Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. on Wednesday urged senators to back the proposed P216.1-billion budget for the Department of Agriculture (DA) for 2026, calling it a crucial investment in food security and the welfare of farmers and fisherfolk.
Speaking before the Senate Committee on Finance, chaired by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, Tiu Laurel emphasized that the upgraded budget—raised from P176.7 billion by the House of Representatives—would address years of underfunding in a sector vital to national survival but economically sidelined.
“This is a meaningful investment in the future of those who diligently and faithfully feed us,” he said.
Despite employing one in five Filipinos, the agriculture sector contributed only 10 percent to GDP last year. Tiu Laurel warned that continued underinvestment has weakened the sector’s role in the economy and widened the country’s agricultural trade deficit, with growing reliance on food imports.
The DA chief said that many farmers and fishers remain among the country’s poorest, often unable to afford the food they produce. He urged lawmakers to act as advocates for the sector and support initiatives aimed at raising incomes, modernizing agriculture, and enhancing resilience through infrastructure and climate-smart technologies.
Guided by the Philippine Development Plan 2023–2028, the DA’s 2026 budget priorities include agricultural modernization, disaster preparedness, and rural development.
“This budget is not just about funding—it is about fairness, urgency, and shared responsibility,” Tiu Laurel said.
