CEPRESEN

& 4
RECEIVED
DATE:DEC 02 |

Republic of the Philippines |
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES I
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS

Second Regular Session enor

HOUSE BILL No. 8126

Introduced by HON. JOY MYRA S. TAMBUNTING

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The key to minimizing impacts of a disaster to a certain sector is to minimize risks. In disaster
studies, risk is basically how great the chances are that a certain sector will be harmed by a
hazard. To minimize risks, one has to look into the improving monitoring and forecast of hazards,
reducing exposure to hazards ang reducing their vulnerability to hazards.

Applied to the agriculture sector, we could do this by ensuring localized weather and climate
information and crop calendars which would help our farmers in deciding which crops are more
likely to survive through the specific weather and climate conditions. By doing so, we also
empower farmers to make more climate-adaptive or resilient decisions and effectively reduces
the exposure and vulnerability of their crops to hazards.

In this regard, this measure proposes to introduce climate-resilient agriculture through the
institutionalization of the use of crop climate calendars which incorporates phenological states,
cultivation practices and weather and climate requirements that any crop faces throughout a
cropping season. This proposed measure also seeks to provide training and capacity-building in
the practice of climate-sensitive decision-making and the use of relevant tools and applications
to farmers and farmer's organizations, This measure also mandates the Philippine Atmospheric,
Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) to provide regular and up-to-
date localized weather and climate Information to city, municipal and provincial agriculturist's
offices and directly to the farmers themselves through alll available means of communication and
information dissemination.

Considering that the country is hit with numerous typhoons yearly, it is really imperative that we
enable our farmers to minimize the risks to their crops (and consequently sparing themselves
from financial losses) by providing them with pertinent information and capacitating them to make
more climate-sensitive decisions.

On behalf of the people of Parafiaque City’s Second District, and for the common good of the
Filipino people, the approval of the said measure is earnestly sought.
1 fu

R YAMYRA S. TAMBUNTIN
2nd District, Parafiaque City


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 8126

Introduced by HON. JOY MYRA S. TAMBUNTING

AN ACT
ENHANCING THE RESILIENCY AND ADAPTABILITY OF FARMERS TO ADVERSE
WEATHER AND CLIMATE EVENTS BY INSTITUTIONALIZING THE USE OF CROP
CLIMATE CALENDARS, EQUIPPING FARMERS FOR CLIMATE-SENSITIVE DECISION-
MAKING, AND PROVIDING ACCESS TO LOCALIZED WEATHER AND CLIMATE
INFORMATION

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 "Climate-Resilient Agriculture Act."

Section 2. Declaration of Policy. — Recognizing the importance of agriculture in the country's
economic development, itis imperative that the State shall enhance the resiliency and adaptability
of the sector to weather disturbances and adverse climate events that endanger productivity
levels and harvest yield. Being a disaster-prone archipelago, climate resiliency must be a priority
government intervention for the agriculture sector.

Section 3. Definition of Terms. — As used in this Act, the following terms shall be defined as
follows:

‘a. Crop climate calendar — a visual tool that presents the phenology and cultivation practices
of a crop against the timeline of the cropping season, containing Information on the
weather and climate states that occur in the locality and the risks faced by the crop per
growing stage In relation to these;

b. Climate-sensitive decision — decisions that hinge on weather and climate states, with final
‘outcomes and even decision alternatives which are varying depending on the prevailing
weather phenomena; and

c. Localized weather and climate Information — these are information on weather and climate
phenomena that are particularized down to the city or municipal level.

Section 4. Crop Climate calendars. — The Department of Agriculture (DA) shall Institutionalize
the use of crop climate calendars throughout the Philippines. In coordination with municipal, city
and provincial agriculturists, the DA shall equip all farmers and farmer's organizations in the


formulation, use and Interpretation of crop climate calendars that are tailor-made for each specific
locality or community. These crop climate calendars shall be distributed free-of-charge to alll
farmers and farmer's organizations.

Section 5. Climate-Sensitive Decision-Making. — The DA, through the Agricultural Training
Institute (ATI), shall provide regular appropriate training and capacity-building for farmers and
farmer's organizations in the practice of climate-sensitive decision-making and the use of relevant
tools and applications. The ATI shall formulate and develop clear, concise, and easily
understandable charts, tables, diagrams, briefers, and similar documents on climate-sensitive
decision-making for distribution to farmers and farmers’ organizations.

Section 6. Localized Weather and Climate Information. — The Philippine Atmospheric,
Geophysical and. Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) is hereby mandated to provide
regular and up-to-date localized weather and climate Information to city, municipal and provincial
agriculturist's offices and directly to the farmers themselves through all available means of
‘communication and information dissemination (internet, social media, television and radio). This
Information must be written in simple English, Filipino and other regional language or dialect as
necessary and must be presented in a dear, concise and easily understandable form.

Section 7. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the Implementation of this Act shall
be Included In the annual General Appropriations for the year following its enactment into law
and thereafter.

Section 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within sixty (60) days from the
effectivity of this Act, the DA and PAGASA, in coordination with other relevant government
agencies, farmers' organizations and stakeholders, shall issue the necessary rules and regulations
to implement the provisions of this Act.

Section 9. Repealing Clause. — All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, proclamations,
rules and regulations, or any part thereof, which are Inconsistent with the provisions of this Act
are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 10. Separability Clause. — If any provision or part of this Act, or the application thereof
to any person or circumstance, is held unconstitutional or Invalid, the remainder of this Act shall
not be affected thereby.

Section 11. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from its publication
in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,