Republic of the Philippines

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City, Metro Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

2932

HOUSE BILL NO. _

Introduced by HON. CHRISTOPHERSON “COCO” M. YAP

EXPLANATORY NOTE

In Southern Leyte as in the rest of the country, agriculture is a part of the mainframe of
people’s lives and livelihood.

‘There are still under-utilized lands in the country that can address the increasing demand
for food and other farm products in the country if harnessed to their full potential.

However, the decline of interest among the youth in agriculture has contributed to the
dearth of young farmers and farm workers has kept interest in farming and fishing
careers in a dismal state.

This bill seeks to point millions of Filipino youth into the direction of farming and
fishery as a career and means of livelihood.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate approval of this measure is earnestly
requested.

CHRISTOP! ON “COCO” YAP

Representative, Second District of Southern Leyte


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City, Metro Mani

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

2932

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by HON. CHRISTOPHERSON “COCO” M. YAP

AN ACT

ESTABLISHING THE YOUNG FARMERS AND FISHERFOLK PROGRAM,
CREATING FOR THE PURPOSE THE YOUNG FARMERS ANDFISHERFOLK

COUNCIL, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines
in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1.

SECTION 2.

SECTION 3.

Short title. This Act shall be known as the “Young Farmers and
Fisherfolk Act”.

Declaration of Policy. It is hereby declared che policy of the
State to ensure that the rights of young farmers and fisherfolk
are recognized, protected and promoted. Pursuant to this, the
Stare shall engage the youth in nation building and rural
development, providing for this purpo ess to knowledge,
information and education, access to land, new sources of
financial services and capital, green jobs, access to new and
niche markets, and participation in policy dialogue.

Young Farmers and Fisherfolk Program. There is hereby
sherfolk Program,
hereinafter referred to as the Program, that shall support and
empower the young farmers and fisherfolk to be active partners
in food security and agricultural development and
modernization. The Program shall encourage the youth to

established a Young Farmers and



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SECTION 4.

SECTION 5.

pursue a 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.

Beneficiaries of the Program. The Program is intended to
support young farmersand fisherfolk between fifteen (15) to
forty (40) years of age, who are engaged in farming and
fisheries activities, and are included in the Registry System for
Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA). The Department of
Agriculture (DA) shall update its existing database to reflect
these indicators.

Creation of a Young Farmers and Fisherfolk Council, There is
herebycreated the Young Farmers and Fisherfolk Council,
hereinafter referred to as the Council, to properly oversee the
implementation of the Program.

The Council shall be composed of the following:

a, Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA) or a duly
authorized representative with the rank of Undersecretary,

who shall be the Chair;

b. Representative of the Department of Trade and Industry

(DTI) with the rank of Undersecretary;

c. Representative of the Department of Education (DepEd)

with the rank of Undersecretary;

4. Representative of the Department of Science and

Technology (DOST);

e. Representative of the Commission on Higher Education

(CHED);

f. Representative of the Department of Agrarian Reform

(DAR);

h.

; Representative of the Technical Education and_ Skills

Development Authority (TESDA);

Representative of the Department of the Interior and Local
Government (DILG);

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;
Representative of a national organization of fisherfolk’s
cooperative or association, provided that the representative
shall be between fifteen (15) to forty (40) years of age;
Representative of a farmers’ women organization or
cooperative, provided that the representative shall be
between fifteen (15) to forty (40) years of age;



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SECTION 6.

IL. Representative of a national organization for agritourism;
and,

m.Representative of a national organization for food,
restaurant, and business sectors.

The Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries shall serve as
its Secretariat.

Powers and Functions of the Council. The Council shall have
the following powers and functions:

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 Baiios
(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 farm tourism
and agro-industrial zones, and other employment-
bridging initiatives;

¢. 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 smart farming, farm tourism in
compliance with RA 10816, or the “Farm Tourism
Development Act of 2016,” to include agroponics,
aquaponics, hydroponics, and organic vegetables;

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;

Coordinate with local government units (LGUs) in
providing subsidized rental rates for public retail areas
and public markets to farmers and fisherfolk;

g. Serve as a conduit between stakeholders and national


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and international leaders including Congress and the
private sector in formulating policies directly addressing
the concerns ofyoung farmers and fisherfolks

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
(NSTP) and TESDA;

Ensure scholarships and subsidized tuition fees for
young farmers and fisherfolk in SUCS;

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 the DOLE Special Program
for Employment of Students (SPES) and other livelihood
and training programs;

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;

Expedite the leasing, distribution, and award of agrarian
reform land to qualified beneficiaries;

Facilitate the use of excess land holdings of SUCs and
PEIs for agricultural training and developmental
processes;

Foster the formation of new ideas and technologies by

assisting agricultural enterprises of qualified young
farmers and fisherfolk entrepreneurs, pursuant to
Republic Act No. 11337, otherwise known as. the
“Innovative Start-up Act of 2018"s

Initiate social partnerships and rural development
initiatives in partnership with the privatescctor;


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SECTION 7.

SECTION 8.

SECTION 9.

SECTION 10.

p. Optimize existing loan guarantee funds administered by
various government entities to increase the credit
worthiness of young farmers and fisherfolk 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 varioussources, domestic
or foreign, for purposes relevant to the functions of the
Council. Said donations shall be deemed automatically
appropriated for purposes specified by the donoror 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.

Tax Exemption on Donations. All grants, bequests,
endowments, donations and contributions made to and used
directly and exclusively by che Council shall be exempt from
the donor’s tax and the same shall be considered as an
allowable deduction from the gross income for purposes of
computing the taxable income of the donor, in accordance with
the provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997,
as amended.

Waiver of Government Fees and Charges. Subject to the
exceptions provided in Section 8 of Republic Act No. 11261,
otherwise known as the “First-Time Jobseekers Assistance Act”,
all government agencies and instrumentalities, including
government-owned and controlled corporations, LGUs, and
government hospitals shall not collect fees or charges from
young farmers and fisherfolks who are first-time jobseekers:
Provided, That such fee or charge is in connection with the
application for and the granting of licenses, proofs of
identification, clearances, certificates or other documents
usually required in the course of employment locally or abroad:
Provided further, That the benefit provided shall only be
availed of once.

Annual Report. The Council shall submit to the President and
to both Houses of Congress, not later than the 30th of March
of every year following the effectivity of this Act, a report giving
a detailed account on the effective implementation of this Act,
and recommended legislation where applicable and necessary.

Implementing Rules and Regulations. Within ninety (90) days


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SECTION 11.

SECTION 12.

SECTION 13.

SECTION 14.

Approved,

from the effectivity of this Act, the DA and DAR shall, in
coordination with the DOST, DOLE, DENR, DepEd, CHED,
Land Bank of the Philippines and National Youth Commission,
issue thenecessary rules and regulations for the implementation
of this Act.

Appropriations. The funds necessary to carry out the initial
implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current
year’s budget of the Department of Agriculture. Thereafter,
such sums as may be necessary for the continued
implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual
General Appropriations Act.

Separability Clause. If any provision of this Act is declared
invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected by
such declaration shall remain in full force and effect.

Repealing Clause. All laws, executive orders, administrative
orders, and rules and regulations inconsistent with this act are
hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general
circulation.