Villar vows to continue work for more livelihood opportunities

After dominating the Senate race with more than 25 million votes, Sen. Cynthia Villar was formally proclaimed as a duly-elected Senator in the May 13 midterm elections.

Based on the votes officially tallied by the Commission on Elections en banc sitting as the National Board of Canvassers, Villar led the 12 candidates for senator who got the biggest number of votes.

"I am very thankful for this opportunity to continue serving our people as a senator. Makakaasa po ang ating mga kababayan na sulit ang tiwala na binigay nila sa akin,” Villar said.

Villar was accompanied by her husband, former Senate President Manny Villar and their children during the proclamation ceremonies at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.

The Nacionalista Party Senator said she hopes to retain the chairmanship of the Committee on Agriculture and Food, which puts her in “a better position to advance legislation that will ensure affordable and adequate supply of food for all Filipinos.”

Among the priorities that she will continue to work on for her second term in the Senate are measures that will increase the incomes and help improve the quality of life of farmers and fisherfolks.

Among others, Villar said she will prioritize the re-filing of the bill on the disposition of the coconut levy fund, which will create the Coconut Industry Development Fund. She hopes this bill will be signed into law before the year ends.

Villar will also see to it that Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law is properly implemented as well as the P10 billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund.

"My work in the agriculture committee is part of my overall goal of lifting Filipinos out of poverty. I want to contribute in bringing back the glory days of agriculture in the country and to improve the life of about two-thirds of the country's population involved, directly or indirectly, in the agriculture sector," Villar said.

She will also push for the passage of the law that will support the development of livestock, poultry and dairy industries.

In addition to the 1,932 livelihood projects she helped establish all over the country, she will push for the creation of dairy centers, bamboo and coconut processing centers that will provide more jobs to the people in the countryside.

Villar will also continue to help provide free trainings which will teach people with employable skills through the Villar SIPAG Farm Schools and Construction Schools.

As chairperson of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, Villar will also continue to help protect critical areas in the country and oppose reclamation projects in Manila Bay.

Based on the official tally of votes, Villar was elected by 57 percent of the 44 million actual voters and was the top choice as senator in vote-rich areas such as Metro Manila, Cebu, Cavite, Pangasinan, Laguna, Negros Occidental, Rizal, Iloilo, Leyte, Isabela, Bohol, and Negros Oriental.