Senator Loren Legarda pressed the Department of Agriculture (DA) for failing to present a clear and actionable response amid rising oil prices and soaring costs of basic commodities, warning that farmers are left with rotting harvests while nearly half of small fishers in Luzon have suspended operations.

She stressed that the crisis is already felt on the ground, citing data from the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) showing that small fishers in Cavite, Bataan, Zambales, and Pangasinan have stopped going out to sea, with fuel now consuming most of their operating costs and threatening local food supply.

During the Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform hearing on April 8, DA officials outlined existing programs but failed to present a comprehensive and time-bound plan to address the crisis.

“What is your action plan, your contingency plan? We are already six weeks into this crisis. We don’t want to hear that you are still planning,” Legarda said, emphasizing that prolonged delays continue to burden farmers and fisherfolk.

Legarda also pointed to Benguet Province where crops were left to dry, asking if vehicles or fuel subsidies had been provided and whether crop mapping was in place to connect farmers directly to markets.

DA officials admitted that their capacity to respond remains limited, citing resource shortages, lack of dedicated fuel subsidies, and logistical bottlenecks slowed by bureaucracy.

Legarda strongly rejected this explanation, underscoring that the issue is not the absence of funds but the failure to use available resources with urgency and creativity. She emphasized that the DA has billions in public funds, yet continues to fall short in delivering immediate assistance, while non-government organizations, even with limited budgets, have demonstrated the ability to mobilize faster and connect producers directly to buyers.

Legarda demanded immediate steps such as transport and fuel assistance, cold chain deployment, crop mapping, and emergency procurement. She reminded the agency that resources are available under the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2025, including continuing appropriations that can be realigned for urgent interventions.

“Kailangan nang tapusin ang masalimuot na proseso ng gobyerno para magamit sa fuel subsidy ng mga magsasaka at mangingisda. Hinihiling ko sa DA na maglatag ng malinaw na action plan kung saan ang mga food producers ay direktang ikokonekta sa merkado,” Legarda said.

As potential areas for immediate action, Legarda pointed to the deployment of government vehicles that are currently underutilized due to austerity measures, to be repurposed for hauling agricultural products, with fuel and related logistics expenses charged against Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) to ensure timely transport from farms to markets.

Legarda concluded by stressing the urgency of confronting the crisis, underscoring that swift and decisive measures must be taken to protect farmers, fisherfolk, families, and consumers already burdened by rising costs and limited supply.