PBBM's birthday wish: Agri sector dev't, better lives for farmers

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. wishes to improve the country’s agriculture sector to provide better lives for Filipino farmers. 

Marcos conveyed his birthday wish on the sidelines of the launching of  Agri-Puhunan at Pantawid Program in Guimba, Nueva Ecija on Friday. 

The President hoped that every Filipino farmer could feel the benefits of the programs being pushed by the Department of Agriculture, with the help of the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and other financing institutions in the country. 

‘Yung buong sistema ng agrikultura ay ang birthday wish ko, mabuo na natin, para maganda ang takbo ng sektor ng agrikultura, para gumanda ang buhay ng bawat magsasaka, ng kanilang pamilya, at ng bawat Pilipino (The whole system of agriculture, my birthday wish is—let’s build an agricultural system so that the agricultural sector will run well, so that the lives of every farmer, their family, and every Filipino will be better),” Marcos told reporters. 

Marcos, who once served as the DA chief, pushed for making farming more bankable as well as attracting more and bigger investments, nurturing a new generation of farmers by uplifting their living conditions. 

His primary goal was to ensure national food security and sustainability in the Philippines.

On his 67th birthday celebration, Marcos touted local farmers’ diligence and honored their perseverance and sacrifices for continued agricultural activities. 

“Kayo ang bumubuhay sa ating bayan. Sa inyo nagmumula ang ating kasaganahan. Sa inyong mga kamay nakasalalay ang seguridad ng pagkain ng ating bansa (You are the ones who provide for our country. Our abundance comes from you. The food security of our country lies in your hands),” he said.

“Nararapat lamang na gunitain natin at kilalanin natin ang inyong kabayanihan at bigyang-pugay ang inyong walang kapantay na kahusayan at kasipagan (It is only fitting that we commemorate and recognize your heroism and pay tribute to your unparalleled excellence and diligence),” Marcos added.

The government launched the Agri-Puhunan at Pantawid Program to assist rice farmer-members of agricultural cooperatives across 1.2 million hectares nationwide.

This program aims to increase local farmers’ productivity and income by providing low-cost credit, financial assistance, and a ready market for their harvests.

During the dry cropping season (2024-2025), the government aims to offer credit facilities to 50,000 hectares of rice farmers and cooperatives, starting with established cooperatives under the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) in the Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation Systems (UPRIIS), Magat River Integrated Irrigation System (MARIIS), and NIA systems serving the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

The DA and DBP have secured the initial P3-billion funding to provide a combination of low-interest loans and subsistence allowances for farmers.

DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said the APP program is aligned with the Marcos administration’s goal to make farming more bankable and attract more agricultural investors. 

“We will provide our farmers with the financial resources needed to pursue their vocation,” he said. 

Laurel added the initiative is designed to address critical challenges faced by local farmers such as access to financing, rising costs of inputs, and market instability.

Marcos said his administration would continue to work hard in promoting farmers’ rights and welfare.