The Philippines’ more-than-three-decade-old devolution program remains incomplete, with local government units (LGUs) and national agencies continuing to share responsibilities for many basic services despite the 1991 Local Government Code (LGC), according to state-run policy think tank...
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has expressed support for a proposal to raise the current biodiesel blend level from three percent to five percent to help ease the impact of higher fuel prices on motorists. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said he is endorsing the policy resolution of...
The country’s tuna catch increased by 14.6 percent to more than 230,000 metric tons (MT) in 2025, with skipjack tuna remaining the most sought-after species, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA). Citing data from the 18th Annual Catch Estimates Review Workshop, the DA said last...
The long-awaited ceasefire in the Middle East is expected to ease upward pressure on production costs and help boost local rice production, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said. DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the local agriculture sector breathed a sigh of relief after the United...
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is spending more than ₱140 million to strengthen the country’s capacity to develop its own vaccines against animal diseases threatening the livestock sector, including African swine fever (ASF). The DA said it formally launched the Animal Vaccine Development...
The country’s production of palay, or unmilled rice, likely improved by 5.3 percent in the second quarter as the total harvest area expanded to more than one million hectares, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Based on estimates by the PSA as of May 1, palay output from...
The Philippines and the World Bank have signed an $18.85-million grant agreement to strengthen the country’s defenses against future pandemics, while the Washington-based multilateral lender also commended the satisfactory implementation of an ongoing agriculture modernization project. Documents...
The Philippines is expanding its agricultural cooperation with Japan following an amendment to a bilateral agreement aimed at promoting fisheries and technology transfer, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said. In a statement, the DA said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel signed an...
The Philippines is set to secure another $1-billion loan from the World Bank in June, this time for an energy project follow-through and coupled with a $20-million grant, making the package the largest single financing commitment extended to the country by the Washington-based multilateral lender....
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is gearing up for the implementation of the government policy expanding the minimum access volume (MAV) for pork imports to temper retail prices and maintain sufficient supply. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said the DA is taking the lead in drafting...
The Philippines stands to lose as much as 700,000 metric tons (MT) in rice output this year under a scenario in which a strong El Niño phenomenon wreaks havoc on local production, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA). The DA noted that the expected loss in rice production is equivalent...
The United States (US) is seeking to leverage the growing appeal of convenient meal products in the Philippines to widen its reach in the packaged soups and ready meals market, further expanding its presence in its 10th-largest export market. In a May 26 report, the US Department of Agriculture...
