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Pangilinan to farmers and fisherfolk: Make full implementation of Sagip Saka Act an election issue

PHILIPPINES, February 20 - Press Release February 19, 2022

Pangilinan to farmers and fisherfolk: Make full implementation of Sagip Saka Act an election issue

DAGUPAN, PANGASINAN, FEB. 19 - Vice-presidential candidate Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan on Saturday urged farmers and fisherfolk to ask election candidates at the local government level regarding their stand on the implementation of the Sagip Saka Act.

In various fora here, Pangilinan said it is important for candidates to have a clear grasp of the law as this will help farmers and fisherfolks with their livelihood.

"Ang panawagan natin sa mga nakikinig, mga farmers organization, pagdating ng kampanya, itanong natin sa mga kandidato kung sakaling sila ang manalo ay kung ipapatupad ang Sagip Saka Law na ang lokal na pamahalaan ay bibili na direkta sa magsasaka," Pangilinan said.

"Ito ang pagkakataon ng mga botante [para malaman] kung ang kandidato ay para ba sa mga magsasaka at mangingisda o hindi," he added.

Sagip Saka Act, which was signed into law in 2019, compels local government units and different government agencies to purchase goods directly from farmers and fisherfolk cooperatives.

By virtue of the law, Pangilinan explained that local government units and agencies no longer need to undergo the bureaucratic process of public bidding to directly purchase the goods of farmers and fisherfolk.

Pangilinan cited Camarines Sur as an example, where in 2020, farmers saw a rapid increase in their income as a result of an effective implementation of the law.

"Noong 2019 sa Camarines Sur na may multi-purpose cooperative, ang benta nila ng produktong agrikultura ay P7 million. Dahil sa Sagip Saka Act nitong lockdown, noong 2020, labingtatlong LGU direktang bumili ng bigas sa Camarines Sur multi-purpose cooperative sa tamang presyo. September pa lang 2020, hindi pa tapos ang taon, P62 million na ang benta nila," Pangilinan said.

"Negotiated ang kontrata nila doon sa 13 na LGUs. Itong mga LGUs na ito ay kailangan ng bigas dahil lockdown. So direct silang bumili sa mga farmers kung saan quality na iyong mga produkto, kumita pa ang mga farmers," he said.

"Nine times ang napunta na bulsa ng kooperatiba ng mga magsasaka in one year. Itong nangyari sa Camarines Sur, gagawin natin sa lahat ng cooperatiba ng magsasaka sa buong Pilipinas," he added.