Panay farmers, fishers warn of worsening hunger crisis

ILOILO CITY — Peasant and fisherfolk organizations on Thursday, Oct. 16, criticized what they described as government inaction on the worsening food crisis, citing persistent landlessness, declining farm incomes, rising production costs and the effects of extreme weather on agricultural and fishing communities.

During a press conference in Iloilo City marking World Hunger Day and Peasant Month, representatives of agricultural and fisheries organizations called for genuine land reform, stronger government support for food producers and the repeal of policies they said have aggravated food insecurity.

The groups warned that prolonged drought, rising fuel prices and inadequate agricultural assistance could further threaten food production and household incomes across Panay and other parts of the country.

Landlessness, low palay prices burden farmers

Lucia Capaducio of Paghugpong sang mga Mangunguma sa Panay kag Guimaras (PAMANGGAS) said seven out of 10 farmers still do not own the land they cultivate.

She criticized the slow implementation of land distribution under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), saying some farmers have waited decades to secure ownership of the land they till.

Capaducio cited the government stock farm in Dumarao, Capiz, where farmers have long awaited land distribution but have yet to receive the properties they claim they are entitled to.

She also questioned the practice of dividing large landholdings into smaller parcels rather than distributing the entire area to qualified agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs).

Capaducio likened the approach to the government’s land-splitting program, arguing that it does not adequately address the underlying problem of landlessness.

Farmers are also struggling with extreme drought conditions associated with the developing El Niño phenomenon.

Capaducio said dry conditions delayed planting earlier this year, while some farmers who proceeded despite insufficient water suffered crop losses.

She said the lack of reliable irrigation has left agricultural communities particularly vulnerable to prolonged dry spells.

Meanwhile, low palay prices continue to undermine farmers’ incomes as fertilizers, pesticides, fuel and other agricultural inputs remain expensive.

PAMANGGAS called for the repeal of the Rice Tariffication Law and other policies it considers harmful to local farmers.

The organization also urged the government to pursue genuine land reform and strengthen protections for domestic agricultural producers.

Fisherfolk face rising fuel costs, restrictive policies

Nathaniel Baga-ut of Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA)-Panay raised concerns about worsening conditions in coastal communities.

He cited natural disasters, the encroachment of large commercial fishing vessels and fisheries policies that he said disadvantage small-scale fishers.

“Fisherfolk are among those who put food on our tables, yet they are the ones who constantly go hungry,” Baga-ut said.

He identified four major challenges confronting fishing communities: rising fuel prices, declining catches, adverse weather conditions and government policies restricting access to fishing grounds.

According to Baga-ut, high fuel costs have reduced fisherfolk incomes by an estimated 60% to 80%.

During the rough-weather months from June to October, when the southwest monsoon brings heavy rains and strong winds, some fishers reportedly catch only one to five kilograms of fish daily.

Baga-ut also cited a sharp decline in the number of fisherfolk in Iloilo province, from approximately 7,000 to 800, although the figures have yet to be independently verified.

Nationwide, he estimated that around 960,000 fisherfolk are affected by worsening conditions in the fisheries sector.

He also raised concerns about the closed fishing season scheduled from November 2026 to February 2027, when catching certain species, including sardines and herring, is prohibited in designated fishing areas.

Baga-ut argued that such restrictions further threaten the livelihoods of small-scale fishers already struggling with declining catches and increasing operating expenses.

He also criticized the entry of commercial fishing vessels into municipal waters, saying it threatens the access of small-scale fishers to traditional fishing grounds.

“The weather is not the only enemy of fisherfolk; the very laws that should protect them are also working against them,” Baga-ut said.

He further raised concerns about the Supreme Court’s Mercidar ruling and its implications for municipal fisheries.

The ruling has become a contentious issue among fishing organizations because of its implications for the regulation of commercial fishing activities in municipal waters.

Baga-ut said the ruling was being invoked in Panay and called for legislation to address its adverse effects on small-scale fishers.

Women farmers seek stronger government support

Basilia Moquito of AMIHAN-Leganes highlighted the difficulties confronting women farmers as low palay prices and rising production costs deepen hunger in agricultural communities.

“With palay prices so low, hunger is what our communities will face,” Moquito said.

She questioned how farmers could sustain their livelihoods when pesticides, fuel and basic commodities continue to become more expensive while farmgate prices remain low.

“Pesticides are expensive, fuel is expensive, and the prices of basic goods keep rising. Where does that leave our farmers?” she said.

Moquito urged the government to provide sufficient assistance to farmers and agricultural workers.

She said low wages and high living costs have made it increasingly difficult for rural households to meet their basic needs.

Moquito also raised concerns about the conversion of agricultural land, particularly rice fields, into residential subdivisions and warehouses.

She warned that continued land conversion threatens agricultural livelihoods and reduces the land available for food production.

El Niño exposes agricultural vulnerabilities

Kervin Bonganciso, regional coordinator of Magsasaka at Siyentipiko para sa Pag-unlad ng Agrikultura (MASIPAG)-Visayas, warned that an intensifying El Niño phenomenon could expose weaknesses in the country’s agricultural system.

