Press Release
July 2, 2015

Transcript of Kapihan sa Senado with Sen. Cynthia Villar

Q. On fake rice from China

Villar: We have to find out, kasi ang usapan namin ng NFA nung last hearing namin on rice smuggling and the Customs, na hindi na sila magbibigay ng import permit sa private. If ever we are going to import rice, it should be government to government through NFA, so kung nasunod 'yun, dapat walang importation of rice na katulad nito, fake rice. Of course, baka naman inismuggle na nila, hindi na sila kumuha ng import permit sa NFA. We will have a hearing sa July 13, Monday, and we will call the NFA, DA, Bureau of Customs, DOJ and maybe our Food and Drug Administration para ma-confirm kung ano ba itong klaseng rice na ito dahil hindi naman tayo expert to determine kung anong klaseng rice. We have to understand kung ano ang implication ng fake rice sa atin. We have always emphasized that food safety is always important.

Q. Do you think this is alarming? Marami nap o bang nakakapasok or limited lang sa Davao?

Villar: Hindi natin alam, kasi before when we investigated the smuggling of rice, parang ang lumalabas na figure noon ay yearly, twenty million bags of rice ang naiismuggle nila nung araw. We cannot say kung ganoon pa ang level ng smuggling ngayon, but that is the typical figure na lumalabas. Ang Philippines, ang dami nating ports. In fact, when we went to Zamboanga with regards to rice smuggling, we discovered that in Zamboanga City alone, there are 90 ports. Napaka-hirap talagang bantayan, and tinatanong ko nga noon ang PPA, bakit nila inaallow na marami ang ports, kasi pag ganoon karami, mahirap talagang bantayan.

Q: Do you think the proposed Anti-Smuggling Act is the answer to prevent rice smuggling?

Villar: It will deter. Alam mo, kaya sila matapang, marami silang pera, at nako-corrupt nila ang judiciary so hindi sila napo-prosecute. But, if it would be economic sabotage, then they would be non-bailable, so they will be in jail pending their investigation. Kung hindi naman natin sila mahatulan, at least nakulong sila during the pendency of the case. This is a great deterrent na kasi kung ako yung smuggler, ayoko naman makulong. Malaking bagay na ito, kasi ngayon they can always post bail because it is just an ordinary crime. Kapag economic sabotage, then it is non-bailable.

Q: What is the status of that proposed bill?

Villar: I will put the bill in plenary when I get back in session kasi tapos na kami sa technical working group, we just have to write the bill. There is a counterpart in the House.

Q: you are confident that under the Aquino administration, it will be approved?

Villar: I will be surprised pag hindi.

Q. On the Coconut Levy Fund

Villar: Our coconut bill is in the plenary na. Tapos na yung sponsorship speech, tapos na yung interpellation, naghihintay na lang kami ng amendment, and isa na lang, kay Senator Osmeña. After that, we are going to pass the bill. It will be in lieu of the EO. This is more permanent kasi siyempre pag batas mas permanent yan than an EO. I think we did a very good version of the bill kasi yung mga coconut farmers are very supportive of our bill. I'm not worried. We just have to do it after the resumption of session. Amendment nalang eh.

Q: How about sa House?

Villar: Usually mabilis naman sa House and usually very supportive naman sila ng Senate version from experience in agriculture.

Q: On the TRO issued by the Supreme Court on the Coconut Levy Fund

Villar: They want the bill. They want the law. I think they prefer the law than the EO. Kasi ang mga question lang is yung mga aging but they have children. Pag aging ka, your children will be able to benefit from the law kasi doon nakalista lahat ng benefits na ibibigay sa mga Coco farmers and their families. Merong scholarship for the children of coconut farmers. Meron ding mga ibibigay na program, for example, inter-cropping, livelihood, education, healthcare and yung paggawa ng Coco hubs, its processing. They will be given the facilities to process para it will be complete. If you are a coconut farmer, you earn just an average of P 50 a day. You really cannot live on the coconut. You have to develop crops under the coconut tree like Cacao, corn. You can also do livestock. The fund will be used to increase the income of farmers not only from coconut. You can also do processing. This is more extensive and encompassing than the EO.

Q: Wala nang maggagawa yung nag-o-oppose ng Coco levy fund?

