DAHIL sa pagsisikap na puksain ang kahirapan at panatiliin ang malusog na kapaligiran,ginawaran si Senator Cynthia Villar ng kinikilalang Human Rights Award ng United Nations Association of the Philippines (UNAP) sa seremonyang ginanap sa Manila Hotel noong Martes, Marso 26.
Kinikala si Villar sa kanyang pagsusulong sa Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Goal No. 1 (Poverty Eradication) at SDG Goal No. 16 (Biodiversity).
Chairman ng Senate Committees on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform at Environment and Natural Resources ang beteranong mambabatas.
Sa kanyang acceptance speech, pinasalamatan ni Villar ang UNAP Board of Trustees sa pagkilala sa kanyang pagsisikap sa poverty reduction at biodiversity.
“Let me tell you about my journey towards achieving these SOG goals.”
With my husband Manny, we established in 1992 the Villar Foundation, which is a non-stock, non-profit organization to create sustainable livelihood, protect the environment and help OFWs. Its various programs for OFWs including the yearly OFW & Family Summit; environment protection including the establishment of the Las Piñas- Parañaque Wetland Park; free agricultural training in four farm schools in Las Piñas Bacoor for NCR , for NCR, Southern Luzon and Bicol, San Jose Del Monte City in Bulacan, for Central and Northern Luzon and the Cordilleras ; San Miguel, Iloilo for the Visayas and Davao City for Mindanao and the establishment of livelihood projects in over 3,000 locations nationwide,” pahayag ni Villar.
Noong 2002, sinimulan ng kanilang foundation ang Sagip-Ilog Program para iligtas ang Las Pinas at Zapote Rivers sa pagkasira.
“We adopted a holistic approach starting educating people about proper waste management.The riverbanks underwent re-greening activities and tree planting to prevent future soil erosion. We created green social enterprises…Women made arts and crafts from the water lily harvested , coconet and pit from waste coconut husks, composts were produced from kitchen and garden waste and were given for free to garden enthusiasts and farmers,” giit ni Villar.
Ipinagmalaki niya na nanalo ang Sagip Ilog ng UN Water for Life Award sa Zaragosa, Spain sa World Water Day noong 2011.
Noong August 2013, inilunsad ang Villar Foundation Awards for Poverty Reduction para kilalalnin ng mga natatangjng nagawa ng community enterprises sa pagtulong sa local economic development at pagpapabuti sa buhay.
Noong 2017, inilunsad naman ang Villar Foundation Youth Awards upang parangalan ang youth organizations.
Kaugnay sa malusog na kapaligiran, sinabi ni Villar na noong 2018, kasama ang Manila Bay Site Coordinating Management Office at iba pang organizations, binigyan siya ng DENR NCR ng titulong “Kampeon ng Katubigan” dahil sa pangungunang protektahan ang Las Piñas Zapote River at Las Piñas Parañaque Wetland Park.
Noong 2022, dahil sa pagsusulong sa isang malinis at malusog na kapaligiran at daluyan ng tubig, binigyan siya ng DENR-National Capital Region ng “Gawad Taga-Ilog 2.0″ for their Most Improved Estero in Metro Manila” sa pagdiriwang ng World Water Day.
Sa naturang taon din, nagwagi ang Villar Foundation ng international award para World’s Best Environmental Projects.
“I was presented with the “Certificate of Honor” for the Energy Globe, the world award for environmental sustainability, for Villar Foundation’s Las Piñas Kitchen Waste Composting Project by the government by Austria,” sabi pa ng senator.
