President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has signed Executive Orders (EO) No. 100 and No. 101 to establish a floor price for palay and ensure the full implementation of Republic Act No. 11321 or the Sagip Saka Act, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) announced Monday.

These measures aim to provide stronger support and protection to farmers and fisherfolk, including agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) under DAR.

Under EO 100, the Department of Agriculture (DA), in coordination with a newly established steering committee, will determine and adjust the floor price of palay based on specific rules, regulations, and market factors. The initiative seeks to protect farmers from unstable market prices, exploitative trading practices, and other threats to their livelihood and agricultural sustainability.

The steering committee will be co-chaired by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and composed of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), DAR, and the National Food Authority (NFA). It may also consult with local government units (LGUs), farmer organizations, and other stakeholders to ensure effective implementation.

EO 100 also authorizes the temporary use of public facilities as storage sites for palay, addressing inefficiencies and shortages in post-harvest storage. National government agencies, government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCCs), state universities and colleges (SUCs), and LGUs may use government-owned structures for this purpose, subject to existing laws and regulations.

Meanwhile, EO 101 mandates the full implementation of the Sagip Saka Act through the Farmers and Fisherfolk Enterprise Development (FFED) Program, which aims to uplift the socioeconomic conditions of farmers and fisherfolk. The DA, as the lead implementing agency, will establish the FFED Council to oversee program implementation and ensure that activities align with the objectives of the law.

The program responds to the Poverty Incidence Survey by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in March 2025, which identified the agriculture and fisheries sectors as among the poorest in the country. To address this, the government will prioritize programs, activities, and projects that directly support the mandates of the Sagip Saka Act.

A key provision of RA 11321 allows direct procurement of agricultural and fishery products from accredited Farmers and Fisherfolk Cooperatives and Enterprises (FFCEs), exempting them from public bidding requirements under the new Government Procurement Act (RA 12009). When local products are unavailable, LGUs and government agencies may source from nearby accredited FFCEs.

The DA will also establish Sagip Saka Desks in its regional and field offices to facilitate registration, information dissemination, and coordination among farmers and fisherfolk, making program access easier.

Benefits to ARBs

The DAR emphasized that these executive orders will significantly benefit ARBs by:

• Ensuring fair prices for palay and agricultural products, increasing income and market stability

• Expanding opportunities for ARB organizations to supply agricultural goods directly to government agencies and LGUs under the Sagip Saka Act

• Reducing post-harvest losses through access to government storage facilities

• Encouraging local enterprise development that enhances livelihood opportunities and rural employment

DAR expressed full support for the implementation of EO 100 and EO 101, viewing them as vital tools to empower ARBs and strengthen agrarian communities in pursuit of inclusive and sustainable rural development.