Former senator and senatorial candidate Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan is pushing for cluster farming in the Philippines, saying the country must modernize its agricultural practices to help small-scale farmers and fisherfolk increase their earnings and access larger markets.

Speaking at an open forum during the event Kakaba-kaba Ka Ba? Dealing With Uncertainties in the RP’s Political Future in Quezon City on 5 April, Pangilinan said clustering farmlands and fishing communities is essential to achieving economies of scale and unlocking the full benefits of land reform.

“Until and unless we mobilize resources around farming communities and fishing communities and build their capacities, then we will not be able to get the full benefits of land reform,” said Pangilinan, who also runs a farm in Cavite.

If elected in the May 2025 midterm elections, Pangilinan said one of his key priorities would be pushing for the clustering of farms — similar to models adopted in Taiwan and Thailand, where small farms are organized into larger 30- to 50-hectare production areas. He noted that in the Philippines, the average farmland size remains at just 9,000 square meters.

“(We need) cluster farms for economies of scale,” he emphasized, referring to the organization of small, interconnected producers into cooperatives and systems designed for market-based rather than subsistence production.

Pangilinan also highlighted the need for expanded support services such as access to credit, organized farmer cooperatives, improved infrastructure, and post-harvest facilities, especially cold storage systems. These would allow farmers to store excess produce and avoid being forced to sell to middlemen at unfair prices.

He added that a long-term strategy should include gradually increasing government budget support to agriculture over a six-year period to achieve sustainable food security and reduce rural poverty.

Pangilinan, who authored the Sagip Saka Act, reiterated his willingness to work with all political sectors to eliminate hunger and promote inclusive agricultural development.

Kiko urges: Campaign house-to-house

Pangilinan also emphasized the importance of helping voters understand the value of a senator’s work, especially in the context of synchronized national and local elections in the Philippines.

He noted that during such elections, many voters tend to focus more on local issues and candidates, often overlooking national positions like the Senate.

“Our elections are synchronized, so voters often forget about the Senate. Their interest is really in the local races,” he said in Filipino. “It’s not so much that they don’t know how to scrutinize national candidates — it’s that they no longer have the time to do so because their attention is on local concerns.”

Pangilinan earlier expressed concern that after ranking within the Top 12 in the December–January pre-election surveys, he became the target of online trolls and disinformation, contributing to a recent decline in his ranking.

While he continues to trail just outside the Top 12 in major senatorial preference surveys, Pangilinan has consistently placed at the top in surveys conducted among universities and colleges.