Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Representative Leila de Lima has filed two legislative measures aimed at transforming the country’s agricultural landscape—one seeking the creation of a dedicated department for the fisheries sector, and another addressing billions in annual post-harvest rice losses.
Under House Bill No. 9272, De Lima proposed the establishment of the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DFAR), which would serve as the government’s primary policy-making and regulatory body for the nation’s marine and aquatic assets.
“While the existence and efforts of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources… are duly recognized, the creation of a separate department would provide the much-needed specialized attention to the needs and concerns of the fisheries and aquatic resources industry and sector,” De Lima said.
The lawmaker emphasized that elevating the current bureau into a full-fledged department would grant the sector crucial financial independence and administrative power.
“Unlike the current bureau, the department proposed in this bill shall have its own budget and autonomy to formulate and enforce policies and measures on matters concerning fisheries and aquatic resources,” she said.
She added that unburdening the Department of Agriculture (DA) of aquatic governance would be mutually beneficial.
“At the same time, this would allow the DA to focus on the various challenges of land-based farming that also pose threats to the country’s food security,” she added.
The former Justice secretary noted that her proposal largely mirrors Senate Bill No. 221, authored by her ally, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, which previously flagged critical gaps in maritime policies and declining fish stocks across the country.
Alongside the fisheries bill, De Lima filed House Bill No. 9273, or the proposed Post-Harvest Facilities Support Act, to fortify local rice production by mandating the construction of warehouses and rice mills in every rice-producing municipality and city. This measure serves as the counterpart to Pangilinan’s Senate Bill No. 222.
The proposal outlines a multi-agency strategy where the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), collaborating with the DA, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), and local farmer cooperatives, will supply essential machinery like flatbed dryers, threshers, and logistical transport support.
De Lima stressed that the lack of infrastructure actively robs farmers of their hard-earned income.
“Dahil sa kakulangan sa post-harvest facilities, yung dagdag na kita, naglalaho pa. Malinaw: Mula sa pagtatanim, bago at habang anihan, hanggang sa pagdadala ng produkto sa merkado, dapat may suporta ang gobyerno sa magsasaka (Because of the lack of post-harvest facilities, additional income just vanishes. It is clear: from planting, before and during harvest, up to bringing the product to the market, the government must support the farmer),” she said.
Citing 2024 data from the DA, De Lima pointed out that the Philippines suffers an annual loss of roughly 342,000 metric tons of rice—amounting to nearly P8 billion—due to severe gaps in supply chain infrastructure.
The lawmaker closed with a strong call for social justice for the country’s primary food producers.
“Nasaan ang hustisya kung ang mga magsasaka at mangingisda na naghahatid ng pagkain sa hapag ng bawat pamilya at nangunguna sa laban para sa food security at food sufficiency, ay sila pa ang napag-iiwanan sa lipunan? (Where is the justice if the farmers and fisherfolk who bring food to the table of every family and lead the fight for food security and food sufficiency are the ones left behind in society?)” she said.
“Our farmers and fisherfolk deserve better services and more support, and the government should step up with urgency to ensure they receive them,” De Lima added.