DBM Press Release
UPLIFT supports early assistance to farmers; P45.67-B NDRRM Fund proposed for 2027 as additional buffer
The government is not waiting for 2027 to prepare for the possible effects of El Niño, with interventions for farmers already being front-loaded to protect agricultural production and food security, Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Acting Secretary Kim Robert C. De Leon told senators on Thursday.
During the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) Senate briefing on the proposed P7.2-trillion Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP), Acting Secretary De Leon said the government has already activated interventions under the Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) Framework to help the agriculture sector prepare early for potential disruptions caused by El Niño.
“Actually, Your Honor, we have started preparing for the possible effect of El Niño as early as now, because we have actually captured the possible effect of El Niño under the UPLIFT framework,” De Leon told Senator Risa Hontiveros.
“That is why we have facilitated some augmentation to the Department of Agriculture to start front-loading some farm inputs because they try to change their planting calendar,” he added.
De Leon said the government has provided augmentation for additional agricultural inputs, including support for fertilizer and farmers’ fuel requirements, as part of efforts to help the sector adjust to changing weather conditions and planting schedules.
“So we’re not waiting for 2027, so we’ve started working right now,” the Budget Chief stressed.
Food security, irrigation support part of preparations
During the hearing, Senator Hontiveros underscored the need for early government action amid warnings on the potential severity of El Niño, particularly its possible impact on farmers and food security.
“Kailangan paghandaan natin yung El Niño,” Hontiveros said as she asked how the proposed 2027 National Budget would help Filipinos, especially farmers, prepare for and withstand its effects.
Hontiveros also raised the potential food-security implications of adjustments in farmers’ planting calendars, noting the need for the government to anticipate the effects of delaying planting by one to two months.
De Leon assured the Senate that interventions under UPLIFT remain ongoing and are being calibrated to respond to farmers’ needs.
“UPLIFT is still ongoing. It hasn’t been disbanded, so the interventions continue, so that’s on the farmer side, not only on the fertilizer, but even their possible fuel consumption, or even looking at support, possible support for forms of irrigation,” De Leon said.
The Budget Chief added that the government is looking at different irrigation projects, including exploring solar irrigation through the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), to further support the agriculture sector.
Rather than rely immediately on extraordinary funding mechanisms, De Leon said agencies are maximizing their existing appropriations and prioritizing interventions that can be deployed early.
“DA is maximizing its existing line items as a matter of front-loading, prioritizing as well the beneficiaries,” he said.
P45.67-B NDRRM Fund proposed as additional buffer
Beyond regular agency appropriations, the government also has the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (NDRRMF) as a fiscal buffer should existing resources prove insufficient to respond to the effects of El Niño and other disasters.
“But we also have on standby the NDRRM Fund for any possible shortfall that may arise if the regular funding sources under DA would not be enough, Your Honor,” De Leon said.
Under the proposed FY 2027 National Budget, P45.67 billion is allocated for the NDRRMF, 14.68 percent higher than its FY 2026 GAA level, to strengthen the government’s capacity to help communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters and extreme weather events.
For the current year, the government likewise maintains available resources under the NDRRMF that may be tapped for eligible requirements, subject to applicable laws, rules, and conditions.
The government is also maximizing existing FY 2026 resources for food-security and water-related interventions. De Leon told senators that the National Food Authority is utilizing its existing budget for rice buffer stocking as part of its mandate, while available Department of Public Works and Highways resources may be used to repair or rehabilitate damaged rainwater collection facilities.
De Leon explained that existing Risk Resiliency Program data cover a broader range of climate and disaster risks and therefore need to be disaggregated to determine the specific amount attributable solely to El Niño.
The early interventions form part of the government’s broader effort to protect farmers’ livelihoods and food security while ensuring that public resources are available to respond quickly should El Niño place additional pressure on communities and the agriculture sector.
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FILIPINO VERSION
NEWS MATERIAL
Department Budget and Management
28 August 2026
DBM: Gobyerno, hindi na hihintayin pa ang 2027 para maghanda sa El Niño; mga kinakailangang hakbang, isinasagawa na
Nakatuon ang UPLIFT sa maagang tulong para sa mga magsasaka; iminungkahi ang P45.67-B NDRRM Fund para sa 2027 bilang karagdagang pondo
Hindi naghihintay ang gobyerno na dumating pa ng 2027 para maghanda sa mga posibleng epekto ng El Niño dahil sinimulan na ang mga hakbang para sa mga magsasaka upang maprotektahan ang produksyong pang-agrikultura at seguridad sa pagkain, ayon kay Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Acting Secretary Kim Robert C. De Leon sa kanyang presentasyon sa Senado nitong Huwebes.
Sa isinagawang Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) briefing sa Senado tungkol sa panukalang P7.2-trilyong National Expenditure Program (NEP) para sa Fiscal Year (FY) 2027, sinabi ni Acting Secretary De Leon na naipatupad na ng pamahalaan ang mga hakbang sa ilalim ng Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) Framework upang matulungan ang sektor ng agrikultura na makapaghanda nang maaga sa mga posibleng pagkaantala na dulot ng El Niño.
“Actually, Your Honor, we have started preparing for the possible effect of El Niño as early as now, because we have actually captured the possible effect of El Niño under the UPLIFT framework,” sinabi ni De Leon kay Senator Risa Hontiveros.
