Farmers in Cagayan are hopeful that their struggles with high transport costs will soon ease after President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. approved the construction of rice processing centers in the province.

For years, many Cagayan farmers like Carlito Lagadon of Alcala have been forced to bring their harvest to neighboring Isabela to sell their palay. The long-distance transport has added more than P10,000 to their production expenses.

“Malaking tulong sa amin kung mayroon sana kasi dito na namin i-process, dito na rin namin ibenta, mas mataas ang presyo pero mababa ang expenses,” Lagadon said.

The call for a local rice processing facility grew louder after the collapse of Piggatan Bridge in Alcala, which tripled transport expenses for farmers. Without the bridge, they now have to load their palay onto small trucks from their homes, transfer them to bigger vehicles in the town proper, and then travel to Isabela for milling.

Governor Edgar Aglipay earlier raised the issue directly to President Marcos during his visit to Gonzaga, Cagayan last month.

On October 8, 2025, National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Administrator Eddie Guillen confirmed that three rice processing centers will soon rise in the province.

“Tatlong rice processing ang sinabi ng Pangulo sa Cagayan,” Aglipay said.

“Ang processing center ay ‘yun ang sinabi ng Pangulo para matulungan ang mga magsasaka,” Guillen added.

Aside from the rice processing centers, the government also plans to build a new dam in Cagayan to help increase palay and corn production in the area.