Senators Raffy Tulfo and Cynthia Villar on Wednesday had a heated exchange over the issue of big private developers buying farmlands to convert them into residential and commercial subdivisions.

During the Senate deliberation on the Department of Agriculture's (DA) 2023 budget, Tulfo raised the issue of the declining number of farmlands, particularly in the provinces.

"Ano po ang ginagawa ng DA tungkol dito?" he asked.

Villar, the sponsor of DA's 2023 budget, answered and cited her family’s business as an example that private developers do not buy agricultural lands in the provinces.

The Villar family owns and operates Vista Land and Lifescapes Inc., one of the leading property developers in the country.

“Nobody will buy houses in agricultural lands. We only buy in cities and capital towns,” she said.

“They allow conversion in cities and capital towns because if they buy your land, they buy it expensive,” she added.

Tulfo, on the other hand, said he hailed from Isabela province and has evidence that provincial lands are being converted for commercial spaces.

“Kaya ayan ang dahilan kung bakit gusto ko na maipasa ang National Land Use Act [NLUA],” he added.

The proposed House bill 5240 or NLUA seeks to ensure that agricultural lands are not used for conversion and it aims to limit the capacity of developers to buy land.

The said bill has been pending on Villar's Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Climate Change.

“I tend to disagree with you. Where will the people live if you don’t build subdivisions?” Villar asked.

Tulfo said there are other lands that private developers could use.

“Huwag lang i-take over ang mga farms dahil kung minsan ang ating mga farmers, minsan sila ay naghihikahos. They are being taken advantage of lalo na meron Rice Terrification,” he said.

“Mura ang mga bigas na dumarating dito, so they cannot compete. And papasok itong mga negosyante at mago-offer ng pera para bilhin ang kanilang lupain. Of course, walang choice ang ating farmers kung hindi ibenta na lang ang kanilang mga lupa,” Tulfo added.

Villar, who authored the Rice Tariffication law, said she wrote the bill in 2018 when the price of rice soared to Php 50 - Php 60 per kilo.

“I don't feel any guilt to the small farmers. All the money that came from the Rice Terrification Law were given to the farmers owning 2 hectares and below. I wrote that law,” she stressed.