Senator Cynthia Villar (Senate PRIB)

Senator Cynthia Villar renewed her commitment to improve the lives of Filipino farmers and ensure that her proposed legislations would address the needs of the country’s agriculture sector as well as promote food security.

Villar, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, led the ribbon-cutting ceremony and opening program of “The Philippine Poultry Show and ILDEX Philippines 2023” held at  SMX Convention Center Friday, June 9.

The event, Villar said, featured “cutting-edge technology and informative seminars focused on the poultry industry, livestock and dairy products".

More than 100 exhibitors from over 20 countries worldwide, including prominent companies specializing in animal health, breeding and hatching, farm production, and feed ingredient and additive companies in the Philippines, participated in the event.

For the 19th Congress, the lady senator bared that one of her priority legislations is the “Livestock, Poultry and Dairy Development and Competitiveness Act of 2022", which she describes as “very relevant” to the poultry industry.

“To provide additional support to the livestock, poultry and dairy industry, I am also prioritizing the passage of the Yellow Corn Industry Development Act of 2022,” she said.

Villar explained that these two bills would help boost the livestock, poultry and dairy sectors.

She said it would also give backyard farmers the chance to improve their lives.

The senator from Las Piñas filed bills in response to the issues of agricultural smuggling.

“The amendment of Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016 to include the acts of hoarding, profiteering and cartel of agricultural products as economic sabotage, and the establishment of Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Courts to try cases involving smuggling, hoarding, profiteering and cartel of agricultural products and to ensure that individuals and organizations involved in these activities are held accountable for their actions,” she said.

“These are just some of the bills that  I will pass to uplift our agriculture sector,” related the senator.

She reiterated her promise to the Filipino people to join them in their dream of realizing a “food sufficient-Philippines".