Kiko leads Senate inquiry into high food prices, vows to come up with concrete and urgent solutions

KIKO LEADS SENATE INQUIRY INTO HIGH FOOD PRICES, VOWS TO COME UP WITH CONCRETE AND URGENT SOLUTIONS

Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan on Wednesday, August 20, led the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform's first public hearing on the high prices of food and other commodities, promising to come up with urgent solutions to address hunger and food insecurity in the country.

In his opening statement as chairman of the committee, the senator lamented the continuous hunger being experienced by Filipinos as he pointed out the more than 40% to 50% increase in basic food items since 2018.

"Problema ito na urgent, at ang urgency kailangan kumilos dahil hindi makakapaghintay ang gutom," Pangilinan said. "Ang ating mga ginugutom na mga kababayan, kung hindi masisira ang ulo, magkakasakit o kung hindi kaya matapos magkasakit, ay mamamatay."

"Kaya sisilipin natin ang lahat: Import policies, price monitoring, and subsidies not just for rice, vegetables, meat, fish, pati basic ingredients tulad ng bawang, sibuyas. At bubunutin natin sa ugat ang problema sa dulo ng ating pagdinig," he added.

In particular, the senator said he would be looking into the clear and concrete recommendations laid down under Senate Committee Report 649 in June 2022—strengthen inter-agency coordination between the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC), hire some 1,500 BOC personnel, tighten and make accountable government agencies responsible for the country's agricultural sector, digitized processes, blacklist repeat offenders, train enforces, and engage the private sector.

"Sa ngalan ng buong Senado, nais po natin malaman: which of these have been implemented? Which have been ignored, and who benefits from the inaction?" he added.

Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Pangilinan said that from 2018 to 2025, food prices have gone up—pork (over 50% per kilo), tilapia (over 40% per kilo), bangus (over 40% per kilo), galunggong (over 40% per kilo), egg (over 50% per piece), imported garlic (over 40% per kilo), red onions (over 30% per kilo), white onions (over 60% per kilo), tomato (over 40) per kilo), well-milled rice (over 20% per kilo).

"Hindi lang natin pag-uusapan ang presyo ng pagkain. Hahanapin natin ang pinaka-mabilis na paraan para mapababa ang presyo ng pagkain at iba pang bilihin para maiwasan ang gutom ng ating mga kababayan," the senator stressed.

He said that two other hearings on the proposed measure to amend the Rice Tariffication Law and the issues of smuggling and importation of rice and other products will be conducted on Aug. 27 and Sept. 1, respectively.

Photo courtesy: Office of Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan Link to public hearing: Sen Kiko - 1st Agri Comm Public Hearing

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AHKVFjNXq/?mibextid=wwXIfr

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@senateofthephilippines?si=F-zI9OokkIGwEj6k

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.