MANILA, Philippines — Senator Cynthia Villar on Thursday questioned the decrease in the 2024 budget of the National Dairy Authority (NDA) and the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC), pointing out that the country has a problem with milk supply.
Villar, chairperson of the Senate committee on agriculture, food and agrarian reform, said the milk supply in the Philippines is 1 percent of demand and 99 percent imported.
“Noon ko pa sinasabi. Several years ago. Bakit 1 percent of demand? Two agencies in milk [tapos] 1 percent of demand after 30 years? Tapos ngayon makikita pa natin na ibinababa pa ang budget,” Villar asked the Department of Agriculture (DA) during the Senate committee on finance’s hearing on the proposed 2024 budget of the agency.
(I’ve been saying it before. Several years ago. Why 1 percent of demand? Two agencies in milk [then] 1 percent of demand after 30 years? Then now we will see that the budget is being reduced further.)
DA Undersecretary Mercedita Sombilla said the PCC’s proposed allocation for next year is only P711 million, while NDA’s budget is P272 million.
Sombilla’s disclosure likewise alarmed Senator Nancy Binay.
“Kung ang DA mismo ay hindi ipaglalaban sa [Department of Bureau and Management] na talagang kailangan dagdagan ang budget ng [NDA at PCC] at aasa na lang kayo lagi sa congressional insertions, so parang ‘di namin nararamdaman ‘yung pagbibigay niyo ng importansya dito sa sektor ng ating agrikultura,” said Binay.
(If the DA itself will not fight for the PCC and NDA’s budget before the DBM and you will always rely on congressional insertions, it seems that we do not feel that you are giving importance to our agriculture sector.)
Villar lamented the low milk production in the Philippines, stressing that if local production remains at 1 percent of demand, it means that poor Filipino children will not be able to drink milk.
Villar urged the DA to reallocate its funds and weigh in on its important programs.