RAISING farmers’ incomes must be at the center of the country’s food security strategy, House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III said Tuesday as he reaffirmed the House of Representatives’ support for stronger farmers’ and irrigators’ associations and the expansion of the Sagip Saka Program.
Dy said agricultural policies should go beyond increasing production and must ensure that farmers have access to stable markets where they can sell their produce at fair prices.
“Food security begins with farmer security,” Dy said in a message delivered on his behalf by Bulacan 2nd District Rep. Augustina Dominique “Ditse Tina” C. Pancho during a meeting of farmers’ and irrigators’ associations for the Sagip Saka Program in San Miguel, Bulacan.
Dy noted that farmers could have productive land, adequate water and good harvests but still earn insufficient income if they lack reliable markets.
He said the Sagip Saka Program plays an important role in connecting farmers and their organizations with government and institutional buyers, allowing them to participate more directly in the agricultural value chain.
The Department of Agriculture reported that, as of July 2026, 13,656 enterprises had been registered under the implementation of the Sagip Saka Act, with procurement awards reaching P2.92 billion.
Dy said the government must build on these gains by ensuring that agricultural programs result in higher earnings for farming families.
“Our objective is not just better productivity; our goal is better incomes for our farmers,” he said.
The Speaker, a former governor of Isabela, also underscored the importance of agricultural spending, saying the sector affects not only food production but also employment, household livelihoods and food prices.
The proposed 2027 budget for the Department of Agriculture and its attached corporations is about P198.4 billion, covering programs for agricultural production, mechanization, post-harvest facilities, market access, crop protection and livestock development.
Dy said the House would closely scrutinize agricultural spending to ensure that public funds translate into measurable benefits for farmers.
He said the goal should be reflected in higher yields, lower production costs, improved access to markets and increased incomes.
The Speaker likewise highlighted the role of irrigators’ associations in expanding agricultural productivity. As of the end of 2025, irrigation systems were serving about 2.2 million hectares out of an estimated 3.13 million hectares of irrigable land.
According to Dy, stronger farmers’ and irrigators’ organizations can give producers greater bargaining power, improve access to government assistance and create more opportunities for direct transactions with institutional buyers.
“We want to reduce the distance between the farm and the market,” Dy said, stressing that farming must become a more profitable and sustainable livelihood for Filipino families.
He added that strengthening farmers’ organizations and improving market access would be essential to ensuring that investments in agriculture ultimately contribute to a more stable and secure food supply.
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