News Details

House OKs Higher ?216.1-B Agriculture Budget for 2026, DA Hails Boost

NPO

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September 30, 2025

MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Monday welcomed the House of Representatives’ approval of its proposed ₱216.1-billion budget for 2026, marking a ₱39.4-billion increase from its original allocation of ₱176.7 billion.

The expanded budget will fund agricultural infrastructure, expanded crop insurance, and productivity programs targeting high-impact commodities such as coconut, the DA said.

Pampanga Rep. Anna York Bondoc, who defended the proposal during plenary debates, said the increase reflects the government’s recognition of agriculture as a vital economic driver, employing nearly one in five Filipinos and contributing almost 10 percent of GDP.

“These additional funds are a testament to our shared commitment to farmers and fisherfolk, and to securing a stable food supply for Filipino families,” Bondoc said. She added that she would work to ensure smooth passage of the measure in the Senate and bicameral conference committee.

The increase came as part of a ₱250-billion budget realignment ordered by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., which shifted funds from flood control projects toward agriculture, education, and social welfare.

Of the ₱39.4 billion augmentation, around ₱22.5 billion will go to DA’s Office of the Secretary for farm-to-market roads, cold storage facilities, and solar-powered irrigation systems. The rest—₱16.9 billion—will support coconut replanting, fish port upgrades, crop insurance expansion, sugar farm-to-mill roads, and modern post-harvest facilities.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. thanked lawmakers for the support, saying the increase moves the country closer to President Marcos’s goal of a modernized, food-secure Philippines where farming is a profitable and investment-worthy venture.

NPO News Team I PNA - PR