The Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial slate has proposed a series of policies aimed at bolstering the country’s agricultural sector, including government purchasing programs, financial assistance, and stricter importation regulations.
During a campaign stop in Dumaguete City, Makati Mayor Abby Binay strongly advocated for a clear policy banning agricultural importation during local harvest seasons to protect farmers from price drops.
“Let us support our local farmers, stop the importation of high sucrose kasi ‘yun po ang kalaban ng ating local famers. So we need policies to stop importing sugar during the time na nagha-harvest kasi babagsak ang presyo ng sugar,” Binay said.
She added.: “So let us make a clear policy na kapag panahon ng ani, panahon ng harvest, no importation. That has to be clearly in black and white. At panghawakan ‘yun ng farmers natin. ‘Yon po ang kailangan para mayroong assurance ang agricultural sector na mababawi nila yung puhunan nila at kikita pa sila.”
“Kahapon po I was in a meeting with the sugar farmers from Batama. And I was informed that 80% of our sugar is actually locally sourced, 20 percent we have to import. So, imagine if we become 100 percent on local produce and we can even export our sugar. Ang laki po ng tulong nito sa ekonomiya ng Negros,” Binay said.
Former Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III outlined a proposal for the government to purchase at least 50 percent of agricultural outputs at farmgate prices to ensure fair compensation for farmers.
“We are going to propose that 50 percent of all the outputs of all farmers … in the country, not only in Negros Oriental, be bought by the government at their farmgate price. Sa presyo ng magsasaka, hindi sa presyo ng traders. So ang magsasaka ang kikita, mas malaki ang magiging income nila,” Sotto said. “If we need to put it into law, we will put it into law.”
Former Senator Manny Pacquiao introduced his PDC (Production, Distribution, Consumption) program as a solution to prevent middlemen from unfairly profiting off farmers.
“Gumawa po ako ng isang programa na mapaganda at makakatulong sa ating mga farmers. ‘Yong, tinatawag ko itong PDC—production, distribution, consumption—dahil doon po nasusukat lahat ng mga basic commodities na ginagamit ng tao araw-araw kung … kulang o sobra,” Pacquiao explained.
For her part, Deputy Speaker Camille Villar highlighted legislative efforts to assist farmers, particularly through the New Agrarian Emancipation Act, which condoned the debts of over 600,000 farmers.
“Sinusuportahan natin lahat ng programa ng administrasyong Marcos sa pagsuporta sa agrikultura. One of the which is the New Agrarian Emancipation Act, which was passed in 2023. My mother Senator Cynthia Villar, as the chairman of the Committee on Agriculture and Agrarian Reform, she helped pass this bill and this condones the debt of over 600,000 farmers nationwide,” Villar stated.
Former Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos also stressed on the need for institutionalized financial assistance, expanded crop insurance, and government support for transportation and mechanization.
“[I]lagay mo ang sarili mo na magsasaka ka. Anong kailangan mo? Kapital. Aside from that, of course abono, mechanization, irrigation na binibigay ng pamahalaan,” Abalos and proposed that the government lead the program is providing loans with low interest to farmers.
According to former Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, the Kadiwa program must be institutionalized to provide farmers a direct access to markets.
“Kanina, on the way here from the airport may nadaanan po kaming Kadiwa store so, tinanong ko ‘yong nagsundo sa akin, gaano ba kaaktibo ‘yong Kadiwa store dito? Sabi niya hindi masyado kasi maraming kulang. So, ang magagawa ko lang at ito’y pinapaaral ko na kasi naitanong na ito noong unang rally naming sa Laoag, na bakit hindi natin ma-institutionalize ‘yong Kadiwa store by way of legislation?” Lacson said.
Other members of the administration-backed Alyansa slate are re-electionist Senators Ramon Bong Revilla, Pia Cayetano, Lito Lapid, and Imee Marcos.
