The government has added five more projects to its 2026 National Priority Plan (NPP), bringing the total to 14 initiatives that private-sector donors can fund to enjoy tax perks, as agencies are being directed to prioritize spending amid a national energy emergency.

In an addendum posted on its website last April, the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) expanded the list of eligible priority programs, projects, and activities (PPAs) that may qualify for tax deductions under existing laws.

NPP is an annual list of government priority initiatives in sectors such as education, health, youth and sports development, human settlements, science and culture, and economic development. It is issued pursuant to the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) or the Tax Code, allowing private entities to support these programs while availing of tax incentives.

Among the additions is the Department of Agriculture-National Dairy Authority’s (DA-NDA) Dairy Herd Build-Up Program, which aims to increase local milk production by expanding dairy animal stocks through breeding and genetic improvement programs. The initiative also seeks to strengthen the dairy sector by improving animal health and nutrition, upgrading farm infrastructure, and promoting sustainable management practices, alongside providing access to credit facilities to support long-term productivity.

Also included is Project SAFE: Sustainable Agroforestry Farming Enterprises under the DA’s High Value Crops Development Program (DA-HVCDP), which is designed to address environmental degradation and farmer poverty through the establishment of sustainable agroforestry systems. The project aims to restore degraded uplands and watersheds, improve soil and water resources, diversify crops to enhance food security, and build climate resilience among farming communities.

The Gulayan sa Bayan (GSB) Project, another addition also under the DA-HVCDP, focuses on improving food security, nutrition, and income generation by establishing community-based vegetable nurseries and gardens. It supports beneficiaries through the provision of seeds, planting materials, and agricultural inputs, while also offering capacity-building programs and promoting healthy food consumption and nutrition awareness at the community level.

Meanwhile, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) secured two projects in the updated list, including the establishment of regional and provincial innovation hubs (iHubs), which seeks to provide pre-incubation facilities for early-stage innovators, including students and aspiring entrepreneurs, by offering collaborative spaces where ideas can be developed into viable startup concepts. These hubs are anchored on strategies designed to inspire, interact, ideate, and initiate, or the so-called 4I strategies, bridging the gap between academic research and formal startup support systems.

Lastly, the DOST-Science Education Institute’s (DOST-SEI) Virtual Laboratory Application in Science (VLAS) aims to enhance science learning through interactive simulations of real-world experiments. The platform delivers virtual laboratory experiences in subjects such as biology and chemistry across multiple formats, including desktop, web-based, and virtual reality (VR) applications, helping improve students’ understanding of scientific concepts even in areas with limited access to physical laboratory facilities.

These were the additions to the initial nine projects earlier identified by DEPDev for 2026, which include the Department of Health’s (DOH) Cancer Prevention and Control Program, the DOH’s Enhancing Family Planning Training Competency through Provision of Anatomical Models for Hands-On Simulation, the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Adopt-a-School Program, the DOST-Philippine Science High School’s (DOST-PSHS) separate Adopt-a-School Program, the DOST-PSHS’ research and development (R&D) science laboratories, the DOST-Science and Technology Information Institute’s (DOST-STII) Science and Technology Academic and Research-Based Openly Operated KioskS (STARBOOKS), the DOST-STII’s continuing operation and broadcast of the DOST’s science and technology channel DOSTv, the DOST-Technology Application and Promotion Institute’s (DOST-TAPI) National Invention Contest and Exhibits (NICE), and the DA-NDA’s Milk Feeding Program.

Under the NPP framework, private companies and individuals may donate to these government-endorsed programs and claim tax deductions, subject to existing rules and regulations. The initiative is designed to mobilize private sector resources to support national development priorities while easing the fiscal burden on the government.

The expanded list of NPP projects was released amid a state of national energy emergency, during which the government has directed agencies to conserve resources and prioritize spending on their most important PPAs.