Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan met with farmers’ cooperatives in Benguet to listen directly to the challenges confronting vegetable growers and agricultural workers in the province, reaffirming his commitment to policies that strengthen food security and support Filipino farmers.
The senator, who was originally scheduled to defend his twin measures—the renationalization of the agriculture extension services and the reestablishment of the Bureau of Agriculture Cooperatives and Fisheries—, before the shakeup in the Senate leadership on Monday, met with the Benguet-based farmers’ group on Wednesday, May 13.
During the dialogue, the senator heard concerns ranging from rising production costs and unstable farmgate prices to inadequate farm-to-market infrastructure and limited government assistance for small farmers.
“Kaya napakahalaga na maipasa itong renatinalization ng ating agriculture extension services at yung reestablishment ng Bureau of Agriculture Cooperatives and Fisheries sa ilalim ng DA (Department of Agriculture). Ito ang talagang kinakailangan ng ating mga magsasaka at mga kooperatiba,” he said.
“Naranasan ko mismo yan noong sinubukan kong i-organisa ang mga farmers sa Alfonso, Cavite. Naroon yung aking farm. Naging learning site yon para sa training, laboratory, at kung ano-ano pa,” he added.
However, the lawmaker lamented that when it was time to organize the farmers into a cooperative, there was insufficient government assistance due to a lack of resources, such as properly trained agricultural extension service workers.
The group discussed with Pangilinan that while there is currently no oversupply of produce in Benguet, they lack distribution channels and the resources to bring their products to the market.
The spike in fuel costs has also been an added burden to farmers and fisherfolk, the group said.
For his part, the senator emphasized the critical role of Benguet farmers in ensuring a stable food supply for the country, noting that the province remains one of the Philippines’ primary sources of highland vegetables.
He assured them that despite the power struggle over the chairmanships of the Senate’s various committees, including the critical Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform, their concerns would be brought to the national level and considered when crafting measures to protect local agriculture and improve farmers’ livelihoods.
The meeting forms part of Pangilinan’s continuing consultations with agricultural sectors across the country to better understand the realities faced by Filipino farmers and to push for reforms that promote sustainable agricultural development.