‘Benteng Bigas Meron Na!’ rice reaches Tandag City
By Nida Grace P. Barcena
TANDAG CITY (PIA —In a strong show of support to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr.’s food security flagship initiative “Benteng Bigas Meron Na” (BBM), the Magroyong Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative (MAFAMUCO) allocated a total of 500 rice packs to the people of Tandag City.
Sold at the grand opening of the city’s Robinsons Supermarket, each pack contained 5 kilos of rice and was sold out in less than an hour on its first day with 300 packs displayed, a testament to the growing demand for affordable staple food among Surigaonons.
MAFAMUCO Chairperson Joeirene Campomanes highlighted the cooperative’s commitment to supporting national efforts for food security.
“This is our way of directly supporting the BBM Program through the Department of Agriculture,” Campomanes said. “We want to make sure that affordable and quality rice reaches the tables of every Surigaonon family, especially those who need it most.”
The activity coincided with the ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Surigao del Sur Governor Johnny T. Pimentel, marking not only the opening of a major retail outlet but also a collaborative step toward poverty reduction and inclusive development through food accessibility.
Campomanes also shared that MAFAMUCO will continue to supply rice to the said retail supermarket to make the BBM rice available to more consumers which extended the reach of the program and make it inclusive.
Among the
local residents is Regie Ramos, a mother of five and a person with disability
from Barangay Telaje, who availed the benteng bigas on Friday.
“Malipayon
kaayo ko ug dako akong pasalamat nga nakapalit ko sa bugas nga P20 lang kada
kilo. Tinuod nga naabot na gayud ang programa ni Presidente Bongbong Marcos
dinhi sa among lugar. Nanghinaut ko nga magpadayon kini og regular na ibaligya
sa merkado,” Ramos said.
(I am
very happy and deeply grateful that I was able to buy rice for only P20 per
kilo. It’s true that President Bongbong Marcos’ program has finally reached our
city. I hope this continues and its availability becomes regular and consistent
in the market).
The
success of this initiative underscored the vital role of grassroots
organizations like MAFAMUCO, the first farmers’ cooperative to localize
national programs in the province as well as in Caraga region, in transforming
government policies into tangible, community-level benefits.
In a
parallel effort, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Surigao del
Sur headed by Genebelle Bal shared that employees from Surigao La Suerte
Corporation (SLSC) and JM Luciano Construction, Inc. (JMLI) were among the
first in the province to benefit from the P20 per kilo BBM rice.
Each
worker was able to buy up to 10 kilos of high-quality rice at the subsidized
rate, providing much-needed relief amid rising living costs.
As the country continues its journey to achieve national food security, partnerships between government agencies, the private sector, and cooperatives are proven to be pivotal in building a food-secure and inclusive future. (NGPB, PIA Surigao del Sur)