Government Help for Rising Prices: What's Active Now (2026)
Tulong ng Gobyerno sa Mahal na Bilihin: Ano ang Aktibo Ngayon (2026)
Quick Summary
Mabilis na Buod
Table of Contents
Talaan ng Nilalaman
What's Active Right Now
Ano ang Aktibo Ngayon
Four cost-of-living programs are running as of August 8, 2026. One widely reported form of relief has already lapsed. Status here reflects national program rules — your city or province may run its own version with different rollout dates.
Apat na programa sa cost-of-living ang tumatakbo as of Agosto 8, 2026. May isang tulong na madalas mabanggit sa balita na tapos na. Ang status dito ay base sa national na patakaran — puwedeng may sariling bersyon ang inyong siyudad o probinsya na iba ang rollout.
| Program | Programa | Who it's for | Para kanino | Status | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ₱20 rice | ₱20 na bigas | Seniors, PWDs, solo parents, 4Ps, farmers, fisherfolk, transport workers | Seniors, PWD, solo parent, 4Ps, magsasaka, mangingisda, transport worker | Active | Aktibo |
| Pantawid Pasada fuel subsidy | Pantawid Pasada fuel subsidy | PUV operators and drivers with a franchise | PUV operator at driver na may prangkisa | Active | Aktibo |
| PhilHealth YAKAP / GAMOT | PhilHealth YAKAP / GAMOT | All PhilHealth members | Lahat ng PhilHealth member | Active | Aktibo |
| Presidential Scholars | Presidential Scholars | 5 students per barangay | 5 estudyante kada barangay | Announced | Anunsyado |
| LPG / kerosene excise tax cut | Bawas-buwis sa LPG / kerosene | All households | Lahat ng sambahayan | Ended Jul 8, 2026 | Tapos Hul 8, 2026 |
₱20 Rice (Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!)
₱20 na Bigas (Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!)
Subsidised rice at ₱20 per kilo. The President reported in the July 2026 State of the Nation Address that more than 12 million Filipinos had been served. This is the single biggest peso saving available to most households on this list — regular milled rice is otherwise tracking around ₱44/kg on our rice tracker.
Subsidised na bigas sa ₱20 kada kilo. Iniulat ng Pangulo sa State of the Nation Address noong Hulyo 2026 na mahigit 12 milyong Pilipino na ang nakinabang. Ito ang pinakamalaking tipid sa listahan para sa karamihan ng pamilya — nasa ₱44/kg ang regular milled rice sa aming rice tracker.
Who qualifies
Sino ang kwalipikado
- Senior citizens
- Persons with disabilities (PWDs)
- Solo parents
- Indigent families and 4Ps members
- Farmers and fisherfolk
- Public transport drivers and operators
- Minimum wage earners
- Senior citizens
- Persons with disabilities (PWD)
- Solo parents
- Mahihirap na pamilya at miyembro ng 4Ps
- Magsasaka at mangingisda
- Driver at operator ng pampublikong sasakyan
- Minimum wage earners
What to bring and how much you can buy
Ano ang dalhin at gaano karami
Bring one valid ID matching your category — senior citizen ID, 4Ps ID, an RSBSA ID for farmers, or an LTFRB or franchise-based ID for transport workers. Most qualified beneficiaries may buy up to 30 kilos per month. Farmers may buy up to 50 kilos every five months.
Magdala ng isang valid ID na tugma sa iyong kategorya — senior citizen ID, 4Ps ID, RSBSA ID para sa magsasaka, o LTFRB o franchise-based ID para sa transport worker. Karamihan sa kwalipikado ay puwedeng bumili ng hanggang 30 kilo bawat buwan. Ang magsasaka ay hanggang 50 kilo kada limang buwan.
Buy at Kadiwa outlets and other authorised stores. Distribution points differ by province and some are run by the local government, so check your city or municipal agriculture office for the nearest site and its schedule.
