The Philippine Council of Agriculture and Food Inc. (PCAFI) recommended measures to address waste and corruption in the Department of Agriculture (DA).
The proposal was approved by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., aligning with the agency’s commitment to minimizing inefficiencies and malpractice in the DA.
The approved measures included conducting a needs analysis at the regional level as the initial step and the drafting of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) signed by all responsible parties before any grants are issued.
The MOA will include a detailed utilization proposal, ensuring financial viability through a comprehensive five-year cash flow analysis for relevant projects.
The track record and capability of beneficiary organizations will also be evaluated to confirm their qualifications. It also includes reallocating unutilized or underutilized assets to deserving beneficiaries in a timely manner.
“These measures are designed to ensure transparency and accountability while optimizing the use of resources,” said PCAFI president Danilo Fausto.
He said the Commission on Audit (COA) previously reported that the DA had unliquidated and unexplained expenses amounting to 30 percent of its budget in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
A report by the Philippine Council of Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) revealed that 35 percent of government-distributed agricultural machinery from 2019 to 2022 was either unutilized or underutilized.
Another study conducted earlier this year across provinces in three regions found a 31-percent discrepancy rate in agriculture-funded grants, excluding those supported by the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
