Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No._7199

Introduced by HON. ALETA C. SUAREZ

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Several studies suggest that the Philippines’ human resource in the agriculture
sector is aging as the younger populations opt to work in the industry and services
sector. A recent study reported that the average age of Filipino farmers today,
particularly rice farmers, is 53 years old - way older than the average age of rice
farmers in 1966 which is 46 years old.! This phenomenon may have serious implications
in the country’s food security and sustainability in the future as consumption continues
to grow while the capability of our farmers to produce a sufficient supply of food is

vulnerable.

In order to attract more youth to engage in agriculture, the State shall pursue a
program to encourage enrolment in agriculture and fisheries programs and support

youth-led entrepreneurial endeavors in the sector.

1 http://philiournalsci.dost.gov.ph/images/pdf/ois_pdf/vol149no2/aging filipino rice farmers .pdf



This measure aims to pursue the above through the establishment of a Young
Farmers Program which will extend holistic support and services to the youth in their
decision to participate in agricultural work. This assistance shall encompass socialized
tuition schemes for agriculture and fisheries courses, career guidance and development
for agriculture students, capacity-building on agricultural entrepreneurship, and

technical and resource assistance to agribusiness start-ups led by the youth.

In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

Foor
d

Za

ALETA C. SUAREZ
Representative
Third District, Quezon Province


aes

Scar)

12
13
14
15
16
17

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No. 7199

Introduced by HON. ALETA C. SUAREZ

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING THE YOUNG FARMERS PROGRAM,
PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Young Farmers Program Act of
2020".

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to
imbue among the Filipino youth a new perspective on farming and fishing, to provide
them career guidance, to equip them with entrepreneurial skills, and to maximize their
learning from school-to-work opportunities in the university's academic, research, and
extension activities, to the country’s agriculture and fishery sector.

SECTION 3. Statement of Objectives. - This Act shall have the following objectives:

A. To attract incoming students to choose and complete a field in agriculture
and fishery as a college course;

B. To prepare career options for students and graduates of agriculture and
fishery courses;

C. To involve agriculture and fishery students in the extension work of the
university; and


18
19
20

21

22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41

42
4B

45
46
47

D.

SECTION 4.

A.

To support students, graduates, and out-of-school youth with an academic
background in agriculture and fisheries in their entrepreneurial pursuits

in agribusiness.
Definition of Terms. - The following terms shall be defined under this Act:

“Program” refers to the Young Farmers Program or YFP as established
under this Act;

. “Young farmers” refer to:

1. State universities and colleges (SUCs) enrollees with a commitment
to finish college, diploma, or certificate program in agriculture and
fisheries under a socialized tuition fee scheme of the Young
Farmers Program;

2. Bachelor degree, diploma, or certificate course graduates of any
agriculture or fishery courses of SUCs or private colleges and
universities enlisted by the Commission on Higher Education -
National Agriculture and Fisheries System as members of the
Young Farmers Program; and

3. Out-of-school youth who finished at least two years of college
education in agriculture and fisheries and are enlisted by the
NAFES-SUCs as members of the YFP.

. National Agriculture and Fisheries Education System (NAFES) refers to

the integrated system of agriculture and fishery education covering both
public and private institutions in all three levels of education chaired by
the Commission on Higher Education and created under the Agriculture
and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1997.

SECTION 5. Young Farmers Program. - The Department of Agriculture, in

coordination

with the Young Farmers Program Committee, convened under Section 6 of

this Act, shall formulate a program to promote agriculture and fisheries courses among

the youth, provide career assistance and guidance services for agriculture and fishery

students, and extend technical and resource assistance to youth-led agribusiness

endeavors.


48
49
50

51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58

59

60
61
62
63

64
65
66

67
68
69

70
71
72
B
4

75
76

SECTION 6. Young Farmers Program Committee. - The Young Farmers Program
Committee, hereinafter referred to as the Committee, shall be constituted under the
Office of the President will be composed of the following:

A. Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA) as the Chairperson;

B. Commissioner of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) as the
Vice-Chairperson;

C. A representative from the National Agriculture and Fisheries Education
System (NAFES);

D. Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI);

E. Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST); and

F. Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

The Committee shall oversee and monitor the implementation of the Program.

SECTION 7. Young Farmers Organization. - A Young Farmers Organization (YFO)
shall be established in all SUCs and private educational institutions offering agriculture
and fishery courses. Students enrolled in agriculture and fishery courses may seek

membership in the organization.

Graduates of agriculture and fishery degrees, as well as those who have finished at least
two years of either of these programs and are now considered out-of-school youth, shall
be invited to become members of their university or college YFO.

SECTION 8. Socialized Tuition Fee Scheme. - All SUCs and private educational
institutions offering agriculture and fishery programs shall create socialized tuition fee

schemes for their enrollees.

SECTION 9. Extension Partnerships with Local Agriculture Offices. - All SUCs and
private educational institutions offering agriculture and fishery courses shall
conceptualize and implement an extension program in partnership with the Provincial
Agriculture Office (PAO) and/or the Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO) and shall be
participated by agriculture and fishery students.

SECTION 10. Basic Grants and Assistance to Youth-led Agribusiness Endeavors. — A
standard set of grants and assistance shall be provided to all requesting youth-led


71
78
79
80
81

82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89

90
91
92
93

94
95
96
97
98
99
100

101
102
103

agribusiness start-ups which may include, but are not limited to, the provision of
seedlings, fertilizers, other farm inputs, farm or fishery tools and equipment, startings
stocks, small irrigation projects, post-harvest facilities, and crop insurance. Members of
YFOs shall be given priority in the provision of the aforementioned grants and

assistance.

SECTION 11. Agribusiness Capacity-building Programs and Other Necessary
Assistance, - Members of the YFOs shall be provided with training programs aimed to
capacitate them to be able to conceptualize and propose agribusiness ideas, prepare
comprehensive business plans, and set up and launch their start-up agribusiness
endeavors. Assistance in the promotion of their products and services to domestic and
international markets shall be extended. Technical and other forms of assistance for
product development, quality control, and packaging shall also be provided to these
youth-led agribusinesses.

SECTION 12, Role of the LGUs. - The LGUs shall endeavor to support the program
through additional counterpart funding assistance. The MAO shall identify farms or
fish farms in need of assistance to those colleges and universities which do not have

laboratories of their own.

SECTION 13. Appropriations, - The amount of Fifty Million Pesos (P50,000,000.00) is
hereby appropriated out of any savings or unexpended balance in the National
Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to cover the amount as shall be needed for the
program shall be included in the budget of the SUCs. All funds currently being
appropriated for the Young Farmers Program in the Department of Agriculture shall be
transferred to the Committee. Scholarships of students in private colleges and
universities shall be in the form of vouchers.

SECTION 14. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Committee is hereby
mandated to promulgate the Implementing Rules and Regulations within 90 days after
the approval of this Act.


104
105
106

107
108
109
110

iil
112
113

114

SECTION 15. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall

remain valid and subsisting.

SECTION 16. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule, or regulation contrary to or is
inconsistent with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended
accordingly.

SECTION 17. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect either thirty (30) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of general

circulation.

Approved.