#BudgetWatch Webinar: Funding PH’s agricultural and environmental initiatives in 2021

The agricultural and the environment departments are poised to have a meager budget this coming 2021. How will the government fund the initiatives of these departments, especially within the context of the coronavirus pandemic recovery?

Farmers and other concerned groups are calling out the government regarding the passage of the Rice Tarrification Law, which has been said to cause the plummeting of local palay prices down to around P9 to P20 per kilogram of palay. (READ: [ANALYSIS] Plummeting rice prices: How will our rice farmers cope?)

Due to the imposed measures that aim to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, some farmers were forced to throw away their produce in the weeks following the lockdown.

Despite the pandemic and the poor plight of farmers, the agriculture sector drove the economic growth of the country. In the second quarter of 2020 or during the time of lockdowns and community quarantines, the agricultural sector actually grew by 0.5%. Yet, the department would only get an inadequate budget for 2021.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) initially asked for P280 billion to implement the programs that are poised to help improve the sector that feeds the country. In the proposed 2021 budget, however, the agriculture department would only get P63.97 billion. The department would need at least P100 million to grow the sector’s contribution to the country’s gross domestic product. (READ: In Duterte’s 2021 budget, Filipinos are on their own)

Environment department on fire

On the other hand, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) was questioned by netizens when they allocated P389 million to dump dolomite sand in Manila Bay. The department claims that the dumping will not affect Manila Bay’s ecosystem, but environmental groups like Oceana Philippines think otherwise. 

Aside from the dolomite issue, the DENR received poor ratings regarding its National Greening Project (NGP). Sen. Imee Marcos even questioned the DENR about the 60% increase in the budget allocation for the NGP as compared to last year’s budget.

DENR is poised to receive P25.5 billion budget for 2021. (WATCH: Senate budget hearing for DENR for 2021 fiscal year)

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MovePH, Rappler’s civic engagement arm, and the Institute of Leadership, Empowerment and Democracy (iLEAD) teamed up to organize #BudgetWatch, a webinar series which aims engage the public in demanding lawmakers craft a budget that fully supports the fight against the negative impact of the pandemic on the country.

The fifth episode of the #BudgetWatch webinar, which will happen on October 30 at 1 pm, will tackle the government’s plans in funding the agricultural and environmental initiatives of the country.

Luis Abad, iLEAD’s chairman of the board, will provide the organization’s analysis of the agriculture and environment budget.

We will be joined in the roundtable discussion by Ms. Marita P. Rodriguez, the executive director of NGOs for Fisheries Reform, Dr. Roehlano Briones, a senior research fellow at the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, and Dr. Ben Malayang III, former Department of Environment and Natural Resources undersecretary and former president of the Silliman University.

Rappler’s Aika Rey will moderate the discussion. You may secure your slot in the webinar by signing up here.

Inputs from this webinar will be consolidated into concrete budget items and action plans that iLEAD will submit to concerned legislators before the budget season ends this year. – Rappler.com