MANILA — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has ordered the immediate rollout of a P10-billion fuel subsidy program for farmers and fisherfolk, as the government moves to prevent a spike in food prices amid surging global oil costs.
The directive, confirmed by Executive Secretary Ralph Recto, expands state assistance to key food producers, warning that unchecked fuel inflation could quickly cascade into higher prices of basic commodities nationwide.
Recto emphasized the urgency of the intervention, noting that rising fuel costs directly threaten production and supply in both agriculture and fisheries.
“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 stressed that modern farming and fishing operations are heavily dependent on fuel, making producers highly vulnerable to oil price shocks.
“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.
The President has directed Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. to ensure the swift distribution of assistance, as the government races to stabilize supply chains and protect consumers from price surges.
Recto said the Department of Agriculture (DA) is ready to execute the program without delay, citing its experience in handling similar subsidy initiatives.
“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 P10-billion assistance, originally proposed by the DA, will be released in the form of cash aid to eligible farmers and fisherfolk.
Funding will be sourced from the Presidential Assistance for Farmers and Fisherfolk (PAFF) under the agency’s 2026 budget, with disbursement expected between the second and third quarters of next year./PN
