Up Close And Heart-To-Heart!

One thing I love most about moving around the country and talking to people is listening to their dreams, desires and their heartaches.

Every engagement is like the first episode of a Netflix Series na hindi mo alam kung kailan matatapos at ano ang kahihinatnan.

Last Friday, I met with a group of farmers and fishermen in Bulan, Sorsogon, one of the many stops I made on the way to Leyte.

In a small table inside the office of th Small Water irrigation Systems Association, I had a heart-to-heart talk with people whose voices would not be heard of by policy makers, legislators or program planners in the corridors of power.

They talked about their need for more irrigation services and complained about the very slow and inefficient work by government on some projects.

Katulad ng mga magsasaka ng Camarines Sur, naibahagi din nila ang pait na kanilang dinadanas sa epekto ng pagbaha ng imported na bigas at pagtaas ng mga farm inputs.

Napag-usapan din namin ang pag-rebisa ng Fisheries Code of the Philippines upang magiging kapakipakinabang sa mga mangingisda at hindi na lamang sila mananatiling subsistence fishermen.

Isang bagay na aking nai-presenta ang ay aking advocacy na dapat magkaroon na ng totoong Farmers and Fishermen Bank na kung saan mas madaling makakahiram ng pang kapital ang mga food producers ng bansa.

Lahat ng kanilang mga kwento ay matiyaga kong pinakinggan at ito lahat ay gagamitin ko sa paggawa ng mga hakbangin upang ang kanilang Netflix Series ay magkakaroon ng isang masaya at matagumpay na katapusan.

#ListeningToFaintVoices!

#BiyahengSenadoNiMannyPinol!

(This video presentation was prepared by the media team of the Biyaheng Senado Ni Manny Piñol)