As a concerned citizen who realizes the importance and hardships of our farming community, I call for a serious reassessment of policies impacting Filipino farmers.

Farmers in the Philippines, the backbone of our country's food security, are currently facing numerous challenges such as low agricultural productivity and unfair market pricing, pushing many into poverty. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, about 3 out of 10 Filipino farmers currently live below the poverty line.

Our farmers also receive insufficient governmental support. Despite them being vital agents for our economy, the budget allocation for agriculture has seen a decrease in recent years. As per the Department of Budget and Management's data, the proportion of the national budget allocated to agriculture fell from 4.3% in 2017 to only 3.5% in 2021. This decrease is alarming and fails to encourage a sustainable livelihood for our farmers.

To provide a more dire perspective, recent natural disasters have only exacerbated their plight. And yet, support from the government and institutions remains painfully inadequate. This can't be the conditions that the people who feed our nation, battle.

With this petition, we appeal to the government, non-governmental organizations, and fellow citizens to create a system that values our farmers, fights for their rights, and guarantees fair market prices to improve their quality of life. Together, we can enact meaningful change in the lives of our farmers for a secure food future for the Philippines.

Please, stand with our farmers and sign this petition now. Let's push for policies that truly support and enhance the lives of our Filipino farmers.