Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Supporters flock to the launching of the  grassroots campaign "Mga Kaibigan" led by senatorial and congressional aspirants, former senators Kiko Pangilinan, Bam Aquino, Atty. Leila Dr Lima, and Atty. Chel Diokno, in Quezon City on October 16, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File

Article (news)

Kiko

Paige Javier

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/173624164976820241016-kaibigan-launch-MD-2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Supporters flock to the launching of the  grassroots campaign &quot;Mga Kaibigan&quot; led by senatorial and congressional aspirants, former senators Kiko Pangilinan, Bam Aquino, Atty. Leila Dr Lima, and Atty. Chel Diokno, in Quezon City on October 16, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Supporters flock to the launching of the  grassroots campaign &quot;Mga Kaibigan&quot; led by senatorial and congressional aspirants, former senators Kiko Pangilinan, Bam Aquino, Atty. Leila Dr Lima, and Atty. Chel Diokno, in Quezon City on October 16, 2024. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Senatorial aspirant Francis &quot;Kiko&quot; Pangilinan said Tuesday bringing down the prices of rice and basic goods can be done with proper enforcement of laws.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/8/kiko-pangilinan-files-candidacy-for-senate-comeback-1315">Kiko Pangilinan files candidacy for Senate comeback</a></div><p>Pangilinan said lowering rice prices can be done, citing his time as Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agricultural Modernization back in 2015. </p><p>&quot;Maganda ang palakad ng ekonomiya. Na-manage ang inflation. During my watch as food security secretary, tiniyak natin ang tamang management ng supply ng bigas,&quot; he said at the first episode of Harapan 2025. </p><p>&quot;Simply because nilabanan natin ang mga nagsasamantala, tiniyak natin na yung sapat na supply ng bigas nasa merkado, at napababa ang presyo ng bigas,&quot; Pangilinan added.</p><p>The former senator said bringing down rice prices highly involves the Executive Department.</p><p>&quot;It can be done kung nakumbinse ang ating Executive Department na ipasara ang POGO dahil sa nakita at na-expose na pang-aabuso sa sistema ng POGO sa mga hearing sa Senado,&quot; Pangilinan said.</p><p>&quot;Kaya din kumbinsihin ang Executive Department na habulin at ayusin yung problema ng presyo sa pagkain pagka na-expose itong mga pang-aabuso, itong hindi tama na patakaran, yung mga smuggling, importation, it can be done,&quot; he said.</p><p>Pangilinan said the government must hold perpetrators accountable by filing cases and apprehending them.</p><p>&quot;Ang presyo ng bigas pag mataas, presyo ng cooking oil, presyo ng asukal, presyo ng asin, presyo ng bawang, sibuyas, sunod-sunod yan. Pero pag binaba mo presyo ng bigas, bababa na lahat. That&#x27;s what we did. Enforcement yan,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;Use the Price Act. Tama itong ginagawa na maximum suggested retail price. Ang DTI pwedeng i-revoke yung business permit ng mga hindi sumusunod dito. So it&#x27;s a combination of right enforcement,&quot; Pangilinan added.</p><div><strong>SUPPORT LOCAL FARMERS</strong></div><p>The former senator also highlighted the need to support local farmers. </p><p>&quot;Kailangan bantayan yung pagpasok ng imported na produkto. Hindi dapat nakakapasok dito yung mga nakakaapekto sa ating magsasaka. Bakit sa panahon halimbawa ng anihan doon mag-iimport ng bigas?&quot; he said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/2024/10/8/kiko-pangilinan-shares-what-inspired-him-to-get-into-farming-937">Kiko Pangilinan shares what inspired him to get into farming</a></div><p>Pangilinan called on the full implementation of Republic Act No. 11321 or the Sagip Saka Act, among the goals of which is to increase the income of farmers.</p><p>&quot;Pwede bumili ang gobyerno direkta sa mga magsasaka at mangingisda, wala nang public bidding…. Para sa produktong agrikultura para sa relief operations, para sa feeding program, para sa provincial city jails, provincial city hospitals,&quot; he said.</p><p>Pangilinan said government, which purchases the most food in a year, should allot a large percentage of this to local farmers.