Moves include constructing new facilities and distributing surplus vegetables directly to schools.
Last Tuesday, Malacañan Palace noted that the Department of Agriculture (DA) is constructing seven cold-storage facilities in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) aimed at mitigating or preventing crop or vegetable wastage.
“Each cold-storage is a 44-foot container, so marami itong matatago tuwing tag-ulan kagaya nito,” said Palace Press Officer Usec. Claire Castro.
“In the long term, for the 2027 budget, mayroon silang (DA) proposal for a vegetable processing facility in a 1.5-hectare property located in La Trinidad na kung saan makakapagproseso ng mga gulay at makakapagbigay ng higher value and longer shelf life,” she added.
The DA also noted that bad weather caused landslides and prevented traders and buyers from reaching trading posts, disrupting the movement of perishable farm produce.
“Ang ginawa rin ng regional office ng DA ay tumulong para magdala, so tumulong din sila na magdala ng mga gulay sa Pampanga, Manila at Cavite,” disclosed the Palace official, adding that approximately 1.2 million vegetables were sold in the past week, with DA continuing to monitor trading posts to see which assistance is needed by farmers.
Meanwhile, in response to recent raisn Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. directed the DA regional office to immediately assess the situation and take the necessary steps to assist vegetable farmers in addressing challenges caused by weather disruptions and market constraints.
In the Cordillera Administrative Region, it mentioned two documented cases of vegetable losses, involving approximately 5.8 tons, or 5,800 kilograms.
“The reported losses were attributed to continuous rainfall, wet produce, prolonged queues and congestion at trading centers, reduced marketability, and deteriorating road conditions,” the DA shared.
SBFP
Meanwhile, Education Secretary Sonny Angara also floated an idea to prevent the wastage of fresh produce through the expanded School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP).
This initiative, which reaches 4.6 million beneficiaries—including all Kindergarten and Grade 1 students—is being seen as a way to distribute appropriate surplus vegetables to schools, based on food safety guidelines and the program.
“Gusto nating makatulong sa ating mga magsasaka habang sinisiguro na may masustansya at mainit na pagkain sa ating mga paaralan para sa ating mga learners,” said Angara.
Moreover, the Department of Education also wants to collaborate with the Department of Agriculture (DA) for cold storage facilities, with the two agencies set to review the use of vacant cold-storage facilities to keep produce fresh before delivery to schools.
In addition, Deped is also institutionalizing Republic Act No. 11321 or the SAGIPF Act within the SBFP.
Through this, schools division offices (SDOs) and schools are allowed to use negotiated procurement—which no longer goes through the lengthy public bidding process—to directly purchase fresh produce from local agricultural and fisheries businesses.
To ensure its smooth implementation, the DepEd—in partnership with the DA and the Sagip Saka Secretariat—is conducting capacity-building workshops to train field personnel on the use of the guidelines for purchasing directly from farmers under Sagip Saka.
“Our broader direction towards hot meals for our learners will empower our local farmers and fisherfolk through the Sagip Saka mechanism. Our goal is simple: help our farmers, reduce food waste, and turn good vegetables into nutritious, hot meals for our learners,” added Angara.
Furthermore, DepEd also encourages companies, organizations, and individuals to support this initiative through the Adopt-a-School Program by directly purchasing vegetables from farmers to donate to the schools’ feeding programs.
Qualified private partners can get a 150% tax deduction under the Adopt-a-School Act, the agency added.
