Former senator and senatorial candidate Kiko Pangilinan is calling on the national government to intervene and allow the National Food Authority (NFA) to unload its warehouses and release overstock rice to bring down the prices of rice in the market, while another Senate bet Bam Aquino promised to fight for the rights of small fisherfolk if elected in the Senate.
Senatorial candidate Kiko Pangilinan visits a NFA warehouse in Occidental Mindoro. (Photo from Team Kiko Pangilinan)
The two senatoriables spent Thursday, March 27, in separate provinces—Pangilinan in Occidental Mindoro and Aquino in Dumaguete City—to push for their candidacies and share their advocacies to voters and stakeholders.
NFA warehouses
In Occidental Mindoro, Pangilinan lamented how farmers have nowhere to store their rice harvest because the NFA’s warehouse there has been overflowing with stock rice, some of which have been there since 2023.
“Ito dapat talagang mahanapan ng solusyon (We need to solve this), and I think it’s up to the national level now. Dalhin sa national level, sa secretary ng DA at chairman of the board ng NFA, at hanapan ng immediate na intervention para maayos itong problemang ito (Let’s bring it to the national level, to the DA secretary and chairman of the board of the NFA, and find immediate intervention to solve this problem),” he stressed, promising farmers that he would talk with Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. to raise their concerns.
Although he explaining that the NFA’s inability to release its rice stocks was due to the restrictions imposed by the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL), the former senator explained that there should still be an “immediate action” to help the NFA unload its warehouse, especially amid the declaration of the food security emergency on rice last month by the DA.
“Sinasabi natin dahil meron naman emergency situation, food crisis, dapat agaran action ang maaaring masagawa ng NFA para ma-unload dahil right now, punong puno na ang kanilang mga warehouse (What we’re saying is because there’s an emergency situation, food crisis, the NFA should act immediately to unload because right now, their warehouses are full to the brim),” Pangilinan, the principal author of the Sagip Saka Act and a former food security secretary, said.
“Anihan ngayon, ang farmers hindi na rin malaman, at ang NFA, saan dadalhin itong oversupply o dagdag na supply (It’s the harvest season, our farmers don’t know, and the NFA, where to bring the oversupply or the additional supply),” he added.
The former senator, however, addressed farmers, saying that he would study and possibly amend the Rice Tarrification Law if he becomes a senator again.
“Well, wag tayong manghinaan ng loob, hahanapan dapat ng solusyon yan. Kalma-kalma lang (let’s not lose hope, we will find a solution. Calm down),” he said.
Commercial fishing
Meanwhile, Aquino assured that if he gets elected for another term, he will fight for the rights of small fisherfolk against commercial fishing.
Independent Senate bet holds a dialogue with Dumaguete fishermen. (Bam Aquino Media Bureau)
The former one-term senator met with members of the Barangay Tinago Fisherfolks Association in Poblacion I Tinago, Dumaguete City where he said that he would be willing to talk with owners of commercial fishing vessels not to fish too closely to small fishermen.
“Kapag nakabalik tayo sa Senado, kakausapin namin ang mga may-ari na baka puwede mas layu-layuan naman nila. Dapat magharap-harap, mag-usap-usap (If we get to return to the Senate, we will talk with the owner if they can give you more space. We should meet face-to-face),” he said.
“Sana may espasyo lahat. Ang laki-laki ng dagat. Kinukuha ang lugar niyo. Malaki naman ang mga barko nila, doon sila sa malayo (There should be space for all. The ocean is very big. They’re fishing in your area. Their vessels are already more capable, so they can fish farther),” Aquino added.
He also vowed to address the problem of fishing vessel ports, so smaller fishing boats can have an easier time unloading their catch.