Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS.
Second Regular Session

8506

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative Rico B. Geron

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Section 2 of RA 9296 as amended by RA 10536 provides that the state's
policy {0 ensure food security and provide safety and quality consumer products
related to agriculture to assure protection of the public against unreasonable risks of
injury and hazards to health.

The transportation of basic agricultural commodities such as pork and
chicken meat, vegetables, fresh fruits, sugar, or grains like rice or wheal should
always be on constant control and supervision. There should be a thorough
inspection of these goods where it can easily enter the market because of lenient
government handling. When it comes to transport of meat based products,
consumption of health hazards may cause infection that could spread on the body
and can lead to death. Under critical situation in terms of disease risk management
and regulation of prices of meat in the market wouid at least be part of the
government's efforts to prevent, respond to and recover from pests and diseases
affecting agricultural products that threaten the economy and environment.

Also, this bill seeks to protect consumers against sudden increase or
decrease on prices of basic agricultural products and stops unfair, deceptive and
fraudulent business practices by developing rules to maintain a fair marketplace, and
educating consumers and businesses about their rights and responsibilities.

Under current regulations, the economic impact surfaces from meats which
are affected and free from the disease. Requiring a registration and issuance of
licenses to “byaheros” will pave the way towards improving regulations to all
agriculture meat-based products.

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



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No.__ 8586"

Introduced by Representative Rico B. Geron

AN ACT
REQUIRING REGISTRATION, LICENSE AND/OR PERMIT FOR THE.
TRANSPORT OF ALL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS AND COMMODITIES

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the “Biyahero Act of
2020",

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. It is the state’s policy to ensure food
security and provide safety and quality consumer products related to agriculture
to assure protection of the public against unreasonable risks of injury and
hazards to health.

SECTION 3. DEFINITION OF TERMS- For the purpose of interpreting the
provisions of this Act, the following terms shall mean:

a.) Basic Commodities for purposes of this Act includes: rice, com, bread,
fresh, dried and canned fish and other marine products, fresh pork,
beef and poultry meal; fresh eggs; fresh and processed milk; fresh
vegetables; root crops: coffee; sugar; instant noodles; salt and such
other goods as maybe included under Section 3 of this Act;

b.) Prime Commodities include fresh fruits, flour, dried, processed and/or
canned pork, beef and poultry meat; dairy products not falling under
the basic necessities; onions; garlic; vinegar; soy sauce; poultry; swine
and cattle feeds; swine and cattle and such other goods as maybe
included under Section 3 of this Act.


c.) Transportation means the movement of goods and persons from

place to place and the various means by which such movement is
accomplished.

d.) Transport of Live animals refers to mode of transport that will bring
live animals such as pigs, haul, cows, carabao, fowls and chicken,
necessary form consumption, from one place to another.

SECTION 4. Scope and Application; Registration and License- Any
person, whether natural or juridical, who intends to transports basic
agricultural products and commodities are hereby required to register
and secure a license and/or permit from the Department of Agriculture.

SECTION 5. Role of the Land Transportation Office. The LTO shall
require in registration and providing for the issuance of permanent
number plates to owners of motor vehicles used in transporting
agricultural products and commodities upon submission of the owner
license/registration duly acquired from the Department of Agriculture.
The registration shall provide for the point of origin to the destination
point of the goods and commodities being transported.

SECTION 6. PENALTIES. Any person who shall be found guilty violating
the provisions of this Act shall be meted the following penalties:

a) First Offense - A fine of Twenty Thousand Pesos (P20,000.00)

b) Second Offense- A penalty of three (3) months imprisonment and a
fine of Fifty Thousand Pesos (P50,000).

¢) Third Offense- A penalty of Five (5) months imprisonment and fine of
One Hundred Thousand Pesos (P100,000)

Aside from the penalties, person who are guilty of five violations shall
no longer be allowed to operate and their license shall also be revoked.

SECTION 7. Appropriation. — The initial funding of this Act shall be
charged against the current year's appropriations of Department of Agriculture


(DA). Thereafter, such amount as may be necessary for the continuous
implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General

Appropriations Act.

SECTION 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — To carry out the
provisions of this Act, the implementing rules and regulations shall be
promulgated by the Bureau of Animal and Industry (BAI) upon the approval of
the Department of Agriculture (DA) not later than ninety (90) days after the
approval of this Act.

SECTION 9. Separability Clause. — Should any provision of this Act or
any part thereof be declared invalid, the other provisions, so far as they are
separable from the invalid ones, shall remain in force and effect.

SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. — All law, decrees, orders, and
issuances, or portions thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of
this Act, are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SECTION 11. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
atter its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspaper of

general circulation.

Approved,