Progressive groups slammed Senator Cynthia Villar after she publicly insinuated that farmers and fisherfolk "do not understand" climate change.
In a public hearing for the proposed 2023 budget for the Department of Agriculture (DA), on Wednesday, Oct. 19, Villar hinted that “farmers and fishermen do not understand climate change.”
This statement, however, was refuted by Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) Chairperson Danilo Ramos who said that farmers have “long warned” against foreign-imposed policies which made the country “more vulnerable” to climate change.
“Stop looking down at us! Farmers are at the frontlines facing climate change and its calamitous effects. Villar on the other hand and her self-serving choices of policies are part of the reason why Filipino farmers are deep in crisis,” said Ramos on Thursday, Oct. 20.
Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya (Pamalakaya), on the other hand, challenged Villar to “touch some grass,” reiterating that Filipino fishermen face the impacts of climate crisis “on a daily basis.”
Following Villar’s remark, progressive groups challenged the Senator to sponsor House Bill 405 or Rice Industry Development Act (RIDA) which seeks to restore the regulatory powers of the National Food Authority and ensure the adequate supply of food, especially rice, in the Philippines.