P7.2T budget for 2027 includes El Niño preparedness measures —House leader

The chairperson of the House committee on appropriations assured that the House of Representatives will approve an “El Niño-ready” budget for 2027, amid forecasts of worsening dry conditions.

PAGASA earlier said a strong El Niño is already active and could intensify into a very strong El Niño by late 2026.

"It was the commitment of the House to make sure that the 2027 national budget is El Niño-ready," Rep. Mikaela Suansing of the first district of Nueva Ecija said in an online interview Friday.

The committee's Budget Amendments Review Sub Committee (BARSC) on Thursday recommended several amendments to the proposed P7.2 trillion 2027 national budget to prepare the country for the "very strong" El Niño that is expected to persist until early 2027.

Among the amendments are the P150 million for the Agricultural Transport and Support Infrastructure Project.

"This would be the cable car systems, which will be much cheaper for high-value crops being planted in the mountainous areas. So rather than building costly farm-to-market roads, this will be trams that will transport goods from one mountain to another, which will be much cheaper and more economical for our systems in high-value crops," House committee on agriculture and food head Rep. Mark Enverga said.

"Ang ganda ng programang ito kasi yung una niyang tinutugunan, yung sitwasyon ng vegetable farmers natin sa Benguet. Earlier this year, ang nangyari, yung mga kamatis, yung mga repolyo, dahil hindi nila maibaba, tinapon na lang nila sa kalsada," Suansing said.

"I believe this is not the first of its kind. There are already existing trams and monorails in some parts of the country in vegetable-growing regions in the highlands. But this one is additional, and the Department of Agriculture will improve the system," she added.

The BARSC also recommended an additional P500 million for the Expanded Fertilizer Assistance Program.

The program has already been allocated more than P14 billion under the proposed 2027 National Expenditures Program.

An additional P125 million for the Department of Agriculture and P4 billion were also recommended for solar pumps for irrigation.

The BARSC also recommended a total of P105 million for hybrid solar-powered ice plants.

Although P16 billion has already been included in the 2027 NEP for farm-to-market roads, the BARSC recommended an additional P4.96 billion.

The BARSC also recommended an additional P10 billion for the Presidential Assistance to Farmers and Fisherfolk.

The BARSC also discussed crops that rice farmers can plant when El Niño hits the country, including ube.

The 2027 budget earmarks P1.7 billion for high-value crops. The BARSC recommended allotting P100 million specifically for the country's ube industry.

The subcommittee also pitched additional funding of P275 million for UP Project Noah.

The BARSC recommended a total of P116.32 billion worth of amendments in the proposed 2027 national budget.

When asked where the BARSC will source the funds, Suansing replied, "At the moment, we are currently looking through all the programs across all the different agencies. Meron kaming mga batayan na gagamitin para i-identify aling mga programa ang puwede nating makaltasan."

Suansing said the House may approve the budget on October 7. —LDF, GMA News