IN a bid to address the challenges of climate change, Deputy Speaker Las Pinas Representative Camille Villar called for he full implementation of laws, addressing the adverse impact of climate change to agriculture and the environment.

Villar, one of the senatorial candidates of the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas, cited the need to integrate the national government’s plan with the implementation of efforts in the local government units.

According to Villar, the Philippines is one of the pioneers in integrating climate change in laws. So, as early as 1991 or 1997, there were laws that already mandated Department of Agriculture, and other departments to input and consider climate change and weather disturbances and agriculture in our programs.

“However, through the years, one of the things that we should ensure is the proper implementation of laws and perhaps review some of the laws to make sure that they are relevant to the times,” Villar pointed out.

The issue of climate change was one of the issues raised during the administration senatorial candidates’ campaign sortie in the Bicol region.

Villar cited for example Agri-Agrarian Reform Credit Law, which mandates banks to give 25 percent of their capital or lend to agri-business or agri-beneficiaries.

“So, there is a lot of legislation on this, that we need to make sure is properly implemented and there are a lot of trends in innovations around the world right now that we can probably apply to our local agricultural industry, like inter-cropping and there’s a way of predicting, whether to see which crops should be planted (when its rainy season) or depending on the temperature,” Villar added.

She also cited the need to be up-to-date on techonology and innovations in agriculture.

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Jester P. Manalastas