LA TRINIDAD, Benguet, Philippines — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. visited the Benguet Agri-Pinoy Trading Center (BAPTC) in La Trinidad, to ensure the government’s ongoing efforts to address the impact of the crisis on the agricultural sector and outlined some of the measures to help farmers, on April 17, 2026.
PBBM, together with Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., led the distribution of farm equipment and inputs to crisis to about 45 cooperatives and associations in Benguet, following interventions under the High Value Crops Program of the Department of Agriculture,
PBBM visited the Spot Trading Building 2 (Wholesale Area), where post-harvest activities are conducted, and interacted with farmers and key stakeholders in the vegetable industry in the Cordillera mountains.
The visit underscores the government’s commitment to strengthen the agricultural value chain by improving market efficiency, price stability and supply distribution.
“We are now at the trading center and market, because we were surprised by reports that most vegetable products here from mountainous areas are no longer imported due to the high gasoline prices we are experiencing. So we are looking into it and looking for a way out. First of all, we reduced the price of diesel by ten pesos and the local government charges were waved, then we also removed the toll fee for trucks traveling. The ten wheeler was supposed to pay P3,000 and the four wheeler was P1,000, now they will not pay until this oil price increase is over,” PBBM said in a media interview.
He said that drivers who need assistance were also included in the TUPAD program (Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers) of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). “This is our help, first of all to ensure our food supply, secondly, to ensure that our farmers, our producers, wholesalers do not feel too bad, to ensure that our food supply continues so that we do not have problems with food prices and supply.”
He added that because of the initiatives, there is now a better system that is already in place and the initiatives are ongoing. “That is why we are here to talk to the vendors about what else they think we can do.”
PBBM added that they are continuing to monitor to ensure that everyone feels the government’s help now in the current crisis caused by the war in the Middle East.
Vegetable Trader Mona Dongkasi expressed her gratitude for the personal visit of President Marcos, Jr. and hopes that the situation in the trading area in Benguet will be resolved.
“Now our President has seen our situation here where vegetable prices are falling and our buyers are decreasing due to the increase in crude oil prices. We ask our dear President to help him find a solution to this current crisis,” Dongkasi said. (By Zaldy Comanda with reports from PIA-Cordillera)
