Philippines: Philippine Department of Agriculture Directed to Ease Agri-Food Importation Procedures

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has ordered the Department of Agriculture (DA) to further streamline administrative procedures and policies on the importation of agricultural products and remove non-tariff barriers to help ensure food security. Under Administrative Order (AO) No. 20, Marcos emphasized that administrative constraints and non-tariff barriers continue to persist, which have caused continued increase of domestic prices of agricultural commodities.