FILE PHOTO: Senator Cynthia Villar on November 23, 2022. (Bibo Nueva España/Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines — Only poor local government units (LGUs) are interested in dairy, according to Senator Cynthia Villar.
In a hearing of the Senate committee on agriculture, food, and agrarian reform on Monday, National Dairy Authority (NDA) Administrator Farrel Benjelix Magtoto said that among the measures they would take to increase the country’s dairy capacity is to sustain partnerships with LGUs.
But Villar was not buying it, asserting that wealthy LGUs such as cities are not keen on dairy.
“Hindi totoo ‘yan. ‘Wag mo sabihin ‘yan… Ang mga local government hindi naman lahat mayaman. Ang mayaman lang ‘yung nasa cities. ‘Yung nasa cities, hindi naman interesado sa dairy,” she said.
(That is not true. Do not say that. Not all local governments are rich. The rich ones are in the cities. Those in the cities are not interested in dairy.)
“Ako lang ang nasa city na interesado sa dairy. Pero lahat sila hindi sila interesado sa dairy. Ang interesado sa dairy na local government, mahihirap,” added Villar, chair of the Senate panel.
(I’m the only one in the city interested in dairy. But the rest of them are not. So local governments who are interested in dairy are the poor ones.)
According to Villar, wealthy LGUs want to prioritize infrastructure as they get a percentage from that.
“Kaya huwag mo silang asahan na sila ang magpa-partner sa inyo. Ang dami pa nilang priority. Mas gusto nila infrastructure kasi may porsyento sila doon sa infrastructure, sa’yo wala silang porsyento,” the senator told Magtoto.
(Do not expect the rich LGUs to partner with you. They have many priorities. They prefer infrastructure because they have a percentage there. In dairy, they have none.)
The Senate committee on agriculture, food, and agrarian reform is deliberating on several bills that seek the development of the Philippine livestock industry.
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