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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...

          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...

Sen. Cynthia A. Villar and daughter, Las Pinas Rep. Camille Villar led the "Takbo Para sa Kalikasan" in celebration of the 6th Las Pinas-Zapote River Festival recently. The 'run for a cause' was being sponsored by the Villar SIPAG where the senator sits as director, to instil public awareness in cleaning our river and maintaining a healthy environment.

To help the victims of Taal volcano eruption in Batangas, the Villar SIPAG through its director, Sen. Cynthia A.  Villar, Steinbach Products, Inc, and Las Pinas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center, conduct a medical mission at Batangas Provincial Sports Complex.  Aside from providing livelihood and jobs, the senator has been at the forefront of giving assistance especially during times of disasters.

The training on aquaculture has attracted a lot of participants due to the opportunities it provides not only in the breed and culture of freshwater fishes, but also in fish processing technologies and the production of ornamental fishes. Sen. Cynthia Villar, director of the Villar Social Institute and Poverty Alleviation and Governance (Villar SIPAG), said aquaculture training is a popular module among the programs the foundation is offering in partnership with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Region 4A (BFAR 4A), because of the training it provides to help start small businesses like the selling of kikiam and fishball and the selling of aquarium or ornamental fishes. “Ang training program namin hindi lamang nandyan para magkaroon ng bagong kaalaman ang mga tao. Gusto rin namin makinabang ang mga participants sa newly-acquired skills na ito sa pamamagitan ng oportunidad na kumita at magkaroon ng sariling negosyo,” Villar said. Villar, chair of the Committee on A...

Sen. Cynthia Villar welcomed 30 farmers at the newly-inaugurated Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance (Villar SIPAG) Farm School in San Miguel, Iloilo. The farmers who came from Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, Antique, and Negros province were participants to the training program on Production of High-Quality Inbred Rice and Seeds and Farm Mechanization sponsored by Villar SIPAG and the Agricultural Training Institute Regional Training VI. “Sigurado kami na malaki ang maitutulong ng inyong mga matututunan sa training na ito sa pag-improve ng production sa inyong mga rice farms at  maituturo rin ninyo sa inyong mga respective communities, cooperatives, farm schools at iba pa. That is our goal, why we prioritize trainers like yourselves, so you can pass on your learnings,” Villar said in her remarks. The farm school in Iloilo is the first school established by Villar SIPAG outside of Luzon. Villar said a rice school in Iloilo, which is among the Top 5 r...

A retired seaman won this year’s grand raffle prize of house and lot at the 9th OFW and Family Summit held at the World Trade Center in Pasay last Nov. 12. The name of 62-year-old Elmer Fernandez of Mandaluyong City was drawn by former Senate President Manny Villar assisted by his wife, Sen. Cynthia Villar, infront of over 7,000 summit attendees composed of overseas Filipino workers and their families. “Hindi po ako makapaniwala. Ang dinadasal ko minor prize lang, ito pala ang makukuha ko. Nagpapasalamat ako sa Pamilya Villar at sa bumubuo ng OFW summit,” Fernandez said. Fernandez worked as a machinist/welder of Norwegian cargo vessel Grieg Philippines since 1985. He retired last year and since then tried working as an agent for an insurance company. Fernandez said the Lessandra house and lot unit will be a big help since he is also trying to recover the title of his house in Mandaluyong, which was used as a loan collateral from an Indian lender. Also among the big winner...

Being the “first responders,” Sen. Cynthia Villar recognized the need to train barangay tanod (village watchmen) on the different processes  and means of conducting surveillance and keeping watch, responding to calamities and emergencies, among  others. Along this line, the Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance (Villar SIPAG), in partnership with the Las Pinas police, sponsored a crime prevention skills enhancement training for barangay tanod.

Sen. Cynthia Villar informed trainees who  finished the construction painting and welding courses under the TESDA Training for Work Scholarship Program that their new skills and training opened up several opportunities to them amid the booming construction industry in the country. Due to the demand for construction jobs, Villar said the Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance (Villar SIPAG) has built five construction schools all over the country. They also bring construction training courses to the communities via mobile construction schools.

