State Dining Room, Malacañan Palace
August 1, 2023

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., as concurrent Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA), talked to the Department officials to discuss strategies in ensuring sufficient rice supply and inputs distribution to farmers affected by the recent calamities in a meeting at the State Dining Room in Malacañan Palace.

Based on the latest reports by the DA, Super Typhoon ‘Egay’ recorded a total value loss in the agriculture sector amounting to PhP1.94 billion, which affected around 123,000 farmers in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley Region, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) as well as in Central Luzon.

President Marcos Jr. ordered the DA to ensure the fast-tracking of assistance to the affected farmers, including the purchase and distribution of seedlings and other high value needs. The DA said there are currently around 112,000 bags of rice seedlings; 15,000 bags of corn seedlings; and 2,000 kilograms of vegetable crops ready for distribution.

Moreover, the Chief Executive directed all concerned government agencies to mitigate the impact of the El Niño phenomenon in the coming months. He underscored the significance of the need to do rice importation, as well as talking with the private sector in assuring the steady supply of rice commodities and other needs in the country to safeguard food security.

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