Despite an expected onslaught of typhoons in the third quarter, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) anticipates that consumer prices, particularly for rice, will continue to decline, but weather disturbances are expected to drive up vegetable costs. “Certain items, such as vegetables, are...
Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Thursday, July 24, called for urgent reforms in government procurement policies to allow farmers to sell rice directly to national agencies and local government units (LGUs). Pangilinan lamented that under the current system, traders are favored over...
The World Bank considers liberalized rice trade as a boost to the Philippine agriculture sector, even as the Marcos Jr. administration is moving to reinstate the National Food Authority’s (NFA) old regulatory powers. “Strategic shifts are underway to reinvigorate transformation of the...
The Department of Agriculture (DA) will hold on-the-ground consultations with farmers and lawmakers to prepare for the deliberations on the proposed RICE Act, which aims to reinstate the regulatory powers of the National Food Authority (NFA). Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said he has...
CEBU CITY – Sacks of suspected smuggled rice worth P38 million were seized from a warehouse in Barangay San Roque, Talisay City, Cebu on Wednesday afternoon, July 9. Led by Frederick D. Go, Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs, the operation led to the...
ILOILO CITY – The P20 per kilo rice program of the Department of Agriculture (DA) dubbed “Benteng Bigas Meron Na” (BBM) was launched in the island-province of Guimaras on Tuesday, July 8. DA Undersecretary for Operations Roger Navarro and DA-6 Regional Director Dennis Arpia joined Gov. Maria...
ILOILO CITY – The British government, through the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office of the British Embassy in Manila, has partnered with the Iloilo provincial government to boost the resiliency of the rice industry and ease the negative impact of climate change. Lloyd Cameron, economic...
Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Sunday, July 6 urged the National Food Authority (NFA) and local government units (LGUs) to immediately buy palay and other produce directly from Filipino farmers at fair market prices. Pangilinan made the appeal following reports that palay is now being...
President Marcos reaffirmed that the government’s P20 rice program, dubbed “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na,” is not a one-off rollout but a sustainable initiative that will expand nationwide with the support of local government units. “Tuloy-tuloy na po ito (This will continue),” the President...
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will begin offering P20 per kilo of rice to beneficiaries of its “Walang Gutom Program” (WGP) starting on Monday, July 7. The launch will take place during a food redemption activity in Tondo, Manila, under the initiative “Benteng Bigas,...
Malacañang vowed to go after rice traders using the government’s P20 per kilo rice program to justify buying palay at unreasonably low prices, saying the act could be considered economic sabotage. Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said this following reports that some traders have...
The Department of Agriculture (DA) will reduce the maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) of imported rice to ₱43 per kilo from the current ₱45, over one week after the plan was postponed due to tensions in the Middle East. In two weeks, specifically on July 16, the new price cap on five percent...
