Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Republic Act 11203 or the Philippine Rice Tariffication Law aims to ensure food 
security and stabilize food prices in the country. With the liberalization of rice 
importation, however, there is now an influx of cheap imported rice, which retailers 
prefer over buying from local producers. This led to the drop in farm gate price of dry 
palay which has burdened the farmers as production costs also rose. 
While support programs for farmers are in place, such as the provision of loan 
assistance and productivity enhancement, the government must ensure that local 
farmers would have a market for their rice produce. To address this, this bill seeks to 
mandate the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), in coordination 
with the Department of Agriculture and the National Food Authority, to buy palay from 
farmers, and distribute rice subsidy in actual kilos of rice instead of a cash grant to 
qualified beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps. 
In order to promote the welfare of farmers, this allocation should be used to buy rice 
from local farmers, which will be then distributed to poor families covered by the 4Ps. 
The government must do its best to help local farmers cope with the liberalization of 
rice importation.  
In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
May 15, 2023
9:00 am
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
AUTHORIZING THE USE OF THE RICE SUBSIDY PROVIDED UNDER THE 
PANTAWID PAMILYANG PILIPINO PROGRAM (4PS) FOR THE PURCHASE OF 
PALAY FROM LOCAL FARMERS, MANDATING FOR THE PURPOSE THE 
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT (DSWD), IN 
COORDINATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (DA) AND THE 
NATIONAL FOOD AUTHORITY (NFA), TO BUY PALAY FROM LOCAL FARMERS 
AND DISTRIBUTE RICE INSTEAD OF CASH TO QUALIFIED BENEFICIARIES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), in 
coordination with the Department of Agriculture (DA), and the National Food Authority 
(NFA), is hereby authorized to utilize for the purpose of purchasing palay from local 
farmers the remaining allocation for rice subsidy under the Pantawid Pamilyang 
Pilipino Program (4Ps). 
SEC. 2. Instead of a cash subsidy, the DSWD is hereby mandated to give rice to the 
following qualified 4Ps beneficiaries: (i) those registered in the Pantawid Pamilya 
Information System; (ii) victims of natural and man-made disasters rendered homeless 
and with no means of livelihood; (iii) indigenous peoples in geographically isolated and 
disadvantaged areas; (iv) homeless street families; and (v) transitioning households 
whose level of well-being have improved but still at high risk of subsequently falling 
back into survival level as they precariously live with little or no buffer against economic 
shocks. 
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SEC. 3. The 4Ps beneficiaries shall be given rice equivalent to the cash subsidy in the 
amount of Six Hundred Pesos (P600.00) per month on a per household basis. Only 
4Ps beneficiaries who comply with the conditions provided in the Special Provisions 
of the General Appropriations Act, particularly on health and education, are entitled to 
the rice subsidy. 
 
SEC. 4. The Secretary of the DSWD, in consultation with the DA and the NFA, shall 
establish the procedures and guidelines in the purchase of palay from local farmers, 
and the distribution of rice by the DSWD-designated outlets to 4Ps beneficiaries. The 
Secretary of the Department of Finance (DOF) and the Director General of the 
National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) shall likewise provide support 
in the crafting of the procedures and guidelines. 
 
SEC. 5. The DSWD Secretary shall submit a year-end report to both Houses of 
Congress on the implementation of this Act. 
 
SEC. 6. All laws, executive orders, presidential decrees, rules and regulations, and 
other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are repealed, amended, or 
modified accordingly. 
 
SEC. 7. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official 
Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,