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The Department of Agriculture (DA) is moving forward with expansion of the P20 rice program of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to smallholder rice farmers despite criticisms of self-styled farmer leaders. Slated for launch on August 13, the initiative will allow millions of rice farmers—those tilling no more than three hectares and registered under the Registry […]
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the decision of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to suspend rice imports for 60 days—while holding off on a tariff hike—is a “measured response” to the current challenges faced by rice farmers. “The suspension is a more calibrated action—one that we can quickly reverse if needed,” Tiu Laurel said. “It gives […]
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has expressed full support for a new Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) that aims to strengthen inter-agency coordination and streamline the entry of strategic investments, particularly in the agriculture and fisheries sectors. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. signed the JMC, which enhances the operational mechanism of the Investment Facilitation Network […]
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said that he will recommend to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. the distribution of frozen mackerel recently seized by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) at the ports of Manila and Subic. Laboratory tests conducted by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources confirmed that the smuggled fish are safe for […]
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has lifted its temporary ban on the importation of domestic and wild birds and related products—including poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, and semen—originating from Australia. The ban was initially instituted under DA Memorandum Order No. 21, issued in June last year, following reported outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). Australian […]
Starting August 13, warehouses of the National Food Authority (NFA) will open their doors not only to buy palay from farmers but also to allow them to participate in the “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!”—a key initiative of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. where rice is sold at P20 a kilo. “It is only fair that those […]
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has allocated P18 billion to expand the government’s “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!” initiative to provide as many as 60 million Filipinos access to the P20-per-kilo rice. Speaking at a post-State of the Nation Address forum in San Juan City, Tiu Laurel explained that about […]
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said that Philippine trade negotiators have assured him that key locally-produced agricultural goods such as rice, corn, sugar, chicken, fish, and pork will be protected in the ongoing tariff negotiations with the US. “Secretary Frederick Go and Trade Secretary Cristina Roque have assured us that the top priority for […]
Agricultural losses caused by the combined effects of tropical storms Crising, Dante, and Emong—along with the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat)—have reached P1.12 billion, with more than half of the damage sustained by rice farms, according to preliminary estimates from the Department of Agriculture (DA). In a report to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council […]
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. directed Officer-in-Charge Undersecretary for Operations Roger Navarro and Undersecretary Chris Morales, who oversees the country’s National Rice Program, to immediately visit areas devastated by Tropical Storm Crising and the Southwest Monsoon to provide urgent support to affected farmers and fisherfolk. “We want our farmers and fisherfolk to know that […]