Senator Lito Lapid expressed his gratitude to President Bongbong Marcos Jr. for issuing Executive Order No. 100, series of 2025, which sets a floor price for palay to support government procurement programs directly benefiting farmers and fisherfolk.
Under Republic Act No. 11321, or the Sagip Saka Act of 2019, government agencies with relevant mandates are required to purchase agricultural products from accredited farmer and fisherfolk cooperatives and enterprises.
EO 100 mandates these agencies to ensure that farmers are not at a loss by implementing a minimum price that considers production costs, market rates, fair profit margins, and the welfare of both producers and consumers.
The order also factors in external disruptions such as calamities and sudden market shifts that affect palay pricing.
Lapid, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Cooperatives, emphasized that the President’s swift action is timely, addressing the urgent pleas of farmers and fisherfolk suffering from excessive importation and rampant smuggling.
Farmer groups reported to Lapid that palay prices currently range from ₱10 to ₱14 per kilo in provinces like Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, and Bicol, while in Isabela, prices have dropped to as low as ₱8 to ₱10 per kilo.
As a farmer himself, Lapid said he deeply understands the hardship and sacrifices of palay growers, especially with the soaring costs of fertilizer, pesticides, and other farming inputs.
He noted that while the government provides free fertilizer, it remains insufficient to offset the high expenses incurred by farmers.
Lapid also urged President Marcos to direct Agriculture Secretary Francis Tiu Laurel to prioritize programs that prevent farmer losses, including subsidies, cost-reduction support for farming and harvesting, increased government procurement at fair prices, and other initiatives to sustain agricultural livelihoods.