Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESHNTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session
HouseBillNo.9927
Introduced by Representative Midy N. Cua
Lone I}istrict, Quirino
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AN ACT
ESTABLlslnNG THE youNG FARMERs AND FlsHEREOLK CHALLENGE PROGRAM,
CREATING   FOR   Tlm   PURPoSE   THE   ¥ouNG   FARMERs   AND   FISHERFOLK
CIIALLENGE  COUNCIL,  APPROPRIATING  FUNDS  THEREFOR  AND  FOR  OTHER
PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The aging population of farmers in the Philippines is a significant concern for the agricultural sector
and  the  country's  food  security.  Many  farmers  in  the  Philippines  are  getting  older,  and  there's  a
notable lack of young people entering the profession. Several factors contribute to this such as youth
migration from rural to urban centers; lack of interest in agriculture among the youth; limited access
to resources such as land and capital; and the lack of knowledge about modem farming techniques,
among others.
This measure seeks to promote the attractiveness of farming as a viable career option among the youth
through the establishment of a Young Farmers and Fisherfolk Challenge Program and the creation of
a  Young  Farmers  and  Fisherfolk  Challenge  Council.  These  initiative  shall  provide  the  youth with
support  through  capacity-building  and  livelihood  programs,  access  to  credit,  access  to  marketing
services, mainstreaming of agriculture  in education curricula,  scholarship and tuition  subsidies, and
introduction of modem farming technologies, among others.
In view of the foregoing, approval of this measure is earnestly sought.


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RepublicoftLephilippines
HOUSE 0F REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session
HouseBillNo.9927
Introduced by Representative Midy N. Cua
Lone District, Quirino
AN ACT
ESTABLISIHNG TIIE YOUNG FARMERS ANI) FISHERFOLK CHALLENGE PROGRAM,
CREATING    FOR   TIRE    PURPOSE    THE    YOUNG    FARMERS   AND    FISHERFOLK
CHALLENGE  COUNCIL,  APPROPRIATING  FUNDS  THEREFOR  AND  FOR  OTHER
PURTOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House Of Representatives Of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
1                      SECTION  I. S#orf lft/c.  This  Act  shall  be  known  as  the  "Young  Famers  and  Fisherfolk
2        ChallengeAct."
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4                     SEC. 2. Dec/arflfro# a/Po/I.ey. It is hereby declared the policy of the state to ensure that the
5       rights of young farmers and fisherfolk are recognized, protected and promoted. Pursuant to this, the
6        State  shall  involve  the  youth  in  nation  building  and  rural  development,  providing  for this  purpose
7       access to knowledge, information and education, access to land, new sources of financial services and
8       capital, green jobs, access to new and niche markets, and participation in policy dialogue.
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\0                     SE:a. 3. Young Farmers and Fishery ;olk challenge program. There is heresy estELhiishad a
11        Young Farmers and Fisherfolk Challenge Program, hereinafter referred to as the Program, that shall
12       support  and  empower the young  famers  and  fisherfolk to  be  active  partners  in  food  security  and
13        agricultural  development  and  modemization.  The  Program  shall  encoiirage  the  youth  to  pursue  a
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career or engage in activities related to agriculture, ensure young farmers and fisherfolk participation
in  policy  formulation  and  program  implementation  relative  to  the  agriculture  sector,  and  provide
institutional support for agri-business and agri-entrepreneurship initiatives of the youth to fully realize
their role as agents and partners for development.
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19                     SEC. 4. Bc#eJ3c;.ow.es a/frfee program. The program is intended to support young farmers and
20       fisherfolk between fifteen (15) to forty (40) years of age, who are engaged in farming and fisheries
21        activities,  and  are  included  in the  Registry  System  for Basic  Sectors  in  Agriculture  (RSBSA).  The
22       Department of Agriculture (DA) shall update its existing database to reflect these indicators.
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24                     SEC. S. Creation of a Young Farmers and Fisherfiolk challenge council. There.is ruere;ky
25       created the Young Farmers and Fisherfolk challenge council, hereinafter referred to as the council, to
26       provide the overall policy and direction of concerned agencies to ensure the effective implementation
27       oftheprogram.
