​BAGUIO CITY — Farmers in Baguio City are calling for stronger government support, including simplified loan processes, expanded crop insurance, and faster disaster assistance.

The concerns were raised during a meeting with Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, chairman of the Senate Committee on Food, Agriculture, and Agrarian Reform, on August 28, 2025 at the Baguio City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO).

​Representatives from 27 farmers' cooperatives and associations (FCAs) met with the senator and officials from the Department of Agriculture (DA) Cordillera and the Baguio City Veterinary and Agriculture Office (CVAO). The groups requested that the Agricultural Credit Policy Council simplify loan applications, reduce requirements, and extend payment terms to 18–24 months.

​They also sought to expand crop insurance coverage to include farm equipment and materials, such as greenhouses and machinery, and to receive faster financial aid after disasters. The farmers suggested the establishment of additional seed banks to ensure a quick and stable supply of seeds for replanting after crops are destroyed by a calamity.

​In response, Pangilinan stated that his committee would promptly review and address their concerns. He assured the farmers that they would explore the possibility of providing financial assistance similar to the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program. He also vowed to advocate for a higher budget for the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC), noting that its current programs only cover three million of the country's 11 million farmers.

​Pangilinan also called for the gradual removal of middlemen in the supply chain to increase farmers' earnings and lower prices for consumers. He urged President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to issue an executive order to reinforce the implementation of the Sagip Saka Act. The 2019 law requires government agencies and local government units to purchase agricultural products directly from farmers at fair prices, aiming to improve their income and quality of life.

​The FCAs also raised other issues with DA Cordillera Regional Executive Director Jennilyn M. Dawayan and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong. These included establishing more Kadiwa centers and supporting honeybee and rabbit production and marketing.

Magalong said that the local government, in partnership with the DA, could build additional Kadiwa centers based on the success of the new center scheduled to open in September at the Slaughterhouse Compound.