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The Department of Agriculture has urged Malacañang for P1-billion additional budget to ensure food security and price stabilization amid the implementation of enhanced community quarantine in Luzon, including Metro Manila, because of the coronavirus disease.

"We respectfully request for a supplemental budget in the amount of P1 billion to support the Department of Agriculture's programs in the next two months in connection with COVID-19, particularly in ensuring food supply availability and price stabilization," Agriculture Secretary William Dar said in a letter to Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, dated March 21, 2020.

While the DA support systems are already in place to ensure food supply availability, the DA chief said his office needs additional funds to sustain their implementation, especially in areas where the lockdown is strictly enforced.

Similar to other government agencies, he acknowledged that the DA has already a quick response fund.

However, he said the DA wants to proactively deal with the situation by ensuring the continuous production, processing, packaging and delivery of basic food commodities to major consumption centers, particularly Metro Manila.

Dar said with the P1-billion supplemental budget, the DA is planning to "upscale" the "Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita" project by establishing more outlets in partnership with local chief executives in the National Capital Region.

"We will also pursue partnerships with government and private agencies interested to set up Kadiwa stores to provide the basic food needs of their respective employees," he said.

The Agriculture chief vowed that his office would efficiently use the supplemental budget, stressing, "this grim episode is indeed a huge challenge for all of us."

"But let me reassure the Filipino people that the Duterte administration, through the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases, is doing its utmost to effectively implement the various initiatives set forth under the enhanced community quarantine,” he added.

Agriculture spokesman and Assistant Secretary Noel Reyes said the DA will allot P325 million or about one-third of the proposed P1 billion supplemental budget for the Kadiwa project and other market logistics support to the food value chain system.

"A big portion will be earmarked for the extensive promotion of urban agriculture in Metro Manila and other cities, at P250 million, and for production support, in the form of seeds and inputs, worth P200 million," he said.

"To support frontline agriculture workers, covering medical assistance, biosecurity measures and financial assistance, and information and communications, the DA will allot P150 million," Reyes said.

He said the department also aims to strengthen its suggested retail price monitoring and enforcement, by earmarking P75 million.

According to the DA latest data, it has already issued about 5,000 food passes to truckers, traders and logistics firms in line with the food security strategy to fight COVID-19.

“The best way to sustain stable prices of basic farm and fishery commodities is to have a continuous and unhampered movement of such goods from origin to the markets much more in Metro Manila and other metropolis,” Dar said. Robina Asido/DMS