Legarda Blasts Department of Agriculture Over ‘No Action Plan’ as Oil Crisis Hits Farmers and Fishers
Senator Loren Legarda has issued a stern warning to the Department of Agriculture (DA), claiming the agency has failed to provide a clear and actionable response to a mounting agricultural crisis. With rising oil prices and soaring commodity costs, Legarda warns that the lack of a comprehensive strategy is leaving farmers with rotting harvests and forcing fishers to abandon their livelihoods.
- Senator Legarda criticized the DA for lacking a time-bound contingency plan six weeks into the oil crisis.
- Nearly half of compact fishers in Luzon, specifically in Cavite, Bataan, Zambales, and Pangasinan, have suspended operations.
- Crops in Benguet are rotting due to a lack of transport support and market connectivity.
- Legarda rejected DA claims of resource shortages, citing billions in available public funds.
Senate Hearing Reveals Lack of Contingency Planning
During a Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform hearing on April 8, 2026, DA officials presented existing programs but failed to produce a comprehensive, time-bound plan to address the current economic pressures. Senator Legarda expressed frustration over the agency’s perceived inaction, noting that the crisis has already persisted for six weeks.
“What is your action plan, your contingency plan? We are already six weeks into this crisis. We don’t want to hear that you are still planning,” Legarda stated, emphasizing that delays are directly burdening the country’s food producers.
Fisheries in Crisis: Luzon Operations Halt
The impact on the fishing sector has been severe. Citing data from the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG), Legarda revealed that nearly half of small-scale fishers in Luzon have stopped going out to sea. The suspension of operations is most prominent in the following provinces:
- Cavite
- Bataan
- Zambales
- Pangasinan
According to the data, fuel costs now consume the majority of operating expenses, making fishing unsustainable and threatening the local food supply.
Rotting Harvests in Benguet
The crisis extends to the highlands, where Legarda highlighted the dire situation in Benguet. Crops have been left to dry and rot in the fields. The Senator questioned the DA on whether it had implemented essential support systems, such as:
- Transport Support: Providing vehicles to move produce.
- Fuel Subsidies: Offsetting the cost of transporting goods.
- Crop Mapping: Creating systems to link farmers directly to buyers and markets.
Budget vs. Execution: The DA’s Defense
DA officials attributed their limited response to resource shortages, bureaucratic bottlenecks, and a lack of dedicated fuel subsidies. Although, Legarda strongly rejected these explanations. She argued that the problem isn’t a lack of money, but a failure of leadership and creativity in using available resources.
Legarda pointed out that the DA possesses billions in public funds, yet continues to fall short of delivering immediate aid. She contrasted the government’s slow pace with non-government organizations (NGOs), which have managed to mobilize faster and connect producers to buyers despite having much smaller budgets.
Urgent Measures Required to Avert Collapse
To prevent a full-scale agricultural collapse and protect consumers from further price hikes, Legarda is urging the DA to implement the following emergency measures:
- Immediate Fuel Subsidies: Direct financial aid to fishers and farmers to resume production.
- Cold Chain Deployment: Expanding refrigeration and storage to prevent crop spoilage.
- Emergency Procurement: Government intervention to buy produce and stabilize market prices.
- Logistical Support: Streamlining the transport of goods from farms to urban centers.
As fuel prices remain elevated, the pressure remains on the Department of Agriculture to move beyond planning and execute a tangible rescue operation for the nation’s food producers.