July 2024 – July 2025
The past year tested the Philippines’ food security like few others in recent memory. Devastating typhoons flattened rice fields while global market volatility sent food prices soaring, leaving Filipino families uncertain about their next meal. Yet President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s administration charted a course toward agricultural resilience, scoring meaningful victories that offer hope for the country’s food future.
This wasn’t a year of easy wins. Every achievement came with challenges, from weather disasters that wiped out harvests to price shocks that hit the poorest families hardest. But the response revealed a government willing to adapt quickly and invest heavily in long-term solutions, even when facing immediate crises.
Building the roads that feed the nation
The administration’s commitment is most visible in the dramatic expansion of farm-to-market roads across the archipelago. By July 2025, the government completed 51% of its six-year goal—building 67,328.92 kilometers out of a planned 131,410.66 kilometers.
These aren’t just statistics. Each kilometer represents farmers who can now get vegetables to market before they spoil, children who can reach school during rainy season, and communities no longer cut off from essential services. The roads embody President Marcos’ “Build, Better, More” vision, creating infrastructure that makes everything else possible.
For farming families in remote areas, these roads have been transformative. What once required grueling journeys over rough terrain to sell crops can now be accomplished in a fraction of the time, with less spoilage and better prices.
Rice: The heart of Filipino food security
Rice remains the foundation of Filipino meals and a constant government concern. The 2024/25 main harvest yielded 10.6 million tonnes—falling 3% short of the five-year average due to El Niño drought early in the year followed by destructive typhoons.
The weather created real market panic and left families wondering if they could afford their staple food. The administration responded with immediate relief and long-term investment. The Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund was extended until 2031 with its annual allocation tripled to ₱30 billion, directly supporting farmers through seeds, machinery, credit, and training.
When domestic prices spiked, the government made the controversial but necessary decision to reduce rice import tariffs to 15% in June 2024. While this helped stabilize prices, it highlighted the ongoing tension between protecting local farmers and ensuring affordable food for consumers.
The situation became so dire that on February 3, 2025, the government declared a national “food security emergency.” The Department of Agriculture immediately deployed National Food Authority buffer stocks to Kadiwa stores and local governments, selling rice at ₱36 per kilogram to provide relief to struggling families.
Rice at ₱20: Making the impossible possible
The administration’s most ambitious initiative is the “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!” program, delivering quality rice at just ₱20 per kilogram to millions of Filipino families. For households spending significant portions of their income on rice, this represents genuine relief.
By July 2025, the program established 94 outlets nationwide. In Bacoor City, Cavite, one expansion provided 500 sacks of rice through a KADIWA ng Pangulo outlet, allowing 2,500 residents to purchase rice at the subsidized price. For minimum wage families, the savings add up quickly.
The program’s smart design creates a sustainable cycle: rice comes from local farmers through the National Food Authority, supporting producers while helping consumers. It’s not charity—it’s a system that helps decongest NFA warehouses while ensuring procurement budgets flow back into rural communities.
President Marcos envisions the national government eventually shouldering the program’s full costs, removing burdens from local governments and making affordable rice truly accessible nationwide. It’s an ambitious goal reflecting the administration’s understanding that food security and social stability go hand in hand.
When storms strike: Swift response saves lvelihoods
The 2024-2025 wet season brought devastating storms, notably Typhoon Kristine in late October, causing widespread crop, livestock, and infrastructure losses. The government’s coordinated response included:
Immediate release of over ₱541 million in agricultural inputs and ₱1 billion from the Quick Response Fund for rehabilitation and recovery
Zero-interest loans of up to ₱25,000 per farmer under the Survival and Recovery (SURE) Program
Indemnity payouts from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation for affected farmers
Price freezes on essentials and intensified market monitoring
Fast-tracked replanting, post-harvest facility repair, and expanded Kadiwa retail outlets
This swift response cushioned communities against food crises and provided crucial capital to recover livelihoods, demonstrating that rapid intervention reduces long-term socio-economic losses.
