AGRICULTURE Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. expressed gladness over the signing of the 2026 national budget, although he has not seen the details.
On Monday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved the P6.793 trillion general appropriations act (GAA), but not after vetoing almost P92.5 billion in unprogrammed appropriations.
“I haven’t seen the actual GAA in its entirety, so it’s difficult to comment,” Tiu Laurel said in a statement. “We’re happy that the budget has finally been [approved], but we still need to review what the final version entails.”
On paper, the Department of Agriculture (DA) will get a total of P297.102 billion — higher than the P176.7 billion in the proposed 2026 National Expenditure Program, and the P155.6 billion it received in 2025.
Increased funding would boost food production, rural development, and long-term food security, Tiu Laurel said, noting that investing on infrastructure, farming support, and postharvest facilities would reduce losses and stabilize food supply.
In particular, investment in farm-to-market roads (FMRs), irrigation systems, storage, and cold chain facilities will lead to higher farmers’ income while keeping prices stable for consumers, Tiu Laurel explained.
The DA is one of the agencies to benefit from a higher budget, following a reallocation of flood control funds from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) whose officials are embroiled in the biggest corruption scandal to hit the country.
Aside from the DA budget for FMRs more than doubling to P33 billion from the originally proposed P16 billion, the agency said DA will also take over its implementation from the DPWH.
Allocation for the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund has been tripled to P30 billion from the previous P10 billion, mandated under Republic Act (RA) 12078, which amended RA 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law.
The newly enacted RA 12308 or the Animal Industry Development and Competitiveness Act is allotted P20 billion.
The government is likewise funding the expansion of the P20-per-kilogram rice initiative or the Benteng Bigas, Meron Na! program.
Vigilance is necessary to ensure that the program reaches farmers, fisherfolk, and other stakeholders along the value chain, Tiu Laurel said, pointing out that public spending should not just be on paper, but must translate into tangible benefits on the ground.
He stressed the importance of aligning budget priorities with ongoing reforms, such as modernization, climate resilience, and food security, and that postharvest support remains a top concern to address losses from lack of storage facilities and challenges in logistics.
