MANILA (September 10) — The Department of Agriculture (DA) is seeking billions of pesos in additional funding to protect farmers from a potentially severe El Niño, but key support for fertilizer, fuel and climate-resilient irrigation remains tied to budget releases and approval.
The DA is awaiting the release of PHP6.2 billion under the administration’s Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT), which it plans to use for fertilizer and fuel assistance to farmers and fisherfolk ahead of the expected dry spell.
The funding comes as PAGASA warns that the ongoing El Niño could persist until the first half of 2027 and may reach a “very strong” state before the end of 2026.
DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel De Mesa said Wednesday the agency does not expect a major impact on overall food supply this year, but warned that the more serious risk could come in the first half of 2027, when El Niño could hit the dry-season rice harvest.
“We do not see an impact of El Niño on our overall supply. It will be the first semester next year,” De Mesa said.
The timing is critical: the DA expects the weather phenomenon to affect rice production during the dry harvest season, raising questions about whether government assistance and irrigation investments will reach farmers before planting and production decisions are made.
“Ang isa sa mga gagawin talaga ng DA is to maximize ’yung yield doon sa mga areas na hindi apektado ng El Niño,” De Mesa said.
The strategy, however, comes with a substantial price tag.
The DA is seeking PHP6.2 billion for fertilizer and fuel assistance, an additional PHP10 billion specifically for El Niño response under the proposed 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP), and about PHP5 billion for solar-powered irrigation projects.
But only PHP500 million has been proposed for solar irrigation under the 2027 NEP — just 10% of what the DA says it needs.
That leaves a PHP4.5-billion funding gap for the irrigation program even as the department identifies water availability as a key defense against prolonged dry conditions.
The contrast raises a central question in the government’s El Niño response: whether funding will be sufficient not only to compensate farmers after losses occur, but to prevent those losses in the first place.
De Mesa said the DA is still awaiting a Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for the PHP6.2-billion UPLIFT allocation.
The assistance could include fuel subsidies for registered farmers and fishers and support for fertilizer purchases.
Farmers are already facing significant input costs. As of Aug. 28, urea-prilled fertilizer (46-0-0) was priced at PHP2,207.33 to PHP2,768.80 per 50-kilogram bag, according to the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority.
Complete fertilizer (14-14-14), meanwhile, ranged from PHP1,952.04 to PHP2,442.37 per 50-kilogram bag.
For farmers confronting higher production costs and declining water availability, fertilizer and fuel subsidies could provide short-term relief. But they do not address the longer-term vulnerability of farms dependent on irrigation systems that may not have reliable water during an extended dry spell.
The DA has therefore pushed solar-powered irrigation as a longer-term adaptation measure. The agency has been promoting climate-adaptive measures such as solar irrigation and water management as part of preparations for El Niño.
The funding discrepancy is stark: the DA wants PHP5 billion for solar irrigation but the proposed national budget contains only PHP500 million.
The difference means the agency would have to secure an additional PHP4.5 billion — or scale down the number and reach of projects — unless Congress increases the allocation.
The stakes are considerable. The DA has projected that a strong El Niño could reduce rice production by as much as 700,000 metric tons, equivalent to about 3.5% of its annual production target, according to recent reports.
That potential loss would come on top of the pressure already facing farmers from costly inputs and fuel.
The DA is also considering alternative crops, livestock and other livelihoods for rice farmers in areas expected to be hit hardest, rather than encouraging them to plant rice when water supplies are insufficient.
The emerging response therefore rests on three fronts: protect production in areas that can still support crops, subsidize farmers’ immediate input and fuel costs, and invest in irrigation and alternative livelihoods where rice production becomes too risky.
But the numbers show that the government’s preparedness is still a work in progress.
For now, PHP6.2 billion is awaiting release, PHP10 billion more is being sought for El Niño response, and a PHP5-billion irrigation request faces a proposed PHP500-million allocation.
With PAGASA warning that the dry spell could extend into 2027, the question is no longer simply how much the government plans to spend on El Niño — but how much of that money will reach farms before the losses begin.