Villar: They agreed that they will have a committee and the money will be deposited to the treasury, invested in treasury bills. Only the income will be spent every year to support the coconut industry. The fund will be perpetual. Every year may ieexpect silang income to help them increase the income of farmers. At the same time, hindi natin tinatanggal ang budget ng Philippine Coconut Authority. Hindi tayo pumapayag na mawawala na ang budget ng Philippine Coconut Authority dahil may income from the coco levy fund. This is different. This is in addition.

Q: On the approval of the Coco levy fund this July or August

Villar: I see no problem.

Q: Young people doesn't want to go into agriculture...

Villar: If you look at the profile of the coconut farmers family, they earn on the average P 50 a day. The farmers in general and the fishermen P 150 a day which is around P 4,000 in a month. Paano mo pag-aaralin ang anak mo if you earn P4,000 a month? It's not that they do not like to study. They do not have the money to study. Kaya ang nilagay natin sa scholarship is P 500 million to finance the vocational education of 45,000 students in agriculture at P 12,000 each. Nung iniimplement na, ang problema naman dahil walang ganyan before mga course na accredited with TESDA na related to agriculture, walang school or teacher. Ngayon pa lang kami nag-eencourage to have courses accredited with TESDA and to have teachers teaching the course. Kahit na hindi formal school. Kahit na yung mga farms or yung mga companies dealing with agriculture. Sila na yung magturo para makuha natin yung 45,000 scholarship na yun. Yun lahat ay para sa children of farmers. Kasi alam mo, kung ang magtuturo ay malayo. One school in every province. San naman sila kukuha ng pamasahe papunta ng school. Kaya dapat every town, may magtuturo para mag-aral sila.

Q: Laging sinasabi na agricultural country tayo pero sa mga previous administrations parang napabayaan. Sa ngayon ba, sa tingin niyo parang nabibigyan na ng atensyon at pondo ang agricultural sector?

Villar: I think may fund kaya lang hindi nagagamit. I mean from my point of view kasi iba naman ang aking background. I'm a business person so I'm used to maximizing the use of money. Ang government naman is not oriented towards that. I think may pera except hindi nag-mamaximize 'yung pera for greater benefit. That's my opinion only. I believe that if we try to maximize the use of money, the budget of DA, I think we can do it. It's just that we really have to go out of our way and ensure that the utilization of the budget is the most efficient for the greater benefit of the people.

Q: On government support for farmers

Villar: I think if we can use the budget efficiently, we can help them increase their income. That's the only problem, increase the income of farmers and fishermen and I think we can do that.

Q: On NP's role for 2016 elections

Villar: Lagi ko sinasabi ka kanila na in the Nacionalista Party, we have three candidates - Sen. Cayetano, Sen. Trillanes and Sen. Bongbong. They have to agree among themselves what they want to do in the 2016 elections. After they have agreed then we will decide what to do kasi hindi naman maganda na ang mga kapartymate mo may plano and you as a party hindi mo lang naman kino-consider ano ang mga plano nila. So, we are not planning until they have finalized their plans. Pagbumalik tayo sa sona, I think they have to talk. The deadline for filing of candidacies is October so I think by August you should know what you will do. We are giving them time to decide.

Q: On Trillanes' decision to run for VP

Villar: Sabi kasi ni Sen Trillanes, with or without the support of the party he will run, so what can you do? It's beyond us. We just have to hear from the two then we will decide kasi si Sen. Trillanes naman desidido na siya, with or without the support of NP.

Q: On whether NP is obliged to support Trillanes

Villar: Depende din kung tatakbo ang dalawa at anong posisyon tatakbuhan nila. Kung hindi sila tatakbo at wala siyang kalaban sa NP then we can support him. We will have to decide. Hindi naman kami nag promise that he will not be considered, we just have to know the plans of the three then we decide..Sinabi niya kay Sen. Villar that with or without the support of the party he will run so okay naman kay Sen. Villar. That's his wish and we cannot stop him if he wants to do that.

Q: Can he be assured of financial support?

