CEBU CITY – Senatorial reelection candidate, Kiko Pangilinan eyes legislative measures to address crisis in the education sector and to jumpstart food revolution to end hunger in the Philippines.
“My legislative proposals revolve around bills to address the crisis in the education sector, which is largely affected by poverty and its consequences, including hunger and malnutrition. The proposals suggest implementing a free meal program in schools, which has been shown to reduce dropout rates by up to 30% and improve learning quality,” Pangilinan told Cebu media and content creators in a breakfast press conference, April 10 in Cebu City.
Pangilinan bared that the program aims to be decentralized, sourcing half of the food from local farmers and fishermen, thereby supporting local agriculture and food security while also providing additional income for farmers.
The initiative will incorporate the Sagip Saka Act, a law that exempts farmers from public bidding for government purchases, to facilitate direct purchases and support farmers' market access. The program will also extend to various public institutions, benefiting a wide range of communities, Pangilinan said.
Once elected to the Senate, Pangilinan said he will immediately hit the ground running by pushing for the passage of his priority measures, including the Batas sa Murang Pagkain Act, the Food Sovereignty and Farmers' Protection Act, the Expanded Feeding Program for Public Schools Act, and the Urban and Community Farming Act.
Education sector crisis and poverty impact
Pangilinan highlighted the crisis in the education sector, emphasizing the significant impact of poverty on families and mentioned that poverty leads to hunger and malnutrition, which negatively affects educational outcomes.
“Data shows that schools with free meal programs have up to 30% fewer dropouts compared to schools without such programs. Free meal programs lead to double-digit improvements in the quality of learning,” Pangilinan stated.
He outlined five new feeding programs to be streamlined and organized under a national policy, that aims to improve the welfare and education of children, reducing dropout rates significantly. Half of the food needed for the meal program should come from local farmers and fishermen, promoting decentralization and quality.
“The program addresses both educational challenges and the income of farmers, contributing to food security,” Pangilinan added.
Incorporation of Sagip Saka Act and decentralization
There is a need to incorporate the Sagip Saka Act, a government law that exempts farmers from public bidding for certain programs to facilitate direct purchases from farmers, benefiting them financially and ensuring quality, Pangilinan explained that the program will also include direct purchases for calamity relief, hospitals, jails, army camps, PNP stations, and college cafeterias.
The emphasis of decentralization is to support local farmers and ensure the program's sustainability, benefitting farmers by providing additional workers and purchases of fertilizers and feeds. The program also alleviates pressure on farmers by ensuring consistent demand for their produce, Pangilinan added.
“The decentralized approach will help in accessing the market by farmers, making them the single biggest buyers of food and will also support microfinance initiatives to help farmers expand their operations and improve their income,” Pangilinan concluded. (Photos: MBCNewman)
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