In a move to build a more resilient and equitable food system, the National Sectoral Committee on Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (NSC on GESI) is advancing strengthened policy reforms within the Department of Agriculture (DA) and other government bodies with agri-fishery related programs.
During the second quarter meeting of the Committee on June 9, 2026, members emphasized that gender and social development should no longer be treated as isolated programs. Instead, stakeholders are pushing to mainstream these principles into regular government operations to directly boost food security among the sector’s most vulnerable food producers and retail workers.
鈥淏y increasing the gender quota across all government agencies and bureaus, there is a conscious effort to strengthen the participation of women, Indigenous Peoples, and other marginalized sectors in all agri-fishery initiatives. Our objective is to turn these policy recommendations into actionable steps and permanently integrate them within legally accountable government frameworks,鈥� said NSC on GESI Chairperson Hazel Tanchuling.
Enhancing policy accountability for the marginalized
A primary focus of the Committee鈥檚 structural reform is ensuring that Gender and Development mandates are strictly implemented and backed by legal accountability. To address this, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Center for Gender Equality and Women’s Rights briefed the Committee on concrete legal measures and accountability for state agencies failing to uphold these directives.
By enforcing transparent budget execution and robust policy compliance, the committee seeks to secure equitable state support for marginalized groups, such as indigenous peoples, youth, and both male and female agri-retailers, who form the backbone of the local food supply chain.
The CHR clarified that the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) will still handle monitoring agency compliance and will submit a list of non-compliant government agencies to the CHR. The CHR, tasked to monitor policy violations, will then initiate formal investigations into the flagged agencies to enforce legal accountability.
Targeted initiatives to boost A/F food security
To translate these policy reforms into real impacts on food security, several key government agencies presented targeted socio-economic mechanisms during the meeting.
The Landbank of the Philippines highlighted tailored credit facilities and financial services specifically structured to empower women and marginalized farmers and fisherfolk. The Department of Social Welfare and Development detailed the features of the Walang Gutom 2027 Food Stamp Program, exploring strategic linkages with the local agriculture and fisheries sector to ensure sustained food access.
Meanwhile, the DA Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service presented the operational mechanics of the Young Farmers Challenge Season 6, aiming to actively engage citizens aged 18 to 30 in sustainable agricultural entrepreneurship. The application period opened on June 1 and will run until July 31, 2026.
The Committee also highlighted Regional Agricultural and Fishery Council updates. The Davao Region’s recommendations addressed wage gaps for women and healthcare barriers for persons with disabilities, while the Cordillera Administrative Region recommended policies to institutionalize the Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran ng Kababayang Katutubo (4K) Program and establish a national program for heirloom rice.
The Committee suggested broadening the heirloom-related policy scopes to look beyond just production factors by integrating environmental conservation and farmer incentivization.
NSC on GESI Chairperson Tanchuling emphasized that these frameworks should expand their reach to include the Nationally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems and other critical sectors, rather than limiting focus exclusively to heirloom rice initiatives. | Jezebel Campaniel