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The Council shall be administratively attached to the Department of Agriculture and shall be
composed of the following:
a.    Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA), as chairperson;
b.    Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), as Vice-Chairperson;
c.    Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd), as member;
d.    Secretary of the Department of science and Technology (DOST), as member;
e.    Secretary of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), as member;
f.     Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), as member;
9.    Commissioner of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), as member;
h.    Director-General of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
i.     (TESDA), as member;
j.     Representative  of  a  national  organization  of  young  farmers'   cooperative  or  association,
provided that the representative  shall  be  between  fifteen (15) to  forty (40) years  of age,  as
member;
k.    Representative of a national organization of fisherfolks'  cooperative or association, provided
that the representative shall be between fifteen ( 15) to forty (40) years of age, as member;
I.     Representative   of  a   farmers'   women   organization   or   cooperative,   provided   that   the
representative shall be between fifteen ( 15) to forty (40) years of age, as member;
in.   Representative of a national organization for agritourism, as member; and
n.    Representative  of  a  national   organization  for  food,  restaurant,  and  business  sectors,   as
member.
The government sector representatives in the Council may appoint an official alternate with a
25       rank of an undersecretary or its equivalent.  The official alternate shall possess the same powers as the
26       Heads of the  above-named  government agencies and whose  acts  shall  be considered  as  acts of the
27       heads ofoffice being represented.
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29                      Representatives from the private sector shall be appointed by the DA Secretary from among
30       the officers and members of their existing national organizations and associations.   They shall serve
31        for a period of two (2) years. When a vacancy arises due to the resignation, removal for cause, death
32       or incapacity ofa member, a replacement shall be appointed who shall serve for the remainder of the
33        representative's term of office.
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35                      Government sector representatives  shall not be entitled to compensation  in the discharge of
36       their functions in the council but they shall be entitled to reimbursement of any reasonable expenses
37       incurred  in  the  performance  of their  functions.    Private  sector  representatives  shall  be  entitled  to
38       honoraria or allowances for the expenses incurred in the discharge of their functions as members of
39       the council.
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41                       The philippine council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) shall serve as its secretariat.
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43                      SEC. 6. Powers ¢#d Fw#c/i.our a/Jfoe co##ci./. The council shall have the following powers
44       and functions:
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a.    Formulate the Program, in consultation with research institutions such as the Southeast Asian
Regional  Center  for  Graduate  Study  and  Research  in  Agriculture  (SEARCA),  Philippine
Council   for   Agriculture,   Aquatic   and   Natural   Resources   Research   and   Development
(PCAARRD),  University  of the  Philippines  -  Los  Bafios  (UPLB)  and  other  relevant  state
universities and colleges (SUCs);
b.    Identify  and streamline access to relevant capacity-building and livelihood programs across
the  different  departments  and  agencies  of government,  including  on-the-job  trainings, job
fairs, employment in fann tourism and agro-industrial zones, and other employment-bridging
initiatjves;
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c.    Identify and streamline access to possible sources of credit across the different departments,
agencies, and instrumentalities, including access to start-up capital;
d.    Monitor  initiatives  in  emerging  best  practices  in  agriculture  such  as  smut  farming,  farm
tourism  in  compliance  with  RA  10816  or the  "Fan.n  Tourism  Development  Act  of 2016,"
agroponics, aquaponics, hydroponics, and organic and boutique vegetables;
e.    Improve  and  facilitate  access  to  marketing  services  such  as  through  product  packaging,
promotions including branding and advertising, networking events, provision of subsidies to
enable participation in trade fairs and exhibits, and linkage with media;
f.     Coordinate with local government units (LGUs) in providing subsidized rental rates for public
retail areas and public markets to farmers and fisherfolk;
9.    Serve  as  a  conduit  between  stakeholders  and  national  and  international  leaders  including
Congress  and the  private  sector  in  formulating policies  directly addressing the  concerns  of
young farmers and fisherfolk;
h.    Propose subjects related to agriculture and agribusiness such as gardening, backyard farming,
urban  farming,  reforestation,  agricultural  appreciation,  agricultural  entrepreneurship,  smart
farming,  farm tourism,  and coastal management in all pertinent levels of the DepEd's K-12
system with the end goal of increasing enrollment in the technical-vocational track in Senior
High School in courses related to agriculture, CHED, including the National Service Training
