ILANG araw bago magbukas ang 19th Congress sa July 25, isinampa ni Senator Cynthia A. Villar ang kayang priority bills para mapabilis ang paglago ng agrikultura ng bansa, mapangalagaan ang kapaligiran at matulungan ang Pinoy entrepreneurs.

Mananatili kay Villar ang chairmanship ng Senate Committees on Agriculture and Food at Environment and Natural Resources sa darating na Kongreso. Pinangunahan din niya ang mga naturang komite noong 18th Congress.

Iginiit ni Villar na mapaiigting ng kanyang mga panukalang batas ang food sustainability at sufficiency ng bansa.

Sinabi pa niya na sa mga panahong ito, kailangang tutukan ang ating livestock industry. Aniya, ang sektor na ito na binubuo ng cattle, hogs, poultry at dairy ang magpapakain sa ating mga kababayan. Mapababa rin nito ang kahirapan sa kanayunan sa pagbibigay ng mas magandang kita at trabaho sa mga magsasaka at kanilang pamilya.

Sa pag-unlad nito, sinabi ng senador na magiging abot-kaya ang ligtas at masustansyang produkto ng livestock, poultry at dairy para sa 110 milyong Pilipino.

“The draft bill on livestock, and poultry, together with the Yellow Corn Development Bill were crafted with the help of the NEDA and in consultation with various stakeholders,” ayon kay Villar.

“The African Swine Fever which hit the industry in 2019 resulted in the culling of thousands of pigs, wiping out entire farms and growers which adversely affected the 260 Billion-peso swine industry of the country,” dagdag pa niya.

Sa kasalukuyan, sinabi ni Villar na unti-unting umuusbong ang ASF na mga lugar na noo’y hindi naman idineklarang “red zones”.

Binanggit din niya na patuloy din ang pagkalat ng Avian influenza o bird flu sa buong bansa. May mga naitalang bagong outbreaks sa Luzon at Mindanao.

Inilahad niya ang kanyang mga inihaing bills na may kaugnayan sa agrikultura:

1- Livestock, Poultry and Dairy Development and Competitiveness Act of 2022;
2-Yellow Corn Industry Development Act of 2022;
3-Marine Hatchery in Baybay City, Province of Leyte;
4-Marine Hatchery in the Municipality of Talacogon, Province of Agusan Del Sur;
5-New Land Bank of the Philippines Act;
6- Philippine Fiber Industry Development Program of 2022;
7-Integrated Urban Agriculture Act of 2022;
8- Agriculture Information System Act;
9- National Farmers, Fisherfolks and Agri-workers Day and
10- Anti-Illegal Movement of Animals or Plants.

Ang kanya namang mga panukalang batas upang pangalagaan ang ating kapaligiran at likas na yaman ay ang mga sumusunod:

1-National Wetlands Conservation Act;
2-Revised Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act;
3-Integrated Coastal Management;
4- National Mangrove Forest Protection and Preservation;
5- Rainwater Harvesting Facility;
6- Paoay Lake Protected Landscape Act (Province of Ilocos Norte;
7- Taklong and Tandog Group of Islands Natural Park Act (Province of Guimaras);
8- Minalungao Protected Landscape Act (Province of Nueva Ecija) and

Kinilala ni Villar na ‘most productive and biologically diverse landscapes known to man’ ang ating coastal environments na kinapapalooban ng iba’t ibang ecosystems gaya ng shore lands, mangroves, seagrass beds at coral reefs.

“Coastal and marine areas are vital sources of food, minerals and raw materials while marine-related economic activities, including fisheries, marine transportation, tourism, coastal mining, and offshore oil and gas development make significant contributions to a country’s GDP as well as provide livelihood and employment opportunities to coastal communities,” pahayag ni Villar.

Nagsampa rin siya ng dalawa pang bills- ang Buy Pinoy, Build Pinoy Month at ang Small and Medium Enterprises Stock Exchange (SMEX).

Layunin ng bill sa Buy Pinoy, Build Pinoy Act na ideklara ang November kada taon bilang “BUY PINOY, BUILD PINOY Month” para isiksik sa isip ng bawat Pilipino na suportahan ang mga produktong gawang Pilipino at kilalanin ang Pinoy producers.

Ang SMEX bill naman ang tutulong sa Small and Medium Enterprises upang makakuha ng financing requirements mula sa developing capital market sa bansa. (ESTONG REYES)