Direct-to-condo market shields Benguet farmers from rising fuel costs

MANILA, Philippines — Rising fuel prices and mounting logistics costs are squeezing the profit margins of Philippine agricultural workers, but a direct-selling initiative in Metro Manila’s residential hubs is offering a lifeline to farmers in the highlands.

Since May 2025, DMCI Homes has partnered with the Tuba Agri Tourism Community (TATC) to host the “Weekend Market with Tuba Farmers” within its condominium communities.

The program addresses a critical bottleneck in the local supply chain: the high cost of moving produce from Tuba, Benguet, to urban centers.

For many Benguet farmers, oversupply and a lack of storage often result in massive spoilage.

Before the initiative, farmers regularly expected losses before their crops even left the farm gate.

“Bago ti Weekend Market, mas abak pay ti garden expenses kaysa diay kitaem. Tatta, adda pagalan mi iti pakasapulan ti ubbing diay eskwela ken adda igatang mi ti kanen mi (Before the Weekend Market, our garden expenses were even higher than what we earned. Now, we’re able to set aside money for our children’s school needs and we can also buy food for our family),” said Tacio Felangen, a Tuba farmer.

The structural issues of the industry—including middlemen commissions and inadequate transport—have been exacerbated by global fuel hikes.

TATC Vice Chairperson Jennelyn Saingan noted that without direct access to buyers, unsold vegetables were frequently discarded or used as compost.

“Kapag marami, hindi kukunin. Magiging basura na lang po o kaya ipapakain sa mga alaga nila or sa lupa na lang (When there’s an oversupply, the produce won’t be picked up. It just becomes waste, or they feed it to their livestock, or just leave it in the soil),” Saingan said.

By integrating the market into DMCI Homes properties, the program removes the middleman and brings the farm gate to the doorstep of over 11,000 residents.

The results are measurable: farmers’ average monthly incomes have nearly tripled, jumping from ₱8,805 to ₱24,061.

The initiative has held 45 market days across 17 communities, generating ₱5.6 million in gross sales and moving 37 tons of fresh produce, ranging from highland vegetables to local wines and strawberry polvoron.

For residents, the market is a hedge against inflation.

“Especially mahal ang gasoline, you grab the opportunity that you shop here (Especially since gasoline is expensive, you grab the opportunity to shop here),” said Lyn, a DMCI resident.

The program, part of the Kaakbay corporate social responsibility framework, has seen farm production rise from 7 tons to 19.5 tons as of the first quarter of 2026, proving that when the distance to the market shrinks, the potential for growth expands.