BAGUIO CITY – The Department of Agriculture-Cordillera Administrative Region said the country’s supply of temperate vegetables remains adequate despite weeks of heavy rain that have damaged crops and disrupted transport.
DA-CAR Regional Director Jennilyn Dawayan said farmers across the region continue to plant and replace crops damaged by rain, helping sustain production.
“Marami naman na-apektuhan talaga dahil ilang linggo na tayong binabayo ng ulan, we admit that, but then it does not mean na kukulangin tayo sa pagkain, madami pa rin naman nagtatanim kasi kabuhayan nila ‘yan (Many have been affected from the weeks of rain, we admit that, but then it does not mean the food will be inadequate. Many still plant because that is their livelihood),” Dawayan told the Philippine News Agency in an interview Wednesday.
She said the agency continues to distribute seeds under its regular banner programs, drawing on its experience in preparing for the southwest monsoon season, when prolonged rains typically affect Cordillera agriculture.
As of Thursday, DA-CAR had 4,954 three-kilogram bags of rice seeds and 1,688 cans of seeds for squash, pole beans and okra in storage, along with supplies of broccoli, cabbage, carrots, Chinese cabbage, lettuce and pak choi seeds.
Dawayan said she has visited several municipalities in recent weeks and saw farmers continuing to plant despite crop losses.
She said the agency is also preparing to distribute fertilizer and other assistance to affected farmers.
The DA-CAR Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office reported during the Cordillera Regional Development Council’s agriculture cluster meeting that agricultural damage in the region had reached PHP473.5 million as of Aug. 25. Benguet accounted for 94.13% of the losses, while Mountain Province reported PHP16.6 million and Ifugao reported no agricultural damage.
A total of 11,374 farmers and fisherfolk have been affected, with damage covering 1,776.8 hectares of agricultural land.
Dawayan said the agency received PHP30 million in quick response funds for agricultural damage in 2025, which will be released to affected rice, corn and vegetable farmers.
The agency is also helping farmers find markets for their produce. Through the Kadiwa program, DA-CAR sold PHP1.5 million worth of farm products on behalf of farmers seeking marketing assistance in August alone, she said.
However, Dawayan acknowledged that prolonged rain remains a major challenge for vegetable growers, whose highly perishable produce can be damaged in the fields and during transport.
Road closures caused by landslides, delays at trading facilities and reduced demand linked to flooding in other areas have further complicated deliveries, she said.
Dawayan urged farmers to approach help desks at trading posts for information on government assistance, including registration with the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture, which is required for access to various programs.
To address recurring problems involving vegetable spoilage and oversupply, DA-CAR is pursuing the development of a large vegetable processing facility in La Trinidad, Benguet, on a 15-hectare site owned by Benguet State University.
Dawayan said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has included the project in the department’s proposed 2027 national expenditure program.
The facility is intended to process excess production and reduce losses from unsold and highly perishable vegetables.
The agency is also studying a consolidation facility in northern Benguet with BSU, where small farmers could bring their produce for shipment to trading centers or institutional buyers.
“Our secretary visited the region for at least three times this year already to personally see the situation and come up with long-term solutions,” Dawayan said. **Liza Agoot
