Senator Urges Full Enforcement of Food, Agri Laws

Senator Loren Legarda is calling for the urgent and full implementation of key food and agriculture laws, urging government and citizens alike to take part in community-driven efforts to combat hunger.

“Imagine families having to sleep through hunger simply because they have no choice. Food is a right, not a privilege,” Legarda said.

Her statement comes amid alarming findings from a recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showing that one in four Filipino families—about 7.5 million households—experienced involuntary hunger in the last three months, the highest figure since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

The Global Hunger Index also rates the Philippines’ hunger level as “moderate,” revealing persistent structural barriers in food access and distribution despite the country’s rich agricultural potential.

A longtime advocate for sustainable living, Legarda emphasized that top-down policies must be bolstered by grassroots initiatives that empower local communities to build their own food systems.

“Look at Barangay Holy Spirit in Quezon City, a decades-old vegetable garden in the barangay has sustained families with fresh produce, livelihood, and eco-products made from recycled waste,” she noted.

“These are small but powerful wins, grounded in care and local resilience.”

Legarda highlighted the need to fully implement several landmark laws she authored or sponsored, including:

• Agri-Agra Reform Credit Act (RA 10000), which mandates banks to allocate credit to farmers and agrarian reform beneficiaries;
• Organic Agriculture Act (RA 10068), promoting chemical-free, sustainable farming; and
• Food and Drug Administration Act (RA 9711), strengthening food safety and regulation.

She emphasized that these laws must be matched with grassroots solutions such as Gulayan sa Paaralan programs, edible landscaping, community composting, and collaborations with initiatives like Rural Rising Philippines (RuRi).

To directly support farmers and reduce food waste, Legarda has also engaged in “rescue buys” of unsold produce.

In February, she purchased one ton of cauliflower from struggling farmers in Santa Catalina, Ilocos Sur through RuRi, which was then distributed to 700 indigent residents of Tatalon, Quezon City.

She also launched the Bayong-All-You-Can (BAYC) initiative in the Senate in 2023, where produce sourced directly from farmers is distributed to Senate employees using traditional woven bayongs made by Laguna artisans.

In tandem with these initiatives, Legarda co-authored the Zero Food Waste Bill, aimed at institutionalizing the recovery and redistribution of surplus food from commercial establishments to food-insecure communities.

“We don’t need grand solutions. We need committed ones,” she said.

“I’ve seen how a single garden can change a household. Now imagine what we can achieve as a nation when we till, grow, and rise together,” Legarda added.

The senator’s campaign comes as the Senate prepares to revisit food security policies ahead of budget deliberations later this year, where agriculture remains one of the most underfunded sectors despite its central role in poverty alleviation.