If he succeeds in his Senate comeback bid this May 2025 polls, former senator Kiko Pangilinan vowed to jumpstart a “food revolution” through bold legislative measures and executive actions that will free Filipinos from hunger.

(Photo from Kiko Pangilinan Facebook page)

He cited that among his priority measures would be the Batas sa Murang Pagkain Act, the Food Sovereignty and Farmers' Protection Act, the Expanded Feeding Program for Public Schools Act, and the Urban and Community Farming Act.
 

“Kapag busog ang lahat, malakas ang bayan. Pero paano tayo lalakas kung kahit bigas, hindi na kayang bilhin? Hindi ito simpleng problema—ito ay isang krisis na kailangang tugunan ngayon na (When everyone is full, the nation is stronger. But how can we be stronger if we cannot even afford rice? This is not a simple problem—this is a crisis that needs to be addressed immediately),” he said.
 

“Oras na para isulong ang isang food revolution—isang rebolusyong maglalagay ng sapat, ligtas, at abot-kayang pagkain sa bawat hapag-kainan (It’s time to push for a food revolution—a revolution that will put enough, safe, and affordable food on every table),” the former senator added.
 

A former food security czar during the Aquino administration, Pangilinan had advocated for food security for years.
 

During his tenure, he brought rice inflation down to just 0.8 percent from 15 percent within a year. It was the lowest recorded in two decades.
 

Rice prices also stabilized between P36 and P38 per kilo.
 

He also authored the Sagip Saka Act, which allows national and local governments to directly purchase from rice farmers without conducting public bidding.
 

The ex-senator pledged to push through with the same measures to lower food prices despite coming in as a part of the Senate minority bloc if he clinches a Senate seat in May.
 

“Walang kulay ang gutom. Ang rebolusyong ito ay hindi tungkol sa pulitika. Ito ay tungkol sa buhay ng bawat Pilipino (Hunger has no political color. This revolution is not about politics. This is about the life of every Filipino),” the former official said.
 

“Hindi tayo papayag na maging normal ang gutom sa Pilipinas. Hindi dapat maging pribilehiyo ang pagkain—karapatan ito ng bawat Pilipino! Tayo mismo ang kikilos para itulak ang pagbabago (We will not let hunger to be normal in the Philippines. Food should not be a privilege—it should be a right of every Filipino! We will push for this change),” Pangilinan added.