Former senator and senatorial candidate Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Friday reaffirmed his commitment to prioritizing the welfare of Filipino farmers, vowing to push for the full implementation of the Sagip Saka Act and backing a proposed floor price for palay as part of broader food security reforms.

Speaking to farmers at the Mantalongon Public Market in Dalaguete, Cebu — dubbed the “Vegetable Basket of Cebu” — Pangilinan said small-scale producers must be at the center of national economic recovery and food access strategies.

“I promise to focus on your welfare and livelihood through the full implementation of the Sagip Saka Act. Once fully enforced, it will ensure higher incomes for farmers,” he said in Filipino, distributing copies of the law he authored during his time in the Senate.

The act allows the national and local governments to directly purchase produce from farmers and fisherfolk without the need for public bidding. Pangilinan cited successful implementations of the law, such as in Nueva Ecija, where local tomatoes were bought at P25 per kilo — well above the P4 market price — by the Muntinlupa City government for its feeding programs.

“Local government units can also bring the vegetables they purchased directly to public markets and sell them to residents at lower prices,” he pointed out.

Pangilinan also voiced support for the Department of Agriculture’s proposal to set a fixed floor price for palay, saying it is long overdue to protect Filipino rice farmers from unfair pricing and market instability.

“The price of palay should never fall below the cost of production. If no one earns from farming anymore, who will grow our food?” Pangilinan asked. “

He emphasized that the floor price policy should be complemented with procurement, logistics, and price monitoring reforms to ensure that the benefits reach actual producers. He also echoed the DA’s legislative recommendation for a certified urgent bill that would allow the National Food Authority (NFA) to buy up to 20 percent of the country’s palay supply.

“The NFA should be a tool against exploitation, not a dumping ground for failed policies. If it has enough funding and a clear mandate, it can give real value to farmers’ harvests and ensure affordable rice on every Filipino’s table,” he said.

Pangilinan, who served as food security secretary from 2014 to 2015, pointed to his previous track record, including reducing rice prices by P3 per kilo and bringing down rice inflation from 15 percent to 0.8 percent. He said empowering farmers remains the most effective way to solve hunger and stabilize food prices.

“The food crisis can’t be solved through importation alone. We must address the root cause — our farmers’ lack of income. We cannot end hunger if we allow those who grow our food to remain poor,” Pangilinan said.