The Department of Agriculture (DA) thanked senators for crossing party lines to approve its P184.1-billion proposed budget for 2026, a move expected to bolster food security efforts and accelerate rural development initiatives. Lawmakers also signaled willingness to increase allocations during the bicameral conference committee.

“With the Senate’s approval, we can now plan and ensure everything is implemented properly, at the right cost, at the right time,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said, noting that the spending plan is crucial for stabilizing food supply and improving the welfare of farmers and fisherfolk.

The 2026 budget funds programs aimed at raising production efficiency, expanding market access, and modernizing the agricultural value chain—measures Tiu Laurel said are necessary to restore agriculture’s role as a key driver of economic growth, jobs, and investment. Although the sector accounts for only about 8% of GDP, it employs roughly one in every five Filipino workers, underscoring its outsized importance to rural livelihoods.

Economists have long argued that lifting agricultural productivity would reduce the country’s reliance on imports, strengthen domestic employment, and save foreign exchange—objectives the DA says its 2026 initiatives are designed to pursue. A significant portion of next year’s outlay will support capital investments such as post-harvest facilities and new farm-to-market roads, aligning with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s goal to curb food prices by reducing transport and spoilage losses.

Senators said they would work to secure additional funding for high-value crop programs and more infrastructure, citing their potential to improve productivity and raise rural incomes.

The DA’s Senate–endorsed budget will also cover major attached agencies such as National Dairy Authority, the National Food Authority, the Philippine Coconut Authority, and the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation, among others.

Tiu Laurel said the Senate’s support sets the stage for a “more resilient and more future-ready” agriculture sector in 2026.