The Department of Agriculture (DA) is set to expand its “White Revolution” initiative as part of efforts to modernize vegetable and high-value crop production and ensure a stable, year-round supply of affordable produce, following the approval of a higher budget for the agriculture sector this year.

In a press briefing, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the program focuses on the use of controlled-environment agriculture, including greenhouses, organized food corridors, and improved post-harvest facilities, to protect food production from the effects of extreme weather conditions such as El Niño and La Niña.

“The budget for greenhouses has been increased, so that will address the heavy rain and possible slight drought,” Tiu Laurel said during a Palace press briefing on Thursday.

He stressed that the expansion of greenhouse farming is essential to sustaining vegetable production despite climate-related challenges.

“So, we need more of this, which I call ‘White Revolution,’ and the full scale is actually 2027. We need more of this controlled atmosphere in greenhouses to be able to produce vegetables even through heavy rainfall or through lack of water,” he said.

Tiu Laurel pointed to South Korea as a model, noting that the country has around 50,000 hectares of greenhouse facilities supporting its food production, compared to only about 500 hectares currently in the Philippines.

He said scaling up greenhouse infrastructure is a long-term solution to strengthening local agricultural productivity and ensuring food security.

“So, that is the solution. Our long-term solution is the greenhouse or what you call ‘White Revolution,’” he added.

According to the DA, the “White Revolution” takes its name from the white plastic films used in greenhouses, mulch, and tunnels—technologies that helped transform vegetable farming in South Korea from the 1970s to the 1990s.

The DA chief said preparations are underway to roll out additional infrastructure and equipment under the program, as the government pushes to modernize agriculture, stabilize food supply, and protect farmers and consumers from the impact of climate variability.

The DA has scheduled infrastructure and equipment procurement to begin by late 2025, with the first food corridors expected to be operational by the second half of 2026