Pagpapaunlad ng kanayunan

Ipinupursige ni Sen. Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada ang pagpapaigting ng mga hakbangin para sa pagpapaunlad ng kanayunan. Sa kanyang inihaing Senate Bill 1965 (Rural Livelihood and Economic Development Fund) sinabi ni Jinggoy na upang mapaunlad ang kanayunan, kailangang mapalawak ang mga patrabaho at iba’t ibang pagkakakitaan ng mamamayan. Nasa sentro aniya ng ganitong development strategy ang mga LGU laluna ang mga barangay at mismong komunidad.

Ayon kay Jinggoy, “Much has been said and argued about people empowerment. It is a fundamental fact, however, that people empowerment can become a reality only if the people are well-equipped socially and economically to harness much-needed resources. The barangay, being the government unit closest to the people where certain levels of executive, legislative and judicial functions are bestowed, is the proper vehicle to actualize this vision of people empowerment. However, at present, barangays can hardly be expected to assume this vital role because of the inadequacy of funds and resources at their disposal.”

Kailangan aniya ang tulong ng pambansang pamahalaan sa pagpondo ng mga proyektong pangkabuha-yan at imprastraktura sa lokal na antas.

Kaugnay nito, itinatakda ng panukala ni Jinggoy ang mga sumusunod: 1) There shall be established in every barangay a special fund to be known as the “Rural Livelihood and Economic Development Fund’; 2) Every barangay shall be allocated an amount of P200,000 per annum, for six consecutive years from the effectivity of this Act; 3) The funds shall be used exclusively for esta-blishment of small-scale livelihood projects, seed money for cooperatives, or for purchase of equipment and facilities necessary in the administration of barangay affairs, and infrastructure projects; 4) The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), in coordination with the LGU concerned, shall administer and supervise the implementation of the fund in coordination with appropriate government agencies concerned like the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).