A radio host slammed Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan after he complained about the state of the Filipino rice farmers.
In a privilege speech, Pangilinan said that the Rice Tariffication Law negatively affected the farmers and described the situation as “worse than the Japanese occupation” in the Philippines during the WW2.
“Mahirap na magsasaka lalo pang pinahihirapan. Binhi, mahal. Krudo, mahal. Abono, mahal. Insecticide, mahal. Upa sa tanim, mahal. Tapos bibilhin nila palay na napakamura. Paano makakabayad sa inutang na puhunan? Patay ang magsasaka,” Pangilinan said.
“Anihan na pero tila wala pa ring aksyong ginagawa ang gobyerno. Wala pa ring pagbabago sa presyo ng palay. Dito sa Pampanga, nine pesos per kilo. Maawa po kayo sa mga magsasaka,” he added.
The Senator also said that the farmers are only asking a little help from the government.
“Nasa isang emergency situation tayo at kailangan ng ating mga magsasaka ang maagap na tulong. Ang liit ng hinihingi ng mga magsasaka sa atin para mabuhay at huwag umalis sa kanilang mga bukid at magpapatuloy ng pagbubungkal ng lupa para tayong lahat ay makakain,” he said.
Radio host Mark Lopez didn’t like the message of Pangilinan to the government and asked why the Senator was lecturing the government.
According to Lopez, Pangilinan had the chance to fix the problems of the farmers during his time as the Presidential Adviser on Food Security from 2014 to 2015.
“Mr Pangilinan, you were once in power when you were Presidential adviser on Food Security. WALA KA NAMAN NAGAWA. WALA! And you are part of the most INEPT administration ever. What makes you think you have the ascendancy to discuss the problems of farmers eh isa ka sa umabuso?” Lopez said.
“Di nga, ano ba ang K ng mga opisyales ng dating administrasyon na magkukukuda at mag lecture pa sa kasalukuyang gobyerno kung ano gagawin? San ba talaga kumukuha ng kapal ng mukha itong mga katulad ni Kiko Cuneta?” he added.
Pangilinan is a known critic of the Duterte administration.
The post of Lopez already reached 3,300 shares on social media.