CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro — More than 9,500 households in Calapan City have already received rice assistance as the local government expands its version of the Marcos administration’s Bawat Bayan Makikinabang (BBM) program, with an ambitious goal: no household left without a rice pack.
The city government reported that 9,527 households received assistance during the first two distribution days on Aug. 1 and 2, while another 2,844 beneficiaries were served during the Aug. 9 distribution. The rollout has already reached 32 barangays across Calapan.
The assistance provides 10 kilograms of rice per household and is being expanded through additional funding from the Calapan City government under Mayor Paulino Salvador “Doy” C. Leachon.
From “Bawat Bayan” to “Bawat Bahay”
The city has given the expanded initiative its own emphasis: “Bawat Bahay Mabibigyan.”
The goal is broader than simply reaching a list of identified beneficiaries. Calapan officials said the city intends to make sure all 43,790 households in the city eventually receive the 10-kilogram rice assistance, regardless of household status.
The city’s move builds on the national government’s Bawat Bayan Makikinabang program, which is funded through the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF).
Earlier, around 6,500 Calapan households had already received rice packs through the Oriental Mindoro provincial government’s implementation of the same national initiative. The city then committed additional local resources to cover households that were not included in the initial distribution.
That means the Calapan rollout is not simply another round of food assistance—it represents a push toward universal household coverage within the city.
Why the program matters beyond Calapan
The Calapan distribution comes as the national government continues to expand its rice assistance drive.
In July, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto led the distribution of rice assistance to 55,000 families in Oriental Mindoro, part of a broader government effort that officials said had already reached about 7 million families nationwide. Each beneficiary under the rice subsidy initiative receives 10 kilograms of rice, with the program designed to provide assistance six times a year.
The national program is also linked to efforts to support local farmers. During the Oriental Mindoro distribution, provincial officials said rice for the assistance was procured from farmers in the province, providing a market for locally produced palay while supplying households with food assistance.
This creates a two-sided objective: put rice on household tables while helping sustain demand for locally produced rice.
Rice prices remain a key concern
The timing is significant for families dealing with food costs.
The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that regular-milled rice in Oriental Mindoro averaged ₱46.95 per kilogram during July 15–17, 2026, down from ₱49.34 per kilogram in the previous monitoring period.
Even with the decline, rice remains one of the most important recurring expenses for Filipino households. A 10-kilogram rice pack therefore represents a direct reduction in a family’s immediate food expenditure.
Distribution continues
Calapan officials said the distribution has continued across different communities, including central and coastal areas, various San Vicente barangays, Ibaba East and West, and Sta. Maria Village. The city government, through the City Social Welfare and Development Department and other city offices, has been coordinating the rollout with barangay officials, health workers, volunteers and other partners.
Officials also continued distributions despite rainy weather during several rollout days.
The bigger target, however, remains unchanged: reach every household in Calapan.
With 43,790 households identified as the city’s overall target, the latest distribution figures show that the program is still in the middle of its rollout—not yet at its finish line.
And that is where Calapan’s rice program could become one of the more closely watched local implementations of the national food-assistance drive: whether the promise of “Bawat Bahay Mabibigyan” can ultimately translate into every household receiving its 10-kilogram rice allocation.
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