Senator Francis Pangilinan announced on Monday that his decision to join the Senate majority bloc was primarily motivated by the urgent need to tackle the country’s food crisis and to secure the chairpersonship of the Committee on Agriculture.
In his explanation of vote for Senate President Francis Escudero, Pangilinan highlighted the alarming rise in food prices, increasing hunger, and worsening malnutrition among Filipino children, which necessitate immediate and coordinated action between the executive and legislative branches.
“Our nation is facing a food crisis, and high food prices have led to unprecedented hunger incidence as well as unprecedented stunting among our children,” he stated during the opening of the 20th Congress.
Although not a political ally of the current administration, Pangilinan emphasized that his 15 years of experience in the agriculture and food sectors—as both a senator and former food security secretary—have convinced him that effective solutions require the full support of both Malacañang and Congress.
“Only if the executive and the legislative branches work together can we effectively bring down food prices and address hunger and food inflation,” he asserted.
Pangilinan recalled his tenure as food security czar from 2014 to 2015 under the Aquino administration, during which the government successfully reduced rice prices by up to PHP 3 per kilo and cut rice inflation from 15 percent to 0.8 percent within a year. He attributed these achievements to aggressive reforms, anti-smuggling operations, and strong executive-legislative coordination.
“Nagawa na natin noon at kung magbigay ng buong suporta ang ating Pangulo—magagawa natin ulit ngayon (We’ve done it before, and if the President gives his full support—we can do it again),” he remarked.
He clarified that his decision to join the majority does not signify a departure from his independence as a senator, emphasizing that legislative action should be guided by policy outcomes rather than political labels.