In a groundbreaking move, the municipality of San Mateo has passed an ordinance aimed at ensuring the availability of safer, higher-quality rice for its residents. The ordinance, approved by the local government and supported by the Department of Agriculture through the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), sets a precedent for the country in rice quality assurance.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) will implement a maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) for pork in wet markets across the National Capital Region starting 10 March. The new price cap will set pork liempo at P380 per kilogram, kasim and pigue at P350 per kilogram, and "sabit ulo" (the price traders pass to retailers) at P300 per kilogram.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has lifted the importation ban on poultry products from France while imposing a temporary ban on imports from the US states of Indiana, New York, and Pennsylvania.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has declared Camarines Norte free from avian influenza (AI), following effective containment measures and surveillance. DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. confirmed the resolution of the outbreak, which began last December when the H5N2 strain of AI was detected on a backyard duck farm in Talisay.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. led an inspection on Monday of one-and-a-half dozen container vans suspected of being loaded with hundreds of tons of frozen fish, but was declared by importers as processed plant-based commodities. A earlier spot check conducted by the Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Plant Industry and the Bureau of Customs on two of the 19 40-foot container vans revealed boxes of frozen mackerels locally known as tamban, and frozen round scad-locally known as galunggong rather than the frozen fried taro sticks, sweet potato balls, and assorted food products from China, as declared in the shipping manifest.
The country’s gross international reserves increased to US$112.5 billion as of end-January 2026, based on preliminary Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas data, providing a strong external buffer at a time when the local currency has shown some weakness against the US dollar.
A proposal to move empty containers off-dock could relieve pressure at the Manila International Container Port, with the United Port Users Confederation of the Philippines urging the Bureau of Customs to redirect haulers to private depots.
The Philippine government has signed an agreement with the United States aimed at developing the country’s critical minerals and rare earths sector, a move seen as key to transforming the Philippines into a regional minerals processing hub.
Australia and the Philippines have reinforced maritime cooperation by reaffirming the mutual recognition of seafarer certificates, a move expected to ease administrative barriers and improve shipping efficiency between the two nations, the Australian Embassy in Manila said.