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Josiah Antonio - The Philippine Star
May 1, 2026 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) has unveiled initiatives aimed at helping food producers cut costs, improve yields, unlock new income streams, and reinforce the country’s food security.
Agriculture Undersecretary for operations Roger Navarro said the department is pushing for ways to reduce the sector’s dependence on costly farm inputs while rebuilding productivity.
Navarro said DA is expanding the use of organic fertilizers made from chicken manure and other biodegradable materials, supported by processing facilities being developed in Batangas and Nueva Ecija.
“The initiative comes as farmers grapple with elevated prices of synthetic fertilizers, which have eroded margins and discouraged optimal input use,” the DA official said.
“By contrast, organic alternatives are being positioned as both a cost-saving measure and a way to restore soil health—an issue widely seen as a drag on yields,” he added.
He said the Philippines is expecting donations of corn seeds from nearby countries.
Navarro said groups could also improve efficiency and returns by specializing in services such as tractors and farm machinery.
“These initiatives are part of the broader agenda of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., as directed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., to pursue a more integrated and cost-efficient approach that delivers tangible gains for farmers and fisherfolk,” Navarro said.
Navarro added the promotion of a 50:50 mix of rice and corn grits as a more affordable and nutritious staple for Filipino households.
On the sidelines of an investment forum at the Asian Development Bank, DA spokesman Arnel de Mesa said DA is also looking at rice blending mechanism or mixing of imported and locally produced rice as means of tempering rising grain prices.
“The suggestion is to have a blending. In the next harvest season, you will blend the cheap imported rice plus the expensive locally produced rice so that the resulting price will go down,” De Mesa said.
“For example, 60 percent of the cheap imported rice plus 40 percent of the expensive locally produced rice, if you combine them, then you can reduce the price of the rice,” De Mesa said.
He said the DA hopes to launch a trial sale of the blended rice next month.
“It is important that imports at cheaper prices enter the country now so we can ensure that the blending of imported and local rice will still be at favorable prices,” De Mesa said.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. earlier said the retail price of well milled and premium rice could surge to P60 to P62 per kilogram by September unless proper interventions are made to address the elevated fuel and fertilizer prices as well as to prepare the country for the looming El Niño which could further reduce local production.
Meanwhile, Energy Secretary Sharon Garin yesterday warned of possible reduction in supply of power from renewable energy sources if Congress removes specific pass-on charges.
Consumers have been expressing frustration on social media about rising electricity prices, which they believe have been exacerbated by pass-on charges, including the lifeline rate subsidy, the senior citizen subsidy, the Feed-In Tariff Allowance (FIT-All), and the Green Energy Auction Allowance (GEA-All).
FIT-All and GEA-All are uniform monthly charges imposed on on-grid customers to support the development and operation of renewable energy projects.
“They’re separated, but it’s actually just part of generation charges; this is for us to have power from renewables,” Garin told “Unang Balita” on GMA.
“It’s separated from generation because Meralco has a contract. Meralco needs power, and it has two options: It can contract with a power plant or with the green energy option, where power is also sourced,” the energy chief explained.
If FIT-All and GEA-All are removed, “our renewable energy projects will be reduced and our power will be reduced,” Garin warned. — Adrian Kenneth Halili, EJ Macababbad
