DA rolls out measures to ease food inflation, fuel cost pressures
MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Tuesday assured the public that safeguards are in place to mitigate the impact of rising food inflation and increasing oil prices on both producers and consumers.
The statement came after data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed headline inflation rising to 4.1 percent in March from 2.4 percent in February. Food inflation also climbed to 2.8 percent from 1.6 percent, with rice prices rebounding to 3.6 percent following months of decline.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the agency is implementing a mix of financial support and supply-side interventions to stabilize prices and protect livelihoods.
“To shield farmers and fisherfolk from rising production costs while keeping food affordable, we are combining financial assistance with efforts to secure key inputs such as fertilizers,” he said.
Among the immediate measures are the distribution of financial aid, fuel subsidies, and farm inputs to affected sectors. The DA is also accelerating the rollout of agricultural infrastructure projects, including farm-to-market roads, rice processing facilities, and post-harvest systems.
These initiatives aim to lower production costs, improve market access, stabilize supply, and increase farmers’ incomes, enabling them to meet demand despite ongoing challenges.
The agency earlier earmarked PHP1 billion from its quick response fund (QRF) for fuel subsidies and the procurement of biofertilizers. It has also begun distributing PHP10 billion under the Presidential Assistance for Farmers and Fishers (PAFF), benefiting over 4 million registered farmers and fisherfolk.
In addition, a PHP150-million fuel subsidy program is providing assistance of up to PHP5,000 for farmers and PHP3,000 for fisherfolk, with plans to expand coverage using unused funds from previous years.
Efforts are also underway to secure more affordable fertilizer supplies through coordination with Planters Products Inc. and the Fertilizers and Pesticides Authority.
To support logistics, the DA has deployed trucks to Benguet to help vegetable farmers transport their produce. Meanwhile, the Food Terminal Inc. is assisting onion growers by facilitating market access and ensuring fair pricing during the harvest season.
On the consumer side, the DA is expanding programs such as the Benteng Bigas Meron Na (BBM Na) initiative and Kadiwa ng Pangulo outlets, which allow farmers and small businesses to sell directly to consumers at lower prices by cutting out intermediaries.
NPO News Team | Philippine News Agency - PR
