Former senator and current senatorial candidate Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan has called on the national government to intervene in the ongoing rice overstock crisis at National Food Authority (NFA) warehouses during a campaign visit to Occidental Mindoro on March 27, 2025.

The plea comes amid mounting complaints over storage shortages for Mindoreño farmers, exacerbated by longstanding issues at NFA facilities in the province.

Pangilinan, speaking to farmers and stakeholders, noted the dire situation at the NFA warehouse in Occidental Mindoro, where rice stocks—some dating back to 2023—have left no room for newly harvested grains.

“We need to solve this,” he said in Filipino. “Let’s bring it to the national level, to the DA secretary and chairman of the board of the NFA, and find immediate intervention to fix this problem.”

He vowed to raise the issue with Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.

The former senator attributed the NFA’s inability to release its rice reserves to restrictions under the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) of 2019, which shifted the agency’s role from directly managing rice prices to maintaining buffer stocks.

However, he stressed the urgency of action given the DA’s declaration of a food security emergency on rice last month.

“Because there’s an emergency situation, a food crisis, the NFA should act immediately to unload,” Pangilinan said.

“Right now, their warehouses are full to the brim.”

Recent reports by The Manila Times noted that NFA warehouses in the province have struggled with overcapacity for months, with unprocessed rice piling up due to logistical delays and restrictive policies.

Farmers, now in the thick of the harvest season, are left with few options, unable to store or sell their produce at fair prices.

This has fueled calls for reform, with Pangilinan promising to revisit and possibly amend the RTL if elected.

“It’s harvest season now, and our farmers don’t know what to do, nor does the NFA know where to bring this oversupply,” he said, urging calm and resilience. “Let’s not lose hope; we will find a solution.”

Pangilinan, the principal author of the Sagip Saka Act and a former food security secretary, framed his Mindoro visit, as part of his campaign promise, to stabilize rice prices and support farmers nationwide.

The overstock issue, he argued, not only affects local producers but also keeps market prices high despite the surplus—a paradox he aims to address through legislative and executive action.

Occidental Mindoro’s NFA woes are not new.

A Philippine Star report in January 2025 cited similar complaints from farmers in other provinces about deteriorating rice stocks and inadequate warehouse maintenance, raising issues over spoilage and wastage.

Pangilinan’s call for intervention echoes these frustrations, spotlighting Mindoro as a critical battleground in the fight for food security ahead of the May 2025 elections.

(Photo courtesy of NFA Occidental Mindoro via PIA)