MANILA — The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Tourism (DoT) signed a memorandum of agreement on Monday to strengthen farm tourism and connect food production with the country’s growing travel sector.

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco and Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. formalized the partnership, committing their agencies to align programs, infrastructure, and promotions to position the Philippines as a leading food and gastronomy destination in Asia.

The agreement draws on existing national policies, including the 1987 Constitution, the Tourism Act of 2009, the Farm Tourism Development Act of 2016, and the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1997, which collectively promote agricultural modernization, agri-tourism, and sustainable rural growth.

Under the deal, the agencies will coordinate on expanding farm tourism destinations, promoting Filipino cuisine, and integrating agricultural priorities into tourism planning. A key feature is linking Farm-to-Market Road projects with tourism circuits under the Tourism Road Infrastructure program to improve access to farms and emerging destinations while strengthening logistics for producers.

Tiu Laurel described the agreement as a structural intervention for agriculture. “This is not simply about adding tourist stops to farms, a visit that could even spur greater investment the farm sector,” he said. “It is about creating stable institutional demand for local produce, encouraging value adding, and integrating agriculture into the broader services economy.”

“When hotels and restaurants source consistently from Filipino farmers, we stimulate rural investments, generate employment, and expand economic activity beyond primary production,” Tiu Laurel added.

He also noted that linking agriculture to tourism incentivizes higher standards in quality, food safety, and sustainability, positioning local producers to compete in premium markets.

A Joint Technical Working Group will oversee implementation, draft work plans, and coordinate stakeholders from both sectors. The agreement provides that each agency will shoulder its own costs, highlighting a convergence model built on coordination rather than pooled funding.

Officials said the initiative aims to turn culinary acclaim into a nationwide development strategy, where farm productivity, infrastructure, and tourism growth reinforce each other.