MANILA — The Department of Agriculture (DA) thanked senators for crossing party lines to approve its P184.1-billion budget for 2026, a move seen to strengthen government efforts to improve food security and accelerate rural development.

Senators also signaled openness to increasing the DA’s funding during the upcoming bicameral conference committee discussions.

“Now that the Senate has passed our budget, we can plan and make sure that everything is implemented properly, at the right cost, at the right time,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said, calling the approval a critical step toward stabilizing food supply and improving the lives of farmers and fisherfolk.

The proposed 2026 spending plan supports programs meant to boost production efficiency, expand market access, and modernize the agricultural value chain. Tiu Laurel said these initiatives will “plant the seeds to restore the role of the agriculture sector as a meaningful contributor to economic growth, job generation, and an investment-worthy venture.”

Agriculture accounts for around 8 percent of the country’s gross domestic product but employs one in every five Filipino workers, underscoring its importance to rural livelihoods.

Economists have long pointed out that improving local productivity could reduce import dependence, generate more domestic employment, and save foreign exchange—objectives that the DA said its 2026 programs aim to address.

A large portion of the budget is earmarked for capital investments, including post-harvest facilities and new farm-to-market roads. Tiu Laurel said these projects align with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s goal of lowering food prices by reducing transport and spoilage losses.

Senators vowed to find ways to add funding for high-value crops and additional farm-to-market roads, citing their potential to improve productivity, reduce costs, and raise rural incomes.

The budget endorsed to the Senate includes: Office of the Secretary – ₱140.02 billion; Agriculture Credit Policy Council – ₱3.36 billion; Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources – ₱11.61 billion; Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority – ₱423.23 million; National Fisheries Research and Development Institute – ₱743.51 million; National Meat Inspection Service – ₱677.49 million; Philippine Carabao Center – ₱959.337 million; Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization – ₱479.89 million; Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries – ₱264.40 million; and the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority – ₱677.15 million.

Attached corporations will also receive major allocations: National Dairy Authority – ₱531.02 million; National Food Authority – ₱11.29 billion; Philippine Coconut Authority – ₱1.92 billion; Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation – ₱7 billion; Philippine Fisheries Development Authority – ₱2.11 billion; Philippine Rice Research Institute – ₱979.83 million; and the Sugar Regulatory Administration – ₱1.02 billion.

Tiu Laurel said the Senate’s approval of the spending plan supports efforts to build a “more resilient and more future-ready” agriculture sector in 2026.