Barangay Association For National Advancement and Transparency (BANAT) amended its name to BARANGAY NATIN (BANAT). The petition was made last December 2009 by the party considering that the proposed name, BARANGAY NATIN, would best serve its platform and will promote name recall. After further ado, the said petition was granted on January 19, 2010 by the First Division headed by Presiding Commissioner Rene V. Sarmiento and signed by Comm. Gregorio Y. Larrazabal.

Barangay Association For National Advancement and Transparency is now “BARANGAY NATIN” retaining its old acronym, “BANAT.”

Congressman Salvador “Buddy” B. Britanico, BANAT Party-List Represenative and a member of APO- Alpha Phi Omega International Philippines, Incorporated hosted a Thanksgiving Meeting among his fraternity brothers/sorority sisters of APO in Legaspi City, Albay. The meeting and the consultation was help at the Chick’n Bar and Restaurant, Albay Capitol Annex Building, Legaspi City, recently.

Despite the inclement weather brought by typhoon Ondoy, the event was an overall success. Accompanying Congressman Britanico was Mr. Reynaldo F. Montano, BANAT Political Affairs III, also an APO member.

After Congressman Britanico’s talk about BANAT and Mr. Montano’s additional thorough explanation about the technicalities of BANAT, an open forum was conducted. It was a healthy exchange of ideas and proposals that was seriously noted by BANAT’s staff.

APO Legaspi City- Albay assured BANAT through Congressman Britanico of their continuous fraternal support to the Party-List representing barangay governments. “The fact that the barangays are the closest level of government to the people, as such, they are more responsive to the needs of their constituents. They enjoy higher levels of trust and confidence,” as Congressman Britanico responded.

The momentous event was made possible through the fraternal efforts of APO Legaspi City- Alumni/Collegiate members, Brod Peng Sese APO Section 3 Alumni Chair., Sis Vilma Bañas APO Deputy SLAR and Brod Dan Orense APO & Albay BANAT Provincial Coordinator.

The Mayon Times