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As many people stay inside their homes in compliance with government measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 cases, people has turned to home gardening as a way to stay productive while passing time. Sen. Cynthia Villar, advocate of urban gardening, couldn’t be more pleased with this development and referred to the blossoming of home agriculture as one of the positive outcomes brought about by the quarantine measures. Villar, chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture and Food and director of the Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance (Villar SIPAG), built farm schools in Las Pinas and San Jose del Monte City in Bulacan, to promote agriculture in urban areas. The first Villar SIPAG farm school inaugurated in 2015 is located in a 4-hectare lot in the boundary of Las Piñas City and Bacoor. The San Jose Del Monte Farm School, which opened in October 2016, sits in a 4-hectare land in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan. Both schools have training areas,  dormitories, f...

Sen. Cynthia Villar has added her voice to the growing support for the proposal to place parts of Metro Manila under general community quarantine after May 15. Villar said the Metro Manila Council and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases should consider the lifting of enhanced community quarantine especially in localities identified as low and moderate risk in terms of number of COVID-19 cases. “I agree that we should start re-opening the economy and begin the implementation of new normal measures in Metro Manila areas that have been successful in keeping their COVID-19 cases under control,” Villar said. The senator also added that the prolonged ECQ is already taking its toll on the economy and employment situation in the country and causing distress among workers and their families. “We all know that the government cannot provide assistance to everybody affected by this public health emergency. We should now start re-opening the economy with h...

          As a proponent of vegetable gardening or backyard farming, Senator Cynthia Villar is pleased that Filipinos now have a better appreciation and increased interest in growing their own food during the ongoing community quarantine.           “I am glad that more people are now seeing the benefits of planting vegetables in their own backyard. And I hope the growing interest will continue even after the quarantine is lifted,” said Villar.           Senator Villar, the current chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, has long been advocating all forms of farming to ensure food self-sufficiency and security. She encourages people from all walks of life—the youth, OFWs, barangay residents and even drug surrenderees, to plant vegetables.           She has in fact several programs and projects that support her advocacy. She initiated the putting up of vegetable gardens in her h...

Nakikiisa si Senator Cynthia Villar sa panawagan sa pamahalaan ng iba pang public officials at general public na agarang tugunan ang kalagayan ng mga stranded na manggagawa at taong mga nawalan ng trabaho sa mga lugar sa Luzon na nakararanas ng gutom at stress dahil rin sa malayo sa kanilang pamilya. Ayon kay Villar, karamihan  sa mga ito ay nasa sektor ng kontrusksyon. Hiniling ni Villar sa pamahalaan na buksan ang sektor ng konstruksyon, agrikultura at manufacturing dahil ang mga manggawa rito ang higit na apektado ng community quarantine. “I agree with those who say that there is a “humanitarian crisis in the making” in the current situation of those laborers who are not only stranded in their workplaces away from their families, but cannot help themselves and their families since they have no source of income. It’s doubly difficult for them,” ayon kay Villar. Bukod sa panawagang makauwi rin sa kanilang mga bahay sa lalawigan ang mga stranded na manggagawa, ipinanukala rin ng se...

Senator Cynthia Villar has expressed concern that the ongoing enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in various parts of the country, which has been extended until May 15, is already taking its toll in the employment situation of the poor in the country. And more realistic and sustainable measures should be put in place. Villar recommends the opening of the labor intensive sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing and construction for the poor and lower middle class. The agriculture sector is in full swing but some allied industries have limited operations or have ceased operations already. This has displaced food manufacturing workers and limited the supply of food in the market. “With the extension of the ECQ for another half a month, we need to intensify food production as well as ensured the unimpeded flow of fresh produce and food products all over the country,” said Villar. As widely reported in media, those employed in the construction and manufacturing sectors are adver...

Sen. Cynthia Villar sent sacks of rice to provide relief to fire victims of Bgy. 105, Tondo. More than 200 families were affected by the fire and are now staying in evacuation areas. Villar said the victims should be provided assistance as they also struggle to cope with extended community quarantine (ECQ) measures.