MANILA – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed the National Food Authority to step up palay procurement and expand storage capacity as the government strengthens food reserves ahead of potentially harsher El Niño conditions.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the NFA has been instructed to maximize purchases during the remaining harvest period and fill available warehouse space with locally procured palay.

The directive forms part of a broader government effort to protect food production and maintain sufficient supply as El Niño brings a higher risk of below-normal rainfall and drought. PAGASA has warned that the current strong El Niño could intensify into a very strong event before the end of 2026 and persist through the first half of 2027.

The NFA has already been expanding its storage capacity to accommodate more local harvests. In September, the agency leased additional warehouse space in Tarlac with capacity for about 100,000 bags of palay.

The Department of Agriculture is also preparing measures to sustain production in areas where water remains available.

Laurel said these include additional seeds and fertilizer, solar-powered irrigation systems and pumps, and targeted cloud-seeding operations over agricultural areas.

The government is also looking at temporary work opportunities for farmers and fisherfolk who may be unable to plant or produce during the height of El Niño.

Laurel said Marcos directed the DA to develop a work plan that could include slots under the Department of Labor and Employment’s TUPAD emergency employment program.

Under the proposed arrangement, affected agricultural workers could be tapped for activities such as canal construction and land preparation while waiting for the next planting season.

DOLE recently expanded TUPAD guidelines to provide temporary employment together with pathways toward skills, livelihood and longer-term work opportunities.

The government is also maintaining food supply buffers.

Laurel said current supply levels are estimated at about 75 days for rice, 125 days for chicken, 170 days for pork and 90 days for corn.

The DA has previously said that NFA procurement is intended both to strengthen the government’s rice buffer and provide farmers with a reliable buyer during harvest season. The agency has also increased warehouse capacity and procurement funding to allow the NFA to absorb more locally produced palay.

PAGASA said El Niño increases the likelihood of reduced rainfall, dry spells and drought in parts of the country, prompting government agencies to prepare food, water and agricultural interventions before conditions worsen.

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