FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
Second Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S. No. 
Introduced by Senator JUAN MIGUEL F. ZUBlRl 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Goat, sheep and other small ruminants perform an important part in our country's 
agricultural development. They are reared widely in small farm systems which form the 
pivot of traditional agriculture. They produce meat, milk, fiber and hides which if 
developed, can be a main source of income for the farmers. They also perform a 
variety of miscellaneous functions such as dung production which can be used as 
organic fertilizer or as fuel for biomass energy. 
The fact remains, however, that despite the wide importance and apparent 
advantages, small ruminants have not been accorded adequate attention, compared, 
for example, to cattle development. Inadequate emphasis and development art? 
reflected in goat and sheep breeding and propagation, thus, they have little impact on 
food production despite wide recognition of their value during the last decade. It is 
therefore important to consider the opportunities for further developing both species and 
other small ruminants in the context of their potential to develop our agricultural sector 
and raise the income of small farmers. 
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
Second Regular Session 
) 
S. No. 
Introduced by Senator JUAN MIGUEL F. ZUBlRl 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE SMALL RUMINANTS CENTER 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title - This Act shall be known as the “Philippine Small 
Ruminants Act of 2008”. 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to: 
a. Conserve, improve and develop the Philippine goat, sheep and other small 
ruminants as sources of animal milk, meat and fiber; 
b. Enable the farmers, particularly smallholder farmers, to avail themselves of 
good quality goat and sheep stocks at all times and at reasonable prices 
through an organized program of breeding and development; 
c. Increase the local supply of meat, milk and fiber from goats, sheep and other 
small ruminants; and 
d. Encourage backyard goat, sheep and other small ruminants development in 
rural areas by raising goat and sheep which are good milk and meat producers 
so as to reduce importation of milk and milk by-products. 
SEC.3. Definition of Terms - As used in this Act, the following terms shall mean 
as follows: 
a. Crossbred - refers to the offspring of two (2) purebred animals; 
b. Performance Testing - refers to the systematic selection of the best animal 
from population raised under the same environment. The basic consideration 
is its genetic potential; 
c. Philippine Small Ruminant Center - refers to the Philippine Small Ruminant 
Center with the National Center based in the Central Luzon State University; 


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d. Research Nefwork - refers to the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry 
and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD), Department 
of Agriculture and private organization conducting researches geared towards 
developing technology that will increase productivity of smallholder farmers; 
e. Smallholder Farmers - are basically farmers owning below twenty (20) heads 
of goats or sheep; 
f. Small Ruminants - refers to any hooved animals belonging to the division of 
Artiodactyla having four stomachs, such as but not limited to, goat and sheep; 
g. Upgraded - refers to the offspring of a cross between a native stock and an 
exotic breed of animal. 
SEC. 4. Creation of the Philippine Small Ruminant Center. - The Philippine 
Small Ruminant Center is hereby created with the National Center based in the Central 
Luzon State University and with satellite centers in the other goat and sheep centers in 
Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The center in Luzon shall be the Central Luzon State 
University (CLSU) in Nueva Ecija. The center in Visayas shall be the Visayas State 
University (VSU) in Leyte. The center in Mindanao shall be the DA-Bagalupa Stock 
Farm in Zamboanga del Sur. 
SEC. 5. Scope - The activities of the Philippine Small Ruminant Center 
encompass all research and development efforts in all disciplines that lead to the 
improvement of the over-all productivity of the Philippine goat and sheep. In addition, 
research efforts to increase the annual population growth rate of small ruminants to 
meet existing and future demand shall be pursued. 
SEC. 6. Priorities - The following shall be the priority areas of the Philippine 
Small Ruminants Center and such other priorities or programs that the Board shall 
formulate: 
a) Research and development efforts in the areas of biotechnology, breeding, 
nutrition, reproduction, animal health and product development utilization, socio- 
economics, technology promotion and environmental impact shall take priority. 
