Legarda’s Local Harvest Support Act protects farmers’ livelihoods, ensures food for communities

Senator Loren Legarda has filed Senate Bill No. 2051, or the Local Harvest Support Act of 2026, to strengthen food security and protect the livelihoods of farmers and fisherfolk at a time when rising fuel costs and soaring prices of basic goods are pushing rural producers to the brink.

“Kapag bumabagsak ang presyo ng ani at huli, ang magsasaka at mangingisda ang unang naaapektuhan. Sa Local Harvest Support Act, sisiguraduhin nating may tiyak na kita sila at may masustansyang pagkain ang bawat pamilya,” Legarda stressed.

The measure institutionalizes a “Local First” procurement policy, requiring Local Government Units (LGUs), State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), public schools, and government hospitals to source most of their food requirements directly from farmers and fisherfolk. By bypassing middlemen and streamlining procurement, the bill bridges rural producers with institutional markets, creating guaranteed demand that shields them from market losses and global price shocks.

The proposed bill highlights urgent realities as mango growers in Ilocos Norte struggle with fuel expenses that consume nearly 30 percent of their net income, tamban prices in Sorsogon have collapsed from ₱1,200 to ₱60 per tub making ice more expensive than the fish itself, and Benguet vegetable farmers are forced to sell at ₱3 per kilo despite spending ₱18–₱20 per kilo to produce. These examples underscore the vulnerability of producers to oil volatility, logistical bottlenecks, and market gluts.

“Kung may sobra o glut sa merkado, puwede nang direktang bumili ang pamahalaan para hindi sila malulugi. Sa ganitong paraan, makakarating agad ang pagkain sa mga paaralan, ospital, at komunidad,” Legarda noted.

The Local Harvest Support Act requires government entities to source at least 80% of food requirements from rural or proximate areas, and 60% in highly urbanized areas, with limited waivers, down to 40% if logistical hardships are proven.

The bill grants the Department of Agriculture (DA) emergency authority to conduct “rescue buy” operations during market gluts, purchasing produce at sustainable prices and redirecting food to buffer stocks, disaster relief, and feeding programs. Transactions will use Negotiated Procurement Sagip Saka (NP SS), exempt from public bidding, allowing direct negotiation with local producers. The DA will also release an annual National Agricultural Proximity Map to designate procuring entities as “Proximate” or “Urbanized,” determining their mandate. Procuring entities must buy at prices higher than farmgate but within retail range, with glut prices based on the previous regular harvest season.

The measure is expected to redirect billions of pesos in government spending directly into rural communities, catalyzing development and providing long-term financial stability through guaranteed contracts. For the public, particularly students in feeding programs and patients in government hospitals, the bill ensures fresher, more nutrient-dense meals. Ultimately, it strengthens national food sovereignty, reduces reliance on imports, and shields the local food supply chain from global shocks.

The measure further expands and complements the principles of the Sagip Saka Act (RA 11321) and Executive Order No. 101 (s. 2025), which already directs national government agencies to implement direct procurement from farmers and fisherfolk under the Sagip Saka framework. However, EO 101 primarily serves as an executive directive and does not prescribe fixed sourcing thresholds, comprehensive compliance mechanisms, or enforceable coverage of private food concessionaires. The proposed measure addresses these gaps by institutionalizing mandatory sourcing percentages, integrating compliance into procurement systems, and extending coverage to concessionaires operating within government premises through preferential sourcing criteria.

“Sa batas na ito, malinaw na ang batayan ng rescue-buy at ang mga hakbang na dapat gawin. Wala nang dahilan para maging mabagal ang tugon ng gobyerno sa panahon ng krisis o sakuna. May malinaw nang mekanismo para mabili ang ani sa tamang presyo, maiwasan ang pag-aaksaya, at agad itong maipamahagi sa mga komunidad na nangangailangan,” Legarda concluded. (30)