Program avsTP) and TESDA;
i.     Ensure scholarships and subsidized tuition fees for young farmers and fisherfolk in SUCs;
j.     Provide on-the-job training programs for young farmers and fisherfolk in areas such as "green
jobs",   reforestation,   coastal  management,   fisheries,  and  other  rural-based  jobs,  through
DOLE's Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES) and other livehood and training
programs;
k.    Explore and facilitate the extension of short-term leases for public land to young farmers and
fisherfolk,   providing   free   or   subsidized   land   for   cultivation   and   for   aquaculture,   and
developing other packages such as, lease-to-buy schemes that would allow young farmers and
fisherfolk to use available or unutilized agricultural land or fishing ground for the purposes of
said Program;
I.     Expedite the leasing, distribution, and award of agrarian reform land to qualified beneficiaries;
in.   Facilitate  the  use  of excess  land  holdings  of SUCs  and  PEls  for  agricultural  training  and
developmental processes;
n.    Foster the  formation  of new  ideas  and technologies by  assisting  agricultural  enterprises  of
qualifled young  farmers  and  fisherfolk entrepreneurs,  pursuant to  Republic  Act No.  11337,
otherwise known as the "Innovative Start-up Act of 2018";
o.    Initiate  social  partnerships  and rural  development  initiatives  in partnership with the private
sector;
p.    Optimize  existing  loan  guarantee  funds  administered  by  various  government  entities  to
increase  the  credit  worthiness  of young  farmers  and  fisherfolk  experiencing  difficulty  in
obtaining loans from banks due to lack of acceptable collaterals, credit knowledge and credit
track record; and
q.    Accept  donations,  contributions,  grants,  bequests  or gifts,  in  cash  or  in  kind,  from  various
sources,  domestic  or  foreign,  for  purposes  relevant  to  the  functions  of the  Council.  Said
donations shall be deemed automatically appropriated for purposes specified by the donor or
in  the  absence  thereof,  for the  programs  and  projects  as  may  be  approved  by the  Council
subject  to  the  usual  accounting  and  auditing  rules  and  regulations:  Provided,  That  cash
donations shall not be used to fund the personal services requirements of the Council.
SEC.   7.   r{n;  E#emp/I.o#  o#  Do#cti.our.   All   grants,   bequests,   endowments,   donations,
50       contributions made to and used actually, directly and exclusively by the council shall be exempt from
51        donor's tax and the same shall be considered as allowable deduction from gross income for purposes
52       of computing  the  taxable  income  of the  donor,  in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of the  National
53       Internal Revenue code of l997, as amended.
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1                     SIC. 8.  Wai.vcr a/ Gover#mc"/ Fees ¢#d crfuarges.  Subject to the exceptions provided  in
2        Section  8  of Republic  Act No.11261,  otherwise  known  as  the  "First-Time  Jobseekers  Assistance
3       Act",  all  government  agencies  and  instrumentalities,  including  government-owned  and  controlled
4       corporations, LGUs, and government hospitals shall not collect fees or charges from young farmers
5       and fisherfolks who are first-time job seekers: Provided, That such fee or charge is in cormection with
6       the  application  for  and  the  granting  of licenses,  proofs  of identification,  clearances,  certificates  or
7       other documents  usually required  in the course  of employment locally or abroad:  Provided  further,
8       That the benefit provided shall only be availed of once.
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10                      SEC.  9..4w#w¢/ iRepo#.  The Council  shall  submit to the  President and to  both  Houses  of
11        Congress, not later than the 30th of March of every year following the effectivity of this Act, a report
12       giving a detailed account on the effective implementation of this Act, and recommended legislation
13        where applicable and necessary.
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15                     SEC.10. Implementing Rules and Regulations. Within ninety (90) days from the effectivity
16       of this Act, the DA and DAR shall, in coordination with the DOST, DOLE, DENR, DepEd, CHED,
17       Land  Bank  of the  Philippines,  and  National  Youth  Commission,  issue  the  necessary  rules  and
18       regulations for the implementation of this Act.
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20                      SEC.11. 4pproprJ.a/I.our. The funds necessary to cany out the initial implementation of this
21        Act shall be charged against the current year's budget of the Department of Agriculture. Thereafter,
22       such sums as may be necessary for the continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the
23        annual General Appropriations Act.
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25                      SEC.   12.   Sep¢r¢4i./try   Ctousc.   If  any   provision   of  this   Act   is   declared   invalid   or
26       unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected by such declaration shall remain  in full force and
27       effect.
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SEC.  13. jRepe¢/I.#g Cr¢usc. All laws, executive orders, administrative orders, and rules and
regulations inconsistent with this act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.
Snc. 14. Ej7rect.tJrty CJ¢use. This Act shall take effect fifteen ( 15) days after its publication in
the Official Gazette or in a newspapers of general circulation.
35                      Approved,
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