Senator Pangilinan: Farmers, fisherfolk must be paid within 15 days after delivering goods

Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan recently urged government agencies to strictly adhere to the payment timelines established under the Sagip Saka Act.

The senator emphasized that farmers and fisherfolk must receive payment within 15 working days following the delivery of their goods.

This is to ensure that processes align with these requirements to support the timely compensation of agricultural producers.

The Sagip Saka Act, authored by Pangilinan in 2019, was designed to enable national government agencies and local government units to purchase food directly from farmers and fisherfolk.

The primary goals of this initiative are to improve producer incomes and support national food security.

As the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform, the senator emphasized that prompt payment is crucial to sustaining livelihoods, maintaining production levels, and ensuring long-term food security.

“Hanggat di kayo nagbabayad nung mga utang ninyo, hindi ko ipapa-approve yung budget niyo,” he warned during a dialogue with farmers and fisherfolk groups in Mindanao.

The warning was issued following concerns raised by several groups regarding delayed government payments, which now amount to millions of pesos.

At least two groups informed the senator that the Department of Education (DepEd) allegedly still has unsettled payments worth millions for food supplied under its feeding programs since late last year.

“Hindi naman tama na ang ating mga magsasaka at mangingisda pa ang lalo nating pahihirapan dahil sa kakulangan at kahirapan ng sistema sa gobyerno. Hindi sila dapat magdusa at sumalo ng pagkatalo dahil hindi tayo makabayad sa oras,” he said.

The Sagip Saka Act was intended to empower farmers and fisherfolk by providing direct access to institutional buyers and government agencies but persistent payment delays are currently undermining this purpose.

Pangilinan said it is critical that these payment issues are addressed to ensure the law effectively supports the agricultural community.

He urged gencies involved in procurement, subsidy distribution, and credit programs to streamline payment systems, improve coordination, and ensure the timely settlement of all obligations.

The senator called for a broader review of government payment processes to identify bottlenecks and implement immediate fixes.

As a long-time advocate for these issues, Pangilinan has reaffirmed his support for policies that guarantee fair compensation, strengthen institutional support, and protect the welfare of the agriculture and fisheries sectors.

-Paraluman News