Adverse weather conditions last year and the low buying price of abaca fiber mainly contributed to the decline in the Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery (AFF) sector in Catanduanes.
This was pointed out by the chief of Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) during the recent dissemination forum on the 2024 economic performance of province conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) last Oct. 16, 2025.
Engr. Elsie B. Reyes attributed the continued drop in AFF growth from -1.6% in 2023 to -2.4% last year to the severe damage wrought by super typhoon “Pepito” and typhoon “Kristine” and low buying price of the province’s top crop that affected 15,000 abaca farmers.
On the other hand, the Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator noted that the continued implementation of infrastructure projects by both the national and local governments is the major booster of the 5.4% hike in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) with Industry sharing 47.4% of the growth, thanks to construction.
Likewise, she cited the constituents’ demand for resilient infrastructure in addressing the issues in disaster risk reduction and management.
“Given the economic performance, the current investment climate, and the development agenda of the current provincial leadership, the provincial economy will likely improve,” Reyes reported, clarifying that the AFF sector is seen to maintain its negative growth rate.
“To accelerate the growth rate in this sector, there is a need to assist abaca farmers in terms of rehabilitating their abaca plantations through the provision of financial assistance,” she said. “Likewise, rice and other crop farmers should be assisted in terms of subsidized farm production inputs and crop insurance.”
On the other hand, the top Capitol planner stressed that fisherfolks should be provided with comprehensive interventions that would help them enhance their capacity for a more productive livelihood, particularly an alternative source of livelihood while they are at a recovery stage.
To improve GDP growth in the AFF sector, the present administration has envisioned the development of the abaca industry and has identified some interventions that will address the concerns in the value chain from production and processing to marketing and research, with implementation set by 2026.
“Achieving a growth in the GDP requires the active engagement and collaboration of all the stakeholders – the local and national governments, the civil society organizations and the citizenry,” the PPDC said. “Projects implemented should be demand-driven and should have focused targeting of beneficiaries.”
During the open forum hosted by PIA Inforcen Manager Edna Bagadiong, the planning officer bared that Governor Patrick Alain T. Azanza has organized a team to craft strategies to increase the income of “abacaleros” by focusing on the value chain and marketing research.
As the low buying price of fiber is due to poor quality of fiber produced locally, the administration will encourage farmers to produce good quality fiber which will be bought by the provincial government and then processed into handicraft and other products, with the families of “abacaleros” as workers.
“We hope that the initiative for which a budget has been allocated in 2026 will be supported by the farmers,” she said, with local accommodation establishments as the initial market.
PSA Supervising Statistical Specialist Elgie A. Gulane-Rosenblad, who is OIC of the Subnational Economic Accounts Division, agreed with the PLGU’s prioritizing value-added products over raw materials exports.
She also urged LGUs to monitor inflation, reminding that economic studies have established a positive correlation between poverty reduction and an increase in GDP as well as employment growth.
However, the PSA official said it should be ensured that all the labors producing GDP in Catanduanes are all from the island, not from the mainland such as engineers and skilled workers.
“We need to encourage sustainable local employment,” she stressed.
A representative from microfinance giant ARDCI suggested that policymakers develop measures to help marginalized sectors, positing that it cannot see developed LGUs with marginalized sectors left behind.
“A Plan B for calamities should be developed as the agricultural sector is most affected,” Gulane-Rosenblad commented. “Innovation, redirection of agricultural production and resilience programs are needed along with effective strategies tio prevent loss of production.”
In response, Provincial Agriculturist Ace William Tria bared that among the initiatives being undertaken is the establishment is a cold storage facility for vegetables while a similar facility is being eyed for fisherfolks.
Encouraging municipal counterparts to set up Kadiwa centers, he said that the Kadiwa program has stimulated local production and marketing, lifting the morale of farmers by assuring a market for their products.
Another is acquiring tractors and other farm machineries to provide free services for local farmers like Virac’s “Libreng Arado” program, Tria said, pointing out that local farmers are decreasing in number and are now relatively older with an average age of 56.
For her part, Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Jane Rubio observed that most attention is given to the abaca and rice sectors in the budget, with livestock and poultry production last although it contributed a high percentage in the AFF national accounts.
This was belied by the PSA, which said that livestock production provided a 14.4% share in the total AFF, compared to 56% for crops and 13.3% for fisheries.
PPDC Reyes added that there are no big hog raisers in Catanduanes, with production limited to backyards and technical assistance provided by the province.
The PSA likewise underscored the lack of data in fisheries as not all fishermen bring their catch to fish landing centers, with several of the latter still non-operational.
“We need to determine where the fish was caught regardless of where it is brought or sold in other provinces,” Gulane-Rosenblad said.
OPAg’s Tria admitted that data from other non-fish landing centers are not recorded, with the lack of tangible data in AFF.