A new KADIWA ng Pangulo center opened at the Clark Special Economic Zone, Pampanga expanding the initiative of Department of Agriculture to make food more affordable and bring it closer to minimum wage earners and other beneficiaries in this freeport through President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s flagship program, Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!
The KADIWA hub and the P20-per-kilo rice program will prioritize low-salaried workers identified by the Department of Labor and Employment and the Clark Development Corp. among the freeport’s 151,000 workers—making it a key intervention in one of the country’s fastest-growing economic zones.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. led the launch, calling it “a significant day for our collective mission” to strengthen food and nutrition security and extend direct government support to workers and vulnerable communities.
The event also marked the turnover of CDC’s state-of-the-art tissue culture laboratory to the DA.
“The facility will enhance the agency’s research capability, improve the quality of planting materials, and support sustainable food production.”
Tiu Laurel said the facility will enhance the agency’s research capability, improve the quality of planting materials, and support sustainable food production.
It will likewise bolster nurseries, demonstration farms, and local production hubs under the DA-CDC Zero Kilometer Food System initiative, which seeks to widen access to fresh, locally grown produce.
“The laboratory will directly support our efforts toward sustainable sourcing, enhanced productivity, and agricultural modernization.”
He said the laboratory “will directly support our efforts toward sustainable sourcing, enhanced productivity, and agricultural modernization.”
Still, the centerpiece for Clark workers was the rollout of P20-per-kilo rice purchased by the National Food Authority from local farmers—an initiative meant to ease food costs while providing stable market support to rice growers.
“With approximately 151,000 employees in CDC, where around 50 percent are minimum-wage earners endorsed by DOLE, this initiative brings essential and affordable food directly to the workforce that keeps this economic hub moving,” the agriculture chief said.
Joining him at the launch were CDC chairman Atty. Edgardo Pamintuan, CDC president and chief executive officer Atty. Agnes VST Devanadera, DA Assistant Secretary Genevieve Guevarra, DOLE Regional Director 3 Geraldine Panlilio, and DA Regional Director 3 Eduardo Lapuz.
The Benteng Bigas, Meron Na! program delivers subsidized, locally produced rice to vulnerable groups, including senior citizens, persons with disabilities, minimum-wage workers, farmers, fisherfolk, and low-income families.
Since its launch in May, the P20-rice initiative has expanded to 423 sites across 81 provinces, supported by the DA, Food Terminal Inc., and the NFA. The KADIWA ng Pangulo network is overseen by the DA’s Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service.
The DA is also strengthening its P20 Benteng Bigas Masterlist Registry System—now with 35,014 registered beneficiaries—to ensure transparent and orderly distribution of the subsidized rice to around 15 million households as early as 2026.
The inclusion of Clark further broadens the registry through continued coordination with DOLE and CDC.
