January 27, 2026

 

Senator calls for reforms to strengthen farmers' and fishers' organisations in Philippines

 

 

A senator on January 26 called for structural reforms to strengthen farmers' and fishers' organizations in the Philippines, saying agriculture modernisation needs effective extension services and strong cooperatives at the grassroots.

 

Francis Pangilinan, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform, made the statement as the panel conducted a public hearing on Senate Bill Nos. 389 and 1183, or the proposed Agricultural Cooperatives Act, and Senate Bill No. 1182, or the National Agriculture and Fisheries Extension System Act.

 

Pangilinan said efforts in 2012 and again in 2024 to organiae vegetable and fruit farmers failed to prosper despite weeks of training and support from the Department of Agriculture (DA), Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) and local government units.

 

"As long as the DA has no 'boots on the ground,' we won't be able to fully strengthen our farmers and fishers," Pangilinan said.

 

The proposed measures seek to address these gaps through the establishment of a Bureau of Agricultural Cooperatives and the re-nationalisation of extension services, he said.

 

"Unless we organise our farmers and fisherfolks, we will never modernise our agriculture. That's how important these twin measures are," Pangilinan said.

 

Pangilinan added the DA supports the bills and that Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. underscored the critical role of extension services and cooperatives based on his experience as a former local chief executive.

 

The senator said January 26 hearing marked the second hearing on the measures, following an earlier technical working group discussion on organising farmers and fishers through extension services and cooperatives.

 

Meanwhile, Sen. Raffy Tulfo expressed support for the bills, saying cooperatives would allow agricultural workers to face challenges collectively — from planting to harvest and marketing — while enabling the government to deliver services more efficiently.

 

Tulfo also raised concerns over persistent problems in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture, noting that some farmers and fishers remain unregistered, while others continue to receive assistance despite no longer being eligible.

 

"A lot of government assistance does not reach farmers and fishers because many of them are not registered," Tulfo said.

 

- PNA