Tulfo, Villar trade barbs over ‘land conversion’
The two senators’ argument turned personal when Tulfo mentioned ‘shrinking’ farmlands causing food security problems due to ‘big-time’ developers that are converting agriculture areas into subdivisions and commercial spaces
Senator Raffy Tulfo slammed the alleged “corruption-ridden” farm-to-market road projects of the Department of Agriculture, leading to a heated debate on Thursday with Senator Cynthia Villar.
Villar defended the agency’s P163.7-billion budget for fiscal year 2023, and also her family’s alleged acquisition of farmlands later “converted” to subdivisions.
Mockingly, Tulfo said some farm-to-market roads were actually roads constructed leading to cockpits and to realty developments, alluding to the Villars’ vast land holdings, including those in Cavite and Las Piñas.
“These farm-to-market projects have been saddled with corruption used by influential politicians,” he said. Tulfo then asked Villar about the DA’s process of determining the FMR beneficiaries.
“How does the DA identify that the FMR requested by an influential, rich politician would benefit farmers instead of serving the politician’s interest?” he asked.
The lady senator replied the Department of Public Works and Highways assesses potential FMRs using drone technology.
The two senators’ argument turned more personal when Tulfo mentioned “shrinking” farmlands causing problems in food security due to “big-time” developers that are converting agriculture areas into subdivisions and commercial spaces.
Villar calmly replied: “That’s our business. I want to tell you we don’t buy agricultural land in the provinces. We limit ourselves to cities and capital towns.”
She explained developers are allowed conversion in cities and capital towns.
“Because if they (developers) buy your land, they buy it expensive and you can reinvest the money and they will make more money than planting on those lands. It’s an investment decision. You have to understand agriculture as a business also,” she added.