Press Release
February 21, 2019

Villar eyes livelihood projects for dairy, coconut products

Sen. Cynthia Villar said she will continue to build livelihood projects in addition to the almost 2,000 projects she helped establish all over the Philippines to benefit more people.

Villar, chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture and Food, said she will be putting up projects that will help develop the dairy and coconut industry.

"A housewife I met in Ubay, Bohol, gave me an idea that raising milking carabaos is profitable. She is raising three milking carabaos and the dairy processing center buys the milk, which gives her an income of 18,000 a month," Villar said.

The Nacionalista Party senator also said this type of "sideline" will be appealing to housewives who want to earn extra without living the family home.

"I want to establish a dairy center for every province in the country so we can provide the same opportunity to other people," Villar said.

Villar also said the project will help develop the dairy industry, which at present produces only 1% of the demand, leaving us to import the remaining 99%.

"Once we increase our dairy production, we can already make milk affordable and accessible for our children," she said.

In addition, she will also push for the establishment of processing centers for coconut water and coconut sugar in coconut-producing provinces.

"Our coconut farmers will not have enough income on coconut alone. We have to teach them to intercrop, raise livestock and processing of coconut to increase their income," Villar said.

Villar who is seeking re-election to the Senate as Misis Hanepbuhay has established almost 2,000 livelihood projects in the country involving water hyacinth handicrafts; waterlily and garlic handmade paper ; citronella massage oil and mosquito repellent; coconut weaving and charcoal briquette out of waste coconut husks; handloom blanket weaving; bamboo processing; parol making out of bamboo; recycling of waste plastic into school chairs; kitchen and garden waste composting for organic fertilizer; and vermi culture.

Training courses are also offered for free in the two Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance (Villar SIPAG) Farms Schools she established in Cavite and Bulacan. These training programs include rice seed production and mechanization; vegetable farming, mushroom production; sweet corn production; native animal production; aquaculture; farm business school; selling and marketing; and farm tourism site accreditation.

Villar SIPAG TESDA Schools for Construction offering training programs on masonry and construction painting will also rise in Iloilo City, Cagayan de Oro City and Davao City in addition to the ones operating in Las Pinas and San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.

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