In a bold move to revitalize the country’s agriculture sector, Agriculture Secretary Francisco “Kiko” Tiu Laurel Jr. is pushing for a P1 trillion fund to irrigate one million hectares of farmland.
Speaking during a Senate public hearing on Wednesday, August 20, Laurel stressed the urgent need for irrigation investments to boost local production and reduce reliance on imported food.
“Without it, we enrich foreign farmers while our own continue to struggle,” he said.
Tiu Laurel also sought the amendment of the Rice Tarrification Law (RTL) and the Local Government Code (LGC), both of which he claimed have stunted the sector’s growth.
He argued that the RTL has stripped the Department of Agriculture and the National Food Authority (NFA) of the necessary tools to manage rice supply and stabilize prices.
“As currently written, RTL does not reform the rice industry—it threatens to kill it,” Laurel said.
The hearing, led by Senate Committee on Agriculture chair Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, was convened to address the persistent rise in prices of essential food item such as rice, onions, and garlic.
“This morning and in the upcoming hearings, we won't just be discussing the price of food,” Pangilinan said. “We will find the fastest way to bring these prices down and prevent our people from going hungry.”
The proposals come amid rising inflationary pressures and growing concerns over the country’s food security.
