Sen. Villar PH envoy for women in organic agriculture in Asia

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

SENATOR Cynthia A. Villar has been appointed as “Ambassador of the Women in Organic Agriculture in Asia” in the Philippines (WOAA-Ph) by IFOAM-Asia and the League of Organic Agriculture Municipalities, Cities and Provinces during the 6th Organic Asia Congress hosted by Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte from June 4 to June 6.

“As organic agriculture ambassador, I am determined to continue promoting the transition to affordable and environment-friendly agricultural practices and making available to many Filipinos healthy and affordable nu- tritious organic food, abandoning the use of costly and soil degrading chemical fertilizer and pesticides,” Villar said.

Villar was appointed “Organic Ambassador” because of her significant work in promoting organic agriculture.

In 2020, she worked for the passage of RA

11511 (An Act Amending the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010), which aims to institutionalize the Participatory Guarantee System or PGS as a cheaper organic certification scheme of P1,200.00 per product per year for organic products versus the expensive thirdparty certification costing P150,000.00 per product per year.

“The financial aid is part of a government program given to distressed individuals. I hope this small amount from the DSWD can help ease the pain of the families who lost their homes to these fire incidents,” Romualdez said. Financial aid of P10,000 each was given to 206 families who were displaced by the fire that razed through a residential area along Pascual Street in Barangay Bagbag in a simple payout ceremony in Remarville Basketball Court last Saturday. The same amount of financial assistance was also given to each of the 125 families affected by the fire that gutted a residential area on F. Martinez Street, Barangay Addition.