MANILA (UPDATE)--The Department of Agriculture (DA) said its P40 per kilo "Rice for All" program will be available in select Metro Manila public markets and train stations starting Thursday, December 5. 

In a press briefing, officials said Rice for All kiosks would be set up in the Kamuning, Malabon, Las Pinas, and Pasay Markets, as well as the MRT-North Avenue Station and LRT-Monumento Station.  

There will be no limit on rice purchases, and retailers may resell them. The rice will be available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The DA said they want to take advantage of foot traffic in these areas and to ensure there will be continuous supply in their kiosks.

"Wala pong limit actually. Basta kung naubos po yun, yung laman po nun, magre-replenish po tayo. Hindi po natin sasabihin na wala ng for the day no stocks. Kumbaga, continuous po ang magiging replenishment nito," said Asec. Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra of DA's Agribusiness, Marketing, and Consumer Affairs. 

(There is no limit. Once the supply runs out, we will replenish them. We will not say that we have no stocks already.)

Earlier, the public clamored for cheaper rice in public markets, as the 'Rice for All' was only previously sold in limited Kadiwa Stores in the region.

DA is also eyeing to increase the number of markets selling P40/kilo rice in Metro Manila and eventually, the entire country in the coming months. 

Guevarra said some retailers initially raised eyebrows as their cheaper supply may compete with other rice being sold in the market. 

"Yung sa pakikipag-usap po natin, medyo meron pong, kumbaga, hindi po agad sila nag-agree. Pero nung sinabi po natin na meron po silang part dito, pumayag naman po sila," Guevarra said.

(Some rice retailers opposed it initially but eventually agreed as they will also benefit from it.)

"Pero definitely kasi initial po natin na pakikipag-ugnayan sa kanila is maglalagay tayo ng pwesto. So parang meron na karoon ng negative reaction kasi syempre competition yan," she added. 

(We explained that we would put up a stall, and they reacted negatively as its competition.)

Guevarra said retailers can benefit because they too can buy at P40 a kilo and can resell them at lower than current prevailing prices. 

At the Kamuning Market, rice retailer Javier Villena said they will not oppose measures from the government such as this one. He also lowered the prices of some of his rice.

The DA assured that the rice that will be sold is well-milled and of good quality.

Lowering the price of rice to P20 per kilo was a campaign promise of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The Philippines cut rice import tariffs from 35 percent to 15 percent in July, expecting that this would lead to at least a P5 reduction in prices. But in a recent inflation press briefing, the state statistics bureau showed that rice prices had barely gone down three months after these were implemented. Despite the reduction in rice tariffs, rice inflation also climbed to 9.6 percent in October, compared to 5.7 percent in September.

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