Pangilinan Urges Passage of Key Agri Bills to Strengthen Food Security
Senator Francis Pangilinan on Thursday called on fellow lawmakers to fast-track the passage of two priority agricultural reform bills aimed at boosting the country’s food security amid ongoing global uncertainties.
Pangilinan said the proposed Agricultural and Fisheries Cooperatives Act and Agriculture and Fisheries Extension Act are crucial in strengthening local food production, especially as tensions in the Middle East continue to threaten global supply chains.
The measures are designed to complement the Sagip Saka Act, which he authored in 2019. The law allows government agencies and local government units to directly purchase produce from farmers and fisherfolk without the need for public bidding.
A former presidential assistant for food security and agricultural modernization, Pangilinan emphasized the importance of reducing dependence on imports by empowering local producers across the entire agricultural value chain—from inputs and production to processing, logistics, and marketing.
He underscored that strengthening farmers and fisherfolk is key to ensuring food security.
The proposed cooperatives bill seeks to provide tax incentives and encourage financial institutions to extend preferential support to agricultural and fisheries cooperatives. This, he said, would help farmers achieve economies of scale and secure better contracts with the government under the Sagip Saka framework.
Meanwhile, the extension bill aims to address longstanding gaps in agricultural governance by effectively reestablishing a stronger national role in extension services. It proposes deploying trained personnel at the municipal level to improve program delivery and ensure timely assistance to farming and fishing communities.
Pangilinan described the measures as long-term investments in strengthening the country’s food supply chain, highlighting the need for training in climate-resilient farming, modern technologies, and access to insurance.
He added that organizing and empowering farmers and fisherfolk—while fostering cooperation and the Filipino spirit of bayanihan—remains essential to achieving sustainable and inclusive agricultural development.
