With oil prices scheduled to increase next week, Senator Kiko Pangilinan called on the government to take necessary measures to help the farmers and fisherfolk who will be affected by the hike.
Based on reports, prices of diesel will go up by as much as P2.10 per liter while gasoline by P1.40 to 1.50 per liter between October 5 to 11.
“Dapat nang ihanda ng pamahalaan ang tulong sa ating mga magsasaka na tatamaan ng panibagong pagtaas sa presyo ng langis,” said Pangilinan.
“Ito na ang ikaanim na sunod na linggo na mayroong pagtaas sa presyo ng langis.”
“Ito na ang ikaanim na sunod na linggo na mayroong pagtaas sa presyo ng langis kaya malaki ang epekto nito sa ating mga magsasaka, pati na sa presyo ng mga bilihin,” he added.
“Malaki ang epekto nito sa ating mga magsasaka, pati na sa presyo ng mga bilihin.”
As an immediate help, Pangilinan said concerned government agencies can help farmers and fisherfolk transport their goods to the market to cut transportation cost.
“Sa ganitong paraan, hindi na idadagdag pa sa halaga ng produkto ang transport cost. Nakatipid na ang magsasaka sa pagbiyahe ng produkto, hindi na madagdagan pa ang presyo nito pag ibinenta na sa merkado,” he said.
Pangilinan also reiterated his call for the full implementation of his Sagip Saka Act to boost the income of farmers and to stabilize the prices of goods in the market.
Authored by Pangilinan, the Sagip Saka Act mandates local government units and national and local government agencies to buy directly from accredited farmers and fisherfolk cooperatives.
“The Sagip Saka Act mandates local government units and national and local government agencies to buy directly from accredited farmers and fisherfolk cooperatives.”
The process could do away with the use of middlemen, thus giving farmers and fishermen bigger income while making agricultural products more affordable for consumers, he added. Since the law’s passage in April 2019, a total of 443 LGUs have purchased agricultural products directly from farmers and fisherfolk as of November 30, 2020.
