AGRI Party-list has called on lawmakers from both the Senate and the House of Representatives to ensure that the agriculture sector’s budget remains intact as the Bicameral Conference Committee deliberates on the 2025 General Appropriations Bill.

According to AGRI Party-list Representative and Senatorial Aspirant Manoy Wilbert “Wise” Lee, sufficient funding for agriculture is essential to achieving food security and supporting the livelihood of millions of farmers, fisherfolk and local food producers.

“Cutting the budget for agriculture at this critical time would jeopardize our efforts to achieve food security and improve the well-being of our rural communities. Deserve ng ating local food producers, na siyang ating ‘food security soldiers’, ng dagdag na suporta lalo na’t sila ang pinagmumulan ng pagkain ng ating bansa,” the Bicolano lawmaker said.

The Bicameral Conference Committee is set to reconcile the differences between the Senate and House versions of the ₱6.352 National Budget next week.

AGRI Party-list stressed that underfunding the agriculture sector could have long-term consequences, particularly in the face of rising global food prices and climate change.

“Investing in agriculture is not just about supporting our farmers, fisherfolk and local food producers, it’s about safeguarding our nation’s food supply against external shocks. A reduced budget would be a step backward in addressing these challenges,” AGRI said in a statement.

It further argued that proposed allocations are insufficient to meet the needs of local food producers and address pressing issues such as low productivity, aging infrastructure, and the lack of post-harvest facilities.

“The agriculture budget remains a small fraction of the total National Budget and is less than half of the ₱500 billion the DA was originally requesting for 2025,” the Party-list stressed. 

“Kung seryoso tayo na magkaroon ng murang pagkain sa hapag ng bawat pamilyang Pilipino, dapat maging prayoridad ang dagdag na suporta sa mga magsasaka, mangingisda, at buong sektor ng agrikultura. Sa pamamagitan nito, hindi lang mapapataas ang kanilang kita, mapapaunlad din ang produksyon, dadami ang supply, at bababa ang presyo ng pagkain at iba pang bilihin sa merkado,” it added.

AGRI, which has been at the forefront of fighting for a better agriculture sector in the country, urged both Congress  chambers to work together to prioritize the needs of local food producers in the final version of the budget.

“This is not just about passing the budget law. It’s about making a commitment to the millions of Filipinos who rely on agriculture for their livelihood. Sa suporta sa agrikultura, panalo ang masa!” AGRI stressed.