FACT CHECK: Gov’t hasn’t allocated P1 trillion for the National Food Security Convergence Program

Claim: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. allocated P1 trillion for the National Food Security Convergence Program.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: As of writing, the YouTube video containing the claim has over 54,516 views and 2,400 likes.

Just a proposal: The video cited Marcos’ sectoral meeting with the Department of Agriculture on February 28, 2023, that discussed how to ensure food security. Among the topics brought up was the National Food Security Convergence Program, which aims to support Philippine farmers and enhance the wealth creation capacity of the agriculture sector.

In the press briefing in Malacañang that followed the meeting, National Irrigation Administration Acting Administrator Eduardo Eddie Guillen said that the agency had more than P1 trillion worth of projects that the NIA was proposing to Marcos.  

Based on a transcript of the briefing, Guillen repeatedly said that the NIA hoped to be given P200 billion per year for dam projects throughout Marcos’ term to improve the country’s agricultural landscape. Nowhere in the briefing did Guillen say that Marcos already approved the proposed budget. 

News reports from the Philippine News Agency, PTV Philippines, The Philippine Star, and GMA News Online about the meeting also didn’t say that the President already approved a budget for the National Food Security Convergence Program. – Lorenz Pasion/Rappler.com

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