MANILA, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The Philippine government said it will set up a new distribution system within two weeks to ensure that only the poor households can buy the subsidized rice at the lowest price, local media reported Wednesday.

    The subsidized rice, priced at 18. 25 pesos per kg (0.445 U.S. dollars) and distributed by the National Food Authority (NFA), will be pulled out from the commercial market and be placed in municipal and village halls instead, local television network ABS-CBN News said.

    Potential buyers of the low-priced rice need to be qualified by local government units or faith-based groups beforehand and each poor household will be given a "Family Access Card" to prove its vulnerable financial status, the report said.

    Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said the move was designed to make sure the government brings the subsidized rice to "the food-poor and vulnerable families" and to help the fight against rice hoarders.

    Yap said the President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered local governments to coordinate with the Department of Social Welfare and Development and faith-based groups to identity the real poor communities.

    NFA administrator Jessup Navarro said after the pull-out the NFA will maintain the presence of "high quality" rice, priced at 25 pesos per kg (0. 61 U.S. dollars), in the market so that both the poor and the rich can get rice from separate distribution channels.

    The Philippines, one of the world's major consumers and importers of rice, is caught in the middle of a worsening global rice supply shortage. The government said it needs to import at least 2.2 million metric tons to feed its people against the backdrop of major Asian rice producers curtailing export due to slim harvest.

    Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Tuesday pledged to lead the fight against price paddling and vowed to secure import source and provide a proper distribution channel to prevent the rice crisis from evolving into a political crisis and social turmoil.