Bataan First District Rep. Tony Roman III announced the approval of House Bill 608, or the Farmer Cooperation and Empowerment Act, by the House Committee on Agriculture and Food — a major step toward strengthening support systems for Filipino farmers facing rising production costs, low farmgate prices, and limited market access.

The proposed measure seeks to reorganize agricultural communities by clustering adjacent farmlands cultivating the same crops. These farm clusters will serve as the foundation for more efficient planning, resource pooling, and access to government support. Under the bill, each cluster will be equipped with a Multi-Purpose Farmer Coopetition Hub designed to provide facilities for drying, milling, storage, processing, and training. The hubs are expected to significantly reduce production expenses while improving farmers’ income through shared services and streamlined operations.

The bill also enhances inter-agency coordination by mandating closer collaboration among the Department of Agriculture, Department of Trade and Industry, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Cooperative Development Authority, local government units, and the Department of Agrarian Reform. This unified effort aims to accelerate the delivery of technology, capacity-building programs, and market linkages to farming communities.

Rep. Roman, who has been pushing parallel reforms for the fisheries sector through the recently approved Blue Economy Act, emphasized that HB 608 forms part of his broader strategy to uplift both farmers and fisherfolk in Bataan and across the country.

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