House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III said Congress must listen directly to communities and determine what more government can do for sectors that sustain the country, as he put farmers’ welfare, education, barangay governance, and public safety among the concerns raised during the House of Representatives’ LegisHear consultation in Victorias City, Negros Occidental, Friday afternoon, Oct. 2.
Speaking before local officials, barangay leaders and sectoral representatives at the Victorias Coliseum, Dy said bringing Congress closer to communities allows lawmakers to hear firsthand what policies and additional government support are needed.
Dy gave particular emphasis to farmers, saying the country depends heavily on their work and that Congress should examine what additional measures can be adopted to make government assistance to them fair and meaningful.
He said lawmakers listened to proposals concerning the welfare of farmers during the consultation and stressed the importance of ensuring that agricultural communities in Negros Occidental and elsewhere in the country receive meaningful support.
The House describes LegisHear as a nationwide legislative consultation and oversight initiative aimed at bringing lawmakers directly to communities and incorporating the experiences and concerns of Filipinos into the legislative process.
The program was launched in Isabela in July and has since been brought to Butuan City, Dumaguete City and South Cotabato.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson echoed the importance of grounding national legislation in conditions experienced by communities, saying local governments see firsthand where policies work, where implementation becomes difficult and where adjustments may be necessary.
Lacson also mentioned House Bill No. 9088, a measure concerning the sugar industry, as particularly important to Negros Occidental.
He said sugar remains integral to the province’s economy, supporting jobs, livelihoods, businesses and thousands of families, while the industry continues to face challenges involving competitiveness, productivity and the welfare of farmers and workers.
The House agriculture committee has created a technical working group headed by Benitez to consolidate HB 9088 with other proposed measures seeking reforms in the sugar industry.
Dy also described education as one of the House’s major priorities and said lawmakers were closely examining government spending to determine where public funds are going.
The House began plenary deliberations in September on the proposed P7.2-trillion national budget for 2027, with lawmakers conducting line-by-line scrutiny of government spending priorities.
The Speaker also touched on public safety and responsible firearm ownership, emphasizing the need for firearms to be secured and kept beyond the reach of unauthorized persons.
Dy and House Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos have filed House Bill No. 11387, or the proposed Responsible Firearm Ownership and Safe Storage Act, which seeks stricter firearm storage requirements and greater accountability when negligence allows unauthorized access to guns.
Among those attending the Negros Occidental consultation were Deputy Speakers Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (Lone District, Bacolod) and Mercedes Alvarez (6th District, Neg. Occ.) and Assistant Majority Leader Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez (3rd District, Neg. Occ.), Rep. Emilio Yulo (5th District, Neg. Occ.), and Rep. Manuel Frederick ko (Abang-Lingkod), local executives, among others.
Lacson said the consultation provides an avenue for Congress and local governments to discuss differing views, understand conditions in communities and identify common ground on legislation affecting Negrenses.*
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