Villar welcomes Pres. Duterte's signing into law of her bills on abaca and egg

Senator Cynthia A. Villar welcomed the signing of President Rodrigo R. Duterte of two laws that recognize the significance of the abaca and egg industries in the country's growth and development.

Duterte signed Republic Act No. (RA) 1170 declaring the province of Catanduanes as the Abaca Capital of the Philippines. He also signed RA 11707 making the municipality of San Jose in Batangas as the egg basket of the Philippines.

Villar, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, has been at the forefront of pushing the enactment into law of her proposed measures on making Catanduanes and San Jose as the country's abaca capital and egg capital, respectively. As sponsor of these bills, she had urged her colleagues in the Senate to support them.

With the signing of RA 1170, Villar believes this will spur the growth of our abaca industry. She noted the Philippines has long been known to be the leading producer of abaca for several years now.

"And Catanduanes is the highest producer with 31.72% contribution in the country's abaca production in 2020, 33.74% in 2019 and 33.37% in 2018," said Villar.

Catanduanes, she further stressed, accounts for more than 80% of Bicol regions' production, with at least 21,500 hectares of land dedicated to abaca planting.

She likewise emphasized that the Philippines dominates the global abaca trade as the country supplies about 87.5% of the world's abaca fiber requirements, with Ecuador and Costa Rica, sharing the remaining 12.5% as of 2016.

The new law on abaca provides that "the state recognizes the importance of the abaca industry and its development as a driver of rural development not only because of its singular potential as a raw material that can increase the country's export earnings tremendously and put the name of the country in the map of the world for producing the biggest volume of abaca fiber but for having provided livelihood to many small farmers in the countryside."

On the other hand, Villar said the law on San Jose as Egg Capital will help the country attain its goal of food security and sustainability.

"This will also recognize the hardship and efforts of our egg raisers from San Jose. They will be further motivated to serve as inspiration to more farmers in the country," she said.

"From starting as a backyard industry back in the 60s, San Jose Batangas took the lead and turned it into one of the most successful, if not the most successful industry, with the farmers evolving into agripreneurs, who continuously help innovate the agricultural practices in this small town," added Villar.

Through the concerted efforts of the egg farmers of San Jose, Batangas, Villar said their egg industry continues to be their source of increased income, which also generates thousands of direct and indirect jobs for many.

San Jose is a first-class municipality with the highest egg production of at least 70,000 tons of eggs a year.

Villar, ikinagalak ang pagsasabatas ni Pres. Duterte sa kanyang bill sa abaca and itlog

IKINAGALAK ni Senator Cynthia A. Villar ang paglagda ni Pangulong Rodrigo R. Duterte sa dalawang batas na kumikilala sa kahalagahan ng ng industriya ng abaca at itlog sa pagsulong ng bansa.

Nilagdaan ni Duterte ang Republic Act No. (RA) 1170 na nagdedeklara sa lalawigan ng Catanduanes bilang "Abaca Capital of the Philippines. Pinirmahan din niya ang RA 11707 na ginagawang "Egg Basket of the Philippines" ang munisipalidad ng San Jose sa Batangas.

Pinangunahan ni Villar, chairperson ng Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, ang pagsusulong para maisabatas ang kanyang panukalang batas upang gawin ang Catanduanes at San Jose na abaca capital at egg basket, ayon sa pagkakasunod-sunod.

"As sponsor of these bills, I had urged my colleagues in the Senate to support them," ani Villar.

Kumpiyansa si Villar na lalago ang ating abaca industry sa pagsasabatas ng RA 1170. Sinabi niya na matagal ng leading producer ng abaca ang Pilipinas.

"And Catanduanes is the highest producer with 31.72% contribution in the country's abaca production in 2020, 33.74% in 2019 and 33.37% in 2018," sabi ni Villar.

"Catanduanes accounts for more than 80% of Bicol regions' production, with at least 21,500 hectares of land dedicated to abaca planting,l dagdag pa niya.

Iginiit din niya na nangunguna ang Pilipinas sa global abaca trade. Noong 2016, ang ating bansa ang supplier ng 87.5% abaca fiber requirements sa buong mundo na sinusundan ng Ecuador at Costa Rica na magkabahagi sa 12.5% na kailangang abaca.

Isinasaad sa bagong batas sa abaca na "the state recognizes the importance of the abaca industry and its development as a driver of rural development not only because of its singular potential as a raw material that can increase the country's export earnings tremendously and put the name of the country in the map of the world for producing the biggest volume of abaca fiber but for having provided livelihood to many small farmers in the countryside."

Ang batas naman sa San Jose bilang Egg Capital, ani Villar, ay malaking tulong sa ating food security at sustainability.

"This will also recognize the hardship and efforts of our egg raisers from San Jose. They will be further motivated to serve as inspiration to more farmers in the country," sabi pa ng senador.

"From starting as a backyard industry back in the 60s, San Jose Batangas took the lead and turned it into one of the most successful, if not the most successful industry, with the farmers evolving into agripreneurs, who continuously help innovate the agricultural practices in this small town," dagdag pa ni Villar.

Sa pagsisikap ng egg farmers of San Jose, Batangas, sinabi ni Villar na ang egg industry ay patuloy sa pagbibigay sa kanila ng kita at

Ang San Jose ay first-class municipality na may pinakamataas na egg production na may 70,000 tons itlog kada taon."