THE Department of Agriculture (DA) on Monday said Quezon City residents qualified to avail of the P20-per-kilogram (kg) rice of the Benteng Bigas, Meron Na! (BBM Na!) program must first book an apppintment at the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) office on Visayas Avenue.
The appointment system will be implemented to avoid the inconvenience of long lines at the rice outlet, said Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra, DA assistant secretary for Agribusiness, Marketing, and Consumer Affairs.
Customers will be given their respective appointment schedules to buy the P20/kg rice. Only a limited number of walk-in buyers will be accommodated daily, said Food Terminal Inc., an attached agency of the DA.
Appointments may be scheduled online at https://bit.ly/P20BAI.
Those with confirmed schedules may proceed to the BAI office at 5 Visayas Avenue, Quezon City, Mondays to Fridays, 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The public is also advised to avoid lining up too early for their appointment to avoid inconvenience and prevent disruption to traffic flow and activities in the area.
Qualified buyers include senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs), solo parents, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries, farmers, and fisherfolk registered in the DA‘s Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture, and public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers.
Beneficiaries from vulnerable sectors — the first five mentioned sectors — may purchase up to 30 kilograms of P20/kg rice per month.
Beneficiaries from other sectors, on the other hand, may purchase up to 10 kilograms of P20/kg of rice per month, based on the guidelines of the BBM Na! program.
The DA said the initiative aims to ensure a faster, fairer and more organized distribution of affordable rice. It also reminded beneficiaries to ensure that they have an appointment before heading to the site to purchase rice.
