A farm worker classifies mangoes into crates at a buying station in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte on April 16, 2026. The Department of Social Welfare and Development is providing PHP10,000 in cash relief to local growers to help offset rising fuel costs that threaten the transport of tons of produce to Metro Manila. (PNA photo by Leilanie Adriano)
LAOAG CITY – Mango growers in Ilocos Norte received fuel aid this week after soaring transport costs prevented tons of produce from reaching Metro Manila.
Ricardo Tolentino, president of the Mango Growers Association in Ilocos Norte, said production doubled this year, but the high cost of fuel has significantly eroded farmers’ income.
“We are happy that our production doubled this year, but the cost of fuel tripled. This affected the buying price as we have to allocate a PHP10 to PHP12 fuel allowance per kilo, up from the usual PHP4,” Tolentino said in an interview Friday.
Ilocos Norte is a major mango producer in the Philippines, supplying fresh produce to provinces like Cebu and international markets, including Hong Kong and Japan.
To ease the burden, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) began reaching out to the first batch of 10 affected growers on Wednesday to provide immediate cash relief of PHP10,000 each.
The DSWD will continue providing aid to more farmers in batches, prioritizing those with urgent need.
Due to the current crisis, growers are prioritizing large mangoes for delivery to Manila, while smaller fruits are sold locally to minimize losses.
Growers also noted that while the provincial government offers free hauling services, the option is not always feasible for perishable mangoes, which require immediate disposal and transport to prevent spoilage. (PNA)