Villar: Wala naman pera ang NP, we will give the support of our political members in the provinces but in terms of financial, wala naman pinagusapan ganoon ang NP. If they don't decide to run then we will support another one. Hindi naman sa amin ang sole decision. At this point in time follower tayo. Alam mo 'yung decision to run, it's a personal decision on the person who's running. A party cannot decide for a person kasi lahat ng kahirapan niyang mararanasan, mararanasan siya mag-isa so he has to decide for himself. Kaya hihintayin natin 'yung decision nila.

Q: On Sen. Marcos' plans for 2016 elections

Villar: Siguro magco-consult siya after he has decided kasi before he hasn't decided when we last talked. But as of now, wala pa.

Q: On Sen. Cayetano's plans for 2016 elections

Villar: Wala pa rin. He's in Singapore.

Q: On NP's target

Villar: August, September because you have to file na October. By August, alam mo na dapat more or less.

Q: On financial support from NP

Villar: Usually when you run you raise your own funds. You don't ask that from your party.

Q: On whether NP will be considered an ally of the administration

Villar: Kung 'yung mga NP tatakbo with LP then maging political ally kami kung hindi, hindi kami maging ally. Depende.

Q: On possible coalition with other parties

Villar: Puwede din 'yun. Open kami doon. Wala pang talks. Wala pang sinasabi sila that they're running with LP. Ang isa lang nag declare, si Trillanes, independent pa so we still cannot decide.

Q: On the chances of NP's three candidates to win in the election

Villar: Depende. You can never tell. I think sa Vice President malakas, sa President it will be a hard fight. All Presidential fight are hard. Sa president, mabigat but I think sa vice president they are popular enough to give a good fight.

Q: On senatorial lineup

Villar: Ang reelectionist lang namin is Sen. Bongbong Marcos. I don't think we can put up a line up sa Senate na ganoon kadami. Maybe a few of them will run, but it's not really a complete line up. Alam mo, marami rin takot na kumandidatong senador. Andaming re-electionists, andaming comebacking senators. Mahal din kumandidatong senador. I think lahat sila nag-iisip pa din.

On Rep. Mark Villar running as a senator

Villar: He's thinking about it. Pinag-uusapan namin but hindi pa kami sure. Actually, mayroon kaming magkaibang advocacy. We don't have to do the same thing. Alam niyo naman, Mark is young. He's more on the youth, he's more on the jobs. Ako naman, more on women, more on agriculture. Parang the same din in the manner na we want to empower people to have better income but in a different way. When you run for the Senate, you have to have dedication. The Senate is different. You have to work harder for legislation. You have to do it nationwide. May option pa kasi siya. He has another term in Congress. He can go to business. He just finished his master's degree in business administration at the University of Chicago, working student. He just graduated last March.

Q: On the Nacionalista Party's membership

Villar: Remember we have 10 governors, 27 congressmen, 150 mayors, 10 vice governors, so we have a network of Nacionalista Party and we're very close. Mahirap sa partido na wala sa posisyon na maka-retain ng ganyang membership but we're very close and we're like a family. I think 'yun ang advantage nila, that they can rely on this network to support them if they go for a national position.

Q: On the members of the Nacionalista Party running as independent

Villar: They can run on their own if they decide to. Alam naman ng senator, they can run on their own.

Q: On Senator Trillanes running for vice president

Villar: Sabi niya, kung hindi siya bigyan ng blessing ng NP he will still run. Hindi naman kami makakabigay ng blessing kung hindi namin alam ang plans of the two. So, that will be a consideration. We will see. Kung wala naman mag-vice president sa dalawa, eh di sya ang kandidato ng NP. If may kakandidato, we will talk about it.

Q: On forming a coalition with UNA

Villar: Ang problema namin ay si Senator Trillanes at Senator Cayetano. Talagang against. Otherwise, wala naman. Me, I don't have any personal grudge against anybody. Wala namang formal offer.

Q: Kapag dalawang members ang gusoing mag-VP or President, yung party po ba ang parang magiging tie-breaker or will you let them resolve the issue among themselves?

Villar: The chances of it happening is very small. But we will cross the bridge when we get there. It's a very difficult question, I hope not.... I think if you run for president the least of your problem is your party. Your problem is yourself, are you ready for it, do you have the budget for it, what are your chances of winning. That should be your main consideration. Ano na lang yung party, 'and others.' It will be a personal decision on their part....

