Rep. Brian Poe seeks P100-M funding for ube industry

MANILA, Philippines — Rep. Brian Poe of the FPJ Panday Bayanihan Party-List pushed for a dedicated ₱100-million allocation for the Philippine ube industry during the Budget Amendments Review Sub-committee (BARSC) meeting at the House of Representatives on Thursday.

Poe, vice chair of the House Committee on Appropriations, raised concerns during the agriculture budget deliberations over the lack of specific allocations for individual crops under the proposed fertilizer budget.

He said the budget review presented an opportunity to provide targeted support to an agricultural industry with growing national and export potential.

Article continues after this advertisement

READ: Global ube boom highlights problems for Filipino farmers

FEATURED STORIES

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

“The budget for fertilizer is unspecified per crop. There is a specific crop that I would be remiss in not championing. Hopefully, we can align some of this budget to support the ube industry of the Philippines,” Poe said.

He noted that there had been requests within the Department of Agriculture for support for the ube industry, emphasizing the need for the Philippines to strengthen its own production.

He said it would be a loss for the Philippines if neighboring countries overtook it in ube production, which he described as “something nationally important to us.”

He later clarified that the proposed amount would be in addition to the existing ₱1.7-billion allocation for high-value crops, bringing the total allocation to ₱1.8 billion, with ₱100 million specifically earmarked for the ube industry.

Article continues after this advertisement

Poe’s proposal drew support from key members of the agriculture and budget committees.

Rep. Mark Enverga, chair of the House Committee on Agriculture and Food, expressed his support for the proposal, saying he was “very much amenable” to Poe’s recommendation.

Article continues after this advertisement

Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan likewise backed Poe’s proposal, highlighting the importance of expanding the country’s ube production and export potential.

Libanan specifically cited Eastern Visayas and its locally grown kinampay variety, which he described as a high-quality violet ube variety with high demand. He also pointed to its potential resilience even against super typhoons.

READ: Everything ube: DA moves to cash in on ‘Purple gold rush’

“I would like to support the recommendation of Honorable Poe, as much as we really need this industry, the production and the exportation of ube,” Libanan said.

For Poe, the proposed funding seeks to ensure that the country’s ube sector is not overlooked amid broader agricultural spending priorities.

His intervention during the BARSC deliberations puts the ube industry among the specific agricultural sectors being considered for targeted government support as lawmakers review and adjust the proposed budget.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.

Your subscription has been successful.

The proposed ₱100-million allocation for ube remains part of the budget review process, with the BARSC deliberations determining the amendments and adjustments to be incorporated into the House’s budget recommendations. /atm