The two executive orders issued by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at the weekend are designed to strengthen the livelihoods of farmers and fisherfolk by providing price stability, assured markets, and a clearer path toward long-term income growth, Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said .
The first directive, EO 100, mandates the establishment of a regional floor price for palay while EO 101 directs the full implementation of the Sagip Saka Act that promotes enterprise development among farmers and fisherfolk cooperatives and associations.
“These EOs should bridge that gap in product pricing and marketing that have kept our food producers, especially those at the margins, from fully enjoying the fruits of their hard work,” Tiu Laurel said.
“We thank President Marcos for persevering in finding ways to lift our farmers and fisherfolk—among the poorest sectors of our society—from drudgery of poverty,” he added.
Under EO 100, the Department of Agriculture (DA), in coordination with a soon-to-be-formed steering committee, will determine and regularly adjust the palay floor price per region.
Pricing will consider production costs, market trends, and fair profit margins, while also factoring in emergencies, import influxes, and global rice price fluctuations.
The order allows national and local governments to temporarily use public facilities—such as covered courts or gymnasiums—as storage sites for purchased palay, ensuring post-harvest protection and reduced spoilage.
Agencies buying palay below the set floor price may face administrative sanctions. The floor price set up was largely patterned after that implemented in tobacco-producing provinces to ensure farmers remain interested in cultivating tobacco.
EO 101, meanwhile, strengthens the Sagip Saka Act’s implementation by directing all government agencies, state universities, and local governments to procure food supplies directly from accredited farmer and fisherfolk cooperatives and enterprises (FFCEs).
These purchases will be exempt from standard bidding procedures under the newly enacted Government Procurement Act, enabling faster and more direct transactions.
The directive also requires the creation of Sagip Saka Desks in DA regional offices to assist producers in registration, enterprise development, and market linkage.
Agencies are encouraged to align existing programs—such as the Kadiwa ng Pangulo and the DSWD’s Food Stamp Program—with Sagip Saka’s objectives.
Tiu Laurel said the two orders reflect the Marcos administration’s “whole-of-government approach” to boosting rural income, food security, and agricultural productivity.
Both EOs take effect immediately upon publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.
