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The government will roll out next week a major expansion of Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!, the flagship food program of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., as it sharpens its push to tame food prices while boosting farm incomes, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said. The next phase will kick off in Lingayen, Pangasinan, with the […]
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. praised the passage of the proposed 2026 national budget, highlighting its higher allocation for the agriculture sector as a boost for food production, rural development, and long-term food security. President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr signed on Monday the P6.793 Trillion national budget for 2026. “The increased outlay could enhance productivity, […]
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. promised more aggressive action from the Department of Agriculture (DA) to protect consumers and stabilize markets following the rising food prices driven by holiday demand and lingering supply disruptions that pushed inflation noticeably higher last December. “While rice prices continue to deflate, higher prices driven by holiday demand, weather […]
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. is zeroing in on one of the most volatile items in the Filipino kitchen: sili. With prices swinging sharply during the rainy season, the Department of Agriculture (DA) is pushing a plan to ramp up production, harden farms against extreme weather, and bring more predictability to supply and prices. […]
Keeping palay prices fair, expanding P20-per-kilo rice and fast-tracking farm-to-market roads will be the toughest test of the Department of Agriculture heading into 2026, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said. Tiu Laurel said the priorities are critical to sustaining rice production, keeping food affordable, and improving market access for farmers. “The most urgent challenge […]
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. announced an expansion of the government’s P20-per-kilo rice program, with a province-wide rollout in Pangasinan scheduled for January. The initiative is part of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration plan to reach 15 million households by the end of 2026. Branded “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!”, the flagship food security program […]
The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) have reaffirmed a moratorium on sugar imports until the end of harvest or further, citing stronger domestic raw sugar production and the need to prioritize locally produced sugar. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the policy, first announced on October 15, could be […]
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. welcomed Congress’ decision to more than double funding for farm-to-market roads (FMRs), calling it a “game-changing investment” for farmers, food supply chains, and rural economies as lawmakers finalize the 2026 national budget. Under the spending plan approved by the bicameral conference committee, funding for FMRs will jump to P33 […]
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is preparing to shift as much as 37,000 hectares of rice land in Nueva Ecija into mungbean production as the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) races to repair parts of the Upper Pampanga River Irrigation System (UPRIS) severely damaged by illegal quarrying. The disruption threatens to slash the country’s summer rice […]
The Department of Agriculture is tightening its monitoring of wet markets, intensifying surveillance to keep food prices in check as surging Christmas demand puts pressure on consumers’ wallets. The DA led a joint price and supply inspection at the Muñoz Public Market, moving ahead of the holiday rush and signaling tougher enforcement, with Assistant Secretary […]