Sen. Cynthia Villar inducts newly-elected CILA offi cers and BODs. From L-R: Karen Dizon representing Evelyn Yumul TMC marketing manager, SIAEP deputy general manager Rene Philip Banzon, Amerton Inc. VP for HR Froilanda Rodriguez, SGV & Co.’s Jose Pepito Zabat, Medina Flores Palarca Ofrin Law Offi ces’ Atty. Gerald Medina, Clark Electric Distribution Corp. VP Radito Tuazon, Demagus Trading Corp.’s Dr. Francisco L. Villanueva, Jr., Cargohaus Inc. general manager Darwin Malinit, Yokohama Tire Philippines Inc vice chair Hitoshi Kobayashi, and BBI Leisure and Resorts president Dr. Irineo Alvaro, Jr. Photo by Joann M. Valenciano
CLARK FREEPORT — The plan for a possible public-private partnership relating to agriculture and food between Clark locators and the Senate was proposed by Sen. Cynthia Villar.
Villar, chair of the Senate committee on agriculture and food made this pitch at the induction and turnover ceremonies of newly-elected officers of the Clark Investors and Locators Association (CILA) held at the Fontana Leisure Parks here Monday.
Villar was the guest of honor and inducting officer for the newly elected officers and board of directors.
“We want to work with your member companies in implementing programs that could benefit your members. Their businesses in their own sectors as well as their communities here. Public-private partnership can accomplish much given the right project or program,” Villar said.
“You may have members involved in the agriculture sectors. Central Luzon, Pampanga in particular, is an agricultural province, even the neighboring areas. Nueva Ecija and Tarlac have rice and that is very important to us,” she added.
Villar also mentioned that the recently concluded SEA Games has given opportunities that enabled the government to build more facilities here.
“Ang ating national government is a great believer in the development of Clark. In fact, they have given so much to Clark. The SEA Games enabled the government to build more facilities in Clark which i think will become handy in the near future,” said Villar.
The senator also noted that CILA is at the forefront of the businesses in this freeport and a factor in the investment growth in Clark as its neighboring areas continue to pick up.
Addressing a controversial issue imputed on her, Villar clarified that she doesn’t believe in the importation of fish, “galunggong” in particular, as some fish traders asked for her help to import fish.
“Bumili tayo ng mga isda na available. Bakit ba kailangan natin mag-import kasi naawa ako sa ating mga fishermen. I-patronize muna natin yung atin,” she said.
“Bakit pag nashoshort ang isang isda, pinag-uusapan agad ay importation? Hindi ako kasi believer ng importation. Ang dami naman alternatives. Hindi ako naniniwala masyado na dapat iencourage ang importation. Dapat natin iencourage yung maproduce natin what we need, kahit na hindi ung ideal but meron naman,” Villar explained.
