A total of 200 households from the marginalized sectors in Baguio City were able to buy PHP29 per kilo of Bagong Bayaning Magsasaka (BBM) rice at the Kadiwa ng Pangulo here Wednesday.

The event was held at the Igorot Park as part of the National Irrigation Administration’s (NIA) livestock and poultry month celebration.

Dominga Dao-ay, 68, of Chapiz Village Marcos Highway, came as early as 4:30 a.m. to make sure she will be able to buy the 10-kilo bag of rice for just PHP290.

“Kaming kulang sa financial malaking tulong sa amin (na makabili ng bigas sa halagang) PHP29 a kilo. Salamat. Malaking tulong sa mahihirap ito (This PHP29 a kilo of rice is a big help for people like us with less financial capacity. Thank you)),” she said, noting that their 10 kilos of rice can last for a week or more.

She said the about PHP300 savings from the usual PHP60 a kilo of rice she buys will be used to buy viand.

Lina Buenafe, 61, of Lower Fairview village is the number one in the list, arriving at 2:30 a.m.

“Tuwang tuwa ako at nakakuha ako ng murang bigas. Ito ang inaantay ko noon pa (I am really happy that I able to buy cheap rice. I have been waiting for this for a long time),” she said, noting that the money she used to buy the rice was even borrowed from a neighbor.

Liza Jane Challikis, section chief of operations of the NIA – Cordillera said there were 496 hectares of rice lands in Kalinga and Apayao provinces that were included in the contract farming program of the government for the BBM rice for this year.

She said around 56 percent of the contracted rice has been harvested, yielding about 10,000 tons.

Each hectare of rice land is expected to have an average yield of five tons of palay but actual production averaged 6.4 tons, a plus for the farmers since they earn more from the targeted yield.

Under the rice contracting program, the farmer is provided with a PHP50,000 subsidy per hectare for the land preparation and the purchase of seed as well as the production of seedlings; another PHP50,000 for the family’s needs while growing the rice, and PHP25,000 for the harvest, drying and milling.

Under the contract, a farmer is required to sell five tons a hectare to cover the subsidy. In excess of five hectares, the farmer gets the income. (PNA)