SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 1546 
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INTROElUGED BY SEN; JINGGOY EJERGITO ESTRAElA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
-Data from the Department of Agriculture indicate that 7.1 million hectares 
or 23% of the country's total land area have slopes of between 3% to 30% 
described as gently sloping, undulating or rolling. Cultivation and use of these 
areas for agriculture using traditional farming methods can lead to extensive soil 
erosion, and depletion of soil fertility. 
The World Bank reported in 1989 that soil erosion is the worst 
environmental problem in the Philippines, affecting between 63% to 76.5% of the 
(l9unlry'$ tQiaJ land area, with 13 of the 73 provinces having more than half of 
their area moderately to severely eroded. Total annual soil loss in the Philippines 
could be as high as 80.6 million tons per year. Without a doubt, this has 
cc:mtrib!Jted l>ignifigllntly to the alarming frequency of flashfI99(;fl> in the 19w1anas~ 
This bill seeks to establish the Sloping Agricultural Land Technology 
(SALT), involving diversified crop production and soil and water conservation 
measures as the more appropriate program for the Philippine hillsides and 
mountainsides. The adoption of this technology would result in SUbstantial 
!;lanaf!t!; to ml3rgin!:lIi~aQ IJplang f!:lInilie!l Wh(;l W(;ll;lld geriYe, Ii higher ing(;lmE'j from 
their crops. More importantly, it will help to restore and conserve soil fertility and 
stem the damage to the environment. 
This bill proposes a 20% real property tax exemption to farmers applying 
the SALT farming method for the first five years of the implementation of this 
program, in addition to extension and other services provided by the Department 
of Agriculture. This measure will be powerful tools in advancing the government's 
major goals of poverty alleviation, environmental protection and sustainable 
development. 
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
NGG'OY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
~~oator 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF TH6 PHJLIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Senate eill No. 1546 
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INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING THE SLOPING AGRICULTURAL LAND TECHNOLOGY 
FARMING PROGRAM, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR 
OTMER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Republic of 
the Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Sloping 
Agricultural Land Technology (SAL T) Act of 201.;1", 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policies. - It is hereby declared the policy of the 
State to promote sustainable and comprehensive rural development and to 
provide support to the agricultural sector through appropriate technology transfer 
and research activities, and the provision of adequate financing, production, 
marketing, extension and other support servioes. 
To this end, the establishment of programs and farming techniques shall 
be undertaken to ensure greater production, thereby increasing income and 
promoting equitable income distribution in the rural areas and enable the rural 
poor, particularly the hillside farmers, to contribute in the pursuit of national self-
sufficiency in food production. These programs and techniques shall also be 
designed 
to 
achieve 
the 
sustainable 
management, 
development and 
conservation of the country's land resources. 
SEC. 3. Definition. - For purposes of this Act, Sloping Agricultural Land 
Technology (SALT) shall refer to a system of farming sloping areas including hills 
and mouii'tainsides whereby alleys. of commercial or food crops like corn, beans, 
and other crops are grown in between rows of perennial trees and shrubs like 
coffee; banana, citrus; kakawate, and ipil-ipil planted along the contours. The 
rows of trees or shrubs serve to slow down the runoff and intercept eroded soils, 
thus minimizing soil erosion. 
SEC. 4. Coverage. - The Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT) 
Farming Program shall cover all public and private lands including ancestral 
lands devoted to agriculture with a slope of at least five degrees (5) or higher, 
regardless of the agricultural products raised or that can be raised thereon. 


SEC. 5. Lead Agency. -The Department of Agriculture shall, jointly with 
the Department of Agrarian Reform and in Coordination the local government 
units concerned and other non-government organizations, plan and program the 
implementation of the SALT farming method through a period of three (3) years 
from thl[! eff~ctivity (i)f this AGt, 
SEC. 6. Support Services. - The Department of Agriculture shall provide 
information, general support and coordinative services in the implementation of 
the program particularly in the provision of the following: 
a) irrigation facilities, especially dry season facilities; 
b) infrastructure development and public works projects that fall under the 
program, including but not limited to the preparation of physical 
development plans; 
. 
c) avallment of existing government subsidies for irrigation faoilities: 
d) price support for agricultural produce; 
e) long-term, 
low-interest. credit, 
loans and grants, especially to 
landowners, farmers and farmers organizations; 
f) all crops suitable for the implementation of the program; and, 
g) development of cOoPerative managetnent skills through intensive 
training. 
SEC. 7. Incentive. - All farmers applying the SALT farming method shall 
p!') granted a twenty percent (20%) real property tax exemption for the first five 
(5) years following the implementation of the Act. 
SEC. 8. CLOA Requirement. - The application of the SALT method to 
their landholdings shall be a pre-requisite before farmers are awarded the 
Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) by the Department of Agrarian 
Reform. 
SEC. 9. Implementing Rules. -The Secretary of Agriculture, through the 
Bureau of Soils and Water Management, shall formulate the rules and 
regulations necessary for the effective implementation of this Act. 
SEC. 10. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the implementation 
of this act shall be charged to the appropriations for the Department of 
Agriculture. Thereafter, such amount necessary for its continued implementation 
shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
SEC. 11. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules 
and regulations, issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this 
Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
. 


SEC. 12. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason, any section or 
provision of this act is declared unconstitutional or invalid, such parts not affected 
thereby shall remain in full force and effect. 
SEC. 13. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after its complete publication in at least (2) national newspapers of general 
circulation. 
Approved,