Manila: A party-list group has called upon the bicameral conference committee (bicam) currently deliberating on the 2025 General Appropriations Bill to ensure that the budget allocated to the agriculture sector remains intact. The group emphasized that any cuts to the agricultural budget could undermine the Marcos administration's food security goals and affect the livelihoods of millions of people. According to Philippines News Agency, AGRI Party-list Representative Wilbert Lee expressed that local food producers, regarded as "food security soldiers," deserve increased support as they are the backbone of the country's food supply. The bicam is tasked with reconciling disagreeing provisions within the PHP6.352 trillion national budget. The AGRI Party-list highlighted that underfunding the agriculture sector could result in long-term repercussions, particularly amidst rising global food prices and the challenges posed by climate change. The group stated that investing in agriculture is essential not only for supporting farmers, fisherfolk, and local food producers but also for safeguarding the nation's food supply against external shocks. A reduced budget, they argue, would be a setback in tackling these pressing issues. The party-list group pointed out that the proposed allocations are insufficient to address the needs of local food producers and other critical concerns such as low productivity, aging infrastructure, and inadequate post-harvest facilities. The agriculture budget remains a small fraction of the total national budget and falls short of the PHP500 billion requested by the Department of Agriculture for 2025. The statement from the group underscored the importance of prioritizing additional support for farmers, fisherfolk, and the entire agriculture sector to ensure affordable food prices for Filipino families. They argued that such support would not only enhance the income of those in the agriculture sector but would also lead to increased production, greater supply, and lower prices of food and o ther essentials in the market. The AGRI Party-list emphasized that the issue extends beyond merely passing a budget law, highlighting the need for a commitment to the millions of Filipinos who depend on agriculture for their livelihood.