Cordillera’s agricultural progress in 2025 fuels food security and regional self-reliance. This was emphasized during the culminating program of the 39th Cordillera Month Celebration held at the Benguet Sports Complex, Wangal, La Trinidad, Benguet, earlier today.
In her sectoral report, Regional Executive Director Atty. Jennilyn M. Dawayan highlighted the region’s achievements in improving food affordability and agricultural productivity. Food inflation declined to 2.09 percent, while Executive Order No. 100 and the “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!” Program provided affordable rice to more than 52,000 beneficiaries across the region.
Moreover, the agriculture sector posted a 4.3 percent growth rate, driven by increased production of palay, vegetables, and root crops. The Cordillera continued to supply more than 70 percent of the country’s temperate vegetables, reaffirming its vital contribution to national food security.
Atty. Dawayan also underscored the region’s continued push for agricultural modernization through drone-assisted farming, precision agriculture technologies, solar-powered irrigation systems, and the Farm and Fisheries Clustering and Consolidation (F2C2) Program. These initiatives, together with investments in irrigation, farm-to-market roads, climate adaptation, and community-based food security programs, have enhanced farm productivity and strengthened the resilience of the agriculture sector.
In his State of the Region Address, Regional Development Council Chairperson Hon. Elias Bulut acknowledged that while the Cordillera has made significant agricultural gains, the region remains vulnerable to global price fluctuations, supply chain disruptions, and the recurring oversupply of highland vegetables. He noted that farmers often work tirelessly to produce abundant harvests, only to face low farmgate prices and unsold produce.
Bulut stressed that achieving a self-reliant and autonomous Cordillera requires strengthening the entire agricultural value chain. He called for greater support for farmers, micro and small enterprises, cooperatives, processors, transporters, and digital sellers, from production and processing to packaging, storage, logistics, online marketing, and export readiness. He added that sustained investments in innovation and value-adding initiatives would help create a more competitive, climate-resilient, and inclusive agriculture sector capable of driving long-term regional development.//Leny D. Mendoza