News Details

DA Chief Rallies Unity, Innovation as 2026 Budget, Agri Reforms Face Congress

NPO

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August 15, 2025

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. has urged unity and creativity within the Department of Agriculture (DA) as it navigates scrutiny over its proposed 2026 budget and pushes for key legislative reforms in Congress.

“We’ve come a long way, but the journey ahead remains long. While we have achieved much, there is still more to be done to realize our shared goal: a prosperous farm, fisheries, and livestock sector that creates jobs for millions and ensures a food-secure Philippines,” Tiu Laurel said, opening the DA’s two-day Management Committee meeting.

The proposed National Expenditure Program for 2026 pegs the DA budget at ₱176.7 billion, up from this year’s ₱155.6 billion. Notably, it triples funding for the Rice Enhancement Competitiveness Fund to ₱30 billion and allocates ₱43.9 billion for national programs covering rice, corn, high-value crops, organic farming, livestock, and urban agriculture.

Tiu Laurel stressed the need for efficiency, warning, “We must perform well. We cannot ask for more resources if we fail to deliver,” citing a slowdown in fund obligations during the second quarter after a strong start this year.

The DA is seeking amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law and the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act to enhance farmer support and remove growth bottlenecks. Tiu Laurel likened the department’s needed unity to “a dragon boat crew moving to the steady rhythm of a single beat—the beat of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s vision for modern, inclusive, and resilient agriculture.”

To advance the reforms, the agriculture chief has secured bipartisan support from Quezon Rep. Mark Enverga and Senator Francis Pangilinan, chairs of the House and Senate agriculture committees.

—NPO News Team, DA-PR