Bumili sa Kadiwa outlets at iba pang awtorisadong tindahan. Magkakaiba ang distribution points kada probinsya at may iba na pinapatakbo ng lokal na pamahalaan, kaya i-check ang inyong city o municipal agriculture office para sa pinakamalapit na site at schedule nito.
Fuel Subsidy for PUV Drivers (Pantawid Pasada)
Fuel Subsidy para sa mga PUV Driver (Pantawid Pasada)
The Palace confirmed on July 20, 2026 that the fuel subsidy programme for public utility vehicle drivers and operators continues, funded with ₱2.5 billion from the 2025 Continuing Fund. Traditional jeepney operators receive ₱5,000 per unit and their drivers ₱1,500 each.
Kinumpirma ng Palasyo noong Hulyo 20, 2026 na nagpapatuloy ang fuel subsidy para sa mga driver at operator ng pampublikong sasakyan, na pinondohan ng ₱2.5 bilyon mula sa 2025 Continuing Fund. Ang operator ng traditional jeepney ay tumatanggap ng ₱5,000 kada yunit at ₱1,500 naman sa bawat driver.
This is distributed through the LTFRB to legitimate franchise holders and their drivers, released via fuel subsidy cards, manager's cheques, bank transfer, cash, or e-wallet depending on the batch. If you drive but the franchise is under an operator's name, the cash card is usually held by the franchise holder — settle that arrangement with your operator before the release date.
Ipinapamahagi ito sa pamamagitan ng LTFRB sa mga lehitimong franchise holder at kanilang driver, sa pamamagitan ng fuel subsidy card, manager's check, bank transfer, cash, o e-wallet depende sa batch. Kung ikaw ang nagmamaneho pero nasa pangalan ng operator ang prangkisa, kadalasan ay hawak ng franchise holder ang cash card — ayusin ito sa inyong operator bago ang release date.
Private motorists do not qualify for this programme. If fuel costs are your main pressure point, our gas price tracker shows which brands are cheapest this week, and the Energy Crisis Survival Guide covers practical ways to cut consumption.
Hindi kwalipikado ang pribadong motorista sa programang ito. Kung gasolina ang pinakamabigat sa inyong gastos, ipinapakita ng aming gas price tracker kung aling brand ang pinakamura ngayong linggo, at may praktikal na paraan para makatipid sa Energy Crisis Survival Guide.
PhilHealth YAKAP and GAMOT
PhilHealth YAKAP at GAMOT
YAKAP is the expanded version of PhilHealth's Konsulta package: free check-ups and laboratory services at an accredited clinic. The list of free essential medicines under the programme was expanded from 21 to 75.
Ang YAKAP ay ang pinalawak na bersyon ng Konsulta package ng PhilHealth: libreng check-up at laboratory services sa accredited na klinika. Mula 21, naging 75 na ang listahan ng libreng essential medicines sa ilalim ng programa.
The companion GAMOT programme lets members get essential medicines from more than 2,000 accredited providers, with an annual benefit limit of ₱20,000 per member.
Sa kaakibat na GAMOT program, puwedeng kumuha ng essential medicines ang miyembro sa mahigit 2,000 accredited providers, na may taunang limitasyon na ₱20,000 kada miyembro.
You must register and pick a clinic before you can use it — walking into any hospital will not work. Our PhilHealth YAKAP guide walks through registration, and the main PhilHealth guide covers contributions and hospital benefits.
Kailangan mo munang mag-register at pumili ng klinika bago ito magamit — hindi puwedeng basta pumasok sa kahit anong ospital. Nakadetalye ang registration sa aming gabay sa PhilHealth YAKAP, at nasa pangunahing gabay sa PhilHealth ang contributions at hospital benefits.
Announced for 2027 but not yet claimable: additional laboratory tests including screening for liver disease, thyroid disorders and hepatitis B, plus increased support for cancer, heart disease, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and children with developmental disabilities.
Anunsyado para sa 2027 pero hindi pa maaaring i-claim: karagdagang laboratory tests kabilang ang screening para sa sakit sa atay, thyroid, at hepatitis B, dagdag na suporta rin sa cancer, sakit sa puso, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, at mga batang may developmental disability.
