions to improve the frail condition of the sugar industry. (By Josie Serseña/EV Mail OCTOBER 20-26, 2025 issue)
