House Speaker Faustino G. Dy III on Wednesday underscored the need to protect key agricultural provinces, such as Isabela, saying these ‘food baskets’ are critical to ensuring the country’s long-term food security amid the looming effects of El Niño.
Speaking during a briefing of the House Committee on Agriculture and Food, Dy said major food-producing areas play a vital role not only in sustaining local economies but also in maintaining a stable national food supply. He cited Isabela, one of the country’s top rice producers, which supplies about 45 percent of the rice requirements of the National Capital Region.
He said safeguarding these provinces requires more than short-term emergency interventions, calling instead for sustained investments in irrigation, water management, and climate-resilient farming systems to help communities withstand increasingly frequent climate disruptions.
‘Another important point is that we need to address the needs of food basket areas such as Isabela. This is not only vital to their local economies but also essential to safeguarding the nation’s food security.’
Isabela, one of the country’s top rice-producing provinces, supplies around 45 percent of the National Capital Region’s rice requirements.
The Speaker said protecting food-producing provinces requires more than emergency assistance, stressing the need for long-term investments that will enable farmers and irrigation systems to withstand increasingly frequent climate-related disruptions.
Drawing from Isabela’s experience, Dy said national and local agencies have strengthened coordination, closely monitored water levels at the Magat Dam, and planned water releases in anticipation of prolonged dry conditions. Assistance has also been extended to farmers and fishers, alongside efforts to pursue long-term water infrastructure projects.
He highlighted the importance of investing in durable irrigation systems, water-efficient technologies, community-based water management, and climate-resilient agriculture, noting that these measures are crucial to ensuring the resilience of food-producing regions and the stability of the country’s food supply.
Dy, a former governor of Isabela, said the province’s efforts demonstrate that preparation is most effective when national agencies, local governments, irrigation managers, and farmers work together.
He added that protecting farmers and fishers ultimately means protecting Filipino families, stressing that every gain in safeguarding agricultural livelihoods directly contributes to food security, economic stability, and the future of the nation.
Meanwhile, Dy also pushed for the establishment of a unified national preparedness framework to strengthen the country’s response to El Niño, urging government agencies to shift from reactive disaster response to proactive planning before drought conditions worsen.
He noted that the country has already experienced the severe impact of El Niño on agriculture and the economy, citing a 12 to 15 percent drop in palay production from 2023 to 2024, which contributed to rising rice prices and affected millions of Filipinos.
Recalling Isabela’s experience during prolonged dry spells, Dy said early coordination among agencies-including the Department of Agriculture, local governments, irrigation authorities, and agricultural officers-proved crucial in mitigating the effects of drought.
The province intensified monitoring of water levels at Magat Dam, coordinated water distribution plans, and ensured the timely delivery of assistance such as fuel subsidies to affected farmers and fisherfolk, while advancing long-term projects including irrigation upgrades, water-harvesting systems, and multipurpose dams.
Dy said these measures demonstrate how early preparation and coordination can significantly reduce the impact of drought on communities and the nation’s food supply.
He added that the goal of the congressional briefing is to develop a national preparedness framework that is practical, implementable, and capable of protecting communities before crisis escalates, emphasizing the need for the government to act early rather than wait for the full impact of El Niño to be felt.