Former senator Cynthia Villar on Saturday welcomed renewed efforts to advance the proposed National Land Use Act but rejected claims that the measure had been stalled under the leadership of the Villar family.

In a statement, Villar said any renewed momentum behind the bill would be beneficial for the country, but stressed that discussions should be based on facts rather than narratives that attribute years of legislative work to a single individual.

“The claim that the bill was simply ‘stuck under the Villars’ disregards how the legislative process works,” Villar said.

She noted that no committee chair can unilaterally pass a bill into law, explaining that proposed measures must undergo public consultations, technical working group discussions, committee deliberations, and coordination with government agencies, local government units, affected sectors, and other stakeholders before reaching the Senate plenary.

“Ultimately, it is the entire Senate, not the committee chair alone, that determines whether a bill is approved,” she said.

Villar defended her record as former chairperson of the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, citing the passage of major environmental measures during her tenure.

She highlighted the enactment of the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (E-NIPAS) Act, which placed 94 additional protected areas under permanent legal protection. Villar said the committee also passed individual protected area laws, bringing the total number of legislated protected areas approved during her term as chair to 121.

According to Villar, these laws placed more than five million hectares of forests, mountains, watersheds, wetlands, and coastal and marine ecosystems under legal protection, helping preserve biodiversity, strengthen climate resilience, and safeguard critical water sources.

The senator also cited the passage of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Act, which requires large enterprises to recover and properly manage plastic packaging waste.

Villar said the committee pursued environmental reforms while ensuring that proposed measures underwent careful study and consultation.

She described the National Land Use Act as one of the most comprehensive and complex measures pending before Congress, with implications for agriculture, housing, environmental protection, local government powers, infrastructure development, indigenous peoples’ rights, and private property.

“It is therefore only proper that such legislation undergo careful and exhaustive deliberation to ensure that it truly serves the best interests of the Filipino people,” Villar said.

The senator also expressed support for the efforts of Raffy Tulfo to advance the measure.

“I wish Senator Raffy Tulfo success in his efforts to move the National Land Use Act forward. If, after thorough deliberation and with the necessary safeguards, the measure can finally be enacted into law, then I will welcome that outcome,” she said.

Villar emphasized that legislative work is a collective process and should not be reduced to individual personalities.

“Good legislation should always transcend personalities and politics,” she said.

She added that she remains committed to supporting policies that promote environmental conservation, sustainable development, and the welfare of future generations.