The national government further increased subsidies to the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) in March, raising the total subsidies for government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) by 40 percent compared to the level in February.

The Bureau of the Treasury reported the NIA received the highest subsidy amounting to P3.8 billion in March, up from P3.2 billion in February and from P1.09 billion in January.

The new figure was also higher than the P3.2 billion allocated by the national government in March 2024.

The Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. received the second largest subsidy worth P2.3 billion, followed by the National Housing Authority which was granted P1.3 billion.

No infusion for NFA

Total subsidies to 32 GOCCs reached P10.6 billion in March, rising from P7.6 billion in February and from P6.9 billion in March 2024.

The GOCCs which did not receive subsidies in March included the National Food Authority, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority and the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority.

The subsidy figures were recorded after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said in January that the government would declare a food security emergency focused on providing affordable rice to the poorest Filipinos.

Through contract farming, the NIA has been selling cheaper rice at P29 per kilo to families under the government’s conditional cash transfers.

The NIA also sells P35-per-kilo rice to the general public at its offices and Kadiwa stores.

“Contract farming creates favorable conditions for farmers to access credit, inputs, suppliers, market information, technical knowledge, and market outlet to farmers with small-scale production,” NIA said.