The Department of Agriculture (DA) said the increased budget allocation for the agriculture sector in 2026 will strengthen food production, ensure long-term food security, and accelerate rural development and inclusive economic growth.

DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. on Thursday welcomed the P215 billion allocation for the department under the P6.793 trillion national budget for 2026, expressing gratitude to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., as well as to the Senate and the House of Representatives, for the increased funding.

“The increased allocation reflects a clear understanding that agriculture is central to food security, rural development, and inclusive economic growth,” Tiu Laurel said during a press briefing in Malacañang.

The agriculture chief also thanked Marcos for his strong support for programs aimed at strengthening rice production, expanding palay procurement, and making rice more affordable through the Benteng Bigas Meron Na program.

“These initiatives strike at the heart of our mandate, ensuring fair, stable prices for our farmers while making rice affordable for the Filipino people,” Tiu Laurel said.

Under Marcos’ directive, the Benteng Bigas Meron Na program seeks to stabilize rice prices and improve access to the staple food by offering rice at P20 per kilo to vulnerable sectors. 

Tiu Laurel said strengthened palay procurement has helped reduce farmers’ dependence on middlemen while providing them with a more reliable market for their harvest.

He added that in 2026, the program is set to expand to benefit up to 15 million families, or around 60 million Filipinos.

Tiu Laurel also noted that a significant portion of the DA’s 2026 budget will go toward farm modernization, which he described as crucial to lowering production costs, improving efficiency, and addressing labor constraints in the sector.

“These investments are critical to lowering production costs, improving efficiency, and addressing labor constraints. Simply put, this will allow farmers and fisherfolk to earn more from the same effort,” he said.

The DA chief also welcomed the increased focus on digitalization, modern data systems, and digital platforms, which he said would enhance transparency, speed up service delivery, and ensure that government assistance reaches the intended beneficiaries.

Equally important, Tiu Laurel said, is continued investment in infrastructure such as irrigation systems, post-harvest facilities, cold storage, farm-to-market roads, and deepwater agricultural ports to reduce losses, raise productivity, and better connect producers to markets.

“The P215 billion budget is not just about spending more; it is about spending smarter to raise incomes, strengthen the agricultural value chain, and bring real, lasting development to the countryside,” he added.