Legacion cites bigger budget for CamSur 3rd district

By Jordan Domingo

The House of Representatives is in the thick of deliberations on the proposed 2027 national budget, with Camarines Sur 3rd District Rep. Nelson S. Legacion saying his district is set to receive a bigger allocation than in previous years.

Legacion said Congress is currently focused on scrutinizing the proposed budgets of government departments and agencies, including allocations for projects and programs in the different congressional districts across the country.

He said the House appropriations bill is scheduled for plenary deliberations beginning in the third week of September, with approval targeted by the last week of the month before it is transmitted to the Senate.

Legacion said infrastructure projects remain a major component of the district’s allocation, particularly the repair and construction of roads, including farm-to-market roads. He said these projects would be complemented by livelihood and entrepreneurial programs to create more economic opportunities for residents.

He particularly cited the importance of connecting farming barangays to poblaciones, saying better roads would facilitate the movement of farmers and agricultural products. He also pushed for irrigation projects to complement farm-to-market roads and enable rice farmers to plant and harvest at least twice a year.

An ongoing irrigation project in Magarao, he said, has the capacity to supply water to about 80 hectares of rice land. Its water source is a river in neighboring Calabanga. Legacion said irrigation would help farmers increase production and improve the quality of their produce, particularly amid the hot and dry weather being experienced across the country.

Legacion also said better roads would help reduce the cost of transporting palay from farms to roads and markets. He noted that farmers currently have to pay about P20 to P50, and in some cases as much as P80 to P100, for every sack of palay transported from the rice fields.

On health, Legacion said P75 million has already been allocated for the construction of a government hospital building in Calabanga. He is also seeking an additional P150 million under the proposed 2027 General Appropriations Act to fund the healthcare facility.

A multipurpose building proposed for Barangay La Purisima in Calabanga has likewise been included in the annual budget. Legacion said the facility is linked to the municipality’s tourism plans and is expected to contribute to the development of the area as a future business district.

Legacion said his priority is to provide farmers with opportunities to increase their income through higher production and better-quality agricultural products, with irrigation, farm-to-market roads and agricultural inputs forming part of the support needed to achieve that goal.