A total of 13,889 abaca farmers in Catanduanes whose plantations were ravaged by super typhoon “Uwan” last year will receive cash-for-work benefits under the AbacaBayanihan TUPAD Convergence Project of the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) in Bicol, in partnership with the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA).
The P194.13-million rehabilitation and emergency employment program seeks to revive the Bicol region’s abaca industry and help a total of 20,578 farmers in Catanduanes, Camarines Sur and Albay recover from the devastation caused by the typhoon on Nov. 8-9, 2025.
It may be recalled that the storm inflicted moderate damage to 6,086 hectares of abaca farms and heavy damage to another 30,824 hectares, reducing potential abaca fiber yields in the 216 abaca-producing villages from the previous 600 kilograms per hectare to just 300 kilograms.
PhilFIDA Provincial Fiber Officer Roberto Lusuegro estimated the total fiber loss at 6,562 metric tons worth P362 million, with development and rehabilitation of damaged abaca areas to cost P881 million.
Informed of the widespread damage to the abaca sector, Talino at Galing ng Pinoy (TGP) Partylist Rep. Jose “Bong” Teves Jr. immediately asked Department of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. for financial assistance and garden tools for farmers, abacaleros and fisherfolks affected by the super typhoon.
He also requested the DA and the Department of Budget and Management to allocate P200 million in abaca rehabilitation funds for Catanduanes farmers in the form of incentives for rehabilitating their farms similar to the Cash-for-Work scheme being implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The initiative of the TGP congressman was realized through the AbacaBayanihan TUPAD Convergence Project as acknowledged by PhilFIDA Bicol Regional Director Mary Ann Molina.
Molina had submitted a rehabilitation plan to the DA for the procurement of farm inputs that could be utilized by farmers while waiting for the 18 to 24-month recovery period of their plantations.
A separate proposal was also filed with the DOLE under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program to provide P10,000 each for farmers with heavily damaged farms and P7,000 for those who sustained moderate damage.
DOLE will provide for the bulk of the AbacaBayanihan TUPAD funding requirement, with PhilFIDA contributing P286,000 for technical support and project implementation.
Under the project, the abaca farmers themselves will work on 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.
More than 6.4 million certified abaca suckers will also be procured and distributed to improve crop survival rates and enable resumption of fiber production.
In the three provinces covered by the project, 12,329 farmers suffered heavy damage, 7,399 sustained moderate damage and 850 incurred slight damage.
In Catanduanes, farmers who sustained moderate damage to their farms totaled 3,637, broken down as follows: Bagamanoc, 93; Baras, 461; Bato, 487; Caramoran, 431; Gigmoto, 170; Pandan, 219; Panganiban, 83; San Andres, 311; San Miguel, 630; Viga, 378; and Virac, 374.
Another 10,252 farmers suffered heavy damage: Bagamanoc, 372; Baras, 1,076; Bato, 1,136; Caramoran, 1,725; Gigmoto, 679; Pandan, 876; Panganiban, 331; San Andres, 380; San Miguel, 1,469; Viga, 1,513; and Virac, 695.
The project includes training on climate-resilient farming, disaster preparedness, postharvest handling and fiber grading, with assistance to be provided in organizing farmers into associations to strengthen market access and bargaining power.
RD Molina added that 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.
According to the agency’s website on fiber statistics, abaca fiber production in Catanduanes dropped by 27.7 percent in 2025, from the previous year’s 10,377.688 metric tons to just 7,497,625 MT last year.
The storm’s damage likely contributed to 9.6 percent decrease in the country’s abaca output, from 38,319 MT in 2024 to 34,646 MT last year.
As a result of the devastation brought by STY “Uwan,” the Abaca Capital of the Philippines’ share of abaca fiber production was slashed from the previous 27 percent to just 21 percent in 2025.
The reduced supply has resulted in higher buying prices, Molina said, with latest farm-gate prices for upgraded abaca at around P55 per kilo while refined fiber buying price ranges from P90 to P200 per kilo.
In Catanduanes, the price per kilo ranged from P50 to P62 for the lower-grade fiber and P82 to P93 for the refined I and S2 fiber, respectively.