DA seeks 13.6% increase in 2026 budget

FILE PHOTO: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is shown around a rice field by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel during the ceremonial Palay Harvesting and Distribution of Various assistance to farmers in Candaba, Pampanga. —MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is seeking a 13.6-percent increase in its budget next year to P176.7 billion, underscoring the need to make a “critical investment” in the country’s long-neglected farm sector.

The DA is currently allocated a budget next year of P155.6 billion, but it wants more to increase farm output through irrigation, quality seeds, fertilizer and science-based practices.

The agency aims to modernize operations using machinery, post-harvest facilities and digital tools while boosting value chains through logistics, cold storage and farm-to-market roads.

The proposal also includes expanding market initiatives through different DA programs, such as Kadiwa ng Pangulo and Rice for All that sell agricultural commodities at discounted prices.

The DA also intends to protect the livelihood of farmers and fishers with crop insurance, disaster preparedness and accessible credit.

The DA said earlier that their budget request included a P30 billion funding for the Rice Enhancement Competitiveness Fund aimed at bolstering rice farmers’ productivity and income and another P43.9 billion for national programs supporting rice, corn, high-value crops, organic agriculture, livestock and urban farming.

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Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. strongly appealed for an increased budget for the DA, lamenting the chronic neglect of the agriculture sector despite its role as a backbone of the economy.

“The truth is plain to see: our farmers and fisherfolk remain among the most vulnerable in our society,” Tiu Laurel said.