House scolds local agriculture officials
For snubbing congressional inquiry
By ED SESTOSO
Members of the House Committee on Agriculture and Food had scolded the non appearance of local officials of the Department of Agriculture in their legislative inquiry conducted Thursday morning at the Lamberto Macias Sports Complex
In an interview with the members of the media right after the public hearing, Rep. Abraham Kahlil Mitra, chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture and Food that he was dismayed over the non appearance of top provincial agriculture officials during the hearing.
Rep. Mitra said that they are supposed to be around because they are the very agency who would implement what possible legislations they might pass or come out during the inquiry.
Members of the media had earlier noticed the presence of Provincial Agriculturist Gregorio Paltinca, but he went out in the course of the proceedings.
Rep. Mitra explained that their visit to Dumaguete and Negros Oriental was part of a series of public hearings to conduct legislative inquiry, review and study on the implementation of Republic Act 8435 otherwise known as “The Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1997.
The public hearing also would also help determine the gains and achievements and identify the problems including the funds appropriated for it.
The solon said that was the main reason why he was dismated by the non appearance of agriculture officials because they also want to know problems encountered by the agency and the farmer beneficiaries.
The inquiry, Rep. Mitra emphasized is that they also want to have remedial measures and if possible amend certain provisions of the existing law.
AFMA Modernization Act of 1997 otherwise known as Republic Act No.8435 was approved on December 22, 1997 .
The law was then intended to focus on five major concerns and these are food security, poverty alleviation and social equity; income enhancement and profitability especially for farmers and fisher folksm global competitiveness and sustainability.
It was Rep. Robert Raymund Estrella of the ABONO partylist who authored the resolution seeking the congressional inquiry supposedly jointly conducted by committees on agriculture and food; aquaculture and fisheries and special committee on food security.
But visibly absent during the Dumaguete public hearing is Rep. Alfredo Maranon 111 of the nearby Negros Occidental who chairs the Committee on Acquaculture and Fisheires and Rep.Leonila Chavez of the BUTIL partylist
In his resolution, Rep. Estrella lamented that after nine years from the approval of AFMA law, the five major concerns as enumerated has yet to be fully attained for the significant growth, intensification and development of the agriculture sector.
This,the solon pointed out despite of the fact that there was an appropriation of P20 billion pesos for the first year of its implementation and the corresponding appropriations for the succeeding years are included in the regular budget of the Department of Agriculture
Top officials who attended the public hearing included aside from the committee chairperson, Rep. Mitra, the others are Rep. Robert Raymund Estrella, Rep. Nicanor Briones, AGAP partylist and Leyte ’s 3rd district Rep. Andres Salvacion.
The Negros Oriental solons were also around and these are Rep. Henry Pryde Teves (3rd district), Rep. George Arnaiz (2nd district) and Rep. Jocelyn Limkaichiong (1st district).
Negros Oriental Governor Emilio Macias 11 and Vice Governor Jose “Petit” Baldado was also around during the public hearing.
The congressional inquiry was also attended by farmers and fisherfolks, municipal agricultural councils and several officials of the different local government units.
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Mon May 26, 2008 9:23 pm