KIKO: PRIORITIZE RICE ISSUE IN LEDACC AGENDA

Senate Majority Leader and Independent senator Kiko Pangilinan today urged fellow members of the Legislative and Executive Development Advisory and Consultative Council (LEDACC) to put the rice crisis on top of the agenda as the body meets anew on Monday, April 21.

"Despite the pending Neri case at the Supreme Court, the Senate should reach out to the Executive to forge a common effort to address the rice crisis that has plagued the country. We need to put this issue on top of the agenda as this problem has been unforgiving especially to the poorest of the poor." Kiko said.

"We need to maximize the LEDACC meeting so that the Legislative can properly align its legislative agenda with the Executive's strategies. What alternative and long-term solutions should we institute so that we do not only act when the problem is already here?" Kiko added.

"The true test for our national leaders is the ability to rise above their differences and work together to come up with relevant policies that will alleviate the problems our country faces, particularly the food shortage. We need to prove that not even our institutional differences could get in the way of effective public service." Kiko ended.