By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos
MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has ordered the allocation of around PHP10 billion for farmers and fisherfolk affected by the fuel price surge, Malacañang said on Thursday.
Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said the fresh directive from the President aims to expand the fuel subsidy program by including “food producers” among the beneficiaries.
Recto added that the latest initiative would help farmers and fisherfolk to cope with tensions in the Middle East that have triggered global oil price hikes.
“We know that fuel inflation can trigger food inflation. That is what we are trying to mitigate. If fishermen are spending less time out in the sea because they are limited by their gas supply, then it results in lower catch, which in turn makes fish expensive,” Recto said.
He said the government recognizes that farmers and fishers rely heavily on fuel, and that Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has been directed to assist as soon as possible.
“In this mechanized era, farmers rely on equipment from tractors to harvesters… And fishermen no longer paddle out to sea. They are brought there by boats powered by gas or diesel engines. That is why as much as 75 percent of the market price of fish represents fuel cost,” he said.
“It is not a new program for the DA. They know the drill. They have the list. They have the institutional muscle memory,” Recto said.
The DA earlier sought the allotment of PHP10 billion in cash assistance to protect farmers and fishers from rising fuel costs.
The funding requirements will be sourced from the Presidential Assistance for Farmers and Fisherfolk Program (PAFF) under the DA’s 2026 budget.
The PAFF, however, is scheduled for release in the second or third quarter of 2026. (PNA)
