THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
S E N A T  
, . .. 
Introduced by Senator S. R. Qsmefiia 111 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Article XIII, Section 16 of the Constitution mandates that “the right of the 
people and their organizations to effective and reasonable participation at all 
levels of social, political, and economic decision-making shall not be abridged.” 
Of all the vital sectors of society, the gains envisioned by this policy can nowhere 
be best fully realized but in the agricultural sector. Enhancing peoples 
participation, specially our farmers, in decision-making may yet prove to be the 
catalyst for the long-sought goal of agricultural development. 
Our government’s effort towards the realization of this national policy has 
not been wanting. In fact, the empowerment of small farmers is enunciated in 
Republic Act No. 7607 (The Magna Carta of Small Farmers). Under the said law, 
the farmers’ representative chosen by their national organizations shall sit in the 
governing boards of government agencies. 
One government agency where the participation of small farmers needs to 
be guaranteed is the National Irrigation Administration (NIA). Considering that 
irrigation services have a vital and direct impact on agricultural production, their 
efficient management and delivery is the foremost concern of small farmers. 
Thus, the said sector should be given adequate participation in the policy-making 
of the NIA, which is the government agency responsible for irrigation services. 
The provision of R.A. 7607 allows small farmers to participate in the NIA 
Board. However, experience has shown that the limited number of farmers’ 
representative, rather than facilitating their empowerment, has hampered their 
effective participation. 
To ensure participation of a greater number of farmers in policy-making, 
this bill seeks to amend the charter of the National Irrigation Administration, 
provided under Republic Act No. 3601 , as amended. Representation of farmers 
in the governing board of said agency is sought to be institutionalized by 
increasing the composition of the Board from six to eight, by adding two small 
farmers’ representatives so that Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao may be 
adequately represented. 
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
h, 
SERGlO R. OSMENA 111 
Senator 


‘ :: J i’3 :(if? 
;-a 
, 
I’ 
I 
*- 
THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
1 
S E N A T E  
S. No. 
Introduced by Senator S. R. Osrneiia 111 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THREE SMALL FARMERS’ REPRESENTATIVES IN THE 
NATIONAL IRRIGATION ADMINISTRATION (NIA) BOARD BY AMENDING 
AMENDED, 
“AN 
ACT 
CREATING 
THE 
NATIONAL 
IRRIGATION 
ADMINISTRATION”, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED THIRTY-SIX HUNDRED AND ONE, AS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
1 
SECTION 1. - Section 4 of Republic Act No. 3691 , as amended is hereby 
2 
further amended to read as follows: 
3 
“Sec. 4. Board of Directors. - The Powers and functions of the 
4 
National Irrigation Administration shall be exercised by a Board of 
5 
Directors composed of [six] EIGHT members, to wit: The Secretary of 
G 
Agriculture who shall be the Chairman, the Administrator of National 
7 
Irrigation Administration, who shall be the Vice-chairman, the Director 
8 
General of the National Economic and Development Authority, the 
9 
Secretary of Public Works and Highways, the General Manager of the 
I O  
National Power Corporation, and [one member] THREE MEMBERS 
1 1  
REPRESENTING THE SMALL FARMERS OF LUZON, VISAYAS AND 
12 
MINDANAO, RESPECTIVELY, who shall be appointed by the President of 


I 
2 
3 
4 
7 
8 
9 
the Philippines on recommendation of any national [rice and corn] SMALL 
FARMERS organization of good standing and who shall serve for a term 
of four years unless sooner removed.” 
SEC. 2. All laws, ordinances, rules and regulations, other issuance or 
parts thereof which are inconsistent with this law are hereby repealed or modified 
accord i ng I y . 
SEC. 3. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in 
two (2) leading newspapers of general circulation 
Approved,