Q: Yung possibility ng pakikipag-coalesce ninyo sa PDP-LABAN? Duterte-Marcos?

Villar: Makikita mo naman si Duterte is talking to LP and others. Kami din naman is talking to everybody. Tingin ko there is nothing definite.

Q: Ano ang assessment ninyo sa PNoy admin?

Villar: The president will deliver his last SONA in July and I think he will talk about the accomplishments of his administration. If you look back and look at his accomplishment, may mga naalala tayo. It will be about Anti-corruption. Kasi iyon ang kanyang slogan Kung walang korap, walang mahirap. Of course, iyong GNP growth. We have been growing, it's a reasonably good growth but the question is, is it inclusive? Nakatulong ba sa mahihirap? Dalawa iyang growth, economic growth pero nakatulong ba siya. Ikalawa iyong mahihirap sa bansa, I think we are failing din. Noong tayo ay magsimula 25 percent of our population living below poverty line, ngayon yata 25 percent pa rin. May economic growth tayo pero it's not really trickling down to the poor.

What are those programs na talagang kitang-kita, one is the Universal Healthcare kasi napasa natin yung sin tax. We collect P35 billion sa sintax for Universal Healthcare. We will be able now to give Philhealth card to 15 million poor families. That will be substantial. That is first time in the Philippines na yung mahihirap may Philhealth na, makakapasok na sila sa hospital. At ang sabi kapag mahirap ka at may philhealth ka, zero billing.... Kaya lang hindi daw naiintindihan ng mahihirap iyon. May philhealth sila pero hindi nila alam kung paano gamitin. So it's a matter of educating the poor how to use the Philhealth card.

Another would be education, yung K to 12. Hindi pa natin alam how it will go kasi this is the first year that it is implemented. Katakot-takot na kaso pa. Kasi based on studies, if you are able to finish college, 2 percent na lang ang maghihirap. But alam naman natin na it will be hard for everyone to finish college. Kahit iyong mura nating state universities and colleges, 5,000 na lang ang tuition, ang estudyante lang ay one million. We had to go to TESDA. You are able to finish a vocational course and you will get a good job.

And then we go to infrastructure, okay sa akin ang infra niya kasi nakakuha siya ng magaling na secretary of public works. Na-control nila ang corruption sa DPWH. I have to give it to them, they have a very good secretary of DPWH. Hindi pulitiko, madaling kausap basta okay iyong hinihingi mo, ibinigay niya.

And of course, they have improved PAG-ASA. That we have to give to DOST. Medyo tama na ngayon ang prediction nila kung babagyo o hindi. It is very important for the Philippines because we are the most disaster-prone country in the world.

Another one is trade promotion, trade monitoring. Noong una noong tumataas ang mga presyo, parang nakalimutan yata ng DTI na ang kanilang main work is price control... but they have come back. Nag-assign na sila ng isang Usec for monitoring so I think they are very active now.

Q: Hindi talaga lazy?

Villar: Mahirap talagang maging presidente. It's so easy to say you are lazy, you are indecisive. To move the bureaucracy,mahirap talaga.

Kung ire-rate ninyo sa 1 to 10?

Villar: 5, 6 or 7. Mga 7.

Q: Yung corruption drive, successful naman?

Villar: Mahirap kasi ang corruption. It comes with development. Halimbawa iyong mga tao, malalaki na ang sweldo, hindi na sila naghihirap, you can tell them wag ka magluluko, wag kang korap kasi okay naman ang sweldo mo... Mga 7 siguro doon sa confidence in government. Iyung sa poverty hindi tayo maka-move on.

Q: Over-all rating nyo po?

Villar: Fair. 5 to 7. 6... Remember, I am different. Ang background ko business. Ang sabi nga ni Manny, hanggang walang kita, wala iyang lahat. You can have all the programs pero kung hindi nagma-materialize, wala sa akin iyan. Kung walang output, wala.

Q: Ano ang rating ninyo kay VP BInay?

Villar: Wala naman kasi, the vice president is just waiting for the president to die. Para kang spare tire lang.

Q: Yung hybrid rice hindi nakatulong to achieve food sufficiency...

Villar: If you want to give the technology to farmers, you should have the network to teach the farmers. If you have the technology, you have to teach.

