BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – The City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) announced that a total of 13,655 families have qualified for the Rice Distribution Project in Baguio City.
Under the program, which aims to ease the burden of rising food and living expenses on poor residents and vulnerable sectors, qualified families will receive rice subsidies from the government.
The project is funded through a P56-million allocation from the national government under the 2026 Local Government Support Fund–Financial Assistance (LGSF-FA), pursuant to DBM-DILG Joint Circular No. 1, series of 2026.
It is part of the Assistance to Indigent Individuals or Families–Food Assistance/Rice Distribution program.
CSWD Officer Liza Bulayungan said the identified families can receive up to one cavan or 50 kilos of rice, although the amount may vary depending on the number of family members.
The distribution is scheduled to be conducted weekly in May, July, September, and October, and some batches are expected to be released earlier.
The rice will be distributed district-wise, either through clusters or through designated time slots at the Loakan National Food Authority (NFA) Warehouse, to ensure a smooth process.
Bulayungan said the distribution will be conducted in close coordination with barangays and public utility jeepney (PUJ) associations to maintain an organized system and avoid congestion.
According to Bulayungan, the registration and assessment of beneficiaries began on April 13, 2026, in various barangays and designated areas throughout the city, following the guidelines set by the CSWDO.
Beneficiaries include poor families, senior citizens, solo parents, persons with disabilities, and qualified minimum wage earners who are bona fide residents of the city.
In this regard, Mayor Benjamin Magalong once again thanked President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for including Baguio City in the program.
He also thanked the CSWDO for ensuring fair selection and accountability of beneficiaries, in fulfillment of his promise to the President that the distribution would be free from political influence, favoritism, and other irregularities. (By Rose Frejane A. Cruz)
