Villar thanks Duterte for signing law declaring Davao city as PH's 'Chocolate Capital’
Senator Cynthia A. Villar on Monday commended the signing into law of Republic Act (RA) No. 11547 which declared Davao City as "Chocolate Capital” and Davao Region as “Cacao Capital” of the Philippines.
`President Duterte signed RA 11547 in recognition of the country’s biggest producer of cacao and its vital contribution in making the Philippines world renowned and sought after by chocolate makers from the U.S., Japan and Europe.
The new law recognizes the importance of cacao that provides livelihood to farmers in the countryside. It also mandates the state to promote the industrialization and full employment based on sound agricultural development and agrarian reform.
Villar, chairwoman of the Senate agriculture and food committee, who pushed for the passing of the law said that the law guarantees the sustainability of the country's cacao industry for the benefit of farmers and other stakeholders.
She also expressed hopes that these places would inspire other local government units (LGUs) to spur agricultural growth.
Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) record showed that approximately 78.76 percent of annual production of cacao in the Philippines came from the Davao region composed of Davao del Sur, Davao City, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, and Davao de Oro and Davao Occidental.