Manila, Feb. 9 -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) will prioritize projects with strong and sustainable returns under its multiyear budget plan.

At a recent two-day budget planning session, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. stressed the need to strategically allocate limited resources, focusing on projects with an internal rate of return of 12 percent to 14 percent per year or a payback period of no more than seven years to ensure bankability and profitability.

Tiu Laurel introduced a corporate approach to DA's operations and budgeting when he joined the Marcos administration in November 2023, stressing the

He said every peso spent must generate returns that support both project sustainability and national agricultural ...