Fishermen lash bamboo poles together to strengthen the outriggers of their boats in Barangay Bagumbayan, Navotas City on June 24, 2026. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News
MANILA — The Department of Agriculture (DA) said it was preparing a new round of fuel subsidies for farmers and fisherfolk after receiving P6.2 billion in additional funds under the government’s Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) Program.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has issued a Special Allotment Release Order for the additional funds, according to the DA.
The funding will also cover fertilizer and cash assistance, with the breakdown as follows:
- P1 billion for fuel assistance to fisherfolk
- P1 billion for fuel assistance to farmers
- P1 billion for Presidential Assistance to Farmers and Fisherfolk (PAFF)
- P2.2 billion for biofertilizer
- P1 billion for fuel subsidy for agricultural transport
“Yung fuel (subsidy), pwede mo lang siyang gamitin pambili ng fuel. Yung PAFF, cash yan, they can use it for other inputs,” DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel De Mesa said during a press conference.
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The Federation of Free Farmers urged the government to distribute the assistance as soon as possible, with the harvest season fast approaching.
“Yung una kasing ni-release nila earlier this year, I think, mga 40,000 farmers lang ang nakinabang sa fuel subsidy,” said the group’s National Manager Raul Montemayor.
“In the next few weeks, mag-uumpisa na yung harvest so they will need to use machines for the harvesting, then after that, pag taniman na, kailangan nila ng fuel for land preparation and irrigation pumps,” he added.
The government is also considering bringing back a toll holiday for trucks carrying agricultural products, in an effort to reduce transportation costs.
“Yun yung very successful na nangyari last time, nung pumutok ang krisis sa Gitnang Silangan. As per advise sa amin ay posibleng maulit uli yun, yung malibre yung ating mga biyahero sa toll, at least doon sa coming in and out of Metro Manila,” De Mesa said.
This comes as vegetable prices remain elevated, with some commodities selling at more than double their usual prices.
Meanwhile, De Mesa said the DA was not keen on suspending the importation of rice, despite the clamor of some agricultural groups, noting that the threat of the super El Niño could affect the country’s local supply.
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“Mahirap na polisiya kung ititigl natin ang import. Dapat meron tayong enough volume ng bigas, both local at imported, para hindi magkaroon ng pagsirit ng presyo ng bigas next year,” he said.
But Montemayor argued that the government needed to time it better and control the volume of imports coming in.
“Yes, we have to anticipate yung effects ng El Niño but when farmers are harvesting, you don’t need a lot of imports. You need it after the farmers harvest,” he said.
The DA, for its part, vowed to be flexible in its import policy, depending on the situation.
According to the agency, around 700,000 metric tons of palay could be lost due to the impending weather phenomenon.
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