SEN. Francis Pangilinan has asked the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform to look into the “persistently high” prices of food and other basic agricultural commodities to identify government interventions to ensure food availability.
“In recent months, prices of essential food items including rice, vegetables, fish, meat, and other agricultural products have significantly increased, placing undue burden on Filipino families, particularly the poor and vulnerable sectors,” Pangilinan said in proposed Senate Resolution No. 5.
He cited reports from various government agencies indicating that the rising costs of food were due to supply chain disruptions, high production and transportation costs, importation constraints, hoarding, profiteering, and climate-related impacts on local production.
He said these factors have contributed to the increase in the number of Filipinos who have experienced involuntary hunger “at least once in the past three months,” as reflected in the June 28, 2025 survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS).
“The number of Filipinos who experienced involuntary hunger at least once in the past three months rose to 20 percent, representing a slight increase from 19.1 percent recorded in April 2025, following a sharp drop from 27.2 percent in March. Mindanao posted the highest hunger rate at 26.3 percent, followed by Metro Manila at 20.3 percent, the Visayas at 19.7 percent, and Balance Luzon at 17 percent,” Pangilinan said, quoting the SWS survey.
He said that while the government has taken measures to stabilize food prices by importation, price monitoring, and giving subsidies, consumers experience limited access to affordable food.
“There is a need to review the effectiveness of existing policies, programs, and interventions to address the rising cost of food, identify systemic gaps, and recommend appropriate legislative and administrative measures,” he said.
