The debt relief was granted under Republic Act No. 11953 or the New Agrarian Emancipation Act. Ceremonies were held across DAR provincial and municipal offices, attended by ARBs, local government officials, and DAR personnel.

Provincial breakdown:

Iloilo: 2,064 certificates
Capiz: 897
Antique: 497
Guimaras: 58
Aklan: 49

DAR Regional Director Leomides Villareal said the condonation erases years of unpaid land amortizations, interest, and penalties—granting farmers full ownership of their awarded lands.

“By freeing more than 3,500 ARBs from land debt, we are putting an end to years of struggle and giving farmers a fresh start filled with hope and opportunity,” said Villareal.

Farmers expressed gratitude to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III, and the DAR Western Visayas team, calling the move a turning point toward economic stability and peace of mind.
 
DAR reaffirmed its commitment to building an equitable and empowered agricultural sector where farmers thrive on land they truly own.IMT

The post Land debt relief brings fresh start to 3,500 WV farmers first appeared on Iloilo Metropolitan Times.

During a visit to Metro Pacific Fresh Farms in San Rafael, Bulacan, Marcos Jr. highlighted the potential of modern agricultural systems to increase yields while using less water and land. The 3.5-hectare greenhouse facility can produce fruits and vegetables year-round, with output five times higher than traditional farms.

“Dumalaw din tayo sa isang farm sa Bulacan kung nasaan ang pinakamalaking greenhouse facility sa buong bansa,” the President said in his vlog, BBMVLOG #270: Mga Pagbabago.

“Ang agricultural innovation na ganito ay dapat talagang inaaral at sinusuportahan ng pamahalaan,” he added.

Marcos Jr. stressed that smart farming is not only about boosting supply but also improving nutrition.  “Ang pinag-uusapan natin dito ay hindi lamang ang food security o ‘yung food supply, kung hindi pati na ang nutritional value na binibigay natin sa taong-bayan,” according to him.

Modernizing agriculture is a key priority in the administration’s “Bagong Pilipinas” agenda.IMT

The post Marcos backs smart farming to boost food security first appeared on Iloilo Metropolitan Times.

“Marami pa rin ang nagdududa kung paano masu-sustain o patatagalin itong 20 peso rice na ito. ‘May stock ba tayo ng bigas? Kaya ba ito bayaran ng gobyerno?” Marcos Jr. said in his vlog, BBMVLOG #270: Mga Pagbabago.

“Masu-sustain po natin ‘yan basta nagtutulungan ang lahat. Ang sisiguruhin natin ay hindi mawawalan ng abot-kayang bigas ang ating mga kababayan.”

The program is being implemented nationwide through Kadiwa ng Pangulo outlets, offering low-cost rice to 4Ps beneficiaries, senior citizens, PWDs, and solo parents. It fulfills the President’s campaign promise to make rice affordable while continuing support for farmers to keep local production stable.

In his vlog, beneficiaries shared how the program helps them feed their families.

“Napakalaking bagay po nito lalo na po sa mga mahihirap po nating mga kababayan. Ang 20 pesos po ay malaking bagay. Kami ay sobra-sobra po talagang nagagalak,” one woman said.

Another added: “Masyadong masaya ako kasi maraming nangarap niyan. Malaking bagay po ‘yan.”

A third said: “Pinaparating ko po ‘yung aking buong-pusong pasasalamat sa ganitong programa na inyo pong itinayo.”

The post Gov’t has enough supply for P20 Rice – BBM first appeared on Iloilo Metropolitan Times.

“Binabalik natin ang NFA. Alam nyo ng unang tinayo ang NFA, ang trabaho ng NFA, rice and corn yan eh. Rice and corn, ang trabaho ng NFA, bumibili kapag panahon ng ani para hindi babagsak ang presyo. Para may demand, para ma-maintain ang presyo,” Marcos Jr. told farmers in San Ildefonso, Bulacan.

This system, he added, had disappeared over time and stressed the need to restore it.

The President inspected an NFA warehouse in Barangay Malipampang, San Ildefonso, and discussed efforts to set a floor price for rice to ensure fair income for farmers. He was joined by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel and NFA Administrator Larry Lacson during the dialogue.

Before the inspection, Marcos Jr. also met with local farmers and leaders of their cooperatives.

The NFA was created through Presidential Decree No. 4, signed on September 26, 1972, by then-President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. Originally known as the National Grains Authority, its mandate covered rice, corn, and other grains like sorghum, mung beans, and peanuts.

