How can government support for agriculture and poor households work better?
As part of the 64th Annual Meeting and Conference of the Philippine Economic Society (PES), themed "Navigating Disruptions: Philippine Institutions, Markets, and ASEAN Cooperation Amidst Global Conflicts," the ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ (PIDS) will convene a parallel session on November 13, 2026, from 10:30 AM to 12:00 NN at Novotel Manila Araneta City, Quezon City.
The session, "Making Public Support Work: Evidence on Agricultural Policy and Household Resilience," features three PIDS studies examining when and how public support delivers results.
The first study, "The Impact of Fertilizer Subsidy on Fertilizer Application of Rice Farmers: The Case of Nueva Ecija," by PIDS Senior ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ Fellow Roehlano Briones, Supervising ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ Specialist Adrian Boyett Agbon, and Project Technical Assistant Sherken Petalcorin, examines the "crowding out" effect of the government's free fertilizer distribution program and its implications for the design of farm input support.
The second study, "How Should the Country's Agricultural Policies Adapt to the International Structure of Agricultural Support?", also authored by Briones and Project Technical Assistant Jorlyn Ann Petati, compares Philippine agricultural support with that of other economies to draw lessons for the country's policy design.
The third study, "Coping with Economic Shocks: Social Insurance, Credit, and Savings Among Poor Households in the Philippines," by PIDS Senior ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ Fellow Michael Ralph Abrigo and Supervising ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ Specialist Kris Ann Melad, looks at how households supported by the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program respond to economic shocks and what these responses reveal about the protective role and gaps of social insurance.
An open forum on "Rethinking Government Support" will follow the paper presentations, inviting participants to discuss the conditions under which government support is most effective. The session will also feature the ceremonial launch of the by Dr. Jose Ramon Albert, PIDS Senior ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ Fellow.
The event is by invitation only. The public may also watch the session recording on the .
