As newly installed chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan’s first order of business is clear: address the soaring prices of rice and other food items in the market.
This, he said, was the promise he made to millions of Filipinos while he was on the campaign trail for the 2025 midterm elections.
“Kami ay umikot at nangako ng ilang mga kailangang gawin—pababain ang presyo ng bigas, halimbawa, at palakasin ang agrikultura. Kaya, minabuti namin para maipatupad ang aming mga pinangako ay mabigyan nitong pagkakataon through the chairmanship of the Committee on Agriculture,” he said in an interview on GMA’s Unang Hirit on Wednesday, July 30.
“Maraming problema na palagay ko, I have the qualifications dahil ang experience ko ay hindi lang sa legislation kung hindi pati sa executive department bilang food security secretary,” the senator added, referring to his stint as the Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agricultural Modernization of former president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.
Noting that he had already filed resolutions seeking to investigate the Rice Tariffication Law and the high prices of food, Pangilinan stressed that these would be his focus as he leads the agriculture committee.
“Well, pinagaaralan pa natin,” he responded when asked if he would take on other Senate committees. “Pero kailangan may kinalaman pa rin sa agrikultura dahil sabi ko nga malubha ang problema ng agrikultura and I really want to focus.”
“Kapag meron pa tayo dagdag na komite eh baka malihis pa unless may relasyon sa Committee on Agriculture yung second committee pero kung isang komite lang, malaking problema ng agrikultura. I want to focus, talagang kailangan tutukan talaga,” he added.
Pangilinan was also previously the agriculture committee head from 2010 to 2013 and from 2016 to 2017.