The adage: “If Mohammed cannot go to the mountain, then let the mountain go to Mohammed” could not be more true when the House Committee on Rural Development chaired by Rep. Wilfrido Mark M. Enverga (1^st District, Quezon) conducted its first out of town public hearing on HB 1330 (BIDANI Act of 2010) at the Municipality of Gubat, Sorsogon on May 20, 2011 at 1:30 P.M.

In his Welcome Remarks, 2^nd District Congressman Deogracias B. Ramos, Jr., Vice-Chairman of Rural Development Committee, explained that the public hearing was meant to bring Congress closer to the people, and aimed at getting the views and sentiments of the various sectors regarding the proposed law. The well-attended public hearing was the first House activity to be conducted in the second congressional district, if not in the Province of Sorsogon.

House Bill No. 1330 entitled: “Barangay Integrated Development Approach for Nutrition Improvement (BIDANI) Act of 2010, authored by Congressman Rodante T. Marcoleta of ALAGAD Party List aims to:

§         Promote cooperation and participation of academic institutions and local government units in advancing the nutritional well-being of the country;

§         Encourage state colleges and universities to develop an effective action-research program that will improve the nutrition and general well-being of the rural poor, thereby assisting in the development of local communities; and

§         Enhance the productivity of the rural poor by improving the nutrition and life status.

Other members of the Committee who attended the public hearing were: Rep. Rodel M. Batocabe, Rep. Alfredo A. Garbin, Rep. Christopher S. Co, all of Ako-Bikol Party List and Rep. Reena Concepcion G. Obillo, Una ang Pamilya Party List.

Local Leaders who actively participated in the public hearing include: Vice Governor Antonio “Kruni” Escudero, Barcelona Mayor Manuel “Wowo” Fortes, Sta. Magdalena Mayor Alejandro “Dong” Gamos and Castilla Mayor Olive “Padi” Bermillo.

Members of the academic community who provided vital inputs during the hearing were led by Bicol University President Faye Lauraya and Sorsogon State College President Antonio Fuentes.

The author proposed to the Committee the inclusion of incentive award to barangays with zero number of malnourished children in the form of financial assistance from the national government and increased IRA. Committee Chairman Mark Enverga gladly noted the proposal and promised to include all relevant inputs that were contributed by the participants during the hearing.

Asked by the author for his comments after the public hearing, the Bill’s author, Rep. Marcoleta replied that he was “very impressed” by the outcome of the activity and concluded that the discussions were “very productive”.

The committee adjourned the public hearing at 5:30 P.M. – (Julius Rodel L. Cal-Ortiz, LGOO VI/Cluster Head)