Q: Yung problem daw ay credit facility at irrigation..

Villar: Yung irrigation, you can blame NIA kasi hindi effective ang program nila. You have credit facility pero iyong farmer hindi marunong mag-apply. That is the problem. I asked Landbank, kulang ba iyong inyong network para sa farmers. Binigyan nila ako ng listahan ng networks nila, mga micro-finance companies operating in almost all provinces, isang folder. Turuan mo ang farmers how to go about applying for a loan. Education na naman, TESDA, financial literacy. Ngayon kumakausap ako ng mga SUCs. I will file a bill to require SUCs. Kasi tatlo ang mandate ng SUCs, instruction, research and extension. Yung extension, to educate your community, they are not doing that. They are more focused on higher education. Ang SUCs lang ang may network to teach farmers. They have 454 campuses,that is one campus for every town in the Philippines. Iyong bill ko will mandate SUCs and CHED to practice their extension mandate.

Q: Follow up po doon sa sinabi ninyong may mga schools na ayaw magturo ng agriculture...

Villar: Kasi ang orientation nila is higher education. Nakalimutan nila ang mandate na extension, educating their community.

Q: Nakarecover na ba ang farming communities sa Yolanda?

Villar: Iyong tinamaan ng Yolanda, especially Region 8, they are dependent on coconut. If you replant coconut, it will take at least 4 years, at most 6 years, bago sila magbunga. Ibig sabihin, maghihintay pa ba tayo ng 4 to 6 years? They have to do other crops. Ano ba iyong crop na madaling pagkakitaan, that will be vegetables, they should also do livestock... in that way in four years, magbubunga na yung coconut at kumikita na yung vegetables nila at livestock...

Q: Ano po ang makukuhang benefit ng Filipino farmers sa ASEAN integration?

Villar: Iyong magagaling will be able to benefit kasi mas malaki ang market. Ang market ng ASEAN is 600 million population... itong ASEAN naman is not only about agriculture. It's about services. Sa tingin ko mananalo naman tayo sa services, magagaling tayong OFWs... it will come slowly, hindi agad sa pag open in December. In fact yung rice is exempted up to 2017. We have until 2017 to get our acts together.

Q: Iyong natutunan ninyo sa Taiwan on farm tourism pwedeng iadopt sa Philippines?

Villar: Oo naman. We visited 8 farms. All of them maganda. It's run by farmer organization. Meron silang farm, may processing center sila, may store, training center, may museum pa, may crops tapos may restaurant serving their crops. They have all the aspects. Pero if you will notice, nag-evolve din iyon. Tayo we can start small but we can evolve.

Q: Tinututulan daw ni VP Binay ang amended Fisheries Code

Villar: Misinformed siya doon. Iyung amended Fisheries Code, because there is a finding by the Food and Agriculture Organization, that in the future 30 years from now, if we do not stop illegal fishing, then we will all depend on aquaculture. Mawawala na yung fishing resources na ocean. The ocean will become a virtual desert. Sino ang matatamaan doon, hindi ba the small fishermen in the municipal water. Nawala na yung wild catch, sila iyon. It's not only true for the Philippines, it's true for the whole world. 20 years ago ang share ng wild catch is 70 percent, ang aquaculture 30 percent. Today 50-50 na. Ang prediction nila in 30 years kapag hindi naging sustainable ang wild catch, mawawala na. So is it good for the small fisherfolks in the municipal water? That is why we are trying to regulate illegal fishing. Ano ba iyong illegal fishing? Nagpapaputok sila ng dinamita, patay lahat maliit at malaki. Ang maganda dito tinaasan namin ang penalty for illegal fishing and that penalty, I think will amount to P1 billion, I saw to it in the bill that it will be given to the small fisherfolks. Iyong pera na iyon gagamitin for the benefit of small fisherfolks in the municipal water. Ano iyon? Scholarship, shared facilities, empowerment of the farmc... And also because of that iyong EU, tinanggal ang ating yellow tag. Kasi kapag tayo na red tag, hindi na tatanggapin ang ating fish export, mabigat naman iyon for our industry, especially the tuna industry. Also because of that nilagay na tayo sa GSP Plus that means marami tayong products going to Europe tax free.

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