Manila: The Department of Agriculture (DA) has confirmed that strategic measures are in place to mitigate the impacts of accelerating food inflation and rising oil prices. This announcement follows a report by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showing an increase in headline inflation to 4.1 percent in March, up from 2.4 percent in February.

According to Philippines News Agency, food inflation also rose significantly, reaching 2.8 percent from 1.6 percent during the same time frame, with rice inflation climbing to 3.6 percent after a series of deflation. DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. emphasized the department's commitment to safeguarding Filipino farmers, fishers, and consumers through financial aid and securing essential agricultural inputs like fertilizers.

Among the immediate actions being taken are the disbursement of financial aid, fuel subsidies, and farm inputs for those affected. The DA is intensifying efforts to speed up the delivery and handover of agricultural infrastructures such as farm-to-market roads, rice processing systems, and post-harvest facilities. These initiatives aim to reduce production costs, enhance market access, stabilize supply, and boost farmer incomes, ensuring sustainability even in challenging conditions.

The DA is set to utilize its PHP1 billion quick response fund (QRF) for fuel subsidies and biofertilizer procurement. It will also release PHP10 billion under the Presidential Assistance for Farmers and Fishers (PAFF) program to approximately 4.175 million Filipino farmers and fishers, with each beneficiary receiving PHP2,325.

Furthermore, a PHP150-million budget has been approved for the DA's fuel subsidy program, offering PHP5,000 and PHP3,000 in fuel aid to registered farmers and fishers, respectively. The agency plans to expand coverage using nearly PHP100 million in unused funds from 2023 to 2025.

Efforts are also being made to secure cheaper fertilizers and alternatives through Planters Products Inc. (PPI) and the Fertilizers and Pesticides Authority (FPA) to sustain local production. To aid logistics, the DA has mobilized trucks to Benguet to assist vegetable producers in market deliveries.

The Food Terminal Inc. (FTI) is supporting local onion growers by establishing market linkages and ensuring fair procurement prices amid the harvest season. Secretary Tiu Laurel also highlighted measures to alleviate consumer burdens, such as expanding the Benteng Bigas Meron Na (BBM Na) initiative and Kadiwa ng Pangulo sites. These programs allow farmers, fisherfolk, and MSMEs to sell their produce directly, facilitating market linkages and simplifying the trading process.