Kiko seeks probe into soaring food prices

As part of his campaign promise to strengthen food security and ease inflation in the country, Sen. Francis Pangilinan has called for a Senate investigation into the persistently high prices of food and basic agricultural commodities.

- By MARC JAYSON CAYABYAB

On July 8, Pangilinan filed a resolution urging the Senate committee on agriculture, food and agrarian reform to conduct an inquiry into food inflation.

In the resolution, the senator raised concern over the rising costs of essential food items, like rice, vegetables, meat and fish which, he said, have made it increasingly difficult for poor and vulnerable Filipinos to access healthy and nutritious food.

Data from a Social Weather Stations survey, released on June 28, showed that 20 percent of Filipinos went hungry at least once in the past three months, up from 19.1 percent in April 2025.

Citing this survey, Pangilinan stressed the 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."