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The Department of Agriculture (DA) and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) agreed in principle to include minimum wage earners in the ongoing pilot run of the P20 rice program—an expansion that follows President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to sustain and scale the program through 2028. Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma, who met with Agriculture Secretary […]
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. led the reopening of the National Food Authority’s (NFA) newly rehabilitated warehouse in Malolos, Bulacan, a crucial step in President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s push to intensify palay procurement, uplift farmer incomes, and sustain the P20 per kilo rice program. “This long-overdue upgrade of a 45-year-old facility ensures that our […]
The Department of Agriculture has officially declared Nueva Vizcaya as the “Ginger Capital of the Philippines,” signaling a more focused government effort to channel resources toward boosting the production of this high-value crop in the Cagayan Valley region. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has repeatedly underscored the need to raise agricultural productivity—particularly for spices like ginger—as […]
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is withdrawing the maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) for pork on the request of industry players. It is, however, preparing to implement a more effective solution to lower meat prices in the face of a recent surge in African Swine Fever (ASF) cases. “While the industry tried to comply with […]
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the Department of Agriculture is all-in on training young farmers, stressing they are key to keeping agriculture going and making sure the country has enough food. “Our youth are the future of agriculture,” Tiu Laurel said in a message delivered by Undersecretary for Administration Allan Umali during the […]
The Department of Agriculture (DA) expanded the P20-per-kilo rice program to more KADIWA ng Pangulo centers, fulfilling President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s promise to make affordable food accessible to a larger number of Filipinos. After launching the subsidized rice program in 12 KADIWA centers a day after the May 12 midterm elections, 20 additional centers across […]
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has called on officials of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to fast-track the implementation of critical projects and ensure the actual disbursement of funds, rather than merely obligating them. In a directive issued at the end of April during the DA Management Committee (ManCom) meeting, Tiu Laurel emphasized the […]
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. warned consumers against purchasing imported white onions—typically larger than locally grown varieties—following the seizure in Pampanga of several tons of smuggled vegetables that have tested positive for salmonella and heavy metals. Tiu Laurel said the Department of Agriculture (DA) has not authorized any white onion imports recently, aligning with […]
The Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) has severely weakened the National Food Authority’s (NFA) ability to stabilize rice prices and supply, stripping it of key regulatory powers—including the authority to sell rice directly to the public. Once a crucial player in controlling market prices through timely imports and public sales, the NFA is now reduced to […]
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. welcomed the improved first-quarter performance of the farm sector, expressing confidence that favorable weather conditions and the intensified interventions of the Department of Agriculture (DA) will lead to better incomes for farmers and fisherfolk. The Philippine Statistics Authority reported a 1.9 percent growth in the value of agriculture and […]