The Bacolod City government is processing the procurement of stocks for the second tranche of the “Benteng Bigas Meron Na!” program, expected this month.

Secretary to the Mayor Marty Go said in a press briefing yesterday that they are preparing the purchase request for additional rice supply, following the launch of the P20 per kilo of rice in the city last June.

“We have an existing memorandum of agreement with the Food Terminal Inc. [FTI]. We are just waiting for the purchase request. We’re hoping to send it to the FTI this week. We will try to expedite the program to resume within the month,” he said.

Under the agreement, the city government places an order with the FTI, the Department of Agriculture’s marketing arm, to source rice from the National Food Authority.

During the initial rollout, the city government purchased 5,880 sacks of rice worth P7.971 million.

Go said they expect to buy about 3,000 sacks for the second tranche, using the remaining funds for the program.

Under the “Benteng Bigas Meron Na!,” each qualified family is allowed a 10-kilo purchase per week or a total of 40 kilos monthly.

The P20 per kilo of rice is initially available to senior citizens, solo parents, persons with disabilities, indigent families, minimum wage earners, rice farmers, and fisherfolk.

On September 16, the program will also be launched for the transport sector in five pilot areas across the country. (PNA)