Villar pushes passage of agri dev’t bill

Sen. Cynthia Villar is pressing for the passage of three bills on agricultural development and environmental protection before Congress takes a break in March.

Villar is pushing for the passage of the proposed Local Government Agriculture Development Act; Philippine Native Animal Development Act; and the bill expanding coverage of the National Integrated and Protected Areas System (NIPAS) after the senators agreed to prioritize passage of at least three of their pet bills from Jan. 16 to March 17.

“These bills were among the bills I filed to advance my legislative agenda in instituting reforms in the agriculture and environment sectors,” the senator said.

Senate Bill 318 or the proposed Local Government Agriculture Development Act seeks to allocate 10 percent of local government units’ annual development fund for the implementation of programs for agriculture and fisheries advancement.

“This bill aims to make programs for the benefit of farmers and fisherfolks a priority among local government units, as well as continuity of agricultural programs,” Villar, vice chair of the Committee on Agriculture and Food, said.

With the growing consumption of meat among Filipinos from 15 kilos per capita to 35 kilos per capita, she also pushed for the breeding of native animals, which are cheaper to raise and more adaptable to the country’s changing climate.

“We should turn to native animals to help us feed the growing population. We have seen problems raising imported cows; our climate is changing and these animals cannot adapt,” Villar said.

Villar filed Senate Bill 144, which aims to promote the scientific propagation, processing, utilization and development of Philippine native animals. The bill seeks the creation of the Philippine Native Animal Development Center (PNADC).

The proposed PNADC in coordination with the Departments of Agriculture (DA); Science and Technology; Environment and Natural Resources, native animal growers’ cooperatives and organizations, LGUs and the private sector shall formulate a 20-year framework for development to be validated and updated annually.

The framework will serve as a guide in implementing programs, plans and projects. It will also provide for investment promotion and facilitation, production support and extension, research and development, market promotion and development, quality assurance, infrastructure development among others.

To bring the development of the industry closer to the stakeholders, the bill also seeks to create one native animal center in every region of the country that will be called Native Animal Regional Center. The active participation of farmers is also encouraged under the bill. Farmers’ associations and cooperatives will serve as the focal point for government assistance in the propagation and dispersal of Philippine native animals and dissemination of technology on native animals.