Senator Cynthia Villar on Tuesday, October 17 vehemently opposed the P10-billion allocation for the importation of chemical fertilizer, and urged the government to promote the use of organic fertilizers instead which is more cost effective.

Sen. Cynthia A. Villar, chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform, pushes for the use of organic fertilizer during the continuation of the Finance Subcommittee hearing on the proposed P167.458-billion budget of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and its attached agencies. (Senate PRIB Photo)

Villar pointed this out during the Senate Finance subcommittee’s hearing on the proposed budget of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

“Gigil na gigil ako dun sa (I am very upset over this) P10-billion budget for import of inorganic fertilizer. Hindi ko ma-imagine gagasta tayo ng P10-billion for inorganic fertilizer na masama naman sa soil natin (I cannot imagine that we will spend P10-billion for inorganic fertilizer which is harmful to our own soil),” Villar said during the hearing.

The senator noted that inorganic fertilizers has harmful effects to the country's soil which is already 38 percent degraded.

“Ang dami nating basura (we have so much waste)—kitchen and garden waste comprise 50 percent of our waste. Nagkalat lang yan…Imbes na mag import, eh di linisin na lang natin yung ating kitchen and garden waste. Gawin nating organic fertilizer at libre sa mga farmers natin (These wastes are everywhere. So instead of importing, let’s just clean our kitchen and garden waste. Let’s turn these into organic fertilizer and make it free to our farmers),” the senator added.

Given the amount of waste in the country, Villar said the government should invest in composting machines just like what she did in Las Piñas City, where they are able to produce organic fertilizers and give it free to farmers.

“We saved P300-million a year for waste management because we recycle our waste,” she pointed out.

Villar also berated the Bureau of Soil and Water Management for opposing her suggestion of investing in composting machines.

“Bakit ayaw niyo? Itigil ko daw. Gigil na gigil ako roon sa P10-billion. Kasi hindi naman kailangan ‘yun eh at mas maganda pa ang soil. Binibigyan kita ng P2-billion, ayaw mo? Para mamigay ka ng composting machine, ayaw mo? Lahat sila nanghihingi sa akin ng pera ikaw lang ang binibigyan ko. Kasi gusto ko matanggal yung P10-billion para sa pag-import ng chemical fertilizers (Why do you not want it? They said I should stop. I’m furious at the P10-billion. Because we don’t need it, and soil is much better if its organic. I was giving you P2-billion but you don’t want it? That’s supposed to buy and distribute composting machines, you still don’t like it? Everyone else is asking for budget, but I just want to give it to you. Because I want to get rid of that P10-billion budget to import chemical fertilizers),” she pointed out.

“Nasa shock ako dun sa (I am shocked at the) P10-billion para sa importation ng fertilizer. Tinotolerate ko kayo doon, but ano lang yun (that is just), temporary lang yun. Yung importation natin is temporary. We used that to cover yung shortage natin but the permanent solution would be that we produce our own,” she reiterated.

The DA has a proposed P167.458-billion budget for next year 2024.