Presidential Scholars
Presidential Scholars
Announced in the July 2026 SONA: a ₱1 billion scholarship programme funded by the Office of the President, granting ₱100,000 each to five students in every barangay nationwide — roughly 100,000 students.
Inanunsyo sa SONA noong Hulyo 2026: ₱1 bilyong scholarship program na pinondohan ng Office of the President, na magbibigay ng tig-₱100,000 sa limang estudyante sa bawat barangay sa buong bansa — humigit-kumulang 100,000 estudyante.
In the meantime, existing scholarships are open — see our scholarship guide for CHED, DOST, and private programmes with live application windows.
Samantala, bukas ang mga kasalukuyang scholarship — tingnan ang aming gabay sa scholarship para sa CHED, DOST, at pribadong programa na may bukas na aplikasyon.
What Already Ended
Ano ang Tapos Na
In April 2026, Executive Order 114 suspended excise taxes on LPG and kerosene — ₱3.36 per kilo of LPG, which is roughly ₱37 off an 11-kg tank, and ₱5.60 per litre of kerosene. It was widely reported and is still cited as an accomplishment.
Noong Abril 2026, sinuspinde ng Executive Order 114 ang excise tax sa LPG at kerosene — ₱3.36 kada kilo ng LPG, na humigit-kumulang ₱37 na bawas sa 11-kg na tangke, at ₱5.60 kada litro ng kerosene. Malawak itong naibalita at binabanggit pa rin bilang tagumpay.
That relief ended on July 8, 2026. The order carried an automatic trigger: rates snap back once the one-month average price of Dubai crude falls below US$80 per barrel. It averaged US$79.45 from June 1 to 30, the Department of Energy certified it, and both taxes reverted — about nine days before the order was due to expire anyway.
Natapos ang tulong na iyon noong Hulyo 8, 2026. May automatic na trigger ang kautusan: babalik ang rate kapag bumaba sa US$80 kada bariles ang isang-buwang average ng Dubai crude. Umabot ito sa US$79.45 mula Hunyo 1 hanggang 30, kinumpirma ito ng Department of Energy, at bumalik ang dalawang buwis — mga siyam na araw bago pa man mag-expire ang kautusan.
So if you are budgeting around a cheaper LPG tank, don't. The tax is back in the price. Our Bantay Presyo dashboard tracks what fuel and basic goods actually cost this week.
Kaya kung nagbabadyet ka base sa mas murang tangke ng LPG, huwag na. Nasa presyo na ulit ang buwis. Sinusubaybayan ng aming Bantay Presyo dashboard ang totoong presyo ng gasolina at bilihin ngayong linggo.
How to Check a Program's Status Before You Go
Paano I-check ang Status ng Programa Bago Ka Pumunta
Relief programmes are usually created by an Executive Order or a department circular, and most carry an end date or an automatic trigger. A news headline tells you a programme started; it rarely tells you it stopped. Two checks take about five minutes:
Karaniwang nagmumula sa Executive Order o department circular ang mga programa ng tulong, at halos lahat ay may end date o automatic trigger. Sinasabi ng headline na nagsimula ang programa; bihira nitong sabihin na huminto na. Dalawang check, mga limang minuto lang:
- Search the agency's own site, not a news site — DA for rice, LTFRB for the fuel subsidy, PhilHealth for YAKAP. Look for the most recent advisory, and check its date.
- Call or message your barangay hall or the relevant local office. Rollout dates and distribution points are set locally even when the programme is national.
- Maghanap sa mismong site ng ahensya, hindi sa news site — DA para sa bigas, LTFRB para sa fuel subsidy, PhilHealth para sa YAKAP. Hanapin ang pinakabagong advisory, at tingnan ang petsa nito.
- Tumawag o mag-message sa inyong barangay hall o sa kaukulang lokal na opisina. Lokal na itinatakda ang rollout dates at distribution points kahit pambansa ang programa.