Over the years, the agency’s role shifted. The Chief Executive lamented that the NFA had become focused on rice importation. “Tapos pinalitan ang trabaho ng NFA naging importer. Sabi ko hindi naman dapat ganun,” he said.

“Kaya‘t binabalik natin sa dating gawi na yun NFA na bumibili, tinitignan yun presyo, para maganda ang presyo sa pagbili sa inyo (farmers) ng palay.”

The shift followed the passage of Republic Act No. 11203, or the Rice Tariffication Law, in 2019. The law transformed the NFA from a “trading and regulatory agency” to a “buffer stocking agency.”IMT

The post BBM orders NFA to buy local palay first appeared on Iloilo Metropolitan Times.

“Tinitiyak natin na ang presyo ng pagbili sa farmers ay magandang presyo naman para naman ‘yung farmers natin, maganda ang kanilang hanapbuhay,” Marcos Jr. said during the 46th ASEAN Summit in Malaysia.

He added that the government is securing international agreements to ensure a steady rice supply and stable prices.

“We found a way to do it. We could not do it before. Hindi kaya kasi hindi pa kaya ng sistema. Iba pa ‘yung presyo ng bigas noon,” according to him.

“Kahit anong mangyari down the road, nagawa na ngayon natin. Wala tayong ganoon. Ngayon, mayroon na. Kaya’t kaya na nating gawin ‘yung P20.”

The President also noted that the Department of Agriculture has started selling rice at lower prices, aligning with the administration’s goal of making staple food more affordable, especially for the poor.

The “Benteng Bigas Meron Na” program supports this goal, promoting food security and accessibility.

The subsidized P20-per-kilo rice is now available in KADIWA stores across Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Mindoro, and Rizal.IMT

The post BBM on P20-per-kilo rice: ‘We found a way to do it’ first appeared on Iloilo Metropolitan Times.

Mayor Jerry Treñas on Monday, May 26, said they talked about the program in a meeting with the regional director of the Department of Agriculture (DA) last week.

“We never had funds for that because this is a very new program. We will have to reallocate some funds because for me it is going to be a big help for our residents in the city. I have talked to the regional director of DA. We are ready to support. We will wait for the guidelines,” he said.

While waiting for the guidelines, residents of this city have found an opportunity to avail of the P29 per kilo Rice-for-All sold during the Kadiwa Merkado Lokal of the city government.

It is held on Thursday and Friday every third week of the month.PNA

The post Iloilo City gov’t awaits rice subsidy guidelines first appeared on Iloilo Metropolitan Times.

Speaking on the BBM Podcast aired Monday, Marcos Jr. explained why the program is being rolled out only midway through his presidency.

“Noong 2022, 2023, hindi pa namin kayang gawin,“ the President said, pointing to widespread smuggling and over-importation as key factors driving up rice prices.

“Ang katotohanan, ang nakita namin ang pang-control doon sa presyo ng bigas ay ang smuggled na bigas. Kaya nagho-hoard,”  he added, referring to recent raids that uncovered large stocks of hoarded rice.

Marcos Jr. revealed that some public officials were complicit in smuggling operations.

“Dahil ang nag-i-i-smuggle mga opisyal din ng gobyerno. Kumikita sila. O ‘di bakit nila papalitan? Sige, pasok lang sila nang pasok. Hindi nila iniintindi ang production. Hindi nila iniintindi ‘yung sistema. Hindi nila iniintindi ang presyo ng palay, ang presyo ng bigas, ang kikitain ng magsasaka. Wala, walang ganoon,” he pointed out.

The Chief Executive said the administration also needed time to implement reforms and improve rice production systems.

“So ngayon lang namin nabuo lahat,” he also said.

Last week, low-income families began accessing P20-per-kilo rice through Kadiwa centers in Metro Manila and Calabarzon.IMT

The post BBM: P20 rice program delayed by smuggling, excessive imports first appeared on Iloilo Metropolitan Times.

This was confirmed by tests conducted by the Bureau of Plant Industry’s (BPI) Plant Products Safety Services Division and the National Plant Quarantine Services Division on the recently seized 34 metric tons (MT) illegal shipment in Mexico, Pampanga.

In a statement, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. stressed the need and urgency to prevent the delivery of unsafe agricultural commodities in local markets.

“Preventing the entry of misdeclared agricultural goods is crucial not only to ensure food safety but also to stop the potential spread of plant diseases and pests,” he said as he led the inspection of the confiscated products.

