Cordillera vegetable farmers to press government for fair prices, support
BAGUIO CITY — Vegetable farmers and gardeners from the Cordillera region will hold a series of protests and dialogues in Metro Manila on 10 and 11 November to demand fair farmgate prices, lower production costs and stronger government support for agriculture.
The delegation, led by the Kanatengan Network with support from the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA), will include farmers and agricultural workers from Benguet, Mountain Province and neighboring areas.
The groups plan to bring their concerns before the House of Representatives, Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).
According to the organizers, Cordillera vegetable growers continue to struggle with rising production expenses and low farmgate prices, leaving many dependent on informal loans to sustain their operations.
They cited the increasing costs of fertilizer, seeds, fuel and land rental, along with competition from imported and allegedly smuggled vegetables.
Climate-related weather disturbances have also damaged crops and irrigation facilities, further threatening farmers' livelihoods.
The groups are calling for minimum farmgate prices based on actual production costs, subsidies for agricultural inputs, expanded crop insurance and improved farm-to-market infrastructure.
They also want stronger government programs to purchase locally produced vegetables and measures to protect agricultural lands and watersheds from the effects of commercial mining and energy development.
On 10 November, the delegation plans to stage demonstrations at the House of Representatives and outside the DA before holding a public forum at the University of the Philippines Diliman in the afternoon.
Protests outside the DENR and NCIP are scheduled for the morning of 11 November, followed by a dialogue with Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan.
The two-day mobilization seeks to bring the concerns of highland vegetable growers directly to national policymakers as farmers push for measures to protect their incomes and agricultural livelihoods.