Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said Wednesday he does not expect Tropical Cyclone Tino’s impact on the Visayas and parts of Mindanao to upset the country’s rice supply but warned that corn production may suffer significant losses.
“We’re not too worried about rice since the harvest is almost complete in major producing provinces and most of the affected regions are not major producing areas,” Tiu Laurel said. “But we may have an issue with corn because about 33,000 hectares of cornfields were affected by Tino.”
The agriculture chief has ordered all regional field offices to conduct rapid damage assessments and prepare for a potentially stronger typhoon that could hit Northern Luzon over the weekend. To support recovery efforts, the Department of Agriculture (DA) will distribute P255 million worth of farm inputs—including rice, corn, and vegetable seeds, fingerlings, and biologics—to affected farmers and fisherfolk.
Fishers affected by Tino may also be provided assistance to repair fishing gears and boats as well as fuel assistance, he said.
Tiu Laurel also directed the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC) to expedite the processing of claims for those hit by the storm. Meanwhile, the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) is ready to provide loans of up to P25,000 under the Survival and Recovery (SURE) Loan Program to help producers rebuild quickly.
To ensure food availability, the National Food Authority (NFA) has prepared 2.6 million bags of rice for distribution to local government units and relief agencies. Additional rice will be sold through Kadiwa ng Pangulo outlets offering P20-per-kilo rice and other affordable goods.
“We have enough rice stocks at the NFA to cover our needs,” Tiu Laurel assured, emphasizing that the government remains on alert to safeguard food supply chains amid a more active typhoon season.
