Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform Chairperson Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan is calling for an increased budget allocation for local ube production under the 2027 National Budget amid the rising demand for ube in the market.

The Senator also highlighted a study conducted by the Philippine Root Crop Research and Training Center, which identified the following challenges in ube production:

• Limited access to equipment and other resources
• Pests and plant diseases
• Lack of mechanization
• The dominance of small-scale farming systems

Aside from ube production, Pangilinan noted that funding for the Department of Agriculture and attached agencies is to be boosted to provide sufficient support for farmers and fisherfolk and address the challenges in food security in the Philippines. 

“Sa paghahanda para sa deliberasyon ng 2027 national budget, tututukan natin ang pagpapalakas ng pondo para sa Department of Agriculture at mga attached agencies nito upang mabigyan sila ng sapat na kakayahan at kagamitan para suportahan ang ating mga magsasaka at mangingisda, palakasin ang sektor ng agrikultura at pangingisda, at tugunan ang kasalukuyan at mga paparating na hamon sa food security ng bansa,” based on the online issued statement