THE Department of Agriculture (DA) on Sunday said it has distributed almost P148 million in agricultural support and expanded the rollout of the government’s P20-per-kilogram rice program to Kalinga province.
Total assistance to the province is P285 million in rice, corn, livestock, high-value crops, and special local programs, higher than the P238.6 million in 2025, the DA said.
Some 259 accredited civil society organizations participated in its programs and consultations in Kalinga, enabling aid to reach individual farmers and cooperative groups across the province’s eight municipalities.
“This comprehensive approach — from providing crop insurance and farm machinery to launching market-oriented initiatives like Kadiwa Ng Pangulo — ensures that every farmer, from smallholders to cooperatives, can sustainably grow their livelihoods,” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. “Our vision is a Kalinga where farming is not just a means of subsistence but a pathway to economic growth and food security for the entire Cordillera region.”
Other DA activities in Kalinga included a dialogue with farmers at the National Irrigation Administration and an inspection of a National Food Authority (NFA) warehouse. The agency said it hopes to provide fair market access for farmers and make rice more affordable to consumers.
Kalinga — a landlocked province in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Northern Luzon — has over 47,000 hectares of mostly irrigated farmland.
In 2025, it produced over 138,000 metric tons of rice, including nearly 6,000 metric tons of heirloom rice. Its main agricultural products are rice, corn, and coffee, with swine and cattle farming also providing livelihoods for residents.
“Kalinga is rich in natural resources and hardworking farmers who deserve the best support our government can provide. Today, we are not only distributing rice and agricultural aid but also empowering communities to increase productivity, stabilize prices, and preserve traditional heirloom rice varieties,” Tiu Laurel said.
