Manila: Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has urged Congress to accelerate the passage of long-pending measures and overhaul outdated institutions to revive a farm sector weighed down by years of sluggish performance. In a press release on Thursday, Tiu Laurel emphasized the Department of Agriculture's (DA) request for lawmakers' support to strengthen the sector's 'structural backbone,' focusing on antiquated laws that hinder agency efficiency and decision-making.
According to Philippines News Agency, recent reforms include the Animal Industry and Competitiveness Act, which aims to modernize the livestock, poultry, and aquaculture sectors, providing PHP20 billion annually over a decade. Amendments to the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) law are also nearing completion to streamline operations, enhance accountability, and reduce red tape, while sidelined staff agencies will regain full line functions to expedite project delivery.
The focus is now on updating commodity-specific laws, particularly for rice, corn, and coconut, to strengthen value chains and increase farmer incomes. Tiu Laurel highlighted the long-delayed unlocking of the Coco Levy Fund, warning that further delays risk missing high global coconut prices. However, he stressed that legislation alone will not resolve the sector's challenges.
Tiu Laurel emphasized the importance of extension workers returning to the field as the 'front line' of agricultural reform. Cooperative development is being accelerated through new agri-coop programs, with Sen. Francis Pangilinan's proposal to expand farmers' access to credit, markets, and support services.
The DA is rolling out 'Bagsakan ng Bayan' mega food hubs in Clark, Bukidnon, Quezon, and other strategic areas. Four mega cold storage facilities are slated for completion next year, along with about 60 modular cold storages nationwide, marking the DA's first large-scale cold chain deployment.
More than 140 post-harvest facilities will be completed from 2023 to 2025 to support a hub-and-spoke system designed to reduce losses and stabilize prices, with additional facilities financed under the extended Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund. About PHP2.4 billion has been allocated for 2026 port projects, with nearly a dozen more agri-ports in the pipeline to cut logistics costs and boost inter-island trade, especially from Mindanao.
Agricultural policy is shifting away from an overly rice-centered approach, according to Tiu Laurel. While rice remains a priority, the focus is expanding to include sugar, coconut, corn, high-value crops, logistics, and digitalization. A new agriculture command center will go live this January, alongside efforts to modernize the National Food Authority and Food Terminal Inc.
