Manila, July 1 -- House Speaker Faustino "Bojie" Dy III on Wednesday hailed barangay officials as Congress' invaluable partners in nation-building, citing their crucial role in bringing laws and government programs closer to the people.

In a video message played during the Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas (LNB) National Congress, Dy said barangay officials serve as the bridge between the national government and local communities by translating laws and policies into tangible benefits.

"Gaano man kaganda ang isang batas, gaano man kalaki ang pondong inilaan para rito, hindi magiging ganap ang tagumpay nito kung hindi ito makarating sa bawat barangay at sa bawat pamilyang Pilipino (No matter how good a law is, no matter how much the bud...