Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 5) — The National Dairy Authority (NDA) and the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC), two attached agencies of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in charge of milk production, are facing budget cuts under the proposed 2024 spending plan to the dismay of lawmakers.
During the Senate Committee on Finance’s deliberations on the proposed ₱167.5 billion funding for the DA and its attached agencies on Thursday, Undersecretary Mercedita Sombilla said the agency requested ₱1.3 billion for the NDA next year, but the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) approved only P272 million.
The DA likewise sought ₱1.4 billion for the PCC, but only ₱711 million was included in the National Expenditure Program.
Senate Committee on Agriculture chairperson Cynthia Villar, who presided over the budget hearing as head of the finance subcommittee, lamented that only 1% of the country’s milk supply is locally produced.
The bulk is exported, and only the rich can afford this, Villar said.
“Pag 1% ang production mo ng milk, ibig sabihin ang mga batang mahihirap na Pilipino hindi iinom ng milk,” Villar noted. “‘Pag hindi mo pinainom ng milk, mahirap na nga hindi pa tatalino eh wala nang pag-asang paglaki ay medyo mag-middle class sila man lang kasi magaling na sila at nakapag-aral na sila.”
[Translation: If your milk production is only 1%, that means poor Filipino children will not drink milk. Without milk, it will be hard for them to gain the intelligence they they need to at least be middle class. If they are at least middle class, they will be able to harness skills and study.]
“Tulungan ninyo kasi kawawa naman,” the senator added. “Mahirap na nga, hindi niyo pa patatalinuhin ‘di lalo namang continously maghihirap sila, ‘di ba?”
[Translation: Help them because they are pitiful. These children are already poor and yet you won’t allow them to gain intelligence. That means they will continually be poor. ]
Sombilla said the DA already made an appeal to the DBM, but to no avail.
Villar urged the DA to identify projects that are not that urgent so Congress can realign funds to the NDA and PCC.
