Key DA RMC2 Member Agencies Exclusively Met to Address Presidential Decree on Affordable Rice for All
Tuguegarao City, Cagayan – The Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office No. 02 (DA RFO 02) spearheaded the Department of Agriculture Regional Management Committee 02 (DA RMC2) Exclusive Meeting to strategically address the Presidential Directive No. PBBM-2025-1513-1515. This crucial directive underscores the urgent need for immediate and long-term solutions to significantly improve agricultural production and ensure the widespread availability of affordable rice for all Filipinos.
The meeting brought together key DA RMC2 member agencies, particularly, National Food Authority (NFA), National Irrigation Administration (NIA), Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech), and Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Council (RAFC) to formulate concrete strategies in response to the President’s call. Discussions centered on optimizing current farming practices, exploring innovative technologies, enhancing access to vital resources for farmers, and strengthening the entire rice value chain to achieve price stability and accessibility.
“The DA RFO 02 and DA RMC2 are dedicated to ensuring access to quality, affordable rice for all.” Director Rose Mary G. Aquino mentioned. To ensure access to affordable rice for more families, sixteen (16) pilot Farmers’ Cooperative and Associations (FCAs) will be tapped and receive government support.
Through production assistance and subsidies, rice from DA, NIA, and NFA will be made available at P38/kg, P29/kg, and P20/kg, depending on their target beneficiaries such as minimum wage earners, poverty-stricken and disaster-prone areas, and vulnerable sectors.
The DA RMC2 is committed to translating the presidential directive into actionable programs that will not only boost the region’s agricultural output but also directly uplift the living conditions and economic well-being of the farmers who are the backbone of the nation’s food security. Moreover, to directly impact the lives of consumers by making rice, a staple commodity, more affordable.
Via SOPHIA MARIE V. ARAGON