The Department of Agriculture (DA) will import over four million tons of rice following the huge setback caused by the recent tropical cyclones in the rice production.

"Yes. I think so. Unfortunately, I just received a report from the DA, mukhang madadagdagan ang importation natin. We will import close to four and a half million tons," said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday.

Marcos said the government will do "everything to control the price of the food".

"We were at 3.9 million (tons of rice) last year. The upper estimate is 4.5 (million tons). But we have already in place the prices of rice ? imported rice has gone down significantly since last year. And we are not in competition like during the El Nino period," he said.

"The prices are staying at about 400 plus, $400 per ton....So, our imports should be at that price. We will see. We’ll do everything to control the price of the food, especially all of those products that have been damaged or destroyed by 'Pepito'. Not only 'Pepito', the whole series of typhoons that have come," he added.

Marcos noted that this is the first time after the Second World War that "six typhoons" hit the country within three weeks.

"Six typhoons in three weeks. Never in history... it happened in 1946. But in my lifetime, I haven’t seen it... Yeah, since just after the war. So, we are back to that. So, we just have to deal with it," he said.

During the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council briefing in Camp Aguinaldo, Marcos said Pepito, the sixth tropical cyclone to enter the country in less than a month, "looks very large and very strong."

Since October 21, different parts of the country, especially Northern Luzon, have been affected by a series of tropical cyclones Kristine, Leon, Marce, Nika, Ofel and Pepito. Robina Asido/DMS