The government must play the role of a “big brother” by buying rice and other food products directly from farmers and fisherfolk through the Sagip Saka Act, a law championed, authored, and defended by Senator Kiko Pangilinan.
Pangilinan, in his meeting with officials of the Department of Agriculture (DA) recently, highlighted the need for the government to step up and expand the market access of agricultural workers by buying food directly from them.
“Pag ini-strengthen mo yung direct purchases ng gobyerno, doon talaga walang debate ‘yon, meron dapat floor price kasi hindi naman dapat kumita ang gobyerno sa purchases nya ng food. Bakit? It’s a service,” the veteran legislator said.
“So doon, walang debate ‘yun. Kapag gobyerno ang bumibili ng palay, ganito ang presyo ‘di ba? Doon pa lang big brother ka na. ‘Yung trader mapwe-pwersa nang mag-adjust,” the seasoned lawmaker added.
“It’s not just rice that government agencies can buy directly from farmers as they can also directly purchase pork, chicken, and other food items.”
The senator explained it’s not just rice that government agencies, including state colleges and universities and public hospitals, can buy directly from farmers as they can also directly purchase pork, chicken, and other food items.
He used as an example Muntinlupa City and Valenzuela City, both of which have implemented the Sagip Saka Act by buying millions worth of food items directly from farmers for their social amelioration programs.
“Ang trader na bumibili, mapwe-pwersa na itaas ‘yung presyo niya.”
“My suggestion: ili-link yung NFA (National Food Authority) doon sa mga agencies ng gobyerno na bumibili talaga yung sa Sagip Saka Act kasi pagka-sabay-sabay bumili at the floor price ang NFA at ang mga LGU eh malaking bagay ‘yan because nga ang mangyayari pati ang trader na bumibili, mapwe-pwersa na itaas ‘yung presyo niya,” Pangilinan explained.
The chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform plans to amend the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) and restore the powers of the NFA to better manage and control rice importation and the local production of rice.
He pointed out that the government, through the Sagip Saka Act, can empower agricultural workers through improved and expanded market access and scaled-up local production.
The law, which was passed and enacted in 2019 but has yet to be fully maximized, allows the government to purchase directly from farmers and fisherfolk without public bidding.
