Duterte mulls raising DA budget

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte delivers his speech during the 31st anniversary celebration of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) and distribution of certificates of land ownership award (CLOA) at the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Gymnasium in Quezon City on August 27, 2019. KING RODRIGUEZ/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA — Before his term ends in 2022, President Rodrigo Duterte said he would consider raising the budget of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to help lift more farmers out of poverty.

“Maasahan ho ninyo (You can count on it). Maybe this year you’ll… Ang pinakamataas ng sa budget natin is ‘yung edukasyon then ‘yung DPWH (The biggest budget now goes to education and then the Department of Public Works and Highways),” Duterte said during the 31st anniversary celebration of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) at the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) main office in Quezon City on Tuesday night.

“Baka itong sa last two years ko, ‘yung — i-angat ko kayong mga farmers (Maybe in the last two years, I will raise it for farmers),” he added.

Duterte did not elaborate how much of a budget increase he sees for the agriculture department.

In the Duterte administration’s 2020 proposed budget of PHP4.1 trillion, the DA submitted a PHP56.

8 billion allocation.

The Department of Education will have the lion’s share of the proposed national budget with PHP673 billion, followed by the DPWH with PHP534.

3 billion.

Meanwhile, Duterte expressed hope that the DAR would successfully distribute the remaining lands to farmer-beneficiaries.

“As we highlight our accomplishments and milestones in implementing CARP, let us never lose sight of the primary aim of this program, which is to uphold the welfare of our landless farmers, promote social justice, and attain sound rural development through the equitable distribution of all agricultural lands across the country,” the President said.

Duterte, who also led the ceremonial distribution of Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) to agrarian reform beneficiaries, said he was confident that farmer-beneficiaries will be inspired to improve and increase their production through sustainable farming methods.

“With technology transfer, resource and facilities support, and capacity building programs that this administration will make available to our farmers, I am confident that we will see a stronger and brighter future for agriculture in the Philippines,” Duterte said.