Senator Kiko Pangilinan urged the government to strengthen preparations and protection measures for farmers and fisherfolk before the next typhoon or habagat strikes, stressing that safeguarding agricultural workers is essential to protecting the country’s food supply.
The champion of agricultural reforms called for a temporary moratorium on the collection of agricultural loans in areas severely affected by successive storms and flooding.
Pangilinan also stressed the need for proactive measures to ensure that farmers and fisherfolk, as well as their farmlands and fishing grounds, are protected from the impact of the habagat and typhoons.
“Huwag nating hintaying masira ang kanilang kabuhayan bago tayo kumilos.”
“Huwag nating hintaying masira ang kanilang kabuhayan bago tayo kumilos,” the veteran legislator said.
“Kapag nasira ang pananim, palaisdaan, bangka, lambat, at iba pang kabuhayan, hindi lang kita ng magsasaka at mangingisda ang nawawala. Pati ang pagkain na dapat nasa hapag ng bawat pamilyang Pilipino ay nalalagay sa peligro,” the seasoned lawmaker added.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) earlier said that damage and losses incurred by the agriculture sector due to combined effects of the southwest monsoon (habagat) and tropical cyclones Luis, Maymay, and Neneng have reached P1.79 billion.
The DA-Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center (DRRM-OpCen) added that the recent weather disturbances have so far affected 51,229 farmers and destroyed 41,647 hectares of agricultural land, particularly in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, and Western Visayas.
Around 44,745 metric tons (MT) of production losses were also recorded.
“Huwag nating hintaying lumubog muli ang mga bukid, matangay ang mga bangka, at mawala ang kanilang kabuhayan bago tayo kumilos.”
“Sunod-sunod ang sama ng panahon. Hindi pa nga nakakabangon ang marami nating magsasaka at mangingisda, may paparating na naman. Huwag nating hintaying lumubog muli ang mga bukid, matangay ang mga bangka, at mawala ang kanilang kabuhayan bago tayo kumilos,” the senator said.
His concerns and warnings came amid reports that habagat will bring rain in Northern and Central Luzon as Typhoon Saudel enters the Philippine Area of Responsibility enhancing the southwest monsoon.
The increased rainfall is expected to affect the western section of Luzon, including Metro Manila, where flooding has already disrupted livelihoods and businesses.
“Kapag nasira ang pananim at pangisdaan, hindi lamang magsasaka at mangingisda ang nawawalan. Nababawasan ang suplay ng pagkain, tumataas ang presyo ng mga bilihin sa palengke, at buong bayan ang nagbabayad,” Pangilinan said.
He added that protecting agricultural workers must remain a central part of the country’s food security agenda, particularly as the Philippines continues to face climate-related risks that threaten domestic food production.
