MANILA — Francis Pangilinan said the Sagip Saka Act could help address the country’s food crisis by lowering the prices of basic commodities affecting consumers, farmers, and fisherfolk.

Pangilinan, who authored and sponsored the Sagip Saka Act in 2019, said the law seeks to expand opportunities for farmers’ and fisherfolk cooperatives to directly sell their products.

Under the law, national and local government units, as well as government agencies, are allowed to procure food directly from farmers and fisherfolk without undergoing public bidding.

“Isang susi para bumaba ang presyo ng bilihin ay full implementation ng Sagip Saka Law. Implementahin ng tama. Bigyan ng sapat na suporta ang ating mga magsasaka at mangingisda,” Pangilinan said during a media interview on Saturday at the first-ever Sagip Saka Day in Quezon City.

The senator said proper implementation of the law would help strengthen the country’s food supply and boost local food production.

“Syempre dahil dadami na ang supply ng lokal na pagkain at magiging abot-kaya kapag na-enganyo ang farmers na magtanim nang magtanim dahil alam nilang bibilhin sa tamang presyo,” he said.

“Dadami ang supply ng pagkain. Kapag madami nang supply ng pagkain sa merkado at gulay at isda eh bababa na ang presyo ng pagkain,” he added.

Pangilinan, who currently chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform, also commended the Quezon City government for recently purchasing P500 million worth of rice directly from farmers’ cooperatives.

Joy Belmonte said the direct procurement allowed the city government to buy rice at P50 per kilogram and distribute more assistance to vulnerable sectors.

“Lahat po yan ay ginamit po namin para bumili ng bigas direkta sa ating mga magsasaka na kooperatiba, so napakaganda ng presyo dahil wala po middleman tapos mas marami tayong naibigay na bigas sa ating pong mga vulnerable sectors,” Belmonte said during the event.

She added that the P500 million budget for rice procurement came from the Local Government Support Fund distributed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to local government units.

Pangilinan said the Quezon City government was able to save around P200 million through the direct purchase arrangement, while farmers reportedly earned three to four times more.

The first Sagip Saka Day also coincided with the seventh anniversary of the law’s passage.

The event, led by Pangilinan, Belmonte, the Department of Agriculture, and the World Food Programme, featured exhibits, product displays, workshops, and training sessions aimed at increasing public awareness about the Sagip Saka Act.

Organizers also launched the Gawad Sagip Saka initiative and a dedicated Sagip Saka website to strengthen support for farmers and fisherfolk.