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Sen. Cynthia Villar conducts hearing on rice fund for farmers: Sen. Cynthia Villar, chair of the Committee on Agriculture and Food, discusses with resource persons the proposal to create the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund during the hearing on bills lifting the quantitative restriction on rice. Villar said the tariff collected from the importation of rice will go to the fund and will be spent on programs such as mechanization and better seeds. Villar said the lifting of the quantitative restriction on rice can be seen as an opportunity for rice farmers to improve their productivity and competitiveness. The hearing was also attended by Mercedita A. Sombilla, Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning, National Economic Development Authority, and Diwa C. Guinigundo , Deputy Governor, Monetary Stability Sector, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.