DA-10’s 2025 proposed budget gets approval from RDC-X economic development committee.

 

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Department of Agriculture – Northern Mindanao’s (DA-NorMin) P20.32 billion proposed budget for the year 2025 was approved for endorsement Tuesday, February 20 by the Economic Development Committee of the Regional Development Council – Region 10.

As presented by DA-NorMin Regional Executive Director, Carlene C. Collado, 24% of the said budget is proposed under Tier 1 of the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA), while the remaining 76% will be lodged under Tier 2.

As part of its priority programs for 2025, DA-NorMin seeks to fund catalytic projects such as farm-to-market road development; agricultural machinery, equipment, and facilities support services; irrigation network services; production support services; Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD); metropolitan and agri-based products cluster approach; corn processing center expansion; and biosecurity and climate-resilient production facility.

According to Dir. Collado, the proposed budget is a product of consultative planning, encompassing the needs and priorities of the agricultural stakeholders in the region.

“We craft the budget using a bottom-up approach. The projects we propose are mainly based on the endorsement of the LGUs and the validated intents we received from farmers’ cooperatives and associations in the region,” Collado said.

Statutory appropriation for gender and development, PWDs, elderly and the youth, capacity development programs and capacity building for devolved functions and services (Mandanas-Garcia ruling implementation) are also among the programs proposed for funding by the agency in 2025.

Under the proposed budget, DA-NorMin also seeks to complete the construction of its regional office, upgrade its research facilities, and establish a new Integrated Laboratory complex in the region.

This year, DA-NorMin secured a 19% GAA-approved budget from the RDC-X endorsed budget proposal.# (ATT)