President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has signed Executive Order (EO) No. 101, mandating the full implementation of the Sagip Saka Act or Republic Act No. 11321, which allows government agencies and local government units (LGUs) to directly purchase agricultural and fishery products from accredited farmers’ and fisherfolk cooperatives and enterprises (FFCEs).
The EO, signed on October 25, establishes the Farmers and Fisherfolk Enterprise Development (FFED) Program, which seeks to help Filipino farmers and fishers reach their full potential, improve productivity, and increase household income through enterprise-based support.
Under the directive, all national government agencies and LGUs are ordered to directly procure products from FFCEs without public bidding, strengthening local production and ensuring food security while reducing exploitation by middlemen and cartels.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has been designated as the lead implementing agency of the FFED Program, while the FFED Council will oversee its coordination and policy direction.
Sagip Saka Desks will also be established across DA’s regional and field offices to provide information, technical assistance, and linkages for producers and local governments.
The EO follows months of lobbying by former agriculture secretary and senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, the principal author of the Sagip Saka Act, who had consistently urged the administration to operationalize the law.
“Tulad ng ating pangako noong inihain natin ang ating kandidatura: walang kulay ang gutom.,” Pangilinan said.
“Kaya handa tayong makipagtulungan sa ehekutibo at mga kasama sa lehislatura para sa mas matatag na kabuhayan ng ating mga magsasaka at mangingisda, at mas abot-kayang pagkain para sa bawat Pilipino,” he added in his post.
The Sagip Saka Act, enacted in 2019, aims to institutionalize government-led market support for farmers and fisherfolk by removing bureaucratic barriers and promoting local procurement.
By implementing EO 101, the Marcos administration seeks to strengthen local food systems, reduce poverty in rural areas, and enhance national resilience against supply disruptions and global market shocks.
