MANILA – The House of Representatives’ appropriations committee has approved the funding provisions of a measure institutionalizing the Barangay Integrated Development Approach for Nutrition Improvement (BIDANI) program, its chairman said on Friday.
Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles said the unnumbered substitute bill aims to encourage cooperation and participation of academic institutions and local government units (LGUs) in promoting the country’s nutritional well-being, especially through the rural poor.
Nograles highlighted that the “often-shelved” measure has prospered during the Duterte administration.
“As a former local chief executive, President Rodrigo R. Duterte knows very well the disadvantages that poor people from the countryside have to endure on a daily basis. This includes malnutrition. The BIDANI program will help even the playing field in this regard,” Nograles said.
Under the bill, the BIDANI program will be established as a nutrition-in-development research program involving state universities and colleges (SUCs). It will be focused on helping the national government improve the nutrition and general well-being of the poor.
He said the panel amended the budgetary provision of the measure, which now states that the amount necessary for the implementation of the BIDANI linkage program shall be included in the budget of participating SUCs in the annual General Appropriations Act.
He noted that the participating community colleges in the BIDANI linkage program would source their funding from their respective LGUs.
“Participating SUCs/community colleges may also get funds, donations and other forms of financial support from foreign and local individuals, institutions, and governments for the purpose of the program,” he added.
The measure aims to develop among SUCs an effective action-research network program that will improve the nutrition and general well-being of the rural poor, thereby assisting in the development of local communities.
The BIDANI program is also meant to enhance the productivity and employability of the rural poor by improving rural poor families’ nutrition and life status. (PNA)