“That is why we have facilitated some augmentation to the Department of Agriculture to start front-loading some farm inputs because they try to change their planting calendar,” dagdag niya.
Ayon kay De Leon, naglaan ang pamahalaan ng karagdagang pondo para sa mga agricultural input, kabilang ang suporta para sa pataba at fuel na kailangan ng mga magsasaka, bilang bahagi ng mga hakbang na makatutulong sa sektor na makapag-adjust sa nagbabagong lagay ng panahon at iskedyul ng pagtatanim.
“So we’re not waiting for 2027, so we’ve started working right now,” pagbibigay-diin ng Budget Chief.
Bahagi ng paghahanda ang seguridad sa pagkain at suporta sa irigasyon
Sa pagdinig, binigyang-diin ni Senator Hontiveros ang pangangailangan para sa maagang pagkilos ng pamahalaan bunsod ng mga babala hinggil sa posibleng tindi ng El Niño, partikular na ang epekto nito sa mga magsasaka at seguridad sa pagkain.
“Kailangan paghandaan natin yung El Niño,” ani Hontiveros sa kanyang pagtatanong kung paano makatutulong ang panukalang 2027 National Budget sa mga Pilipino, lalo na sa mga magsasaka, upang makapaghanda at makayanan ang mga epekto nito.
Ibinahagi rin ni Hontiveros ang posibleng epekto sa food security ng pagbabago sa mga iskedyul ng pagtatanim ng mga magsasaka. Binigyang-diin niya ang pangangailangang maagang matukoy ng gobyerno ang mga epekto ng pagkaantala ng pagtatanim nang isa hanggang dalawang buwan.
Tiniyak naman ni De Leon sa Senado na nagpapatuloy ang mga hakbang sa ilalim ng UPLIFT at inaangkop ang mga ito batay sa pangangailangan ng mga magsasaka.
“UPLIFT is still ongoing. It hasn’t been disbanded, so the interventions continue, so that’s on the farmer side, not only on the fertilizer, but even their possible fuel consumption, or even looking at support, possible support for forms of irrigation,” ani De Leon.
Dagdag ng Budget Chief, pinag-aaralan din ng pamahalaan ang iba’t ibang proyekto sa irigasyon, kabilang ang posibilidad ng paggamit ng solar irrigation sa pamamagitan ng National Irrigation Administration (NIA), upang higit na masuportahan ang sektor ng agrikultura.
Sa halip na agad umasa sa mga hindi pangkaraniwang mekanismo ng pagpopondo, sinabi ni De Leon na ginagamit nang husto ng mga ahensya ang kanilang kasalukuyang mga alokasyon at binibigyang-prayoridad ang mga hakbang na maaari nang maisagawa agad.
“DA is maximizing its existing line items as a matter of front-loading, prioritizing as well the beneficiaries,” ani De Leon.
Iminungkahing P45.67-B NDRRM Fund bilang karagdagang buffer
Bukod sa regular na alokasyon ng mga ahensya, mayroon ding National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (NDRRMF) ang pamahalaan bilang fiscal buffer sakaling hindi sapat ang kasalukuyang mga mapagkukunan upang tugunan ang mga epekto ng El Niño at iba pang kalamidad.
“But we also have on standby the NDRRM Fund for any possible shortfall that may arise if the regular funding sources under DA would not be enough, Your Honor,” ani De Leon.
Sa ilalim ng panukalang FY 2027 National Budget, P45.67 bilyon ang inilaan para sa NDRRMF, na 14.68 porsiyentong mas mataas kumpara sa FY 2026 level nito sa General Appropriations Act (GAA). Layunin nitong palakasin ang kakayahan ng pamahalaan na tulungan ang mga komunidad na maghanda, tumugon, at makabangon mula sa mga kalamidad at matitinding kondisyon ng panahon.
Para sa kasalukuyang taon, mayroon ding mga pondong nakalaan sa ilalim ng NDRRMF na maaaring gamitin para sa iba't ibang pangangailangan, alinsunod sa mga umiiral na batas, patakaran, at kondisyon.
Ginagamit din ng pamahalaan nang husto ang mga kasalukuyang FY 2026 resources para sa mga hakbang kaugnay ng food security at tubig. Sinabi ni De Leon sa mga senador na ginagamit ng National Food Authority ang kasalukuyang badyet nito para sa rice buffer stocking bilang bahagi ng mandato ng ahensya. Samantala, maaari namang gamitin ang available na pondo ng Department of Public Works and Highways para sa pagkukumpuni o rehabilitasyon ng mga nasirang rainwater collection facility.
Ipinaliwanag pa ni De Leon na ang kasalukuyang datos ng Risk Resiliency Program ay sumasaklaw sa mas malawak na hanay ng mga panganib na dulot ng klima at kalamidad. Dahil dito, kailangan pang paghiwa-hiwalayin ang datos upang matukoy ang partikular na halagang maaaring direktang maiugnay sa El Niño.
Bahagi ang mga maagang hakbang na ito ng mas malawak na pagsisikap ng pamahalaan na protektahan ang kabuhayan ng mga magsasaka at seguridad sa pagkain, habang tinitiyak na may sapat na pondo upang mabilis na makatugon sakaling magdulot ang El Niño ng karagdagang pressure sa mga komunidad at sektor ng agrikultura.
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