Manila, June 2 -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the National Food Authority (NFA) sent another 35,000 bags of rice to Cebu on Monday, scaling up the PHP20 per kg. rice program dubbed 'Benteng Bigas Meron (BBM) Na' in Central Visayas.

In a news release on Monday, the agency said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. led the send-off ceremony in San Jose, Oriental Mindoro, alongside NFA Administrator Larry Lacson.

The rice was sourced from Mindoro, a major rice-producing region, where many farmers have opted to wait for NFA procurement due to its better rates of up to PHP24 per kg. for dry palay (unhusked rice), compared to the PHP13.50 to PHP18 per kg. offered by private traders, against an estimated production cost of ...