Villar attends Pahimis Festival


Former Las Pinas Rep. Cynthia Villar vows to help in the replanting of coffee in Cavite’s Amadeo town which is known as the “Coffee Capital of the Country.”

Speaking in yesterday’s 11th Pahimis Coffee Festival, Villar disclosed that her husband, Sen. Manny Villar, left some funds with the Department of Agriculture to help coffee farmers of Amadeo and the industry, as a whole.

She noted that coffee planting in Amadeo has provided livelihood to its residents.

“The Pahimis festival which was first launched in 2002 has now become a culture and a tradition of the people of Amadeo,” said Villar, popularly known as “Misis Hanep Buhay.”

In Amadeo, Pahimis means thanksgiving. Pahimis is a coffee festival of thanksgiving which also intends to promote the town’s coffee industry and gain support to local coffee growers.

The three-term congressman of the lone district of Las Pinas congratulated the town of Amadeo and its people since their coffee has become famous across the nation.

In fact, she recalled that during her stint in the House of Representatives, they always got Amadeo coffee as “gift” during Christmastime.

“The Amadeo coffee is like our waterlily in Las Pinas. We also have a festival to promote our products from waterlily like slippers, bags, bayong, baskets and furnitures,” said Villar.

“And if you are known as the Coffee Capital of the Philippines, we are known as the Parol Capital of Metro Manila,” she added.

She likewise commended Amadeo since their coffee festival is coupled with eco-awareness.

She noted that their livelihood programs in Las Pinas started as environmental projects which came from wastes.

Apart from keeping the environment clean and protected, Villar said they were able to provide means of livelihood for their residents.