The agriculture sector will be one of the top priorities of the government in the crafting of the 2023 budget, according to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman told reporters Wednesday evening the agriculture sector could even be in the top five departments with the highest share of the budget for next year.
For 2022, agriculture takes up the seventh spot, with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the National Irrigation Administration having a combined budget of P102.5 billion.
“We have the instructions of the President (regarding the) priority programs and departments that we should give funding. Of course, we know that agriculture is very important to him, education, and we have to be consistent with the five to six percent for the infrastructure sector as a percent to GDP (gross domestic product),” Pangandaman said.
“It’s in the top (departments in 2023). Maybe top five,” she added.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also serves as the concurrent DA secretary.
The government will work on a proposed 2023 budget ceiling of P5.268 trillion.
“More or less, I will present the budget to the Cabinet on July 28 and then we’ll give the NEP (National Expenditure Program) to the Congress on August 22. I presented the timeline, he (Marcos) wanted to make sure we stick to the timeline,” Pangandaman said.
For 2022, the top 10 departments in terms of budget are education, public works and highways, health, interior and local government, defense and social welfare and development.
Next is agriculture, followed by transportation, labor and employment, and the judiciary.
