Bataan government allocates P39 million for rice subsidy program

BALANGA CITY, Bataan – The Bataan provincial government has allocated P 39 million in the 2016 budget for the rice subsidy program which is P 3 million higher than last year’s P 36 million to provide incentives to 8,666 beneficiaries working for the welfare and betterment of the province.

Ms. Marilyn C. Tigas, chief of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO), said the program is in line with the provincial government’s commitment to recognize the worthy and essential contributions of the World War II veterans, their surviving widows, barangay health workers, nutritional and day care workers, tribal health workers, punong barangays, peace keeping forces, fisher folks and other sectors who provide outstanding performance and conscientious upgrading of the quality of public service in the rural communities .

Emphasizing the important role of the rice subsidy program, Ms. Tigas said this kind of amelioration agenda is one of the flagship programs of the provincial government which encourages barangay working groups in reinforcing productivity, stability, growth and espousing efficiency in public service.

Ms. Tigas explained that a Sangguniang Panlalawigan Resolution (SP) number 44 sponsored by SP member Gaudencio Ferrer, chair of Agricultural Committee approves the implementation of the rice subsidy program and authorizing Governor Albert S. Garcia to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement with the National Food Authority (NFA) for the said program.

Tigas describes the rice subsidy program initiated by then Governor Enrique T. Garcia, Jr. eleven years ago for the benefit of barangay workers who are in the frontline in providing medical, health and nutritional services in the rural areas.

Aside from the rice subsidy program, the province had spent P 39 million in the 2015 budget for medical and hospitalization, shelter assistance, education and other projects that would cushion the impact of the crisis situation to the residents, Ms. Tigas added.