Press Release - Villar cites Mindanao to bring hope and great chance for the PH inclusive growth

While one third of Mindanao is devoted to agriculture and Davao region supplies 40% of the country's food requirements, the challenge lies in harnessing this potential to support the region's overall economic development, stressed Sen. Cynthia Villar.

"Davao Region is still the top coconut-producer which contributed 14.4% to the country's total production. Zamboanga Peninsula followed with 13.6% and then Northern Mindanao with 12.9%," said Villar during the 25TH Davao Agri-Trade Expo held at SMX Convention Center.

She noted that all over the country, there are 3.5 million coconut farmers.

Due to this, she has authored and sponsored several measures in the Senate geared towards agricultural development.

"May these legislations assist the agriculture sector as a whole to ensure food security and better income to our people," she said.

For Mindanao, Villar noted she passed Republic Act No. 11547 which declared Davao City as "Chocolate Capital" and Davao Region as "Cacao Capital" of the Philippines.

This is in recognition of the country's biggest cacao producer and its vital contribution in making the Philippines world renowned by winning awards and distinction as one of the best chocolate maker in the world.

Villar said she also passed the Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development Financing Enhancement Act of 2022, repealing the Agri-Agra law that failed to provide lending programs to agrarian reform beneficiaries and other farmers.

Under this new law, there shall be an agriculture, fisheries and rural development financing system, consisting of loans and investments, to improve the productivity and income of farmers, fisherfolks and other beneficiaries.

To support the government in completing its agrarian reform initiatives and to improve the effectiveness of its land tenure system, Villar said she passed the New Agrarian Emancipating Act which condoned a total of P57.65 billion of unpaid amortizations, benefitting 610,054 farmers

"Aside from freeing them of their debt, under the Rice Tariffication Law for rice and the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act (CFITFA) for coconut farmers, which she also passed, tariffs collected from rice imports go to the