Manila: Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. on Monday welcomed plans to reallocate part of the flood control budget to support Filipino farmers. The Office of the President announced the reallocation of PHP255 billion from the Department of Public Works and Highways' flood control program to other priority programs of various agencies, including the Department of Agriculture, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Education, and Department of Health.
According to Philippines News Agency, PHP39.37 billion of the reallocated funds will go to the Department of Agriculture. The budget will cover post-harvest facilities, fish ports, farm insurance, and direct financial assistance for farmers and fisherfolk. In an ambush interview, Tiu Laurel expressed that the additional funds would help farmers recover from losses and thanked President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for his decision.
Tiu Laurel shared that he learned about the reallocation last week, which was confirmed by President Marcos. The funds from the Department of Public Works and Highways' flood control program, which will not be implemented next year, have been redirected to the Department of Agriculture. He emphasized that this would be a significant help to farmers, with part of the funds expected to include cash assistance for those who have suffered losses this year.
Tiu Laurel also noted that they are still awaiting the final version of the allocation under the 2026 proposed budget.