The Department of Agriculture (DA) urged the Senate to support its proposed P216.1billion budget for 2026 and to regard it as an investment in food security and the future of farmers and fishers.
During a Senate hearing on the proposed budget of the DA on Wednesday, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the proposed budget, an upgrade from P176.7 billion by the House of Representatives, represents a ‘long-overdue boost for a sector that feeds the nation but has long been underfunded.’
‘This is a meaningful investment in the future of those who diligently and faithfully feed us.’
He noted that years of ‘limited funding’ have weakened the farm sector’s role in the economy.
The DA said that even though the sector employs one in every five Filipinos, it contributed just 10 percent to GDP last year.
Meanwhile, the agency noted that underinvestment has widened the country’s agricultural trade deficit as food imports grow to meet the needs of the country’s population.
Despite being the backbone of the economy, millions in the sector remain among the country’s most financially vulnerable, with some unable to afford the food they produce.
‘As their representatives, it is our duty to be their advocates-to speak for them, to help them fulfill their dreams, realize their hopes, and empower them not only to uplift their own lives but also to sustain the tens of millions of Filipinos who rely on them for nourishment,’ the DA chief said.
Next year, the agency will focus on agricultural modernization, increasing incomes for farmers and fishers, and building resilience through infrastructure, climate-smart technologies, and disaster preparedness.
‘This budget is not just about funding-it is about fairness, urgency, and shared responsibility.’
Earlier, the DA received additional funding earmarked for its programs from the cancelled flood control projects.
This came from the House, which realigned the P255 billion originally allotted for flood control projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways.