Senator Cynthia Villar scolded Tuesday an official of the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) for the agency’s “failure” and dismal performance in boosting local milk production and helping the country’s dairy industry.
Villar, chairperson of the Senate agriculture and food, was seething with dismay on the PCC as she inquired into the state of the country’s dairy industry, which she pointed out has not been responding to the Filipinos’ demands for years.
In her disappointment, she said that if it was her leading the agency, she would have considered committing suicide because of shame.
“Bakit naman ang production natin ng milk is 0.6 percent ng demand, 99.4 percent ini-import natin? After 28 years? My God, kung ako ang head niyan at ganyan ang performance ko, magsu-suicide na ako,” Villar said during the hearing.
“Magsu-suicide ako. Nakakahiya, nakakahiya,” she added.
Villar questioned PCC executive director Dr. Arnel del Barrio for allocating funds for the government’s milk feeding program, stressing that it was not among the mandates of the agency under the existing law.
Del Barrio said at least P28 million is being allocated so the agency could “participate actively” in the feeding programs of the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for this year under Republic Act No. 11037, or the “Masustansyang Pagkain Para Sa Batang Filipino Act”.
“Can I interject there? Nang isulat namin ang batas, hindi ikaw ang gagasta doon sa feeding. Ang sabi doon bibili lang sa inyo. We’re providing you a market, bakit sasabihin niyo ngayon na ikaw ang magfe-feeding?,” Villar said, stressing that the DepEd and the DSWD should be the primary implementors of the national feeding program.
Before the PCC official could finish his response, Villar told Del Barrio: “Ginagawa niyo na namang reason ‘yon para hindi mo gawin ang trabaho mo eh (You are making that your excuse so you won’t do your job)!”
“Huwag mo sasabihin sakin na ilagagay mo ang budget mo sa feeding, you are not in charge of feeding!”
Under the law, the Deped and the DSWD should “coordinate” with the Department of the Agriculture, the National Dairy Authority (NDA) and the PCC to incorporate fresh milk and fresh-milk based products in the meals that would be provided for the children, “utilizing, as far as practicable, locally produced milk” to also help boost livelihood opportunities for local dairy farmers and industry.
Villar likewise berated the PCC for supposedly not spending her P270-million discretionary funds for the projects that she deemed necessary to improve the Philippines’ milk production, such as the construction of processing centers and purchase of equipment.
Of the funds, she said the PCC asked for a P10-million budget to build a processing center but the agency ended up realigning the money. (Vanne Terrazola)
