SPEAKER DY: BETTER FARMER INCOMES KEY TO FOOD SECURITY

Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III on Tuesday reiterated the House of Representatives’ support for stronger farmers’ and irrigators’ associations and the Sagip Saka Program, saying government agricultural programs must ultimately translate into higher incomes and better lives for Filipino farmers.

“Food security begins with farmer security. Kung nais nating maging matatag ang ating suplay ng pagkain, kailangan munang maging matatag ang kabuhayan ng ating mga magsasaka,” Speaker Dy said in a message delivered on his behalf by Bulacan 2nd District Rep. Augustina Dominique “Ditse Tina” C. Pancho, a member of the House Committee on Agriculture.

Pancho delivered the Speaker’s Message of Affirmation during the meeting convening farmers’ and irrigators’ associations for the Sagip Saka Program at Rangie’s Villa in San Miguel, Bulacan.

Speaker Dy stressed that improving agricultural productivity must go hand in hand with ensuring that farmers have reliable markets for their produce.

According to the Speaker, “a farmer may have good land, sufficient water and a good harvest, but if that farmer cannot find a fair and reliable market, hindi pa rin sapat ang kanyang kikitain.”

“And this is where Sagip Saka becomes especially important. The program helps bring government and institutional buyers closer to our farmers and their organizations. It gives farmers an opportunity to become not simply producers, but stronger participants in the agricultural value chain.”

As of July 2026, the Department of Agriculture reported 13,656 registered enterprises under its implementation of the Sagip Saka Act, with procurement awards reaching ?2.92 billion.

“But we want to do more. Our objective is not just better productivity; our goal is better incomes for our farmers,” the Speaker said.

Agriculture is particularly close to the heart of the Speaker, the former governor of Isabela, one of the country’s major agricultural provinces. One of the first groups he invited and personally received in his office after becoming Speaker was a group of farmers so he could hear firsthand their experiences, needs and proposals.

The House chief said the chamber takes agricultural spending seriously because agriculture affects not only food production, but also jobs, livelihoods, and food prices. The proposed 2027 budget for the Department of Agriculture and its attached corporations stands at about ?198.4 billion, covering programs for production, farm mechanization, post-harvest facilities, market access, crop protection and livestock development, among others.

“Sisiguruhin ng Kamara na ang bawat pisong inilaan para sa agrikultura ay gagamitin nang maayos at hahantong sa konkretong pakinabang para sa ating mga magsasaka,” Dy said.

“We want agricultural spending to be felt not only in reports and statistics, but in higher yields, lower production costs, better market access and larger incomes for farming families.”

The Speaker also emphasized the importance of irrigators’ associations, noting that only 2.2 million hectares out of an estimated 3.13 million hectares of irrigable land were being served by irrigation systems as of the end of 2025.

He said strong farmers’ and irrigators’ organizations are crucial to making Sagip Saka work on the ground because organized farmers have a stronger voice, greater bargaining power, better access to government support, and more opportunities to sell directly to buyers.

“We want to reduce the distance between the farm and the market. And ultimately, we want farming to become a profitable and sustainable livelihood.” (RM)