Ube or purple yam, a crop deeply associated with Filipino cuisine, is being pushed for a larger role in the country’s agricultural sector as lawmakers seek to build a stronger industry around the growing demand for ube-based products.
Leyte 4th District Rep. Richard Gomez filed House Bill No. 10225, or the proposed Philippine Ube Industry Development Act, on Aug. 2. The measure seeks to declare ube a national priority crop and establish a framework focused on improving production, research, processing, branding, and export promotion.
“For a long time, ube was not given priority. We only recently realized that this is a golden crop,” Gomez said.
The proposed law also calls for the creation of a Philippine Ube Industry Council, which would coordinate efforts among government agencies and industry stakeholders. It aims to strengthen support for farmers through access to quality planting materials, improved production systems, and expanded market opportunities.
Gomez said Leyte has strong potential for wider ube cultivation because of its soil conditions and available idle lands.
“Ube thrives in our soil, and we have many vacant areas that can be used for its production. This can be achieved with government support,” he said.
Ormoc City has already started preparing a five-hectare demonstration farm to promote ube production and encourage more farmers to cultivate the crop. The project will use tissue-cultured planting materials developed by the Philippine Root Crop Research and Training Center of Visayas State University.
The push comes as demand for ube products grows in local and international markets, while supply remains a challenge. PhilRootcrops data showed Philippine ube production dropped from around 30,074 metric tons in 2006 to about 14,000 metric tons in 2020.
In 2025, Eastern Visayas produced about 2,800 metric tons of ube, with Leyte contributing around 1,900 metric tons. The proposed measure seeks to expand production capacity and develop the Philippine ube industry for local and export markets.