Given the many benefits it brought to hog-raisers, Sustainable Pig Farming (SPF) should be promoted among backyard and commercial raisers. “Since we started teaching farmers the SPF, many already benefited from low feed cost, good quality meat and a more environment-friendly know-how of raising pigs,” Sen. Cynthia Villar said. The chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture and Food also noted that backyard hog-raising or pig farming is one of the alternative sources of additional income of many farmers because it requires only a small capital. In partnership with the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), the Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance (Villar SIPAG), has been conducting a training course on SPF in its farm schools in Cavite and Bulacan that benefited raisers coming from the National Capital Region, Southern Luzon, Northern and Central Luzon and the Cordillera Autonomous Region. The 20-day training course tea...

Through the Villar SIPAG (Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance) where she sits as director, Sen. Cynthia A. Villar gives assistance to five distressed OFWs who have been repatriated to the country after suffering from various forms of maltreatment while working abroad.  The OFWs thanked the senator for all the help, including a sari-sari store start up package and financial assistance to start a new life.  The senator, who has been known for protecting the interests and welfare of Filipino migrant workers, vowed to continue supporting adequate funding to finance government’s repatriation and assistance programs for distressed OFWs. Susan Ople of the Blas Ople Center also joined Mrs. Villar.

The Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance (Villar SIPAG) through its program, the Villar SIPAG Awards, honored today 11 groups that emerged as Most Outstanding Youth Social Enterprises at ceremonies held at the Villar SIPAG Hall in Las Pinas City. Sen. Cynthia Villar, director of Villar SIPAG, said the program is her “family’s way of recognizing the efforts of the youth in creating positive change in our society.” “This is our way of supporting empowerment of our young people with the hope of further encouraging them and also inspiring others to significantly contribute to our goals as a nation,” Villar said. Now on its third year, the Villar SIPAG Awards, is a friendly competition among the Filipino youth whose social enterprises contribute in alleviating poverty in their respective communities. Candidates for the awards are groups composed of college or masteral students; out-of-school youth; young professionals; social enterprise groups; young...

Re-elected Senator Cynthia Villar led the celebration of the 6th Las Pinas Food Festival as thousands troop to the Villar SIPAG hall in Pulang Lupa Uno to join the festivities. Villar, managing Director of the Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance ( Villar SIPAG), welcomed visitors and participants to the yearly event which “showcase the city’s culinary heritage and Laspineros’ world-class cooking skills.”   Grand winner: Brgy. Pamplona Uno “We are very glad that this food Festival has become a yearly event for the city and nearby areas not only to promote our local delicacy, but also to promote our advocacy for safe and nutritious food,” Villar said Senator Villar was also joined by her daughter, Las Pinas Congresswoman-elect Camille Villar during the celebration.   Champion: Brgy. Pamplona 1 As part of the food festival, a cooking competition was held participated in by the city’s 20 barangays. Each team presented 1viand...

Sen. Cynthia Villar led the opening of the training course on rice farm mechanization and inbred and rice seeds production at the Villar SIPAG Farm School in Bacoor, Cavite on Feb. 4. Villar, chair of the Committee on Agriculture and Food, said training the farmers how to mechanize farming practices and to produce certified inbred seeds will address the need to lower the production cost of growing palay. “Through this training program, we are preparing our farmers to switch to the modern way of farming and help them to be able to compete against imported rice which will start coming in as a result of the expiration of the Quantitative Restriction on Rice, prescribed by WTO,” Villar said.  VILLAR HELPS BOOST RICE PRODUCTION.  Sen. Cynthia A. Villar, chair of the Senate agriculture and food committee, leads the opening of the training course on rice farm mechanization and inbred and rice seeds production at the Villar SIPAG Farm School in Bacoor, Cavite. The re-electi...

The Villar family led by Senate President Manny and Senator Cynthia Villar celebrated their annual Christmas gift-giving get-together with some 150 kids from barangay Baseco in Tondo and barangay Iruhin in Tagaytay at the Christmas Village in Crosswinds, Tagaytay. Joined by Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar and wife Justice Undersecretary Emmeline Villar, Camille Villar and grandchildren Emma Therese and Tristan, the family sang and played with the kids in the annual gift-giving affair hosted by the Villar SIPAG (Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance). “We are very happy to have spent this special time with the kids,” Senate President Villar said as he watched kids, aged 2 to 13 years old, enjoy the Christmas Village set up at the 100-hectare Crosswinds community in Tagaytay. The Villars, especially grandkids Emma Therese and Tristan, joined the Baseco kids in watching a magician show and playing parlor games. In the end, they ...

