If his Senate comeback bid becomes successful this coming May 2025, former senator Kiko Pangilinan will call for a Senate hearing as one of his first agendas to ensure that a percentage of the government’s budget goes to farmers and fisherfolk. 

In an interview over RMN DWNX’s “Doble Pasada” in Naga City on Monday, March 31, the senatorial candidate called for the full implementation of the Sagip Saka Act, the law he authored to allow government agencies to buy directly from farmers and fisherfolk without going through public bidding. 

“Yan and uunahin natin kapag tayo ay pinalad at nanalo sa Senado,” he said. 

Pangilinan shared his plans to hold a Senate hearing to determine the percentage of the budget of government agencies that go to farmers and fisherfolk. 

He said he will defer the approval of their budgets if the government agencies fail to implement the Sagip Saka Act that empowers them to buy directly from farmers and fisherfolk without public bidding and without the restrictions of the procurement law. 

“Nagawa natin ang mga ganyan na hakbang nung tayo ay nasa Senado at sumusunod naman itong mga ahensya,” the former senator stated.

“Pag usapin ng pagkain, usapin ng food security, hindi tayo pwede makupad,” he added. 

Under the Sagip Saka Act, Pangilinan explained that all government agencies, such as city and local jails, state universities and colleges, military and police camps, and public hospitals, should buy food items directly from farmers and fisherfolk. 

“Lahat ‘yan bumibili ng pagkain. Ngayon, kapag bumili direkta sa magsasaka nang mas mababang presyo at dadalhin sa kanila ng mas mura, makakatipid na sila, natutulungan pa kumita ng dagdag. Yan ang Sagip Saka law,” he said, adding that the government buy at least P150 billion worth of food in a year.