The House of Representatives has approved on second reading a bill for the establishment of a research program that shall serve as a government partner in providing proper nutrition for the poor.
House Bill 7512, principally authored by Rep. Rodante Marcoleta, seeks to establish the Barangay Integrated Development Approach for Nutrition Improvement program that would tap all state universities and colleges, as well as community colleges to assist the national government in improving the nutrition and general well-being of the poor.
By providing proper nutrition to the poor, the authors of the bill hope the measure would also improve and also make them more productive and increase their chances of getting a job.
BIDANI is also intended to serve as a comprehensive model for countryside development programs, which makes nutrition as an entry point, an ultimate goal and objective, and an indicator and a measure of development. It is a strategy to combat malnutrition, insufficiency of food, social deprivation and poverty alleviation.
Among others, the measure creating BIDANI requires all SUCs and community colleges to help in achieving the “nutrition-in-development” objectives of the National Nutrition Council.
Likewise, BIDANI would promote the best nutrition practices of successful local government units through the participation of local nutrition management teams and involvement of other stakeholders such as government organizations, non-government organizations, as well as the private sector.
To facilitate the local implementation of the BIDANI program, innovative strategies like the formulation of a Barangay Integrated Development Plan and Participative Nutrition Enhancement Approach, among others, shall be used.
The amount necessary for the implementation of the BIDANI program shall be included in the budget of the participating SUCs in the Annual General Appropriations Act.
On the other hand, local government units shall provide funding to the participating community colleges for the implementation of the program.
Still, SUCs/community colleges participating in the BIDANI linkage program are also allowed to receive funds, donations and other forms of financial support from foreign and local persons, institutions and governments for the program’s implementation.
In stressing the importance of approving the measure, Marcoleta noted that under-nourishment or malnutrition has always been a grave concern in the country and a manifestation of widespread poverty in the country, which is prevalent in depressed areas in the country.
Other authors of the bill are Reps. Victor Yap, Deogracias Ramos, Ma. Lourdes Aggabao, Wilter Wee Palma II, Fernando Gonzales, Maria Lourdes Acosta-Alba, Allen Jesse Mangaoang, Joseph Stephen Paduano, Rodel Batocabe, Orestes Salon, Karlo Alexei Nograles, Doy Leachon, Raul Del Mar, Ana Cristina Siquian Go, Mark Aeron Sambar, Mark Go, Arlene Brosas, Edgar Sarmiento, Ron Salo, Manuel Jose Dalipe, Melecio Yap Jr., and Jesus Nonato Sacdalan.