THE House of Representatives is committed to helping farmers and fisherfolk protect their livelihoods from the effects of El Niño by pressing for early government action and providing additional funding for agricultural preparedness in the proposed 2027 national budget, Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III said Monday.
The Speaker said the House Committee on Agriculture held a hearing last week to assess the government’s preparations for El Niño and examine how assistance can reach farming and fishing communities before they suffer losses.
“Noong nakaraang linggo, nagsagawa tayo ng pagdinig upang suriin at paigtingin ang paghahanda ng pamahalaan sa inaasahang El Niño dahil mahalaga na mabigyan ng agarang tulong ang ating mga magsasaka at mangingisda,” the House chief said at the resumption of House plenary sessions.
The Speaker said farmers who visited the House and fisherfolk he met in Isabela raised concerns about their livelihoods. He cited those conversations in explaining why he asked the committee to focus on El Niño preparedness.
“Personal kong hiniling na tutukan ng komite ang usaping ito dahil alam natin kung gaano kabigat ang epekto ng tagtuyot sa kabuhayan ng ating mga kababayan,” Dy said.
“Kapag natutuyo ang palayan o kapag hindi makapalaot ang ating mga bangka, kapag nawawala ang kita ng isang magsasaka at mangingisda, hindi puwedeng puro plano at pangako ang ating sagot. Kailangan nilang maramdaman ang tulong ng gobyerno habang may panahon pa para maisalba ang kanilang kabuhayan,” he added.
Dy said the House increased funding for agricultural programs to prepare for El Niño in its version of the proposed 2027 national budget. The increase was part of budget realignments that followed a review of which programs needed more support and which allocations might go partly unspent within the prescribed period.
“Sa pagrepaso natin sa panukalang budget, sinuri natin nang mabuti kung aling mga programa ang nangangailangan ng karagdagang suporta at kung aling mga alokasyon ang maaaring hindi magamit nang buo sa takdang panahon,” Dy said.
“Kaya isinulong natin ang mga amendments para lalong madagdagan ang pondo para sa mga programa ng edukasyon tulad ng scholarships at school safety programs; para sa sektor ng kalusugan lalong-lalo na ang medical assistance; at para sa agrikultura, upang makapaghanda laban sa banta ng El Niño.”
metrosundaily
