Piñol to request P30-B El Niño rehab funds

Incoming Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol on Wednesday said he would ask for at least P30 billion additional budget for this year to be used as an immediate assistance and rehabilitation fund for the agriculture and fishery sectors, which were badly hit by El Niño.

In a press conference, Piñol said that he already discussed the matter with incoming Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, saying that the additional funding would allow the farm sector to recover faster from the worst drought to hit the country in decades.