Press Release
June 6, 2017

Transcript of interview with Sen. Cynthia Villar (after hearing on AgriAgra law)

Q: On Agi-Agra Law

Villar: Actually, iyong filed na batas is condonation. But on the part of mga lenders, ayaw nila ng condonation kasi it's sending a bad signal na itong mga hindi nagbayad mabibigyan ng prebilihiyo, iyong mga nagbayad ang nape-penalize. What we did is to review iyong Reformed Agri-Agra Law that was passed in 2009. Kasi according to the law, after its implementation, after three years, the BSP, the DA and the DAR should submit a report on what is the effectiveness of the law. Iyon ang binabalikan namin na they have to submit that report and at the same time they should submit to Congress a yearly report on the performance of the Agri-Agra Law. Kasi from there, iyong review na iyon, we will file a similar legislation to correct in the long term. Iyang mga condonation ay parang band aid iyan. We should find out what's wrong why the farmers are unable to get credit from the banks na mas mura ang loan doon kaysa sa magpa-5-6 sila. Bakit hindi sila nakaka-avail? There must be something wrong in the system. We want to find out. Because one of the barriers why farmers are not competitive and they cannot attain high income is because of their inability to access cheap credit. That's what we want to solve, that barrier. With this hearing, we are getting their opinion and we will study so we will pass a relevant legislation to support iyong Agri-Agra Law or amend again the Agri-Agra Law to make it more effective. One of the things we are thinking about is insurance. We insure the crops, and the facilities of farmers para iyong mga bangko hindi sila matakot magpautang kasi kapag may nangyari doon sa crops, babayaran sila ng insurance company. Iyon ang ikinakatakot ng bangko, high risk eh. So kapag may crop insurance, ngayon pa lang ang nai-insure na crops is 15% of the total. So how can you hope na pauutangin ang farmers when ang subsidy lang natin is about 15% of the total loans or the total farmers. We were thinking, saan ba magandang dalhin ang pera ng gobyerno? Doon ba sa iba-ibang project or subsidy na lang sa insurance?

Q: Is your committee ready to support the bills filed by your colleagues on condonation?

Villar: We are not talking about condonation. We want to, even the farmers, they want a long term solution to the problem of their inability to access cheap credit. That is a band-aid solution, iyang condonation.

Q: Iyong concern ninyo sa welfare ng OFWs sa Qatar? Ano ang dapat gawin ng concerned government agencies?

Villar: They just have to prepare for contingency. As of today wala namang problema kasi nagtatrabaho sila sa Qatar, wala naman silang problema doon pero in the future, we do not know the effect of that. And so, we should always be ready lalo na iyong ating diplomatic mission to Qatar na ready sila kapag nagkaproblema. Usually naman kapag nagkakaproblema, repatriation iyan. On the part of the agencies in the Philippines, like the Labor, they should prepare to reintegrate. Iyon lang naman ang magiging problema. Good if they don't have to leave Qatar but in case they will have to leave Qatar, then we should be prepared.

Q: Iyong pagtulong nila, in case mag-escalate ang situation, documented or undocumented?

Villar: Tutulungan iyon. Iyong budget ng undocumented nasa DFA. Iyong budget ng documented nasa OWWA. So lahat iyon hinaharap natin kaya dapat ready tayo palagi.

Q: Kapag nag-cut ng ties, ang fear ng iba baka magkaroon ng shortage sa supply ng pagkain...

Villar: Hindi naman, kasi ang nag-cut ng ties ay gulf nations. Remember, pwede ka namang mag-import sa Asia, sa Europe. Ang nag-cut ng ties lang iyong neighbors, about 7 countries. Meron naman silang source. Kaya nga importante ang self-sufficiency. We always tell our people na we should not depend on imports, we should be self-sufficient by ourselves kasi kapag nangyayari ang ganyan, then we should be able to provide for ourselves.

Q: May mga grupo na dumulog sa SC, pinupush pa rin nila ang joint session?

Villar: I don't know how the SC will rule, pero as far as the legislature is concerned, we went through the process. Dinicide ng majority na they will not revoke martial law, so it's the decision of the legislature. Sa legislature kasi majority wins di ba? Iyon naman ang provision ng Constitution. Ngayon if they want to question that sa SC, let the SC decide. But in the meantime, legitimate ang martial law.

Q: Pwede bang makialam ang SC sa affairs ng Congress?

Villar: Tayo hindi naniniwala pero tingnan natin. Mahirap namang i-preempt ang SC.

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