Senator Pangilinan on Filipino farmers' plight: Politics can wait, hunger cannot

Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan renewed his pledge of support to Filipino farmers after the recent Senate leadership shake‑up, stressing that political power struggles must never come at the expense of ordinary citizens already burdened by soaring prices and deepening food insecurity.

Pangilinan lamented how political conflicts often hit the poor and marginalized the hardest, especially as global crises continue to drive up fuel and food costs.

He stressed that while politicians fight over positions, Filipinos continue to struggle daily with hunger, expensive goods, and shrinking incomes.

“Makapaghihintay ang pulitika; ang gutom, hindi (Politics can wait, hunger can’t),” he said following the postponement of the Senate hearing on the situation faced by vegetable farmers in Benguet.

Pangilinan clarified that the problem is not a simple oversupply of cabbage and carrots, but a worsening logistics crisis fueled by soaring oil prices.

Drawing from his recent meeting with Chef Waya Araos and Benguet farmers, the senator said many truckers have become reluctant to transport produce because fuel costs now consume most — if not all — of their possible earnings.

Just days after the Senate reshuffle led to the cancellation of scheduled public hearings, Pangilinan immediately met with affected farmers to hear their concerns directly.

While acknowledging that private consultations cannot fully replace formal Senate inquiries where issues are placed on public record, he said abandoning the farmers was never an option.

“Ipaglalaban pa rin natin. Hihingi pa rin tayo ng request na ituloy yung mga hearing at mag-conduct ng mga hearing. At sana pakinggan tayo,” Pangilinan said.

He assured farmers that despite ongoing changes in Senate committee leadership, including the Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform, their concerns would continue to be raised at the national level and reflected in policies aimed at protecting local agriculture and improving farmers’ livelihoods.

For Pangilinan, the fight goes beyond committee chairmanships or political realignments. As long as Filipino farmers continue to struggle, he said, the work must continue because beyond the halls of politics are families waiting for food on the table, farmers fighting to survive, and communities relying on leaders who choose service over power.