MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) has earmarked around P300 million this year to expand climate-resilient farming for high-value vegetables such as tomatoes, chili, and bell peppers, as the government seeks to curb recurring price spikes caused by weather-related supply disruptions.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said the funds will be used primarily to support basic greenhouses, drip irrigation, and water-impounding systems to improve crop management and reduce farmers’ exposure to increasingly volatile weather conditions.

“This is a perennial problem—sometimes chili pepper is very expensive, sometimes there is no supply at all; the same goes for bell peppers and tomatoes,” Tiu Laurel said. “What we want is continuous production, year-round whether it’s dry or rainy.”

The crops frequently experience sharp price swings as extreme heat, heavy rains, and flooding disrupt production almost every year, he noted.

The program, referred to within the DA as the White Revolution, is modeled after protected cultivation systems in South Korea and Cambodia that boosted vegetable output and strengthened local food supply systems.

Under the initiative, the DA will work with cooperatives and farmer associations rather than individual farmers, organizing production at the community level where local seed and seedling production will be established. The approach aims to technically equip women and youth to produce planting materials and ensure a coordinated and decentralized production system.

The department aims to generate stable production volumes that can reliably supply major urban markets and reduce boom-and-bust cycles that affect both farmers and consumers.

Instead of deploying costly high-tech facilities, the DA will roll out rain shelters and simpler greenhouse structures that provide partial protection from extreme weather while remaining viable as a business model. These facilities are designed to protect crops from heavy rainfall, reduce flood and pest damage, and improve water efficiency through drip irrigation and misting systems.

“The objective is to keep producing even during El Niño or La Niña,” Tiu Laurel said. “With irrigation during dry months and cover during heavy rains, farmers are able to adapt with the changing weather conditions and are effectively able to plan their production based on market demand.”

The DA said rain shelters, greenhouses, and irrigation systems will be located near, but outside, major consumption centers such as Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, and Metro Davao to shorten delivery time and reduce post-harvest losses. For Metro Manila, the department is considering nearby provinces including Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Laguna, Rizal, and Quezon.

To manage market risks during the initial rollout, the program will start in selected pilot municipalities, with Food Terminal Inc. (FTI) committing to purchase harvests at pre-agreed prices. The arrangement is intended to provide farmers with income security while the system is being established.

“If we ask a community to plant chili or bell pepper, whatever they produce will be bought at a fair price,” Tiu Laurel said, adding that the government will handle distribution to public markets.

The DA also highlighted the limited extent of protected agriculture in the Philippines, which has only about 500 hectares of greenhouse-covered farms nationwide, compared with around 52,000 hectares in South Korea. Tiu Laurel said reaching 5,000 hectares by 2027 would already represent significant progress.

Sustainability of the program, he said, will depend on profitability. “If this proves successful and farmers earn from it, they will push for its continuation and scale up the system —even under the next administration,” Tiu Laurel said.

The DA is also developing a network of cold storage facilities to extend the shelf life of highly perishable vegetables, along with small-scale vegetable processing facilities to reduce food loss and provide additional income streams for farmers.