Rice price and its impact on low-income households’ daily food sustenance amidst government support: Basis for sustainable food policies and economic relief measures

ABSTRACT: Rice is a staple in Filipino meals, but in recent years, its rising cost has made it increasingly unaffordable, particularly for low-income households. This research explores the effect of rice to the daily food sustenance of low-income households in Tondo, Manila through dietary diversity with consideration to government support given to aid the problem. The study is composed of 131 Tondo residents detailing their demographic profile, rice consumption and experience with price of rice and government support. The data analyzed through Ordinal Linear Regression (OLR). The results show that dietary diversity is a significant factor affecting daily food sustenance across various subgroups, with the moderating variables largely being not statistically significant Dietary diversity shows significance in affecting daily food sustenance when all 131 data points are analyzed, with the most affected are those belonging to households earning between Php 9,520 to Php 19,040 (est = 4,816). Rice price is only significant in medium-sized households (p = 0.018) and government assistance significantly affects households with an income below Php 9,520 )p = .001) and households with an income between Php 9,520 to Php 19,040 ( p = .015). Based on these findings, the recommendation emphasizes the continued importance of public awareness raised through educational programs detailing alternatives and nutrition, technological adoption in farming techniques and processes, and commodity aid through vouchers and agreements with private rice traders.

Filipiniana