By Lane Afable, News Editor
To address the problem of farmers being forced to throw away their produce due to a sharp drop in prices, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced that the Department of Agriculture (DA) will purchase surplus production.
In a press briefing at Malacañang, President Marcos said the government will also coordinate with local government units (LGUs) to buy excess produce so it will not go to waste.
“The government will absorb this so that the harvest is not wasted, our farmers do not incur losses, and consumers can still benefit from it,” the President emphasized.
At the same time, the President said the Bentang Bigas Program will be expanded to benefit more people.
“To allow more to benefit, we will further expand the Benteng Bigas program. We will increase the number of outlets and extend selling hours, especially for our senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and of course, single parents,” the President added.
To help lower food prices, the President also mentioned that the government has reduced or suspended certain port charges, including anchorage, berthing, handling, and storage fees.
“We will also reduce the cost of transporting food from ports to markets. At the Cebu Ports Authority and in Subic Bay, various fees have been reduced or suspended so people can feel the impact. Even if prices of other goods rise, the increase will not be as rapid—at least it can be controlled,” the President said.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Ports Authority has reduced the RoRo fee to one peso for vehicles transporting agricultural products.
“This is because our goal is to maintain sufficient supply, curb rising prices, and ensure continuous livelihoods for our fellow Filipinos. We will not stop until you feel real relief in your daily lives,” the President added.
