PUBLIC  school teachers and non-teaching personnel can now access rice at PHP20 per kilogram under the Benteng Bigas Meron (BBM) Na program, the Department of Agriculture (DA) announced Friday.

The inclusion follows a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the DA and the Department of Education (DepEd), signed during the 2025 Kadiwa ng Pangulo (KNP) Expo in Manila, expanding the program’s reach to schools nationwide.

“These areas of cheaper rice will be more accessible, especially with the help of DepEd and our school systems, ensuring even remote and far-flung areas are served starting January 2026,” DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in a speech.

The program targets around 800,000 DepEd personnel and aims to reach island and upland communities in Camarines Sur, Romblon, Camiguin, and other remote locations.

DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara welcomed the sector’s inclusion.

“We were just discussing this previously, but now it has been formalized. Soon, Kadiwa stores will be in our schools,” he said.

Under the program, DepEd will validate eligible beneficiaries during Kadiwa selling days and coordinate monthly distribution schedules, while the DA will ensure a steady supply of affordable, quality rice and other agricultural products.

The initiative is part of the DA’s nationwide BBM Na expansion, which aims to serve 15 million households by next year. (PNA)