Kiko Pangilinan on February 15, 2025, courted voters in Muñoz Market as vowed on measures to pull down high food prices. Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News

MANILA – Senatorial aspirant Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Saturday morning wooed voters at the Muñoz Market in Quezon City, bringing with him his campaign promise to craft measures to pull down food prices. 

Pangilinan was joined by Sen. Risa Hontiveros of Akbayan and dozens of youth volunteers, who distributed flyers and posters with them during the hour-long activity.

Several supporters shouted for joy upon seeing Pangilinan and Hontiveros, as the pair moved around the wet market to check on vendors and their customers.

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“Maliwanag na mataas ang presyo ng bigas. Kapag napababa ang presyo ng bigas, ang experience natin, ang sinasabi din ng mga eksperto, bababa na rin ang presyo ng ibang bilihin. Ang puno’t-dulo nito, we really have to bring down rice prices,” said the former senator.  

(It is clear that rice prices are high. In our experience, and experts say, if we bring down the price of rice, the prices of other goods will also go down. The bottomline is we really have to bring down rice prices)

He said that has been done before and that prices were brought down because the government refused to buy rice from Vietnam and Thailand at high prices.

Pangilinan was presidential assistant for food security and agricultural modernization from 2014 to 2015 under then President Benigno Aquino III.

Hontiveros said it was important to show her support to Pangilinan as he already proved his worth as a senator.

“May proof, may resibo na maipababa ang mga presyo ng pagkain, na maalagaan ang agricultural sector. Kalingain niya ang ating mga mamimili sa presyo ng mga pangunahing bilihin,” said Hontiveros.

(There is proof, we have receipts, that food prices can be brought down and that the agriculture sector can be taken care of. He will care for consumers in terms of the prices of basic goods) 

She said Pangilinan would go against cartels, smugglers and syndicates if elected into office.

Bam, Kiko call on supporters to replicate 2022 efforts

 Pangilinan said he and his team would replicate campaign efforts in 2022, when he ran for vice president alongside then Vice President Leni Robredo.

In the afternoon, Pangilinan and former Sen. Bam Aquino will also woo voters in Krus na Ligas in Quezon City to attend the “KikoBam National Mural Day.”