February 6, 2025– Free and fair competition in the agriculture sector is crucial for ensuring food security and fostering inclusive growth toward economic transformation, according to National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan.
Speaking at the 2025 Manila Forum on Competition in Developing Countries on Wednesday (February 5), Balisacan emphasized the sector’s pivotal role in the nation’s food system.
“The agriculture sector within the overall food system is essential in ensuring food security. Food security means the availability, accessibility, and affordability of nutritious food to a country’s citizens. A vibrant and productive agricultural sector provides freedom from hunger. It contributes to the dynamic process of economic structural transformation—paradoxically, enabling the rapid shift of economic output and labor from agriculture to industry and services sectors,” Balisacan stated.
The Manila Forum, themed “From Farm to Table: The Role of Competition in Agricultural Development,” examined how competition policy can address supply chain inefficiencies, prevent market distortions, and ensure fair pricing for both producers and consumers. Key topics included the impact of globalization on agricultural markets, competition enforcement, merger control, non-tariff measures, and market access for the fisheries sector.
Balisacan acknowledged that while competition policy is not a universal solution, it is essential for promoting efficiency and resilience in agricultural. “Of particular relevance to us today is how competition enforcement and, more broadly, the arsenal of policy tools with implications for competition, can be useful instruments for promoting agricultural development within a developing-economy context and under a ‘new normal’ of highly disruptive forces,” he said.
He highlighted the importance of free and fair market competition for agricultural inputs, storage, logistics, and distribution, which can drive efficiency, spur innovation, and benefit consumers through lower prices and higher-quality goods.
“We must complement antitrust tools with strategies to address structural issues that shape firm behavior in the agriculture sector and related industries. Pro-competitive legislation, policies, regulations, and programs or projects can contribute toward safeguarding consumers and producers from uncompetitive and unfair conduct,” the country’s chief economic planner added.
He cited the Philippine government’s recent efforts to control food inflation, such as lowering rice tariffs and removing non-tariff barriers to encourage market players to augment local food supplies.
“Competition policy holds much potential toward fostering agricultural development and broadly improving welfare outcomes. Together, let us work for fairer markets and amplify the pivotal role of competition in this important sector as we collectively aspire for food security and shared prosperity for all,” he concluded.
The 2025 Manila Forum, organized by the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC), is the PCC’s flagship advocacy initiative. It brought together policymakers and experts to share insights and best practices for implementing competition policies in developing economies. The forum aims to shape effective policies that promote agricultural sustainability and economic resilience through continued dialogue and collaboration.
Balisacan expressed appreciation for the forum’s theme, which combines his passions for agriculture and competition or antitrust policy.
The PCC is a quasi-judicial agency responsible for implementing the Philippine Competition Act. Balisacan led the organization of the PCC in 2016 when he served as its founding chairperson until 2022, when he resumed his role as NEDA Secretary.
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