OFFICIALS from the Agriculture and Agrarian Reform departments on Tuesday commended President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s pronouncements at his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA), affirming their commitment to carrying out his directives.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said Marcos reaffirmed agriculture’s central place in the administration’s agenda, noting that the sector’s role extends beyond food production to improving farmers’ and fisherfolk’s livelihoods.At his SONA on Monday, Marcos cited gains including the Benteng Bigas, Meron Na! program, which has benefited more than 12 million Filipinos, with 26,000 metric tons of rice distributed so far to 2.5 million of a targeted 8 million households.He also pointed to the expansion of over 800 Kadiwa ng Pangulo outlets, fuel assistance to nearly 2 million producers under the Presidential Assistance to Farmers, Fisherfolk and Families program, and improved rice, corn, sugar, pork and poultry output since 2023, driven by irrigation, mechanization and insurance support.Other gains were 145 rice processing systems, three large cold storage facilities, nearly 40,000 farm machines and a coconut replanting program that has planted 18 million of a targeted 100 million trees by the end of his term.Marcos added that a strengthened National Food Authority, expanded crop insurance and the Asean Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve System would further boost food security.Tiu Laurel said Marcos’ continued budget support for the sector reflects an understanding that years of underinvestment cannot be reversed quickly, noting the Department of Agriculture (DA) is seeking about P220 billion for 2027 — or P4.3 billion more than its current P215.7-billion budget.Flagship projects such as cold storage facilities, food hubs, hatcheries and farm-to-market roads are under way, while new laws funding the rice and livestock industries, and the hog repopulation program should help revive the swine sector, Tiu Laurel added.Meanwhile, Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III lauded Marcos’ pledge to complete land title distribution, fully implement the New Agrarian Emancipation Act and sustain support services through the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).Marcos reported that more than 400,000 land titles covering over 500,000 hectares have been distributed to agrarian reform beneficiaries over the past four years, with full distribution targeted for completion next year.He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to implementing Republic Act 11953, which condones beneficiaries’ unpaid amortizations, and to continuing DAR support services such as irrigation and farm machinery assistance.
