Senator Cynthia Villar said there is a need to focus on the development of cacao and dairy industries in Cebu and the rest of the country to encourage Filipinos to patronize local produce.
Villar said that only one percent of the country’s demand for diary product is being addressed by the local producers making Filipinos patronize imported products instead.
“This means that our poor children are not drinking milk because all of it are imported,” said Villar.
In order to address the scarcity of local produce, Villar is pushing for the implementation of barangay-based dairy production programs.
Villar said that she will also be asking the Philippine Carabao Center to assist carabao farmers in Consolacion town in northern Cebu in their dairy production.
She said that even the cacao industry should be given attention since cacao is a high-value crop that is in demand in the country and abroad.
Villar said that if enough support is given to the farmers, cacao production in Cebu will surely increase.
“Tayo lang sa Indonesia at Pilipinas ang well adapted sa cacao,” said Villar. / Zena V. Magto USJ-R Journalism Intern