An overseas Filipino worker (OFW) from Qatar won a house and lot from Camella Homes in the raffle draw during the 8th OFW and Family Summit held at the World Trade  Center in Pasay City last November  21. Sen. Cynthia A. Villar, also Director of Villar SIPAG handed to Edmundo C. Enguero of Cabuyao City Laguna, the symbolical key after winning the House and Lot from Camella Homes. Among those who witnessed the turn-over ceremony were former Senate President Manny Villar, daughter Camille Villar, Director of Vista Land, daughter-in-law Usec. Emmilene Aglipay-Villar and the latter’s daughter Emma Therese. The senator underscored the importance of financial literacy to ensure that hard-earned money and savings of OFWs are protected. Protecting the rights and welfare of OFWs is among the advocacies of the Nacionalista Party senator. QATAR OFW BAGS GRAND PRIZE. Sen. Cynthia A. Villar, also Director of Villar SIPAG hands to Edmundo C. Enguero of Cabuyao City Laguna, the...

Financial literacy, especially on investments and business start-ups, are important factors in ensuring that hard-earned incomes and savings of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are put to good use, Sen. Cynthia Villar said at the 8th OFW and Family Summit last Nov. 21. Villar, in her capacity as director of the Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance (Villar SIPAG), made the remark as she urged OFWs who attended the event to be financially-smart to ensure a better future for their families. “I hope that you will practice all the lessons, tips and suggestions that you learned today from our finance experts. Use your incomes and savings wisely,” Villar said at the end of the Summit, which had as its theme, “OFW: Perang Pinaghirapan, Palaguin.” EMPOWERING OUR OFWS. Senator Cynthia A. Villar leads the ribbon-cutting ceremony that ushers the opening of the 8th OFW and Family Summit at the World Trade Center in Pasay City. The summit, with the theme, OFW: Pe...

Sen. Cynthia Villar was keynote speaker and guest of honor during a field day showcasing the latest in seed technology and cultivation techniques, which was attended by 80 foreign delegates from 49 countries. Villar, chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture and Food, commended East-West Seed for its work to help small-hold vegetable farmers grow better crops and higher yield. With the theme “Better Seeds for a Better World,” the field day took place at the Villar SIPAG Farm School in Bacoor, Cavite. It is a post-Congress tour of the 25th Asian Seed Congress held last November 12-16. The activity attracted farmers and agricultural stakeholders as well as delegates from the seed industry in the Asia-Pacific Region. “We are very happy that we have partners in the private sector that also make it their life’s mission to help small farmers increase their incomes. With the legislation we are pushing in the Senate, we are not only training farmers plant quality cr...

The yearly summit that became the go-to event for trainings and discussions designed to address the needs of the overseas Filipino workers and their dependents will be having its eighth edition this month. Sen. Cynthia Villar, in her capacity as director of the Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance (Villar SIPAG), announced that the 8th OFW and Family Summit will be held at the World Trade Center in Pasay City on Nov. 21. The one-day summit with the theme “OFW: Perang Pinaghirapan, Palaguin,” will be focusing on topics that will guide OFWs and their families how to make their money grow. “We all know a story about an OFW who, after years of toiling abroad, comes home with little or no savings. We want these tragic stories to end and want happier endings for all our OFWs,” Villar said. “This summit will provide the tools that will make our OFWs financially-smart. We have lined up experts to teach financial literacy and to share pointers on investm...

Sen. Cynthia A. Villar believes urban vegetable gardening is the right community response to the high cost of commodities, especially food products, to ensure food-sufficiency among families. Villar, who is the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, said families should learn to practice urban gardening so they can produce their own greens and vegetables and save hard-earned incomes for other basic needs. "Inflation is high. Everything is so expensive now, especially our food products. Vegetables are among the food produce the cost of which have gone considerably up. But we can counter this. Urban gardening is possible even in the most crowded areas. You should seriously consider this new norm to ensure not only food on your tables, but the health of your family as well," Villar told an audience of 180 farmers and farm enthusiasts and hobbyists who attended the graduation and Harvest Festival training in Urban Vegetable Farming at the Villar S...