Solon wants higher funding for agriculture

MANILA – The PHP6.352-trillion National Expenditure Program (NEP) has allotted PHP211.3 billion for the agriculture sector next year.

Agri Party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee on Tuesday vowed to push for more during deliberations for the 2025 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) at the House of Representatives.

The budget proposal of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and its attached agencies and the Department of Agrarian Reform was down by 4.7 percent or from PHP221.7 billion in 2024.

“Kahapon sa DBCC briefing, natalakay itong pagkaltas sa pondo ng agrikultura. Nakahanda po tayong amyendahan ang budget para dito para madagdagan at ma-iwasto dahil para sa atin, ito ang dapat na prayoridad at dagdagan ng suporta ng gobyerno (During the (Development Budget Coordination Committee briefing on Monday, cuts in the agriculture budget were discussed. We are ready to amend the budget for this, to correct and increase it because for us, agriculture should be prioritized and given additional support by government),” Lee said in a news release.

“With this year’s drought brought about by the El Niño, and the La Niña in the coming months, we need adequate financial support to boost productivity and re-energize the sector to achieve food sufficiency and food security,” he added.

The Department of Budget and Management said the bulk of the funds will be used for modernization programs as well as cash aid to farmers and fisherfolk.

Lee said the proposed PHP211 billion budget is a far cry from the PHP513.81 billion target announced by the DA in April.

He said investing in agriculture and providing adequate support to farmers and fisherfolk will lead to higher productivity, less dependence on imports, and lower prices of food and other basic necessities.

“Ang pinakamabisang solusyon sa inflation ay pagtulong sa mga magsasaka at mangingisda -- ang ating food security soldiers. Kaya kailangan na laging top priority ang agrikultura (The best solution to inflation is to provide support to farmers and fisherfolks -- our food security soldiers. That is why agriculture should always be the top priority),” Lee said. (PNA)