Fighting lobbyists

COMMONSENSE

- MARICHU A. VILLANUEVA

As a veteran lawmaker, Sen. Cynthia Villar could say "been there, done that." Being among the "richest" members of Congress, plus her reputation for being feisty and bullheaded, makes big-time lobbyists stay out of her sight. Thus, it is easy for Senator Villar to point to "lobbying" in Congress as the biggest factor in the passage of bills to either get clogged up or fast-tracked in the legislative mills.

Now on her second and last term as senator, she is one of the "graduating" members of the 24-man Senate. She bows out also as the chairperson of the Senate committee on agriculture, food and agrarian reform and the Senate committee on environment and climate change. She is swapping places with her daughter, Rep. Camille, currently House deputy speaker, representing the lone congressional district of Las Piñas City. Camille, on the other hand, is running for the Senate under the administration-backed Alyansa ng Bagong Pilipinas.

Senator Villar admitted her biggest frustration is seeing well-crafted laws and their desired beneficial effects diluted by the implementing rules and regulations (IRR). Thus, Senator Villar vows to pursue possible amendments of these laws in her comeback bid in the 20th Congress.

"As I seek to once again represent my hometown, Las Piñas, in the House of Representatives, I intend to build on my work in the Senate, focusing on the achievement of goals for agricultural competitiveness and environmental protection," Villar promised. To date, she is credited for enactment of landmark statutes, including 114 laws establishing multi-species marine hatcheries in different parts of the country.