The administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has stepped up agricultural modernization by completing in three years a total of 145 Rice Processing Systems (RPS) nationwide—a scale of investment the Department of Agriculture (DA) says is unmatched in recent history. More investments are being prepared to sustain the momentum in the remaining half of the President’s term.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the initiative, implemented through the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Mechanization Program, is designed to tackle the chronic lack of drying and milling facilities that continue to plague Filipino rice farmers.
President Marcos, who concurrently serves as the former agriculture secretary, reportedly pushed for increased funding to scale up infrastructure. Under RCEF 1.0, the government has so far established 151 Rice Processing Systems nationwide—145 of which were completed under the Marcos administration.
In addition to the 145 RPS units, the DA has budgeted PHP 3.3 bilion to roll out 300 more drying systems across the country over the next three years.
The department’s goal is to raise rice drying capacity to 35–40 percent during the wet season before Marcos exits office in 2028—an increase that could be game-changing for a sector that loses up to 16 percent of potential yield due to postharvest inefficiencies, according to industry estimates.
This aggressive infrastructure build-out could mark a turning point for the country’s beleaguered rice industry. Postharvest losses, inefficiencies in the supply chain, and poor access to processing facilities have long eroded farmer income and inflated consumer prices.
Economists, however, caution that while RPS investments are a crucial milestone, broader reforms must follow—particularly in land consolidation, irrigation development, and market access
“The Philippines has underinvested in postharvest systems for decades. This is a strong step forward, but structural issues in rice production can’t be solved by drying facilities alone,” said Dr. Noel Provido, an agriculture economist. “There must be parallel moves to ensure access to inputs, mechanization, and fair pricing mechanisms.”
Still, the Marcos administration appears intent on setting the groundwork. “This is a legacy investment,” said Tiu Laurel. “One that finally gives our farmers the tools to compete and thrive.”
To date, 118 Rice Processing Systems are already established. The delivery, installation, and commissioning of the remaining 27 targets will be completed by December 2025.
