Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. urged senators on Wednesday, 7 October 2025, to support the proposed P216.1-billion budget for the Department of Agriculture (DA) for 2026, describing it as a strategic investment to strengthen food security and uplift the country’s 10 million farmers and fisherfolk.

During a Senate finance committee hearing chaired by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, Tiu Laurel said the proposed budget — an increase from the P176.7 billion approved by the House of Representatives — represents long-overdue recognition of agriculture’s central role in economic recovery and national stability.

“This is a meaningful investment in the future of those who diligently and faithfully feed us,” he said.

The agriculture chief noted that despite employing one in every five Filipinos, the sector contributed only about 10 percent to the country’s gross domestic product last year. He warned that chronic underfunding has weakened productivity and widened the trade gap, forcing the Philippines to rely more heavily on food imports.

“As their representatives, it is our duty to be their advocates—to speak for them, to help them fulfill their dreams, realize their hopes, and empower them not only to uplift their own lives but also to sustain the tens of millions of Filipinos who rely on them for nourishment,” Tiu Laurel told lawmakers.

The DA’s 2026 funding priorities are anchored on the Philippine Development Plan 2023–2028, which targets agricultural modernization, higher rural incomes, and climate resilience through improved infrastructure and technology.

“This budget is not just about funding—it is about fairness, urgency, and shared responsibility,” Tiu Laurel said.