Villar calls for going back to ‘glory days’
“These are interesting and thriving times for the agri-business sector in our country. There is an increasing number of opportunities in the agriculture sector. And this is not surprising, considering that the Philippines is an agricultural country.”
Wise words from Sen. Cynthia Villar, whose passion, as chair of the Senate committee on agriculture and food, is to see an upsurge in agricultural productivity in the country.
The senator talked about the state and challenges of Philippine agriculture before stakeholders during the 1st Global Agribusiness Management and Entrepreneurship (GAME) Conference sponsored by the Department of Agribusiness Management and Entrepreneurship of the College of Economics and Management (CEM), University of the Philippines Los Banos and the CEM Alumni Foundation.
She called on all private and government sectors to join efforts in “changing mindsets, equipping entrepreneurial-minded people with concepts, tools and strategies to excel and succeed in pursuing agribusiness opportunities.”
About two-thirds of the country’s population live in agricultural areas, she said, while only about 20% of the gross domestic product (GDP) and 40% of total employment is accounted for by the agricultural sector. “If we include the related agri-suppliers and agro-processing sector, its contribution could increase to 40% of GDP and 60% of total employment.”
“There is still a lot of untapped potential in the agriculture sector. And that dormant force could very well be one of the major contributors for our goal of making our country’s economic growth more inclusive.”
“The official poverty statistics (dating as far back as 1985 up to the most recently released figures in 2009), according to the National Statistical Coordinating Board (NSCB), show that the concentration of the poor has been in the entire agriculture sector.
“In fact, poverty incidence among farmers, at 36.7%, is higher than the average for the whole country, which stood at 27.9% (latest available figures from NSCB). Workers in the agriculture sector are also among the lowest paid in the country. According to NSCB, farmers and fishermen receive an average daily wage and salary of P156.8 and P178.43. Senator Villar even found out that coconut farmers in Davao only earn less than P50 a day. Poverty incidence among the fisherfolk and farmers, based on latest available statistics, is at 41.4% and 36.7%, respectively — above the country’s 26.5%.”
Her priority is to help farmers and the fisherfolk who have little access to bank loan facilities.
The high cost of capital and lack of mechanization that drive up labor costs are two of the challenges that hinder the competitiveness of our farmers, she said. “I believe that technological innovation and entrepreneurial mindset can also propel the agriculture sector to greater heights. Moreover, I think these would attract the younger generation to agriculture, since it will make farming trendy and innovative…not backwards as many misinterpret it to be.”
She said she reviewed the implementation of Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act or (AFMA) or R.A. 8435. AFMA calls for the allocation of at least P20 billion a year for agriculture modernization-related programs and projects. “And yet data shown to me cite that the Philippines lags behind its regional neighbors in the farm mechanization aspect — a far fifth placer to Japan, South Korea, China and Thailand.
The Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for Republic Act (R.A.) 10601 or the Agriculture and Fisheries Mechanization Law or AFMECH is already completed. It will promote the development and adoption of modern, appropriate, cost-effective and environmentally safe agricultural and fisheries machinery and equipment to enhance farm productivity and efficiency, to achieve food security and increase farmers’ income.
Providing the agricultural communities opportunities for livelihood will help slow down migration to urban areas and foreign countries, as well as help stabilize food security of our country, she said.
The senator and her husband, former Senate President Manny Villar, are advocates of entrepreneurship. “We have been calling out for a new generation of entrepreneurs, and that includes agri-entrepreneurs.” She feels heartened that there is an increasing number of schools and universities offering entrepreneurship courses.
Another heartwarming development is the passage on second reading of Senate Bill No. 2212 or the Youth Entrepreneurship Act of 2014, which she co-authored. The bill, she said, promotes entrepreneurship among the youth, since it calls for the inclusion of entrepreneurship as a separate subject in schools’ curricula.
The senator noted that the various foreign and local trade fairs and exhibits she visited showed many ‘food-entrepreneurs’ who fall under the category of agri-entrepreneurs. Half of the micro, small, and medium enterprises or MSMEs in the country are involved in the food and beverage sector. MSMEs comprise more than 90% of the businesses in the country and provide more than 50% jobs.
Moreover, she said, we need to help Filipino farmers, fisherfolk, agricultural workers and agri-entrepreneurs to be more productive and globally competitive, particularly with the coming Philippines’ integration in the ASEAN Economic Community or AEC by next year.
“I have conducted briefings and hearings regarding AEC at the Senate as well and will continue the discussions and dialogues. The AEC agreement will transform ASEAN into a single market and production base, a highly competitive economic region, a region of equitable economic development, and a region fully integrated into the global economy.”
There is strength in numbers and the 10 ASEAN countries have become attractive alternative destinations for investments. ASEAN has an aggregate economic size of USD2.3 trillion, a combined population of 616 million, an average real GDP growth rate of 5.4% in 2012, and an estimated GDP per capita of USD3,745.
“The AEC economic integration, just like most changes and new developments do, will bring about opportunities and challenges. The key is preparedness and enhanced competitiveness. AEC will present investment opportunities for Philippine companies not only locally, but also in the 10 member states.
“The Philippines (with the second largest population next to Indonesia and the highest growth rate) is in the best position to become Asia’s agri-business hub with the AEC integration that will start next year.”
Villar said the success of the agri-business and entrepreneur sectors is key to easing the country’s poverty problem. “Let us work together to bring back the glory days of agriculture.”
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Aleron, an all-male Filipino choral ensemble, was hailed as champion and winner of the Grand Prize at the 10th Busan International held recently in Busan, South Korea.
Aleron bested 38 other choirs from eight countries, including three from the Czech Republic, two from Russia, one from Colombia, and one from Poland. It won the gold prize in the Classical Equal Voices category which qualified it to advance to the Grand Prix round. Two other Filipino choirs, the Juan Luna Elementary School Children’s Choir and Coro San Benildo, also placed in the competition.
The Busan International Choral Festival and Competition aims to celebrate choral music on an international level, bringing together top-tier amateur and student choirs from around the world for a grand festival in Busan. The jury this year included expert musicians from all parts of the globe, including the renowned Mark Anthony A. Carpio, choirmaster of the Philippine Madrigal Singers.
Aleron is led by Christopher Amado Ong Arceo as choir director. It was founded in 2006 as the alumni ensemble of the Ateneo de Manila High School Glee Club.
The group will be holding a homecoming and thanksgiving concert on November 8, at the Ateneo de Manila High School. Admission will be free.
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