Department of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. on Wednesday urged senators to back the proposed P216.1-billion budget for the agency for 2026, calling it a long-overdue investment in the nation’s food security.
Appearing before the Senate committee on finance, chaired by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, Tiu Laurel said the proposed budget, which was raised from P176.7 billion by the House of Representatives, represents a crucial boost for a sector that has long suffered from underfunding.
“This is a meaningful investment in the future of those who diligently and faithfully feed us,” Tiu Laurel said.
He said years of limited support have weakened the sector’s contribution to the broader economy. Although agriculture employs one in every five Filipinos, it accounted for only 10 percent of the country’s gross domestic product last year.
The lack of investment has also widened the agricultural trade deficit as imports continue to rise to meet the food needs of the Philippines’ growing population, he said.
“Despite being the backbone of our economy, millions of farmers and fisherfolk remain among the most financially vulnerable—some unable to afford the very food they produce,” the DA secretary said.
