Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. led the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) visit to Batanes, one of the northernmost provinces of the Philippines, to roll out critical support for the local farming and fishing communities.
The visit marked the official launch of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s flagship food program–“P20 Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!”–in the province, along with the distribution of over P13 million worth of agricultural and fisheries interventions aimed at boosting production and strengthening local livelihoods.
In addition to the rice initiative, the DA provided motorized fishing boats, chest freezers, chilling tanks, and various farming tools and inputs to 374 beneficiaries. ### ( Photos by Ardy Tompong & Joseph Henry Elamparo, DA-AFID)