Private sector partnerships: Working together for food security
A groundbreaking partnership between the Department of Agriculture and San Miguel Foods, Inc. represents one of the year’s most significant developments. This collaboration transforms how Filipino farmers connect with markets by establishing buying stations for corn, cassava, sorghum, and soybeans, giving farmers direct access to institutional buyers and guaranteeing stable, fair prices.
The partnership extends beyond buying and selling. San Miguel Foods shares laboratory procedures for crop acceptance, conducts seminars for farmer cooperatives, and offers its food products to cooperatives as additional income sources. The Department of Agriculture provides advanced crop monitoring technologies and research station access for developing new varieties.
The partnership also aims to reduce feed ingredient import costs, translating to lower prices for meat, eggs, and other animal products—benefiting both producers and consumers. It exemplifies how public-private partnerships can work when designed thoughtfully.
Other private sector initiatives flourished, from the 2024 Makati Business Club Food and Agriculture Summit to partnerships with the Jollibee Foundation and CARD MRI focused on professionalizing cooperatives and fostering direct business-farmer relationships.
Investing in the next generation
The administration’s serious investment in young farmers and agricultural innovation shows most encouragingly in the July 2025 Young Farmers Challenge, which recognized 62 agri-youth startups nationally, providing each with at least ₱150,000 in funding, with top finalists receiving up to ₱500,000.
Projects showcase young Filipinos’ creativity and technical skills: sustainable beekeeping operations, digital platforms connecting farmers directly with consumers, innovative food processing techniques, and climate-smart production solutions. These represent the injection of new ideas and energy into a sector that has sometimes struggled to attract young talent.
These young agripreneurs are already making a difference, creating rural jobs, strengthening value chains, and proving agriculture can be both profitable and exciting for the next generation.
Beyond rice: Celebrating agriculture diversity
While rice dominates headlines, the administration has recognized excellence in other agricultural sectors. In July, President Marcos honored dairy farmers from Isabela whose achievements in buffalo and cow milk production demonstrated what focused, diversified farm management can accomplish.
Their success reflects broader governmental support for livestock and aquaculture sectors, complementing rice production and increasing nutritional options for Filipino families. Food security isn’t just about having enough calories—it’s about access to diverse, nutritious foods.
Looking ahead: Ambitious goals for 2025
The Department of Agriculture has set ambitious 2025 targets: a record rice harvest of 20.46 million metric tons, vastly improved logistics for perishable foods, and expanded cold chain infrastructure to reduce post-harvest losses. Strategic investments in irrigation systems and regional distribution hubs are underway, designed to help the country weather future storms with greater resilience.
These aren’t just hopeful projections—they’re backed by concrete investments in infrastructure, technology, and human capacity that should make them achievable.
The challenges that remain
Not every problem has been solved. Rising input costs continue squeezing farmers’ margins, smuggling undermines legitimate trade, and the country remains vulnerable to extreme weather events that seem increasingly frequent and severe. Food commodity inflation peaked at 6.7% in July 2024, a stark reminder that food systems are vulnerable to both natural disasters and market shocks.
These persistent challenges underscore why the government’s multi-pronged approach makes sense. No single intervention can solve such complex problems, but coordinated action across multiple fronts can build resilience over time.
A foundation for tomorrow
From July 2024 to July 2025, the Marcos administration faced tests that would have challenged any government. Global price volatility, devastating typhoons, drought, and persistent poverty all threatened the country’s food security. The response wasn’t perfect, but it was comprehensive and adaptive.
The farm-to-market roads now connecting rural communities, subsidized rice programs providing relief to struggling families, partnerships creating new opportunities for farmers, and young entrepreneurs bringing innovation to agriculture—all represent investments in a more resilient food system.
Most importantly, the past year demonstrated a government willing to respond quickly to crises while simultaneously building long-term capacity. The foundation laid during this critical period offers genuine hope that the Philippines can weather future challenges while ensuring all Filipinos have access to affordable, nutritious food.
For a country where food security touches every family and community, that’s no small achievement. The work continues, but the direction is clear: toward a food system that can feed the nation, support its farmers, and adapt to whatever challenges lie ahead.
