Sen. Villar scolds PCC chief over 'unimplemented' dairy processing center

Senator Cynthia Villar on Tuesday grilled Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) executive director Arnel Del Barrio for the alleged non-utilization of funds intended for the establishment of a dairy processing center.

During a hearing of the Committee on Agriculture, Del Barrio mentioned that the PCC is engaging in a feeding program together with the Department of Education and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

"Sa feeding program po, we will participate actively in the feeding program with DepEd. Actually mayroon na po kaming operating MOA (memorandum of agreement), hopefully magkaroon na rin ng transfer of funds and about 376,000 beneficiaries po ang papainumin ng gatas ng kalabaw this year," Del Barrio said.

"Likewise, we will participate in the milk feeding program with the DSWD. We'll start in Region III at P28 million is being allocated for this purpose," he added.

That, however, got Villar hot under the collar, as she said conducting feeding programs is not part of the PCC's mandate under the law.

"Noong 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 ngayon sasabihin mo ikaw ang magpi-feeding?" Villar asked.

"Hindi trabaho ng Carabao Center ang mag-feed! Ang trabaho mo, mag-produce ka ng maraming carabao at gumawa ng mga processing center ng carabao para 'yan ang bibilhan ng DepEd at DSWD. Nagkamali ka na naman eh!" she added.

Del Barrio tried to explain his side.

"Hindi po talaga kami magpa-participate sa feeding, tama po kayo," he said.

"Eh ano yung sinasabi mong mag-aallocate ka ng P26 million para sa feeding program? Sinabi mo eh! Napakinggan ko, ano ako nagi-imagine?" a visibly irate Villar said.

The PCC executive director said the agency is just trying to help cooperatives, but Villar said she does not see it that way and pointed out that the funds she allocated for the PCC were not being used according to its purpose.

"Kung tama iyon, bakit 'yung P280 million na ibinigay ko sa 'yo bakit hanggang ngayon hindi pa naitatayo? Kung talagang naiintindihan mo pinapagawa ko sa 'yo?" she said.

"Hindi mo na pera 'yun, pera ko na 'yun. I could have given it to any department which I like pero I gave it to you para tulungan ang mga farmer na magkaroon sila ng hanapbuhay at ang mga coop magkaroon sila ng processing center. Eh bakit hindi mo ginagawa?" she added.

Villar stressed that it was Del Barrio himself who said a processing center would cost P10 million.

"Tapos ngayon ayaw mong ipagawa 'yung building na paglalagyan ng processing center eh kaya naman yun ng P10 million kung saan-saan mo dinadala? Nasaan ang building? Sabi mo ire-realign. Saan mo dinala?" she said.

"'Yung 2019 kasi ma'am walang infrastructure kaya nag-usap na po kami ni Secretary kahapon... By phase po kasi 'yun, number one 'yung containarized processing setup," Del Barrio said.

"You have to provide a building. Huwag kang magpalusot ng containarized-containarized  na 'yan. Ako'y naiinis na pinalulusutan. A livelihood center cannot exist without a building to house the processing center," Villar responded.

Research, shattered dreams

During the same hearing, Villar reiterated that research is useless if it doesn't result in a material outcome.

She said cows in Israel produce 40 liters of milk each while native cattle in the Philippines produce only three liters each. Those with good breed produce only up to seven liters each.

"Ang layo-layo natin eh. Nasaan ang research ninyo? Katakot-takot ginagasta ninyo sa research," she said.

Villar said she dreams of giving farmers additional income by giving them cattle and ensuring that processing centers for milk are available for their use.

"Siyempre nangarap ako at sinira mo Dr. Del Barrio ang aking pangarap," she said.

Del Barrio said the PCC will make the senator's vision come true. "Itutuloy po natin ang pangarap ninyo. Lahat naman po ng sinasabi ninyo ma'am 'yun po ang ginagawa namin," he said.

But Villar said: "Galit na galit ako sa 'yo. Sinira mo ang mga pangarap ko para sa mga dairy farmers... Ngayon lang nag-iimbestiga ako saka kayo magmo-MOA signing, napapahiya na ako sa mga local government na pinagbigyan ko."

Villar explained that she allocated some budget for dairy projects in active local government units in the country. To highlight her dismay, Villar said she would rather commit suicide if she was the head of government agencies tasked but failed to improve milk production in the country.

"Bakit naman ang production natin ng milk at 0.6% of the demand? The 94% ini-import natin after 28 years and 25 years? My god, kung ako ang head niyan magsu-suicide na ako, nakakahiya," she said.

"Kaya ang mahihirap na bata sa Pilipinas walang pag-asang uminom ng milk kasi lahat imported. Mahal ang imported," she added.  —KBK, GMA News