Duterte wants higher budget for DA – Piñol
Credit to Author: EIREENE JAIREE GOMEZ| Date: Tue, 05 Mar 2019 16:16:25 +0000
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte wants the budget for the Philippine agriculture sector raised to boost food production amid the rapidly growing population in the country, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said on Tuesday.
In a statement, Piñol said the President directed him during a Cabinet meeting on Monday to submit a budget proposal “10 times bigger” than the agriculture department’s current allocation.
“Tell me how much you need and I will ask [Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez] to give you the money,” Piñol quoted Duterte as saying. “Make use of every available area to grow food. You know how to do that,” he added.
Duterte emphasized the need for bigger support to the country’s farm sector, noting that the population was increasing by about 2 million yearly. He also asked the DA to focus on the farm-to-market food chain “to ensure that farmers and fishermen are able to sell their produce at a fair price.
The DA was also tasked to focus on small water irrigation systems, post-harvest facilities, logistics and transport facilities, and easy access credit to improve food production and reduce poverty in the country.
Over the last two years, the country’s agriculture sector was given a measly 2 percent share of the national budget. In 2017, the National Food and Agriculture Council (NFAC) endorsed a budget proposal of over P200 billion for 2018, but the DA got only P56 billion by the national government.
For this year, the DA has a total budget of P86 billion which includes the budget of newly transferred agencies like the National Food Authority (NFA), Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) and the Fertilizer and Pesticides Authority (FPA).
The DA budget also comprises of the unprogrammed funds of P10 billion for the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) and the P10 billion from the Coco Levy Fund.
The DA has just started its three-day internal budget hearing on Tuesday. All regional offices, bureaus and attached agencies will be asked to submit their budget proposals for the year 2020.
“With the President’s major policy pronouncement last night, the DA will adjust its budgetary proposals with corresponding targets to be achieved,” Piñol said.
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