MANILA is set to roll out its rice aid initiative named “Biyayang Bigas sa Maynila” on April 16 to run for six months, benefiting 80,000 families.
“This is one of the social relief measures prepared by the city government in collaboration with the national government led by the Office of the President through the Local Government Support Fund,” Mayor Isko Moreno said in Filipino Thursday during a meeting with residents at City Hall.
Each beneficiary will receive 10 kilograms of rice, he added.
The city government has allocated P286 million to purchase rice from local farmers, a move designed not only to support Manila’s working-class families but also to bolster agricultural livelihoods.
Moreno said the beneficiaries of the program include drivers and service industry workers who are struggling to make ends meet due to stagnant wages and rising living costs.
Meanwhile, Manila bakers will receive a P25,000 subsidy, Moreno also announced Thursday.
He said the aid would be given in exchange for the bakers’ commitment to keep the prices of bread like pandesal, pan de limon, monay and Spanish bread steady for one month.
“Pandesal is a symbol of breakfast for the Filipino family — it’s not just for the poor, it’s also for the rich,” he said in Filipino.
The mayor noted that the cost of a sack of flour has risen to around P2,165, with about 69 percent of the total cost attributed to flour and yeast alone.
“I just finished my meeting, consultation, and unity with our local community bakeries. We have finalized what our bakeries think will be good for them. And in turn, I asked for a guarantee that it will be good for the general buyer of our Filipino basic bread,” Moreno told residents in his Facebook Live broadcast.
