Kiko: PH facing 'grim, debilitating food and agriculture crises'

KIKO: PH FACING 'GRIM, DEBILITATING FOOD AND AGRICULTURE CRISES'

The Philippines is in the midst of a "grim and debilitating" food and agriculture crisis, which has left the country not only unable to compete with its Southeast Asian neighbors but has also impoverished farmers and fisherfolk and put food security at risk, Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan said.

In his privilege speech delivered on Monday, August 18, the chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform raised concerns about the worsening conditions--rising food prices, declining productivity, extreme weather patterns, and continued neglect of rural development--in the agriculture sector.

"Distinguished colleagues, Mr. President, our nation of 115 million Filipinos is facing a grim and debilitating food, agriculture, and fisheries crises," Pangilinan warned, pointing out that the country's "food insecurity is high" based on global standards.

The senator cited the latest United Nations report on food security and nutrition, which showed that about 44% of Filipinos--or roughly 51 million people--experienced "moderate or severe food insecurity" between 2021 and 2023.

He also highlighted that 23.6% of Filipino children under five years old are stunted, 5.6% are wasted, and 15.1% are underweight.

Pangilinan likewise lamented the massive rise in the country's agriculture imports--from $10 billion in 2015 to $20 billion in 2024, reflecting a 100% increase in just a decade.

"Pababa ng pababa ang ating local production habang pataas ng pataas ang importasyon," the senator said. "Hindi na kaya bumili ng masarap at masustansyang pagkain ang milyun-milyon nating mga kababayan habang halos wala ng gustong magsaka sa bagong henerasyon ng mga Pilipino."

"At kung wala nang magtatanim sa susunod na henerasyon saan natin kukunin ang ating pagkain? Aasa na lang ba tayo sa importasyon sa bilyon bilyong bigas, isda, karne, gulay? Mananatili na lang bang mahal ang presyo ng pagkain at iba pang bilihin?," he asked.

While the Philippines has a 22% poverty level, the poverty level among farmers and fisherfolk is higher at 30% as their average income amounts to merely P7,000 to P11,000 monthly, lower than the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)

This was born from a weakened food supply chain, wherein palay is currently being bought at P5 to P10 per kilo despite farmers spending P14 to P17 per kilo as capital.

"Binabagyo at binabaon ng utang. Kapos sa kapital at pondo, pinagsasamantalahan pa ng mga sugapang trader at mga kasabwat nitong mga kurakot na opisyal ng gobyerno. Pinaka masaklap sa lahat: kung sino pa ang nagpapakain sa bansa, sa ating lahat, hindi kayang sustentuhan ang pagkain ng sarili at ng pamilya," Pangilinan stated.

ASEAN comparison

The Philippines also falls behind in agriculture exports compared to member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) because of the decrease in local productivity, the senator explained.

While the Philippines has a mere $7.8 billion in agriculture exports in 2024, its neighboring countries enjoy robust agriculture exports--Indonesia ($49.4 billion), Thailand ($46.1 billion), Vietnam ($35.6 billion), Malaysia ($31 billion), and Singapore ($14.1 billion).

Pangilinan lamented that even Singapore--which has a land area smaller than the National Capital Region--has double the agricultural export of the Philippines.

"Nakakapanlumo ang mga datos gayong marami sa mga taga Thailand, Vietnam, at Indonesia ay dito sa UP Los Baños at sa IRRI nag-aral ng agriculture," he said.

ASEAN countries also put more funding into their agriculture sector. In 2020, Thailand invested 3.6% of its budget into agriculture, Vietnam put in 6.5%, and Indonesia allocated 3.4% of its national budget.

Farmers in neighboring Asian countries earn far more than local farmers, too, as Pangilinan pointed out that ASEAN farmers get two to four times more than the monthly income of Filipino farmers.

In Taiwan, he said farmers earn P300,000 per month.

"Sana man lang, ang budget ng ating agrikultura at ang kita ng ating mga magsasaka at mangingisda ay pantay ng sa ating mga kapit-bayan," he stressed. "Ibig sabihin, hindi lang underpaid ang ating mga magsasaka, under-equipped at under-supported din."

To address the crisis of food and agriculture in the country, the senator underscored the need for the government to augment the funding of the sector. In particular, he again pushed for an additional P50 billion to P100 billion in funding to bring the sector's budget to more than P500 billion by 2028.

He also urged the Senate to establish an agriculture and food commission, amend the Rice Tariffication Law and the laws on agriculture cooperatives and extension services, fully implement the Sagip Saka Act, and pass the Libreng Almusal and agricultural land conversion ban measures.

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Link to Privilege Speech: https://www.facebook.com/senateph/videos/1154160713222170

Timestamp between 2:00:00-4:00:00

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