MANILA, Philippines— “Out of this world” responses from resource persons are just one of many reasons why you would sometimes see Senator Cynthia Villar losing her cool during Senate hearings.
Villar explained herself as she blew her top once again during Tuesday’s hearing of the Senate committee on agriculture regarding a proposed law.
“Alam mo hijo, lahat tayo marunong dito. ‘Pag ganyan ang sinasabi n’yo, kaya ako nagagalit sa inyo eh parang akala n’yo eh tatanga-tanga…,” panel chair Villar said to one of the resource persons.
(You know, we are all knowledgeable here. If that’s how you answer, that’s why I get mad because you think we’re stupid.)
“Kaya minsan, Imee, ‘pag nag i-investigate ako, nawawala lang ako sa mood kasi ang galing-galing kong negosyante, naiintindihan ko naman how it is to do business. ‘Yang mga sinasabi n’yo, it’s out of this world. Kaya minsan pinagbibigyan ko na lang kayo,” she said referring to Senator Imee Marcos, who participated in the hearing online.
(That’s why sometimes, Imee, when I investigate, I lose my mood because I’m a very good businesswoman, I understand how it is to do business. What you’re saying is out of this world. That’s why sometimes I just let you be.)
“Pero ako talagang opinion ko, kung ‘yung pera ng DA ginamit ng ayos taon-taon maganda na ang agriculture natin,” Villar added.
(But really, in my opinion, our agriculture would have already improved if the money of DA [Department of Agriculture] has been used properly every year)
Before this, the two senators questioned the funds being spent on corn model farms.
Villar explained that the source of eggs was important in the discussion of the measure that seeks to declare the municipality of San Jose, Batangas, as the Egg Basket of the Philippines.
“Ang sabi nila, ang biggest problem ng poultry is the corn kasi ‘yun daw ang feeds. Mahal ang feeds. So, tinatanong ko ano ginagawa dun sa pera ng National Corn Program, which is P1.5 billion a year,” she said.
(They say the biggest problem of poultry is the corn because that’s the feeds. The feeds are expensive. So, I asked what’s being done with the fund of the National Corn Program, which is P1.5 billion a year.)
Marcos, meanwhile, asked why her province of Ilocos Norte has always been given model farms when farmers already know how to grow corn.
“Kasi sangkatutak na dekada na nagtatanim naman ng corn, bakit pa imo-model ‘yan?” she asked.
(It’s been decades since corn is being planted, why do you have to model it?)
To this, Villar said: “’Yan nga pinagtataka ko kaya ko tinatanong sa kanila. Ang sabi nila noong una each model farm costs them P50 million. My God, P50 million!”
(I’m also wondering that’s why I’m asking them. They initially said that each model farm costs P50 million. My God, P50 million!)
Marcos shared Villar’s surprise at the amount of money being spent on model farms.
“Grabe naman, malala naman ang P50 million. At saka bakit model farm, hindi na po ‘yan ang kailangan, sanay na ‘yung mga magsasakang magtanim,” she said.
(P50 million is too much. Also, why model farm, it’s no longer necessary because our farmers already know how to plant.)
Marcos said she believes model farms should be time-bound.