Villar is upbeat on composting to produce healthy soil

Senator Cynthia Villar has expressed hope that everyone will share her intense passion in promoting composting with almost triple increase in the cost of chemical fertilizer.

She noted that the spike- from P934 average in 2019 to P2,134.64 average in 2022, will minimize the farmer's use of costly fertilizers.

"With the country's dependence on imported fertilizers, the current global demand greatly affects the entry of fertilizer imports in our country. This caused limited local fertilizer supply that influenced the escalation of local prices," said Villar during the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) celebration of the World Soil Day 2022 last December 5 in Quezon City.

Villar said the World Soil Day (WSD) is held annually to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and to advocate for the sustainable management of soil resources.

The global theme for this year's celebration- "Soils: Where food begins" - aims to raise awareness of the importance of maintaining healthy ecosystems.

This can be done by addressing the growing challenges in soil management, increasing soil awareness and encouraging societies to improve soil health.

The Food and Agriculture Organization noted that if the soils are not managed sustainably, fertility is progressively lost, and soils will produce nutrient-deficient plants.

"Soil nutrient loss is a major soil degradation process threatening nutrition. It is recognized as being among the most critical problems at a global level for food security and sustainability," related the chairperson of the Senate committee on agriculture. .

In Las Piñas City, Villar said she started her composting project in 2002 that enables our LGU to save more than P300M annually from recycling 75% of their wastes, where 50% are kitchen and garden wastes into organic fertilizer.

The Villar SIPAG- a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of Vista Land- has established 118 composting facilities- 67 in the 20 barangays in Las Piñas and 50 in Vista Land communities nationwide.

She said composting contributes to the promotion of organic farming in the Philippines as farmers are among the main beneficiaries of this compost.

"The project touches the lives of many vegetable enthusiasts interested in home gardening, the farmers and private individuals for they can avail free organic fertilizer together with vegetable seeds for their farms or backyard garden," said the senator, also chairperson of the Senate committee on environment qnd natural resources.

Just recently, the VIllar SIPAG's Las Piñas Kitchen Wastes Composting Project won the Energy Globe Award after being recognized as one of the "World's Best Environmental Projects." after being acknowledged for its significant contributions and sustainable efforts to protect preserve and save the environment.

Villar also thanked the BSWM for helping promote composting. She said the P1.1-billion fund for a composting program which formerly remained unused, has now moved with the BSWM completing the procurement process..

Villar, kumpiyansa sa composting para sa 'healthy soil'

UMAASA si Senator Cynthia Villar na kaisa niya ang lahat sa kanyang adhikaing isulong ang composting lalo na'triple ang itinaas ng presyo ng chemical fertilizer.

Aniya, mababawasan ang paggamit ng mga magsasaka ng mahal na fertilizer sanhi nang pagbulusok ng presyo nito- mula P934 average noong 2019- P2, 134.64 average noong 2022.

"With the country's dependence on imported fertilizers, the current global demand greatly affects the entry of fertilizer imports in our country. This caused limited local fertilizer supply that influenced the escalation of local prices," pahayag ni Villar sa pagdiriwang ng Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) ng World Soil Day 2022, December 5 sa Quezon City.

Sinabi ni Villar na idinadaos ang World Soil Day (WSD) kada taon para tutukan ang kahalagahan ng healthy soil at itaguyod ang sustainable management ng soil resources.

Sa selebrasyon sa taong ito, global theme ang - "Soils: Where food begins" - upang pahalagahan ang malusog na ecosystems.

Magagawa ito kung pagtugon ang mga hamon sa soil management, pagpapataas sa soil awareness at paghimok sa komunidad na pagsikapan ang malusog na lupa.

Iginiit ng Food and Agriculture Organization na kapag pinabayaan ang lupa, hindi ito magiging mayabong at hindi rin malusog ang mga halaman. "Soil nutrient loss is a major soil degradation process threatening nutrition. It is recognized as being among the most critical problems at a global level for food security and sustainability," paliwanag ng chairperson ng Senate committee on agriculture.

Sinabi ni Villar na sinimulan niya sa Las Piñas City ang composting project noong 2002 kung saan may P300 M ang natitipid ng LGU dahil sa recyling ng 75 percent ng kanilang basura. Nakapagpatayo ang Villar SIPAG- Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm ng Vista Land, ng 118 composting facilities- 67 i20 barangays sa Las Piñas at 50 sa Vista Land communities nationwide.

Kamakailan lamang, nanalo ang VIllar SIPAG's Las Piñas Kitchen Wastes Composting Project ng Energy Globe Award matapos kilalaning isa sa "World's Best Environmental Projects."

Pinasalamatan din ni Villar BSWM sa pagtulong na maisulong ang composting. Sinabi ni Villar na ang P1.1 Billiong unused na pondo para sa dating composting program ay nailipat na sa BSWM para sa pagpaptuloy ng pagkompleto ng procurement process.