Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan made an earnest appeal for national unity, imploring leaders and citizens to set aside partisan politics and work together to help Mindanao recover from recent adversity.
Speaking to residents and local leaders of General Santos City, the senator highlighted the urgent need for collective action over political friction.
He stressed that the welfare of calamity-stricken communities must take precedence over political debates.
“Sabi ko sa aking mga kasamahan sa Senado, tama na itong gulo natin. Matindi na masyado. May kalamidad na sa GenSan at Sarangani. Isantabi na natin ang politika. Magkaisa na tayo at magtulungan,” Pangilinan said.
Drawing from the country’s history of overcoming crises through shared effort, the senator expressed firm confidence in the resilience of the Filipino spirit:
“Pagka humarap tayo sa kalamidad, anumang pagsubok, kaya natin lagpasan basta’t tayo ay nagtutulungan,” he said.
This spirit of hands-on, compassionate leadership mirrors the senator’s belief that the government must act with absolute urgency the moment the people call for help.
He recalled how the Ladifa Agriculture Cooperative reached out regarding nine months of delayed payments from the Department of Education (DepEd) for their agricultural products under the Sagip Saka Law.
The 2019 law that Pangilinan authored and helped pass allows the national and local governments to buy food directly from farmers and fisherfolk without public bidding.
By cutting through bureaucratic delays and coordinating an immediate resolution, the ₱1.9 million debt was settled within a single week, ensuring local farmers were finally paid and vital community feeding programs could continue.
It is this same focused, action-driven energy that the lawmaker insists must now be poured into Mindanao’s recovery.
Pangilinan reassured the community that his office remains fully committed to supporting local recovery efforts by coordinating with national government agencies, including the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and DepEd, to address immediate and long-term needs.
“Kung mayroon pang maitutulong ang ating tanggapan, sabihan lamang tayo at kami mismo ang personal na makikipag-follow up sa mga ahensya ng pamahalaan,” he concluded.
Mindanao was struck by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake on June 8, with the death toll reaching 78 people, while some 1.5 million people were affected. More than a billion worth of infrastructure damage has also been recorded.