The Department of Agriculture (DA) is urging lawmakers to refrain from cutting down its proposed budget of ₱176.7 billion next year and instead approve it in full, citing its significance in protecting the livelihood of farmers and fisherfolk. Speaking during his agency’s budget hearing at the...
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has expressed its support for the Philippines’ ratification of a treaty under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which promotes the conservation and sustainable use of marine resources. In a statement, the DA said it will support the...
President Ferdinand Marcos has paid tribute to Filipino farmers, calling them the backbone of the nation’s food security and honoring their sacrifices, as he led the Gawad Agraryo 2025 ceremony in San Juan City. In his speech on Friday, Sept. 12, the President said the farmers’ daily struggles...
The Philippines is turning to Cambodia to help meet the demand of a growing population, as part of the government’s push to strengthen ties with the Southeast Asian country, according to Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel. In a statement on Wednesday, Sept. 10, Tiu Laurel said the country...
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is proposing the return of the government’s grains purchasing power to include corn and milled rice, in addition to palay or unmilled rice, as another major step to strengthen the country’s food security. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel has been...
The government is considering seasonal tariffs on rice to shield local farmers during harvest, Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said. Balisacan also emphasized on Tuesday, Sept. 2, that tariffs are used as a policy tool to address various...
Senator Raffy Tulfo urged the new leadership of the Bureau of Customs (BoC) to clean up the agency, particularly its Accreditation Unit, which screens and approves brokers handling the country’s agricultural imports and exports. During the Senate Committee on Agriculture hearing on Monday, Sept....
The Department of Agriculture (DA) said prices of local commercial rice remain stable, while some imported rice slightly increased following the implementation of the 60-day import ban on the key staple. While still on the second day of the two-month suspension, Agriculture Assistant Secretary...
Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan pushed for a proper mechanism that would define rice profiteering and its impact on farmers and local rice production. Pangilinan sought for such mechanism during a recent public hearing of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform joint...
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is looking to overhaul the country’s rice importation rules by introducing a requirement for importers to take part in maintaining the country’s rice buffer stocks as part of a cost-cutting effort. In a statement on Tuesday, Aug. 26, the DA recalled that...
The Philippines’ rice output, which soared to a record high in the first half, may not be enough to meet the anticipated demand during the 60-day import ban set to begin next week, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). In a report, the USDA said the country imported...
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is set to launch a digital platform that will consolidate all critical data across the agriculture sector to ensure data-driven decision-making and management of the country’s food supply chain. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said the agency’s...
