Citing that the farming and fisheries account for 30 percent in the country’s poverty level, Senator Cynthia Villar has spelled out the laws she crafted to address this condition.
Speaking during the National Agricultural and Fisheries Month celebration held at Department of Agriculture in Quezon City, Villar said the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reports showed that the poverty rate among farmers is at 30 percent; fisherfolks, 30.6 percent and those residing in rural areas, 25.7 percent vs. the national poverty incidence of 18.1 percent.
She also acknowledged the farmers and fisherfolks invaluable contribution to nation building.
“Farmers and fishermen tirelessly toil our land and seas in order to feed us, give employment to our rural communities and provide raw materials for our food processing industries,” she said.
Because of this, Villar said she has been working to better their lives. She also mentioned their family’s advocacy is also poverty reduction.
“I have taken steps as a Senator to improve their conditions through legislation. My agenda is through support programs to enable our farmers to lessen production cost and correspondingly increase their profits,” said the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food.
One of these recent laws for the agriculture and fisheries sectors which she passed and a few which she hopes to pass until the end of her term in March 2025 is the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act which is now close to becoming a law. It is expected to be signed by the President into law soon.
The measure mandates the creation of the an Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Task Force, an Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Court and a Special Team of Prosecutors from the Department of Justice (DOJ) to expedite the prosecution of agri-economic sabotage cases
Villar also authored and sponsored “An Act Strengthening the Livestock, Poultry and Dairy Development and Competitiveness for the development, promotion and competitiveness of our Livestock, Poultry and Dairy Industries
The other law id the Extension of the RCEF beyond 2024 and expanding its benefits to include other programs.
“Under Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law, around PHP10 billion worth of appropriated tariffs from private rice importers farmers help,” she said.
She also mentioned the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act passed in March 2021 and the 41 laws establishing legislated hatcheries across 57 different sites nationwide and Republic Act No 11985 or An Act Strengthening and Revitalizing the Salt Industry.
“I will also aim to pass corn Industry Development Law to support the livestock poultry and dairy industries. Corn is both for human consumption and for animals. In animals 70 percent of their feeds is from yellow corn, ” assured the senator.
