MANILA – Senator Francis Pangilinan on Thursday hailed the issuance of Executive Orders (EOs) 100 and 101, together with the government’s rice import restrictions and higher tariffs, as transformative steps toward strengthening local food production and ensuring fair income for Filipino farmers and fisherfolk.
Pangilinan, the principal author of the Sagip Saka Act (Republic Act 11321), described the twin executive orders as a “decisive shift toward pro-farmer and pro-fisherfolk governance.”
“Napapanahong sagip-buhay ang mga hakbang na ito para sa mga Pilipinong magsasaka, mangingisda, at mamimili sa gitna ng pagtaas ng fuel prices at sunud-sunod na kalamidad,” he said. “Sinasalamin ng mga ito ang isang mapagpasyang pagbabago tungo sa pagpapahalaga sa mga nagpapakain sa atin.”
Under EO 100, the Department of Agriculture (DA) is mandated to set a floor price for palay based on production costs, market conditions, and farmer welfare. The measure also provides a trigger mechanism for government intervention whenever prices fall below sustainable levels—shielding rice farmers from unfair market manipulation.
Meanwhile, EO 101 orders the full implementation of the Sagip Saka Act, enabling all government agencies and local government units to directly purchase produce from farmers and fisherfolk without public bidding. This aims to streamline procurement, reduce post-harvest losses, and ensure steady demand for local agricultural products.
“Magkatuwang ang dalawang EO na ito,” Pangilinan explained. “Pinoprotektahan ng EO 100 ang mga magsasaka mula sa predatory pricing, habang tinitiyak ng EO 101 na ang pamahalaan ang magiging pinakamalaki at maaasahang buyer ng mga magsasaka.”
The senator emphasized that these complementary measures will help stabilize farm incomes, promote food self-sufficiency, and cushion rural producers from economic shocks caused by global volatility, high fuel costs, and natural disasters.
Pangilinan also commended President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for prioritizing farmer welfare through these reforms, saying they represent “a clear direction toward a government that truly invests in the people who feed the nation.”
NPO News Team | PNA – PR
