DA proposes P61 . 99B action plan for El Niño

CopiedTHE Department of Agriculture (DA) has proposed a P61. 99-billion action plan to mitigate the anticipated effects of El Niño on food supply and the agriculture sector, particularly on farmers and fisherfolk. In a statement on Monday, October 19, 2026, Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. emphasized the importance of early preparation to help farmers cope with potentially severe dry conditions, including access to drought-tolerant rice varieties and other appropriate agricultural inputs. “Early preparation is crucial to minimizing production losses and protecting farmers’ livelihoods and the country’s food supply,” Tiu Laurel said. The proposed spending package includes P6. 2 billion already released under the government’s Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (Uplift) Program. However, the DA said P371 million worth of proposed interventions remain unfunded. These include cloud seeding operations and measures to manage infestations of the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI), which affects sugarcane production.