Senatorial candidate Panfilo Lacson admitted on Friday that reducing the price of rice to P20 per kilo would be difficult to achieve, though he hopes it could at least be approximated. Speaking at a press conference in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, ahead of a rally with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Lacson said achieving such a low price is impractical.
Other candidates from the Alyansa Para Sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial slate proposed government interventions to stabilize food prices. Vicente Sotto III suggested that the government buy half of all farm and fisheries output at farmgate prices, which he said would benefit farmers and help reduce costs. Abby Binay emphasized the need for increased investment in irrigation, citing over a million hectares of flat land that remain unutilized due to a lack of water access. Camille Villar pushed for government subsidies and the proper implementation of existing laws, including anti-profiteering measures against rice traders.
Beyond economic concerns, Lacson also spoke about national security, proposing more international alliances similar to the Philippines’ Mutual Defense Treaty with the US. He believes forming new defense agreements with other powerful nations could serve as a deterrent against Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea.
On transportation issues, Lacson suggested reversing the direction of the EDSA Busway to encourage self-regulation among motorists and eliminate exemptions that could be exploited.
The candidates also addressed the rise of disinformation, sharing personal experiences as victims. Benjamin Abalos Jr. recounted how scammers impersonated him online, while Manny Pacquiao revealed he had been falsely reported dead in a viral Facebook post.
As the campaign continued in San Jose del Monte, candidates also presented their key platforms. Sotto highlighted the importance of his Doktor para sa Bayan medical scholarship program in addressing healthcare gaps. Lacson reiterated his advocacy for budget reforms to ensure national funds reach underserved areas. Meanwhile, Abalos pushed for amending the outdated Local Government Code to improve policy implementation at the grassroots level.
