President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. (MANILA BULLETIN | Mark Balmores)

Navotas 1st district Rep. Toby Tiangco says the Marcos administration's intensified efforts in agricultural development and reform have begun to bear fruit.

Tiangco highlighted the National Food Authority’s (NFA) success in achieving 95 percent of its inventory goal this year, as it accumulated over five million 50-kilogram bags of milled rice sourced exclusively from local farmers.

"Patuloy po nating nararamdaman ang bunga ng mga programang pang-agrikultura ni Pangulong Bongbong Marcos. Sa tulong ng mga batas at repormang isinulong ng Pangulo, masisiguro natin na maganda ang takbo ng sektor ng agrikultura at higit sa lahat, ang pag-unlad ng buhay ng ating mga magsasaka," he said.

(We continue to enjoy the fruits of President Marcos' agriculture programs. Thanks to the laws and reforms being pushed by the President, we can ensure that the agriculture sector is properly run and most of all, that our farmers enjoy progress.)

Tiangco says that the NFA's ample buffer stocks also means the agency is ready to release supplies to help in relief efforts during emergencies and calamities. 

"Napapanahon po ito dahil patuloy din ang paghahanda ng pamahalaan sa nagbabadyang pagputok ng Mt. Kanlaon," noted the administration solon.

(This is timely since the government continues to prepare for the possible eruption of Mt. Kanlaon.)

Tiangco notes that based on the amended Rice Tariffication Law, NFA is mandated to maintain a 15-day buffer stock to sustain disaster relief programs and address food security challenges.

This stock is equivalent to 300,000 metric tons of milled rice, the agency's target inventory for 2024 and 2025.

In addition, Tiangco expressed confidence that the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) will heed President Marcos’ directive for the strict enforcement of Republic Act No. 12022, also known as the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act.

"The President’s marching orders are clear—strengthen action against smugglers who disrupt the supply chain and cause spikes in the prices of agricultural products in the local market," Tiangco said.

"We prioritized passing this law to make sure that concerned agencies will be empowered to safeguard the livelihood of Filipino farmers and fisherfolk while ensuring affordable food for every Filipino,” he added.