Mga hakbang vs. ASF, inilatag ng D.A; Pagbibigay ng dagdag-pondo sa ahensya para sa 2025, suportado ng mga kongresista
Mga hakbang vs. ASF, inilatag ng D.A; Pagbibigay ng dagdag-pondo sa ahensya para sa 2025, suportado ng mga kongresista
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00:00In order to strengthen food security in the country, supported by many congressmen,
00:05the addition of funds to the Agriculture Department for the next year
00:10is also aimed at the implementation of the ASF.
00:14This is what Mela Las Moras reported.
00:18Agriculture Secretary Francisco Chu Laurel Jr. assured that the supply of pork in the market
00:25in the other side of the African swine fever will not be lacking.
00:28Their monitoring is tight in the ASF.
00:30And next week, the first batch of vaccines is expected to arrive here.
00:36Eight towns in Batangas are affected.
00:40And basically, we have set up checkpoints with the PNP,
00:44and of course, DA officials,
00:46to control the export of pork from those areas.
00:53Definitely, the shortage before will not happen.
00:57Then, the vaccine will arrive.
00:59So, if the vaccine works,
01:01then, there will be no shortage.
01:04The media was able to observe the situation after facing the House Committee on Appropriations' hearing
01:10regarding their allocation of funds for the next year.
01:14Under the 2025 National Expenditure Program,
01:17the proposed budget of the agency is P200.2 billion,
01:22which is 6% lower than their allocation under the 2024 General Appropriations Act.
01:29According to Chu Laurel,
01:31it would be better if their 2025 budget is added
01:35to ensure food security in the country.
01:38Well, definitely, we are serious about what we will do, Mr. Chair.
01:44It is unfortunate that our request of P500 billion
01:50has become P200 billion.
01:53I guess, it boils down to what our government can provide.
01:59But of course, we will ask for a little more,
02:05if possible, before the end of the year,
02:11on how we can ask for more.
02:14With your support, I hope we can get additional funding.
02:19Many congressmen supported the addition of funds for the DA,
02:23but one of them recalled,
02:26It's good that we give additional budget to the Department of Agriculture,
02:32but we need to review the performance of all these attached agencies
02:37so that we know exactly how they perform
02:41and how they are performing right now
02:43before we add all these billions of pesos
02:46to the respective attached agencies that were mentioned, Mr. Chair.
02:51Aside from this, the issue of rice was also discussed in the hearing.
02:55The DA will continue its efforts
02:58to strengthen local production
03:01and lower the price of rice in the country.
03:04On a bigger project, we will be targeting a plan
03:09with a convergence plan of the whole DA
03:12that by the next planting season, October,
03:16we will be targeting 50,000 hectares of rice.
03:22We will plant the right seeds, give the right fertilizer,
03:26the right machineries in order to achieve
03:30a price of P29,
03:33with the concept of contract farming.
03:38Some of the issues raised are importation
03:41and the fight against corruption.
03:44One of the priorities of the government is the sector of agriculture,
03:48that is why the lawmakers are insisting
03:51that it will also be reflected in the national fund for the next year.
03:55Melales Moras for Pambansang TV in Bagong, Philippines.