Manila: Despite challenges in the agricultural sector, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has cited long-term gains as it advances reforms in infrastructure and the entire food value chain in the Philippines. These milestones are part of the Marcos administration's food security agenda to benefit both Filipino food producers and consumers, even amid external pressures including the Middle East conflict, global price spikes of oil and fertilizers, as well as the El Ni±o phenomenon.
According to Philippines News Agency, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. emphasized the significant achievements made with the government's focus on the agricultural sector in an interview ahead of the 5th State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. "We've built the most number of rice processing systems (RPS) in the history of our country in a short span of time," he remarked during the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines' (EJAP) Food Security Forum. The RPS units are crucial for sustaining the competitiveness of Filipino palay farmers by aiding in drying and milling rice to meet competitive quality standards, thus shielding farmers from exploitative rice traders.
According to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), government records indicate that 145 Rice Processing Systems (RPS) have been distributed since July 2022, benefiting 145 recipients nationwide under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Mechanization program. Beyond RPS, Tiu Laurel highlighted other major infrastructure achievements, including mechanical dryers, modern rice mills, cold-chain facilities, mobile soil laboratories, greenhouses, seed storage, and irrigation systems, none of which have gained significant online attention despite their impact on reducing waste, increasing incomes, and lowering food prices.
As of now, the Marcos administration has distributed approximately PHP21 billion worth of agricultural machinery, reaching 1.28 million farmer-beneficiaries, 7,715 farmers' cooperatives and associations, and 507 local government units (LGUs). Tiu Laurel also mentioned the construction of mega cold storage facilities, including the Mega Cold Storage Warehouse in Camarines Sur and the Modular Cold Storage Facility in Bataan, with 67 more units in progress.
The DA chief attributed these infrastructure successes to increased agricultural investment, which has grown to approximately PHP215 billion, a significant rise from the PHP117 billion allocated when Marcos assumed office in 2022. "Investment is where reform begins," Tiu Laurel stated.
In addition to long-term gains, the DA chief discussed short-term initiatives that have mitigated the effects of external pressures on food inflation. Measures such as calibrated rice importation, expanded Kadiwa stores, and the PHP20-per-kilo rice program have allowed the central bank to lower interest rates. Since May 2025, around 12.1 million beneficiaries have accessed affordable rice, including members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino program, persons with disabilities, and registered farmers and fisherfolk.
Tiu Laurel also noted price stability in onions and sugar, with onion prices no longer reaching PHP600 per kilo and sugar prices reduced to PHP80 per kilo. Livestock product prices remain stable due to efforts against African swine fever and the enactment of the Animal Industry Development and Competitiveness Act (AIDCA) in 2025, allocating PHP20 billion annually for the hog industry.
Furthermore, the agrifishery sector saw a 2.6 percent growth in 2025, the fastest in eight years, while the agricultural trade deficit decreased by 34.7 percent in April, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The Philippines achieved a historic high in agricultural exports, reaching USD1.029 billion in April, marking a 33.2-percent increase from the previous year.
Tiu Laurel emphasized that these gains would be bolstered by enhanced transparency, digitalization, and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) within agricultural systems. The DA recently launched the Agriculture-based Central Data Ecosystem (AbCDE) Project, in collaboration with the South Korean government, to advance smart governance in the agricultural sector.
