MANILA, Philippines — Coming off its strongest performance in nearly a decade, the Department of Agriculture (DA) is moving to institutionalize recent gains by tightening rice import controls and scaling up long-term infrastructure investments.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. announced on Monday that the sector expanded by 3.1 percent in 2025—the highest growth rate in eight years. “These are early gains from a longer and deliberate reset of the sector,” Tiu Laurel said, noting that reforms accelerated when President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took the helm of the DA in 2022.
To maintain this momentum and stabilize food prices, Secretary Tiu Laurel has ordered the creation of a Technical Working Group (TWG) on rice importation. The group is tasked with transforming rice importation into a highly calculated operation through strategic calibration and enforced transparency.
“We have to work fast. It’s already February,” Tiu Laurel said, instructing the TWG to deliver policy recommendations within weeks. By utilizing regional data, the group will determine precise import volumes to ensure foreign supply does not overwhelm local harvests. To support this, Tiu Laurel was blunt regarding warehouse reporting: “no data, no import participation.” Furthermore, the DA is developing a mechanism to link import participation to purchases from local farmers, potentially after the wet season.
This shift toward a “calibrated” system aims to solve the classic economic dilemma of keeping rice affordable for consumers without bankrupting local producers.
For consumers, the strategy prioritizes price predictability over short-term volatility. By directing imports only to regions with verified deficits, the DA aims to prevent the supply gluts that often lead to sudden price spikes. The ultimate goal is a steady retail price that remains insulated from international market shocks.
For farmers, the timing of these imports acts as a vital safeguard for farmgate prices. By restricting imports during harvest cycles, the DA ensures farmers aren’t forced to compete with cheaper foreign rice. Additionally, the proposed “local purchase” requirement would create a guaranteed floor for domestic demand, compelling large-scale traders to support the local industry.
The 2025 growth was bolstered by a recovery in agricultural exports and the stabilization of domestic prices through programs like “Benteng Bigas,” which Tiu Laurel noted has moved “from slogan to policy,” reaching all 82 provinces.
Despite these wins, Tiu Laurel warned that the sector still requires a massive financial infusion—estimated at Php 400 billion to Php 500 billion annually—to reverse decades of neglect. The administration has allocated one of its largest budgets to date for “long-game” investments like cold storage and food hubs.
“Farmers and fisherfolk must be profitable, agriculture must reclaim its role as a serious economic driver, and the sector must build hope and futures that draw in a new generation because opportunity is real,” Tiu Laurel concluded. While the current push remains insufficient to address all structural weaknesses, the DA chief said the agency is determined to “make the most of the hand we are dealt.”