Koronadal City, South Cotabato – In a solid push toward building responsive, grassroots-oriented agricultural policies, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office XII (DA-RFO XII) actively participated in “LegisHear: Bawat Batas Mahalaga,” the House of Representatives’ flagship nationwide legislative consultation and oversight initiative, held at the South Cotabato Gymnasium and Cultural Center on September 12.
Led by DA-RFO XII Regional Executive Director Dr. John B. Pascual, DVM, the regional office joined key government agencies, local government units (LGUs), and community leaders to harmonize public service delivery with policy review.
The LegisHear initiative – spearheaded by House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III and Senior Deputy Speaker Ferdinand “Dinand” Hernandez – aims to bring Congress closer to the people by gathering direct citizen feedback on how existing laws translate into actual government programs.
Speaking on the alignment between legislative intent and grassroots farming needs, Dr. Pascual emphasized that effective governance in agriculture begins with listening directly to those on the ground.
“Our active participation in LegisHear reflects our commitment to bringing government services closer to the agricultural sector. Effective governance requires both direct service and active listening. By sitting down with our barangay and local officials, we gather direct, unvarnished feedback on the daily struggles and aspirations of our farming communities. This enables us to craft programs that are truly responsive and help shape better public policies that empower our farmers,” said Dr. Pascual.
The day’s activities were divided into structured sessions designed to build civic awareness and capture community needs.
The morning session provided participants with an overview of the legislative process – detailing how bills are introduced, deliberated, and enacted into law. Attendees were given an open platform to ask questions, voice concerns, and understand the legal frameworks underpinning agricultural programs.
In the afternoon, DA-RFO XII conducted a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) with representatives from various Barangay Local Government Units. The interactive dialogue centered on pressing agricultural issues, existing DA interventions, and localized community needs. The actual experiences, challenges, and recommendations gathered from local officials during the FGD will serve as a vital blueprint for DA-RFO XII in fine-tuning its program execution.
“LegisHear demonstrates that meaningful legislation and governance begin with engagement and genuine partnership with our communities,” Director Pascual added. “Every concern and recommendation shared by our local leaders helps us better understand the real-time needs of our food producers, ensuring that no farmer is left behind as we align our regional initiatives with Speaker Dy’s vision of a Bagong Kongreso.”
In line with LegisHear’s thrust to combine legislative consultations with immediate service delivery, DA-RFO XII set up an interactive agency booth showcasing various agricultural support programs, technical assistance services, and intervention opportunities available to farmers and fisherfolk.
A key highlight of the event was the Benteng Bigas, Meron na program, which allowed participating South Cotabato residents to purchase quality rice for as low as PhP20 per kilo, providing immediate relief and demonstrating the concrete impact of government food security measures.
Through its continued participation in the LegisHear series, DA-RFO XII reaffirms its dedication to participatory governance, bridging the gap between national legislation and local agricultural development. (Joshua Lloyd L. Blas/Lito Mariano Salvo)
A barangay official from Koronadal City, South Cotabato noted during the LegisHear: Bawat Batas Mahalaga consultations that most local farmers remain up-to-date on DA interventions, thanks to local officials who actively bridge the communication gap by relaying information directly from city, provincial, and regional DA offices to their communities.