He criticized what he described as excessive dependence on imported agricultural products and inadequate government support for domestic food production.

Bonganciso said the combination of drought, rising fuel prices, inflation and insufficient state assistance could further worsen the country’s food crisis in the coming months.

According to Bonganciso, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) issued an El Niño Watch as early as April 2026.

He said the weather agency had warned of a 79% probability that El Niño would develop between July and September.

Subsequent forecasts indicated that the phenomenon could intensify toward the end of 2026 and persist through the first half of 2027.

Citing data from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), Bonganciso said 428,687 individuals, or 115,246 families, had already been affected by the weather phenomenon.

He placed nationwide agricultural damage at PHP 6.54 billion.

The Department of Agriculture has also projected a decline of approximately 700,000 metric tons in palay production during the second-half main harvest, according to the information presented.

Although comprehensive damage figures for fisheries were not yet available, Bonganciso warned that extreme heat and falling water levels were threatening inland fishing grounds, lakes and aquaculture operations.

He said deteriorating water quality and declining oxygen levels could cause fish deaths, further reducing the incomes of fishing communities.

Drought damage mounts across Panay

Agricultural communities across Panay are already experiencing significant losses attributed to the ongoing dry conditions.

PAGASA forecasts cited by Bonganciso indicated that drought conditions could intensify from October to December 2026.

Below-normal rainfall was expected from October to November, followed by way below-normal rainfall from December 2026 to March 2027 across Panay, Iloilo City and Guimaras.

As of Oct. 12, drought had affected 6,752.15 hectares of agricultural land across eight municipalities.

The damage was estimated at PHP 232.54 million, affecting 9,472 farmers.

The figures represented a substantial increase from the Oct. 8 assessment, which recorded 3,792.93 hectares of damaged farmland.

Agricultural losses in the earlier assessment reached PHP 124 million, affecting 5,956 farmers.

The latest figures indicate an increase of 2,959.22 hectares of affected farmland and approximately PHP 108.54 million in additional agricultural losses within four days.

The number of affected farmers also increased by 3,516 during the same period.

PAGASA-Iloilo has projected a prolonged dry period from October 2026 through March 2027, with rainfall expected to decline sharply toward the end of the year, particularly in Guimaras and Iloilo.

Bonganciso warned that the effects of drought could extend beyond agricultural communities by reducing food availability and increasing consumer prices.

Fuel costs, inflation threaten food security

The agricultural crisis is being compounded by high oil prices and inflation, which increase the cost of producing, transporting and distributing food.

Declining domestic production could force the country to rely more heavily on agricultural products transported from distant provinces or imported from abroad.

Such dependence could increase freight and logistics costs, placing additional pressure on food prices.

Farmers and fisherfolk must also contend with expensive fuel for irrigation pumps, fishing boats, land preparation, harvesting and transportation.

Bonganciso cited warnings from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas that higher transportation, electricity, operating and fertilizer costs could push agricultural commodity prices upward.

Projections cited in his statement indicated that a severe El Niño episode beginning in the fourth quarter of 2026 could increase domestic rice prices by around 40% over a 12-month period.

Corn prices could also rise by approximately 25% during the same period, according to the projections he cited.

These estimates were presented as projections rather than confirmed price increases.

Bonganciso also warned that persistent inflation would further erode the purchasing power of Filipino households already struggling with low incomes and high living costs.

He described a cycle in which declining water supplies reduce agricultural production, rising fuel and electricity costs increase operating expenses, and reduced food availability places additional upward pressure on consumer prices.

Groups criticize government’s response

Despite the scale of the looming crisis, Bonganciso criticized the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for what he described as a lack of urgency and comprehensive preparation.

He cited Marcos’ Oct. 11 call for households to prepare buckets and containers to collect rainwater ahead of an anticipated severe El Niño episode.

The administration also planned an information campaign on collecting, filtering and treating rainwater for safe household use.

Bonganciso argued that household-level measures would not adequately address a crisis affecting agricultural production, water availability and food prices nationwide.

He called for structural interventions, including the rehabilitation of irrigation systems and improvements in reservoir and watershed management.

He also urged the government to establish reliable public water distribution systems, provide direct assistance to farmers and implement long-term climate adaptation measures.

Bonganciso stressed the need to strengthen domestic food production rather than rely primarily on short-term relief measures.

He said agricultural communities continue to face longstanding problems involving landlessness, inadequate state support and rising production costs.

For the organizations, the worsening food crisis is not simply a consequence of extreme weather.

They argued that it also reflects structural problems involving land ownership, agricultural investment, fisheries management and government policy.

As the country marks World Hunger Day, the groups warned that Filipino families could face even greater hardship if drought and inflation continue to undermine food production and purchasing power.

They urged the government to prioritize the needs of farmers and fisherfolk, arguing that protecting those who produce the country’s food is essential to addressing hunger and ensuring long-term food security.