Senator Kiko Pangilinan has urged the government to act swiftly in setting a national floor price for palay (unmilled rice), saying rice farmers are being forced to sell their harvests at unlivable rates amid rising production costs.
Pangilinan revealed that farmgate prices have plunged to between ₱8 and ₱10 per kilogram—well below the ₱14 to ₱15 it costs to produce. He warned that without intervention, many farmers would sink deeper into debt before the end of harvest season.
The senator called on Malacañang to issue an executive order establishing a floor price that would apply to all government rice purchases. He added that departments like the DSWD, Department of Health, and DepEd—major buyers of rice for their feeding and aid programs—should procure palay under the new price scheme to ensure fair earnings for local producers.
Pangilinan also pushed for full enforcement of the Sagip Saka Act, which mandates direct government procurement from farmers and fisherfolk. He said that combining this with a fixed floor price would help farmers sustain their livelihood without depending on short-term subsidies.
Farmer groups have backed Pangilinan’s call. Nueva Ecija farmer Danilo Bolos told lawmakers that cash assistance doesn’t solve the problem of low prices. “What we need is a fair buying price, not charity,” he said.
The Department of Agriculture confirmed it is studying measures to support palay prices and is coordinating with other agencies to draft potential directives.
With the main harvest season underway, farmers and policymakers alike are watching whether the government will set a floor price in time to prevent further losses in the country’s rice heartlands.
