THE Department of Agriculture (DA) has requested an additional P45 billion for farm and fuel aid as part of its response to El Niño and the ongoing energy crisis.
“[W]e’re asking for P45 billion in the budget,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. told reporters on Monday, which will be on top of the proposed 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP).
The Department of Budget and Management has already approved and released P6.2 billion worth of farm and fuel aid that is expected to benefit 310,968 farmers and fisherfolk.
Distribution is scheduled to begin this week.
Tiu Laurel said the P45 billion will be used for fuel, rice subsidies, irrigation, tractors, harvesters and fertilizers. The El Niño, which is expected to be particularly severe, will greatly affect the country’s agricultural productivity.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration has warned that the weather pattern could persist until the first half of 2027.
It will bring below-normal rainfall, prolonged dry spells, reduced water supply and extreme heat in parts of the country.
In preparation, the DA has also expanded its storage capacity to build a bigger food buffer, with the National Food Authority now operating 365 active warehouses, up from around 300. New cold storage facilities are also being opened to extend the shelf life of meat and vegetables, the department said.
