Despite the controversies surrounding the Senate in the past weeks, Senator Kiko Pangilinan made sure to be present at Albay’s Agri Fiesta 2026 to vow continuous support for the agriculture and fisheries sectors, as well as push for critical legislation and policies.
In his speech, Pangilinan underscored the importance of the Fiesta in recognizing the contributions of farmers and fisherfolk in food security and nation-building.
However, the veteran legislator also lamented how the sectors continue to languish in poverty.
“Hindi na dapat mangyari ito kaya patuloy ang ating adbokasiya para suportahan ang ating mga magsasaka at mangingisda.”
“Malungkot dahil kung sino pa ang nagpapakain sa atin, sila ay kapos at hirap na mapakain ang mga mahal sa buhay. Hindi na dapat mangyari ito kaya patuloy ang ating adbokasiya para suportahan ang ating mga magsasaka at mangingisda,” the seasoned lawmaker said.
Pangilinan, who has been a champion of agricultural and fisheries reforms for over a decade, was chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform before the Senate coup that installed Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano.
This, however, further pushed the senator to work closely with local governments and key government agencies to ensure that farmers and fisherfolk are not left behind.
During his speech, the senator pushed for the full implementation of the 2019 Sagip Saka Act, a law he authored and helped pass, allowing national and local governments to buy food directly from farmers and fisherfolk without public bidding.
He cited as examples the Camarines Sur Multipurpose Cooperative, which increased its sales to P300 million in five years since implementing the Sagip Saka Act in 2020.
Likewise, Pangilinan commended the Quezon City and Oriental Mindoro local governments for purchasing food needs directly from accredited farmers and fisherfolk cooperatives.
“Kaya ang full implementation ng batas na ito, kapag maganda na ang kita ng ating mga magsasaka at mangingisda, binebenta na direkta sa mga ospital, sa mga provincial jail ay talagang babalik sa komunidad, babalik sa mga barangay ang pera,” he stated. “Gaganda ang ekonomiya at aahon na ang ating economic growth, ika nga.”
Pangilinan was instrumental in pushing for a higher budget for the Department of Agriculture (DA) under the 2026 budget, and also for pushing government agencies—the Department of Health (DOH), the Department of Education (DepEd), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), among others—to support local farmers and fisherfolk by implementing the Sagip Saka Act in their respective feeding programs.
He promised that, even without the agriculture panel chairmanship, he would see to it that government agencies would be subjected to scrutiny during the budget deliberations later this year as a way to enforce the Sagip Saka Act.
“Lahat tayo apektado.”
“Pag hindi binigyan ng suporta ang magsasaka at mangingisda, mananatiling kapos. At pag nanatiling kapos, hindi magiging maganda ang ani, hindi magiging maayos ang huli, hindi dadami ang supply ng pagkain, mananatiling mataas ang presyo ng pagkain,” Pangilinan said. “Lahat tayo apektado.”
Pending Senate approval are two of his proposed measures to reform the agriculture and fisheries sectors—the renationalization of agricultural extension services and the reestablishment of the Bureau of Agriculture Cooperatives.
The twin measures, which passed second reading, aim to provide extension services down to the municipal level and strengthen cooperatives.
In his visit to the Bicol region, Pangilinan met with former Vice President and Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo after a courtesy call with Governor Noel Rosal, his attendance at the Agri Fiesta 2026, and a consultation with farmers on the impact of drought.
The Agri Fiesta is an annual agriculture and fisheries celebration led by Albay province to honor the contributions of farmers and fisherfolk in promoting productivity, innovation, sustainability, and resilience in the sector.
