DA Pushes for Full P176.7-B Budget in 2026 to Lift Farmers and Fishers Out of Poverty

AGRI-NEWS | NATIONAL Posted on 2025-09-16 00:54:16

MANILA – Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has urged lawmakers to grant the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) proposed PHP176.7 billion budget for 2026 in full, saying it is crucial to uplift the lives of millions of farmers and fishers while closing long-standing gaps in the sector.

During the DA’s budget deliberations before the House Committee on Appropriations on Monday, Tiu Laurel emphasized that agricultural support must extend beyond food security under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s administration. He stressed that raising farmers’ and fishers’ incomes is key to strengthening local production and ensuring affordable meals for Filipino families.

“Our goal is not simply to grow more food, but to ensure that every Filipino family has access to healthy, affordable meals—and that those who grow our food can live lives of dignity, not desperation,” he said.

Calling the sector the “backbone of the Philippine economy,” Tiu Laurel lamented its “chronic neglect,” noting that one in every five agriculture workers—around 10 million individuals—remains in poverty. “Despite their unmatched effort, many still harvest hope more than profit. Many cast their nets with uncertainty rather than security,” he added.

The DA’s proposed 2026 budget will fund programs to boost productivity, modernize farming, strengthen value chains, and improve critical infrastructure such as irrigation, cold storage, and farm-to-market roads. It will also support initiatives like Kadiwa ng Pangulo, Rice for All, disaster preparedness, mechanization, post-harvest facilities, digitalization, crop insurance, and accessible credit to help transform the agriculture and fisheries sector.

NPO News Team | PNA-PR

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