Press Release - Opening Remarks during the Budget Hearing of the Department of Agriculture and attached agencies and corporations

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is the government agency in charge of advancing agricultural development by providing the policy framework, public investments, and support services required for domestic and export-oriented business enterprises.

The 2024 proposed Expenditure Program of the DA of ?167.458 billion, which is comprised of ?164.312 billion (98.1%) new appropriations, and ?3.146 billion (1.9%) automatic appropriations, will fund the Office of the Secretary and its 9 attached agencies, and 8 attached corporations

The agenda for today are the proposed budgets under the fiscal year 2024 of the National Expenditure Program (NEP) of the Department of Agriculture - Office of the Secretary (DA-OSEC), with the proposed new appropriation of ?92.400 Billion, with its following Bureaus:

1. The Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM), with ?2.382 Billion;

2. The Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR), with ?951.543 Million;

3. The Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Engineering (BAFE), with ?111.184M;

4. The Philippine Rubber Research Institute (PRRI), with ?130.671 Million;

The attached agencies of the Department of Agriculture, namely:

1. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), with its approved budget of ?7.872 Billion;

2. National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI), with ?468.384 Million;

3. The Philippine Carabao Center (PCC), with ?700.773 Million;

4. The Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC), with ?2.772 Billion;

5. The Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA), with ?188.510 Million;

6. The Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF), with ?218.871 Million; and,

7. The Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA), with ?474.792 Million;

Also in our agenda are the following attached corporation of the Department of Agriculture:

8. The National Dairy Authority (NDA), with the proposed National Government Subsidy of ?218.033 Million;

9. The Philippine Fisheries and Development Authority (PFDA), with the proposed National Government Subsidy of ?4.937 Billion;10. The National Food Authority (NFA), with its ?9.000 Billion proposed National Government Subsidy;

11. The Sugar Regulatory