PCAF consults RAFCs, NSCs on FY 2026 PB proposal; upholds open governance - Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries

Posted on February 13, 2025

Recognizing the vital role of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in empowering Filipino farmers and fishers to actively shape the national budget, the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) convened nearly 30 Chairpersons from the Regional Agricultural and Fishery Councils (RAFC) and National Sectoral Committees (NSCs) for their input on the agency’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Plan and Budget Proposal on February 7, 2025 in Quezon City.

The blended CSO Consultation on the FY 2026 Plan and Budget Proposal provided a venue for the RAFC and NSC Chairpersons to share their expertise and insights, ensuring the relevance and effectiveness of PCAF’s programs, activities, and projects (PAP).

“As the Department of Agriculture’s policy-making, which facilitates broad-based participatory development mechanisms and processes, PCAF upholds the principles of the Philippine Open Government Partnership (OGP) that revitalizes the role of CSOs enabling them to participate in the national budget preparation,” said PCAF OIC Julieta Opulencia.

The OGP is a global multi-stakeholder initiative that promotes transparency and improved governance. During the opening plenary of the 2025 OGP Asia and the Pacific Regional meeting on February 6 in Taguig City, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. recognized the importance of OGP as a key mechanism to deepen participatory governance.

“By actively involving our citizens in the decision-making process, we establish their significant influence on policy development, as it should be,” the President added.

On the part of PCAF, OIC ED Opulencia encouraged the NSC and RAFC Chairpersons to share their expertise and insights to “drive ambitious reforms, strengthen democracy, and promote transparency and accountability in government” through various initiatives like the CSO Consultation.

In the consultation, the national and regional leaders were informed of PCAF’s 2024 performance by PAP’s physical accomplishments and budget utilization.

Present also in the activity were PCAF officials to provide information and take note of the feedback and gender-sensitive recommendations for the 2026 budget.

The key recommendations focused on developing evaluative studies and industry summits based on emerging and persistent agricultural issues, continuous monitoring of commodity industry roadmaps, and strengthening support of local government units and regional field offices to AFCs.

OIC Deputy Executive Director Cyril Soliaban assured the participants that their suggestions would be carefully considered and that the agency would communicate the next steps in the planning and budgeting processes.

He reiterated PCAF’s commitment to participatory governance, emphasizing the value of the contributions made during the consultation. | Jezebel Campaniel

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Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries

1 week ago

#PCAFStories | The PCAF held a series of activities to reinforce the government’s commitment to empowering farmers and fisherfolk and strengthening agricultural governance through participatory mechanisms. On February 13, 2025, the agency facilitated the dialogue between the 16 Regional Agricultural and Fishery Council (RAFC) Chairpersons and Department of Agriculture (DA) Undersecretary for Operations Engr. Roger Navarro. The dialogue, held in the agency's conference room in Quezon City, provided a venue for the RAFC leaders to raise pressing concerns specific to their localities. Usec. Navarro encouraged the RAFC Chairpersons to prepare their respective AFC Plan and Budget Proposals in coordination with their Regional Executive Offices (REOs) and RAFC Coordinators. He urged them to submit these proposals to PCAF, the DA-Regional Field Offices (DA-RFOs), and his office by February 28, 2025.A day earlier, PCAF held a meeting with the RAFC Chairpersons to assess and enhance the Farmer-Director Program. The program enables the 16 RAFC Chairpersons to assume the role of the Farmer-Regional Executive Directors (FRED) for one month. It aims to strengthen the partnership between the private and the government sector towards the development of the agriculture and fisheries industries.The session began with a presentation of the program’s 2024 accomplishments, showcasing its impact on strengthening farmer leadership and participation in agricultural decision-making.A focal point of the activity was the review of existing guidelines governing the Farmer-Director Program. RAFC Chairpersons, together with PCAF officials, examined current policies and explored proposals aimed at ensuring greater efficiency and inclusivity in the program’s implementation.Following the discussion, a workshop was conducted to provide RAFC Chairpersons an opportunity to plan their agenda as they prepared to step into their roles as farmer-directors. This session facilitated the alignment of their objectives with national agricultural policies and programs.Key concerns were also brought to the table, including the monitoring of DA programs and projects, the endorsement of policy resolutions from AFC meetings and stakeholders’ conferences, and the organization of commodity boards under the DA. Visit www.pcaf.da.gov.ph Text and photos by Bernard Masa ... See MoreSee Less

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