P194-M rehab drive to revive Bicol abaca industry, aid farmers
LEGAZPI CITY—The Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) in Bicol, in partnership with the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (Philfida), will implement a P194.13-million rehabilitation and emergency employment program to revive the region’s abaca industry and help farmers recover from the devastation caused by Supertyphoon “Uwan” (international name: Fung-wong).
Dubbed the AbacaBayanihan Tupad Convergence Project, the initiative is expected to benefit 20,578 abaca farmers in Catanduanes, Camarines Sur and Albay.
Philfida Regional Director Mary Ann Molina said the project materialized through the initiative of Rep. Jose “Bong” Teves Jr. of the Talino at Galing ng Pinoy party list, who wrote to Dole requesting assistance for affected farmers through the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers (Tupad) program.
“The rehabilitation effort was made possible through the convergence of Dole and Philfida to immediately address the needs of abaca farmers severely affected by the typhoon,” Molina told the Inquirer in a phone interview on Jan. 30.
She said Philfida will also provide P286,000 for technical support and project implementation.
Bicol remains the country’s top abaca-producing region, accounting for 30.53 percent of national output, with 13,008.79 metric tons of fiber produced in 2024.
Damaged plantations
This position, however, was threatened when Uwan struck northern Bicol on Nov. 9, 2025, damaging 55,206.59 hectares of abaca plantations and disrupting the livelihoods of thousands of farming households.
Philfida estimated the damage resulted in 7,492.90 metric tons of lost fiber valued at P38.37 million, with losses also affecting fiber traders, processors and exporters dependent on a steady supply of abaca.
Under the convergence project, farmers will be employed in farm clearing, rehabilitation and replanting activities, with workdays based on the extent of damage: 10 days for slightly damaged farms, 15 days for moderately damaged farms and 23 days for heavily damaged areas, Molina said.
Farmers with severely damaged plantations are expected to earn up to P10,000 in Tupad wages, providing short-term income while farms are being restored.
The program will also distribute more than 6.4 million certified abaca suckers, which Dole and Philfida said would improve crop survival rates and speed up the resumption of fiber production.
Molina said Catanduanes recorded the highest number of affected farmers, followed by Albay and Camarines Sur. Of the total beneficiaries, 12,329 farmers suffered heavy damage, 7,399 sustained moderate damage and 850 incurred slight damage.
Beyond emergency employment, the project includes training on climate-resilient farming, disaster preparedness, postharvest handling and fiber grading, as well as assistance in organizing farmers into associations to strengthen market access and bargaining power.
Philfida will also link farmer groups with accredited fiber traders and exporters to ensure stable markets and competitive prices once production resumes, helping stabilize the regional abaca supply chain and protect Bicol’s share of the global fiber market.
Asked about the current status of abaca production, Molina said supply remains diminished, which has driven prices up.
“The negative effect is the reduced supply, but the higher prices are advantageous for farmers,” she said, noting that full recovery is expected to take 18 to 24 months.
Based on the latest monitoring, farm-gate prices for ungraded abaca are at around P55 per kilo, while refined fiber ranges from P90 to P200 per kilo, she added.
