The city government has allocated ₱56 million to distribute free sacks of rice to 33,939 household beneficiaries across the city as part of its food security program.
During the City Hall Hour press conference at the Public Information Office on Wednesday afternoon, Liza Bulayungan, head of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) said each qualified household will receive one sack of newly milled National Food Authority (NFA) rice valued at ₱1,650 per sack.
Bulayungan clarified the program strictly prioritizes the community’s most vulnerable sectors covering senior citizens, solo parents, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and minimum wage earners heavily impacted by the rising costs of basic goods.
The city official emphasized that beneficiaries of the national government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) are excluded from the local initiative because they already receive separate, regular assistance.
To ensure an orderly and safe distribution, the CSWDO has structured the rollout into four distinct batches, with a target completion date of October. The program is already underway, with 2,550 households having received their rice as of Tuesday, May 19.
In an effort to include residents who missed the initial listing, the city government extended the registration period until May 31.
“Ang number one na objective namin is for our families to achieve a good quality of life and of course kailangan din na matulungan sila especially sa mga bata at mga parents nila,” Bulayungan said.
She urged unregistered residents from the targeted sectors to immediately coordinate with the CSWDO to submit their documents and undergo assessment before the new deadline.
The CSWDO said the ₱56 million budget is being closely monitored to ensure full transparency with their office regularly publishing distribution schedules for the remaining three batches through official community channels.
Residents are advised to contact their barangay leaders for specific distribution dates and venues as the project rolls out over the coming months. Clariz Hidalgo/UC Intern
