Manila: Over 16,000 minimum wage earners have benefited from the nationwide rollout of the 'Benteng Bigas Meron (BBM) Na for Minimum Wage Earners' program, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reported Saturday.

According to Philippines News Agency, DOLE Officer-in-Charge Benjo Santos announced that 16,126 employees from 100 establishments across the country participated in the program. Among them, about 800 rank-and-file port workers were able to purchase five kilos of rice each at the Manila Harbor Center in Tondo, Manila, on Friday. The launch was led by Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.

The initiative is part of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s commitment to making basic commodities more accessible. Initially, the program targeted vulnerable sectors, including senior citizens, persons with disabilities, solo parents, and beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

Santos conveyed the President's message to the Filipino people, emphasizing the importance of considering the welfare of Filipino workers. He stated that providing PHP20 per kilo rice is not merely a promise but a reality.

Fernan Nerida, president of the Manila Harbor Center Port Services Inc. Labor Union, expressed gratitude to the DOLE and the DA for extending the program to minimum wage workers, highlighting the collaborative efforts involved. He noted that the program would assist families, especially during challenging times.