Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan renewed his call for stronger collaboration between the government and the private sector to combat agricultural smuggling and advance long-overdue reforms to protect Filipino farmers and ensure national food security.

In his keynote speech at the International Farmers’ Summit on Saturday, February 28, the senator underscored that the active participation of the private sector—businesses, industry groups, and market stakeholders—is vital to addressing the systemic challenges facing the agriculture and fisheries sector. 

“We need the private sector to stand up as well and call for sweeping reforms sa BOC (Bureau of Customs), sa DOF (Department of Finance), sa DA (Department of Agriculture), sa BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue),” he said. 

Pangilinan, who chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform, expressed serious concern about syndicates involved in illegal smuggling in the country. 

He pointed out how smuggling continues to undermine local food producers, distort market prices, and threaten the livelihoods of millions of Filipino farmers and fisherfolk. “Sa tulong ninyo (private sector), pagtulungan nating ayusin ang sektor ng agrikultura at pangingisda,” the senator said. 

Pangilinan has already conducted seven hearings on the widespread multi-billion-peso agriculture smuggling operations in the country. 

He also emphasized in his speech the bills he introduced to reform the sector and discuss its many issues. These include the renationalization of agricultural extension services and the reestablishment of the Bureau of Agriculture Cooperatives, which will offer extensive support to farmers and fisherfolk. 

The senator likewise pushed for the full implementation of the Sagip Saka Act in the feeding programs of government agencies, including the Department of Education, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of the Interior and Local Government, and the Department of Health. 

The 2019 Sagip Saka Act, authored and sponsored by Pangilinan, allows national agencies and local government units to buy food directly from accredited farmers’ and fisherfolk’s cooperatives.  

“Lahat tayo ay pinakain ng ating magsasaka at mangingisda kaya lahat tayo ay dapat nagagalit kapag hindi sila binibigyan ng sapat na suporta,” he told the audience. 

“But we cannot do it alone. We need the private sector to help us, and I know that your organizations would like to see justice for our farmers and fisherfolk and in the agriculture and fisheries sector that will not just match Thailand, Vietnam, and other countries in the region, but outpace them,” Pangilinan added.