MANILA – Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan has moved forward with finalizing the committee report for his proposed Senate Bill No. 1199, or the Congressional Commission on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Security (AGRICOM) Act, which aims to streamline government efforts in addressing challenges in the agriculture and fisheries sectors.

During the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform’s public hearing on Wednesday, October 22, Pangilinan noted several recommendations from Federation of Free Farmers National Manager Raul Montemayor on the proposed establishment of AGRICOM.

Montemayor suggested linking AGRICOM to the National Agriculture and Fisheries (NAF) Council, describing it as a platform where the private sector, the Department of Agriculture (DA), and other government agencies assess the agriculture sector’s performance, revise budgets, and recommend strategies for improvement.

Filed in August, Pangilinan’s bill seeks to address the long-standing issues that continue to hinder the growth of the country’s agricultural sector, which he said remains “fragmented and uncoordinated” despite the presence of various laws and policies.

Under Senate Bill No. 1199, AGRICOM will serve as a “central, independent body” that will:

• Conduct a comprehensive review and assessment of existing programs and policies for agriculture and fisheries;
• Create a more efficient and integrated framework by identifying gaps and redundancies;
• Develop targeted, measurable, and time-bound policy recommendations to increase productivity, global competitiveness, and capacity building; and
• Report findings to the public.

Pangilinan’s call for the creation of AGRICOM came as a recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey commissioned by the Stratbase Group showed that controlling the prices of basic goods and services remains the top concern among Filipinos, with high food prices resonating most strongly in the Visayas and Mindanao.

According to the senator, establishing AGRICOM will help improve government efficiency, harmonize agency mandates, and strengthen support for the agricultural sector to ensure its growth and stability.