Why it matters:
The law arrives amid repeated outbreaks of African Swine Fever and bird flu, which have battered farmers and pushed up food prices. It’s not just about raising more animals—it’s about future-proofing the food chain.
The big picture:
AIDCA transforms the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) into a full-fledged line agency and gives the Philippine Carabao Center and National Dairy Authority new muscle in biotechnology, vaccine research, and animal health response.
What they’re saying:
“This law is more than a funding mechanism—it’s a bold commitment to the people who feed our country,” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. “It marks a turning point for Philippine agriculture—one that empowers farmers, protects consumers, and prepares our food systems for the future.”
Between the lines:
While the law’s headline feature is its funding size, its true test lies in implementation—ensuring local vaccine production, disease surveillance, and animal traceability systems actually reach farmers at the grassroots.
The bottom line:
AIDCA is the government’s biggest bet yet on modernizing the livestock sector—a move that could make Philippine agriculture not just productive, but biosecure, resilient, and globally competitive. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