Pro Tips
Mga Payo
- Getting the sectoral ID is usually the bottleneck, not the programme itself. A senior citizen, PWD, or solo parent ID unlocks the rice programme plus a standing 20% discount and VAT exemption elsewhere — worth far more over a year than one rice purchase.
- Qualifying under two categories doesn't double your rice allocation. The 30-kilo monthly cap is per beneficiary, not per ID.
- Kadiwa sites are first-come, first-served and often sell out before noon. Ask the barangay for the delivery day rather than the opening hour.
- No legitimate programme on this page charges a processing fee or requires a fixer.
- Kadalasan ang pagkuha ng sectoral ID ang mabagal, hindi ang programa mismo. Ang senior citizen, PWD, o solo parent ID ay nagbubukas ng rice program at ng permanenteng 20% discount at VAT exemption — mas malaki ang halaga nito sa loob ng isang taon kaysa sa isang beses na pagbili ng bigas.
- Hindi dumodoble ang alokasyon ng bigas kahit kwalipikado ka sa dalawang kategorya. Ang 30-kilong buwanang limitasyon ay kada benepisyaryo, hindi kada ID.
- First-come, first-served ang Kadiwa at madalas ubos bago mag-tanghali. Itanong sa barangay ang araw ng delivery, hindi lang ang oras ng bukas.
- Walang lehitimong programa sa pahinang ito ang naniningil ng processing fee o nangangailangan ng fixer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mga Madalas Itanong
Is the ₱20 rice available everywhere?
Not yet in every barangay. Distribution runs through Kadiwa outlets and authorised stores, and coverage is still expanding province by province. Check your city or municipal agriculture office for the nearest active site.
Available ba ang ₱20 na bigas kahit saan?
Hindi pa sa lahat ng barangay. Dumadaan ang distribusyon sa Kadiwa outlets at awtorisadong tindahan, at patuloy pa ang paglawak kada probinsya. I-check ang inyong city o municipal agriculture office para sa pinakamalapit na aktibong site.
I'm a Grab or tricycle driver. Do I get the fuel subsidy?
Pantawid Pasada is distributed to franchise holders and their drivers through the LTFRB, so it depends on whether your vehicle operates under a recognised franchise. Tricycles are regulated by your local government, not the LTFRB — ask your city hall whether a local subsidy exists.
Grab o tricycle driver ako. Makakakuha ba ako ng fuel subsidy?
Ipinapamahagi ang Pantawid Pasada sa mga franchise holder at kanilang driver sa pamamagitan ng LTFRB, kaya nakadepende ito kung ang sasakyan mo ay may kinikilalang prangkisa. Ang tricycle ay nasa ilalim ng lokal na pamahalaan, hindi LTFRB — itanong sa city hall kung may lokal na subsidy.
Will the LPG tax cut come back?
It can. The law allows the President to suspend fuel excise taxes for up to three months at a time when Dubai crude passes a set threshold. Nothing is scheduled as of August 8, 2026 — treat the normal price as the real one until an order is actually signed.
Babalik pa ba ang bawas sa buwis sa LPG?
Puwede. Pinapayagan ng batas ang Pangulo na suspindihin ang excise tax sa gasolina nang hanggang tatlong buwan kada pagkakataon kapag lumampas ang Dubai crude sa itinakdang antas. Walang nakatakda as of Agosto 8, 2026 — ituring na totoo ang normal na presyo hangga't walang pinipirmahang kautusan.
Do I need to be a 4Ps member to get help?
No. 4Ps is one qualifying category among several for the rice programme, and YAKAP is open to all PhilHealth members regardless. For one-off emergencies like medical or burial costs, see our DSWD assistance guide.
Kailangan ba akong maging 4Ps member para makakuha ng tulong?
Hindi. Isa lang ang 4Ps sa mga kwalipikadong kategorya para sa rice program, at bukas ang YAKAP sa lahat ng PhilHealth member. Para sa mga biglaang pangangailangan tulad ng gastos sa ospital o libing, tingnan ang aming gabay sa DSWD assistance.