It is ironic that those who feed the nation are among the poorest.
The Philippines is primarily an agricultural country, with a large portion of the population living in rural areas and relying on agriculture and livestock raising as their main source of income.
However, farmers face numerous challenges regarding their plantations.
The problems of the farmers will never end if their voices will not be heard.
Rice Price
The harvest season is approaching, and farmers are worried they won't be able to recoup their costs due to constantly changing weather conditions.
“Tak pagkita yana, alkansi gud it farmers,” Nestor Modesto, a farmer from Sta. Elena, stated.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the seasonally adjusted farmgate price of palay from October to December 2024 was 21.50 pesos per kilogram, a decrease of 7.2 percent from the 23.16 pesos per kilogram recorded in July to September 2024.
This statement opposes what a farmer told the news team, “Farmers yana, dako it kalugian, kay tungod papaliton tam humay, kun baga may maisaka, barato hin duro,” Modesto said.
“Tak pakahibaro, seventeen,” he answered when asked how much per kilo the palay in the town was bought for, and there is a big possibility that it will go lower to fourteen pesos, and lower if the rice is not dry enough when bought.
Subsidy from the government
Aside from the low pricing of palay, farmers also experience other burdens.
Despite receiving help from the Local Government Unit, it is still insufficient to cover their few hectares of rice fields.
“Sugad ha akon nga five hectares it gintatanuman, kadako nga kakulangan,” the farmer, Modesto, stated.
“Matagan man, itun guti-ay la,” he added.
Apart from the government, some farmers receive allocations from a private association.
However, this support is only extended to the association's members.
Non-members have to wait for government allocations.
Others can only rely on any remaining sacks of palay they have for planting in the next season.
For farmers without remaining sacks of rice, the situation is even more challenging.
If they harvested just enough to pay off their capital investment and debts, they have no palay (unmilled rice) left to plant for the next season.
In such cases, without government assistance, farmers are forced to incur further debt, often borrowing from other farmers.
This perpetuates a cycle of debt and poverty, with no improvement in their situation.
This is why farmers remain at the bottom, as the government continues to neglect their needs and fails to provide adequate support.
In an article from the Presidential Communications Office, the President also emphasized that the government has allotted PhP31 billion under the National Rice Program to intensify the administration’s programs such as production support, extension services, research and development, and irrigation network services.
Where did the money go, if the farmers were not able to receive it?
Drainage and Irrigation System
Another issue farmers face is the irrigation system.
Not all areas have access to proper irrigation, so farmers rely on rainfall to water their fields.
Without rain, the fields remain dry; too much rain, and the fields are destroyed.
Commuters enjoyed the benefits of the new elevated road in their barangay, which effectively solved the previous flooding issues caused by heavy rains.
However, this solution brought about a new problem for local farmers.
The elevated road now makes it difficult for them to drain excess water from their rice fields, leading to challenges in managing their crops.
While the road construction improved conditions for commuters and the wider community, it unknowingly created a significant issue for the farmers that needs to be addressed.
This issue has already been reported to higher government officials, but it remains unresolved.
Farmers have requested the construction of a canal to help drain the excess water more easily, yet no action has been taken by the government.
“Maaram ka man hit gobyerno, maiha it aksyon,” the farmer stated.
Farmers' Plea
Rain during the harvest season presents a significant challenge for farmers, often leading to wet harvests that result in lower payments for their rice.
Farmers believe that what they need most—and their main concern to relay to the government—is a mechanical dryer.
This equipment would ensure that their rice is dry when sold, allowing them to receive the payment they deserve for all the hard work and effort they put into planting and harvesting.
Farmers are also requesting that any assistance from the government be provided before the land preparation begins so that they can plant their rice fields simultaneously with others.
“Sugad han akon area, sugad han akon tanuman, aadto ha butnga [hit mga hagna]. So kun pananglitan mauna pananom an dida ha gilid, aadto ak hit butnga, karuyag sidngon malilibunan ako. Pag-agi hit akon makina, an akon land master, pag-agi hit akon dadad-on ngadto, makuri,” stated Isagani Paujana, another farmer from the barangay.
There were many problems they wanted to resolve, but for now, this are what Modesto and Paujana’s main concern, as they hope for the government to take action.
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