Research activities geared towards development of appropriate technologies shall be 
the primary concern. These technologies are those that would increase productivity of 
the goat and sheep in a cost effective, simple and practical manner. Socio-economic 
researches shall be undertaken hand in hand with the development of the technologies 
to ensure economic appropriateness and acceptance of the technology by farmers; 
b) Development of goat and sheep with improved performance as milk-meat 
animals shall be the main focus in breeding; 
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c) Development of feeding systems for backyard and semi-comniercial 
production, nutrition, improving reproductive efficiency, physiology and schemes to 
reduce losses by parasites and diseases shall likewise receive priority. Emphasis shall 
be put on technology transfer on the developed appropriate technologies; and 
d) Development for dairy, meat, fiber and hide production for domestic andlor 
export market. 
SEC. 7. Philippine Small Ruminant Center Board - The Board shall formulate 
policies and oversee the implementation of the Philippine Small Ruminant Center, in 
consonance with the National Research and Development policies. The Philippine 
Small Ruminant Center Board shall be composed of the following: 
1, President of the Central Luzon State University (CLSU); 
2. Directors of Department of Agriculture - Bureau of Animal IndustrylBureau of 
Agricultural Research (DA-BAIlBAR); 
3. Executive Director of the Livestock Development Council; 
4. Executive Director of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and 
Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD); 
5. Farmers representative; and 
6. Executive Director of the Philippine Small Ruminant Center. 
The CLSU President shall be the Chairperson, the Director of DA-BAI shall be 
the Vice-Chair, while the Executive Director of the Philippine Small Ruminant Center 
shall serve as the Ex-Officio Secretary. 
SEC. 8. Implementation and Coordination of the Program of the CLSU - The 
Philippine Small Ruminant Center Board shall be tasked to coordinate and monitor the 
implementation of the program. It shall identify, through the Department of Agriculture, 
the Director of the Philippine Small Ruminant Center and Project Leaders from various 
implementing stations of the research and development projects in the areas of 
breeding, nutrition, animal health, reproductive physiology, socio-economics, techno- 
transfer, product development and utilization and environmental impact assessment. It 
shall formulate strategies relative to the performance testing of bucks and rams, 
multiplication and distribution of elite germplasm purebreds, crossbreds and native 
bucks and rams. 
The CLSU in Nueva Ecija shall be the Philippine Small Ruminant National Center 
which specializes in the development of breeding system of the goat, sheep and other 
small ruminants of smallholder farmers with exotic breeds and shall specialize in the 
breeding of purebred small ruminants and its crossbreds and generation of technology 
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on goat dairying and sheep fiber. Furthermore, the center shall specialize in the 
development of technology on nutrition, reproductive physiology, animal heath, product 
development and utilization, socio-economics and techno- transfer. 
The other centers shall take responsibility of the regional research needs and 
spearhead implementation of development activities in their respective geographical 
area of responsibility. It shall include field testing and verification of technologies 
developed by the national center. 
SEC. 9. Farmers Participation - The farmer cooperators shall be encouraged to 
strengthen existing farmers' cooperatives or establish strong farmers association to 
serve as focal point for government assistance, production and multiplication of 
upgraded small ruminants and on the dissemination of new knowledge on goat dairying 
and fiber production from sheep. 
SEC. I O .  Funding - To fund the Philippine Small Ruminant Center, the amount 
of Twenty Million Pesos (PhP20,000,000.00) shall be appropriated by the Department of 
Budget and Management from the unexpended balance of the National Treasury and 
thereafter, shall be included in the General Appropriations Act. The salaries of 
permanent Staff and maintenance and operating budget shall be appropriated and 
released directly to the various agencies of the Philippine Small Ruminant Center 
Network, in accordance with the approved program of activities. 
Any income derived from the sale of goats, sheep and other small ruminants 
shall be placed in a revolving fund to be used in the propagation and distribution of 
goats, sheep and other small ruminants. 
SEC. 11. Repealing Clause - All provisions of law, presidential decrees or 
issuances, orders, including rules and regulations inconsistent herewith are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 12. Effectivity - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following 
the completion of its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers 
of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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