Charles Teves
Sen. Cynthia Villar appeared to belittle farmers after saying that they know nothing about climate change.
On October 19, the Senate Committee on Finance resumed its hearing on the Department of Agriculture’s proposed 2023 budget.
Committee members questioned DA officials on why imported galunggong and other fish were still being sold despite claims that exporting won’t be necessary.
Sen. Kiko Pimentel asked why an archipelagic country like the Philippines is experiencing a shortage in fish to which DA officials responded by saying that dynamite fishing, cyanide fishing, and climate change are contributing factors.
Alicia Ilaga, director of DA’s adaptation and mitigation initiative on agriculture program, said the agency utilizes the Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative in Agriculture (AMIA) program to address climate change issues.
They said that the AMIA villages boost farmer productivity and income.
Villar then said farmers couldn’t be relied on since they’re clueless about climate change.
“Huwag mong aasahan yung fishermen at farmers because they don’t know anything… Yung fishermen and farmers they will protect themselves? Di nga nila naiintindihan ang problema eh… Dapat DA ang gagawa non,” she said.
“Wag nyong iaasa sa farmers at fisherfolk kasi sila hindi naman nila naiintindihan yang climate change. Wag nyo nang sasabihing climate change yan,” she added.
Her remarks were viewed as demeaning by netizens.
Farmers and fisherfolk are actually good at reading and observing the weather. They do it daily. They are either self-taught or using knowledge passed down from their older generations.
Never underestimate their understanding of climate change and its impacts to them.
— Ariel Rojas (@arielrojasPH) October 19, 2022
Senator Cynthia Villar never fails to show that she is insensitive and anti-poor. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. https://t.co/pQcJmPtavA
— Queen Pinksweets 🌆 #AtinAngWestPhilippineSea (@QueenPinksweets) October 19, 2022
https://twitter.com/MangingisdaSays/status/1582591755782066176?s=20&t=uuw3kKK_rdfdZOmRIOAMfQ
It’s disheartening to see public servants who seem be unable to see the basic dignity in the people they serve. And what’s sadder is that with all their claims of loving the Philippines, it is obvious that they can’t stand Filipinos.
Nakakalungkot na sila ang palaging nananalo. pic.twitter.com/baUzh741eF
— JR Santiago (@oslecjunior) October 19, 2022
For reference daw @Cynthia_Villar para di mo sinasayang tax namin. Sipag sipagan mo naman magresearch mas may silbi pa mga farmers kesa sayo 🥲
— 🩷💛🩵🄼🄰🄻🄸🄽🄰🅈🩷💛🩵 (@charcharology) October 20, 2022
Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) chairperson Danilo Ramos also called out Villar, saying that farmers have “long warned” against foreign-imposed policies which made the country “more vulnerable” to climate change.
“Stop looking down at us! Farmers are at the frontlines facing climate change and its calamitous effects. Villar on the other hand and her self-serving choices of policies are part of the reason why Filipino farmers are deep in crisis,” said Ramos on Thursday, October 20.
Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya (Pamalakaya) challenged Villar to “touch some grass,” adding that farmers face impacts of the climate crisis “on a daily basis.”
