The Department of Agriculture (DA) will focus on ensuring fair palay prices, expanding the PHP20-per-kilo rice program and fast-tracking farm-to-market roads (FMRs) construction as its top priorities in 2026.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said these measures are crucial to sustaining rice production, keeping food affordable and improving farmers’ access to markets.
“The most urgent task is maintaining fair palay prices to keep rice farming profitable and secure our staple supply,” Tiu Laurel said in a press release on Thursday, Jan. 1.
To support farmers, the DA will continue the National Food Authority’s procurement at PHP17 per kilo for wet palay and PHP21 per kilo for dry palay.
The agency has also coordinated with industry stakeholders to prevent import surges from driving farm-gate prices down.
In 2025, a rice import freeze capped imports at 3.5 million metric tons, down from 4.8 million tons in 2024.
Another major focus for 2026 is the full rollout of the PHP20-per kilo rice initiative under the “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!” program, which aims to reach up to 15 million households, or about 60 million Filipinos.
Tiu Laurel said the expansion will require sufficient buffer stocks, efficient logistics and coordination with local governments.
The DA will also implement PHP33 billion in farm-to-market road projects, transferred from the Department of Public Works and Highways.
These roads aim to reduce post-harvest losses, lower transport costs, and improve market access, boosting rural development and farm incomes.
“Restarting these projects is a challenge, but we aim to complete them transparently, efficiently, and at high quality,” Tiu Laurel said.*PNA
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