According to the DA, heavy metal poisoning may lead to cancer and major body organ damage, while salmonella bacteria may cause food poisoning and other infections.

Tiu Laurel lauded the efforts of the Philippine National Police (PNP)-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) for its prompt actions against the illegal shipment.

“We thank our police officers for their vigilance and for working with the DA to protect both public health and the livelihoods of our local farmers,” he said.

BPI director Glenn Panganiban, meanwhile, vowed to continue ensuring public health and food safety through continuous partnership with other law enforcement bodies.

BPI said neither the importer nor the warehouse is accredited by the agency.

“We will continue to work with the CIDG and other law enforcement agencies to curtail these illegal activities not only on our borders but even before they reach our consumers,” he said.

On April 26, the PNP-CIDG seized two container vans carrying a total of 34,200 kilos of white onions misdeclared as chicken karaage strips, in Barangay Laug, Mexico, Pampanga.

The shipment arrived at the Subic Port via Hong Kong-flagged SITC Hochiminch on April 20 and was consigned to a certain Leksei B. Specialized Goods Trading based in Manila.PNA

The post DA: Smuggled onions from China positive for heavy metals, salmonella first appeared on Iloilo Metropolitan Times.

“Naniniwala po kami na malaki iyong naging epekto ng ginagawa ng gobyerno para sa pagbaba ng inflation ng bigas or iyong pagbaba ng presyo ng bigas,” PSA Assistant National Statistician Rachel Lacsa said in a Palace briefing on Wednesday, May 7.

She noted that the current maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) is P45 per kilo, with many provinces now selling rice at that price—or even lower—compared to previous months.

Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order 62 on June 29, 2024, lowering import duties on select goods to curb inflation and protect the peso’s value.

Lacsa said overall inflation is also expected to drop if rice prices continue to decline.

In March, the Department of Agriculture (DA) cut the MSRP for imported rice to P45 per kilo, following a drop in global prices. This move led to a sharp decline in rice prices without major disruption to the local rice industry.

The initiative and other DA-led options helped push rice prices down by 7.7% in March and another 10.9% year-on-year in April.IMT

The post Gov’t actions credited for drop in rice prices first appeared on Iloilo Metropolitan Times.

Some of them cited the program’s impact, especially on the marginal sectors like senior citizens, persons with disability, and even the unemployed sector since the P20 per kilo price is affordable.

Lorlie Noblezada, an entrepreneur from Miagao town, said the cheaper rice can help them, especially since they are a big family, adding they can now allot some of their money to send their children to school.

“Dahil dito sa programang ito ni Presidente Bongbong Marcos, ang ating buhay ay maging asensado, at tayo ay aangat sa Bagong Pilipinas,” she said.

Gemma Sumage, president of the Sta.Barbara Farmers Association in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo, said the low-cost rice program is a big help, considering that the next harvest is still in September.

She hoped the government would source its supply from local rice farmers, thus helping the people and the local producers, aside from ensuring quality and cutting the cost of transportation.

“To our President, keep up the good work, and we look forward to more support for the people and the farmers,” said Sumage, who also chairs the municipal agri-fishery council of Sta. Barbara.

Frank Longno, a rice and vegetable farmer also from Sta. Barbara said more Filipinos could benefit from the P20/kilo rice being more affordable.

“Rice will be more affordable and accessible for the indigent. It would also be better if the government will support our local farmers by buying our products, aside from the help they extend to us in terms of free seeds and fertilizers,” he said.

Edilberto Pedrajas, vice president of the PTB Irrigators Association with 150 members in Pototan, lauded the efforts of the government to help indigent Filipinos and even farmers.

He said the P20/kilo rice sale would be a big help to vulnerable sectors.

Pedrajas was also thankful to the government for the contract farming through the National Irrigation Administration (NIA). Part of their produce was utilized for the P29/kilo Bagong Bayaning Magsasaka (BBM) Rice for the vulnerable sectors and the Rice-for-All program.

In a previous interview, Lyn Casabuena from New Lucena town also lauded the program. She doesn’t have a stable income and only relies on her earnings from doing laundry.

She said they buy rice daily depending on her income.  “It would be good if the P20 per kilo rice is implemented because it is affordable,” she said in dialect. Perla Lena/PNA

The post Ilonggos welcome P20/kilo rice first appeared on Iloilo Metropolitan Times.