Arthur Fuentes

Flood water subsides in parts of Cagayan on Novermber 17, 2020, days after rains brought by Typhoon Ulysses inundated large parts of the province and neighboring Isabela adjacent to the Cagayan River. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Farm road

Agatha Gregorio

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — House Deputy Minority Leader Rep. Sergio Dagooc has criticized the head of the National Irrigation Administration for not replying to his request for information on alleged &quot;farm-to-cockpit&quot; roads. </p><p>Dagooc said he would file a case against NIA Administrator Eduardo Guillen at the Ombudsman for supposedly failing to reply to his letter asking for NIA&#x27;s quarterly report within 15 days.</p><p>Dagooc earlier raised the alarm on alleged “farm-to-cockpit roads,” which have allegedly been funded over farm-to-market roads (FMR).</p><p>“You have the responsibility na tingnan ‘yun kung na-implement nang tama ng implementing agency. Kasi hindi na po FMR (farm-to-market road). ‘Yung iba po FCR na po, farm-to-cockpit road. I have evidence on that,” Dagooc said.</p><p>Dagooc is asking for both the report and a certification from the Department of Agriculture to confirm the areas they are recommending for irrigation.</p><p>&quot;Just to satisfy ‘yung duda ko na basta na lang kayo lagay ng lagay ng irrigation kagaya ng ginawa niyo sa Dinagat. That’s the tip of the iceberg. Walang tubig, nilagyan niyo ng irrigation,” Dagooc said.</p><p>Guillen replied that they submitted the agency performance review to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), but they will also submit this to the House of Representatives.</p><p>The NIA administrator also apologized for having overlooked the matter, adding that their projects are based on the national irrigation master plan.</p><p>The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), AMIHAN National Federation of Peasant Women, and farmers protested in front of the Batasang Pambansa Complex on Monday to condemn P16-billion funding for FMR in 2026 when there is supposedly a 36,000-km backlog worth P300 billion.</p><p>KMP also called for part of the budget for flood control under the National Expenditure Program (NEP) in 2026 to instead be allocated for production subsidy for farmers and fisherfolk.</p><p>The DA’s budget is at P176.70 billion under the 2026 NEP, 13.59 percent higher than what is allocated in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA). </p><div><strong>QUICK RESPONSE FUND</strong></div><p>House Committee on Appropriations Chairperson Rep. Mikaela Suansing asked the DA to revisit its policies on the release of the quick response fund (QRF) over concerns that people in need of assistance after calamities are unable to obtain aid.</p><p>Suansing said she was surprised that only around P540 million out of the P1 billion allotted for the fund was released despite the country experiencing numerous tropical cyclones in 2024.</p><p>“Baka hindi natin natutugunan talaga ‘yung pangangailangan nung mga lugar, ‘yung mga magsasaka, ‘yung mga may livestock po na kailangan talaga nung quick response fund na ‘yun immediately after the calamity,” Suansing said during a meeting on Monday by the House Committee on Appropriations regarding the DA’s 2026 budget.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/6/27/2026-national-budget-set-at-p6-793-trillion-1021">2026 national budget set at P6.793 trillion</a></div><p>According to the committee chairperson, she received plenty of feedback from other lawmakers that they are unable to access the QRF.</p><p>“Ang dami po kasing feedback from our colleagues here in the House na hindi namin ma-access ‘yung QRF at all. Like kahit lumapit na kami sa mga RD namin, sa Central Office, hindi po kami nabibigyan ng QRF. Definitely nawawala ‘yung Q. Hindi talaga quick kung ma-release man at all,” Suansing said.</p><p>DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel explained that the delay is due to procurement and the wait for funds.</p><p>According to the DA, as of December 31, 2024, the obligation rate for the QRF was at 54.57 percent, while the disbursement rate was at 41.2 percent.</p><p>The agriculture chief also vowed to look into what Suansing called a “problem” surrounding the QRF and its release.</p><p>“I will personally look into this immediately. And we’ll make sure na magamit na nang maayos nang mabilis,” Tiu Laurel said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/7/23/sss-to-reduce-calamity-loan-interest-rates-1439">SSS to reduce calamity loan interest rates</a></div><div><strong>P450 MILLION SOFTWARE SUBSCRIPTION</strong></div><p>Tiu Laurel and Guillen defended the subscription for an advance weather forecasting subscription worth P450 million after ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio likened some of NIA’s contracts to those of the Department of Public Works and Highways.</p><p>“So ito ay para sa Tomorrow Companies. Kumpanya ito ni Bill Gates. Tapos magpo-provide daw ito ng one-year subscription in advanced weather forecasting solutions. Well, nakita po natin trend actually sa maraming mga ahensiya ng gobyerno—lumolobo po ‘yung mga subscription services. And this is one concrete example,” Tinio said, later asking how the amount was to be justified.</p><p>According to Tiu Laurel, this is a very important subscription that is part of efforts towards “modern agriculture” and increasing production among farmers.</p><p>“I think that is part of the tools we will be using for ‘yung ating modern agriculture to increase production. Although ‘yung 450 million is the first tier ‘yan including installation. Subsequent years maybe only 25 percent of the amount from what I understand. May software din tayo na kabit diyan. It’s an app that the farmers can use para ma-tailor fit sa planting calendar,” Tiu Laurel said.</p><p>Guillen said the software was able to forecast the weather, which allowed dam operators to decide if they should release water or not. Dams  are now full of water because of this, which also helped produce an additional two million metric tons of crops, according to Guillen.</p><p>“Dati-rati, ‘pag may paparating na bagyo at ninerbiyos ‘yung mga tao natin, bukas nang bukas ng gate. ‘Yun pala wala naman palang babagsak na ulan. So ngayon po ‘yung mga dams natin lahat po ‘yan halos puno,” Guillen said.</p><p>“‘Yun pong pagde-determine namin sa tamang cropping calendar. Alam niyo po ba—kanina naikuwento ko na nai-move namin ‘yung aming cropping calendar in October. Alam niyo ba po ang additional production natin dahil doon sa 350,000 hectares is two million metric tons po na palay? So magkano ang amount noon compared doon sa ating subscription?” Guillen asked.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DBtwZBpY_Fs?si=UGR7yvRABQ88Om0B" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>The lawmaker earlier raised the alarm on alleged “farm-to-cockpit roads,” which have allegedly been funded over farm-to-market roads (FMR).</p>

The lawmaker earlier raised the alarm on alleged “farm-to-cockpit roads,” which have allegedly been funded over farm-to-market roads (FMR).

Solon hits Irrigation official amid inquiry into 'farm-to-cockpit' roads

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Solon hits Irrigation official amid inquiry into 'farm-to-cockpit' roads

Agatha Gregorio,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 15, 2025 09:52 PM PHT

Read More:

quick response fund

Department of Agriculture

House of Representatives

budget

farm to market road

farm to cockpit road

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