Philippines

BAGUIO CITY - Farmers in Benguet province were forced to throw away tons of vegetables they harvested last week as prices sank in markets and trading posts amid oversupply.  Agot Balanoy, Benguet Farmer's Marketing Cooperative's general manager said there was an oversupply of vegetables as crops that were supposed to have been harvested weeks earlier were harvested only in the last few… Read more

MANILA, Philippines — The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) urges the immediate enactment of the rice tariffication bill, saying it is “fundamental” to the stabilization of food prices. The bill amending the two-decade-old Agricultural Tariffication Act of 1996 replaces the quantitative restriction (QR) on rice imports with a 35 percent tariff. It is set to be… Read more

This is a press release from the Department of Science and Technology - Science Education Insitute. From 300 film concept proposals to 45 film entries, 7 films finally earned the nod of judges and selected viewers in the 3rd Indie-Siyensya Filmmaking Competition. The Awarding Ceremony, held last November 28 at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City, was attended by… Read more

The Bureau of Fisheries and Agricultural Resources (BFAR) said that the Philippines has to develop markets for tilapia, a widely-cultivated fish, amid a consumer preference for galunggong, or round scad. Speaking to reporters, BFAR National Director Eduardo B. Gongona said, “Tilapia growing is well-developed. What we have to develop is the market.” Mr. Gongona said that among… Read more

Many Filipinos are no longer able to afford food that would properly nourish themselves and their families, says FIAN Philippines president and National Food Coalition convener Aurea Teves MANILA, Philippines – Advocates against hunger urged the government to pass the Zero Hunger Bill “immediately” as rising food prices and decreased agricultural productivity left a growing… Read more

ILOILO CITY. The National Nutrition Council 6 (Western Visayas) is introducing some alternatives to mitigate the impact of the increasing prices of commodities. In a press conference Friday, NNC-6 Director Nona Tad-y said the prices of prime commodities, especially rice, continue to increase in the region due to the August inflation rate, which accelerated to 6.4 percent. “This has… Read more

Amid high levels of undernourishment and food insecurity, the Philippines has one of the highest numbers of overweight children and obese adults in Southeast Asia, says a UN report. Millions of Filipinos are undernourished and food-insecure, but the Philippines has one of the highest numbers of overweight children and obese adults in Southeast Asia, according to the World Hunger Report 2018. … Read more

'This government must recognize that there is a food crisis largely because of the lack of leadership in food, agriculture, and fisheries governance,' says Hazel Tanchuling of Rice Watch and Action Network MANILA, Philippines – Several interest groups and experts slammed the government's supposed lack of a coordinated plan to ensure the country's food and nutrition security, which then led… Read more

Farmer-leaders from Mindanao have signified their support for the application of modern biotechnology tools in agriculture, even as they keenly await the commercial release of “Pinoy biotech crops.” Twenty-eight farmer-leaders from six regions in Mindanao, including the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, added their signatures to more than 200 other previous signatories in the… Read more

The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) has began the public consultation on the proposal for the field trial application of genetically modified Golden Rice (GR2E) variety in the Philippines. This, after the Department of Agriculture–Bureau of Plant Industry (DA-BPI) advised PhilRice to “proceed with the public consultation for Golden Rice” as the… Read more