</p><p>&quot;Full implementation ng batas na ito ang dapat gawin para masolusyunan yung problema ng pagkain. Pagka direktang binili sa magsasaka, gaganda ang ating ani. Magtatanim pa sila ulit dahil alam nila tama ang presyo hindi binabarat eh. Magtatanim ng marami, dadami ang supply, bababa ang presyo ng bigas. Lahat tayo ay makikinabang,&quot; the former senator said. </p><p>Pangilinan said he is willing to work with the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in addressing issues on food security and hunger. </p><p>&quot;Walang kulay ang gutom eh, walang kulay ang kahirapan. Simple lang ang hinihingi ng ating mga kababayan. Magkaroon ng abot kamay na pagkain, magkaroon ng murang bigas. Magkaroon ng murang presyo ng karneng baboy, karneng manok,&quot; he said. </p><p>&quot;Isasantabi natin lahat yan para lang magkaroon ng solusyon. Gaya ng nabanggit ko kanina, hindi naman maba-ban ang POGO kung hindi binan ng Pangulo,&quot; Pangilinan added. </p><div><strong>KEY TO SOLVING EDUCATION CRISIS?</strong></div><p>The former senator said the key to solving the so-called education crisis in the country is good governance.</p><p>&quot;Ang problema ng edukasyon kailangan good governance dahil maraming kalokohan nangyayari sa Education Department na matagal nang hindi maaayos. Pangalawa, ma-involve ang LGU, ma-involve ang communities. We have to make sure na yung pondo ng education lalo na sa school buildings ay nagagamit sa tama,&quot; Pangilinan said.</p><p>He cited the billions of funds not used for constructing new classrooms and buildings.</p><p>Pangilinan said funds must be used for capacity building of teachers, infrastructure, digital technology, among others to fix education.</p><p>He backed the appointment of his former colleague Sonny Angara, who he said needs more support.</p><p>&quot;Dapat yung mga susunod na senador at kongresista, huwag ilalagay yung pondo kung saan-saan. Ilagay sa karapatdapat and education should be one of them. Kailangan talaga suportahan ang education,&quot; Pangilinan said.</p><p>Meanwhile, Pangilinan said he is in favor of a living wage amid calls of minimum wage increase. He said moves on involving wage increase should also include initiatives or assistance to the private sector.</p><div><strong>&#x27;UPHILL BATTLE&#x27; TO SENATE</strong> </div><p>Pangilinan admitted it will be an &quot;uphill battle&quot; to return to the Senate.</p><p>&quot;Wala tayo sa administrasyon--doon palang diba? At wala rin tayo doon sa sinasabing traditional opposition. Kumbaga doon kami sa alternative, independent. Dalawa lang kami ni Bam [Aquino] na magka-tandem,&quot; he said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/halalan2022/candidates/kiko-pangilinan">Profile: Kiko Pangilinan</a></div><p>Pangilinan said the conflict between the administration aspirants and so-called opposition will redirect the voters to them.</p><p>&quot;We are hoping na ma-provide namin yung alternatibo,&quot; he said.</p><p>Pangilinan highlighted the outpouring of support he and former Vice President Leni Robredo received in the 2022 elections.</p><p>He called on supporters back then to do the same as they did before, going house to house</p><p>&quot;Kailangan natin talagang suyuin ulit, ligawin ulit, puntahan ulit yung ating mga kababayan, hilingin ulit sa kanila ang suporta. In the final analysis, ang pinakamakapangyarihan sa lahat sa araw ng halalan, hindi ang politiko, [kundi] ang botante,&quot; Pangilinan said. </p><p>&quot;Huwag natin awayin yung hindi sumasangayon sa atin. Ipakita natin yung ating track record. Kumbinsihin sila na meron tayong ginawa, meron tayong resibo, hindi totoo ang kasinungalingan. Naniniwala ako pag nakita ng taongbayan ang totoo, magpapasya sila ng tama,&quot; the former senator explained.</p><p>Pangilinan is seeking to return to the Senate, following an unsuccessful vice presidential bid in the 2022 polls.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/71QvCF1WpXc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Senatorial aspirant Kiko Pangilinan said he is willing to work with the Marcos administration in addressing issues on food security and hunger. </p>

Senatorial aspirant Kiko Pangilinan said he is willing to work with the Marcos administration in addressing issues on food security and hunger.

Harapan 2025: Prices of rice, basic goods can go down with proper enforcement of laws -- Pangilinan

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Harapan 2025: Prices of rice, basic goods can go down with proper enforcement of laws -- Pangilinan

Paige Javier,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 07, 2025 05:39 PM PHT

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Updated Jan 07, 2025 07:13 PM PHT

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Francis Pangilinan

rice prices

basic goods prices

Harapan 2025

halalan

Halalan 2025

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midterm elections

Kiko Pangilinan

politics

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