FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
Second Regular Session 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 16 mandates that the State shall protect and advance 
the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and 
harmony of nature. In Section 20 of the same Article, the Constitution states that the State 
recognizes the indispensable role of the private sector, encourages private enterprise and 
provides incentives to needed investments. 
The United States Congress reported a finding that farm worker productivity is based on 
the input of large quantities of fossil fuel based energy and chemicals, with typically an input of 
as much as 10 fossil calories used to produce a calorie of food output. Food production in this 
manner cannot be sustained if fossil fuels are depleted and become increasingly costly and 
scarce, and biofuels are not a viable alternative if their production consumes more energy than 
they contain. Reduction of energy consumption through maximum efficiency is a prerequisite to 
sustainable reliance on renewable resources at an affordable scale. 
For over a century, agriculture extension has shown that demonstration of viable 
techniques and technologies is a powerful force for their adoption and promotion. 
This bill seeks to develop a program to encourage the participation of the private sector in 
developing and applying technologies which makes use of renewable energies in the agricultural 
sector. 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
8 JJL 1 0 
I- ? :i‘3 
Second Regular Session 
1 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
TO PROVIDE FOR RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, DEMONSTRATION, AND 
COMMERCIAL APPLICATION ACTIVITIES TO ENABLE THE DEVELOPMENT OF 
FARMS THAT ARE NET PRODUCERS OF BOTH FOOD AND ENERGY 
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 “Food and Energy Farm 
Research Act of 2008.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It shall be the policy of the State to promote the 
use of renewable energy. To this end, the State shall promote activities that encourage the 
research and application of renewable energy technologies. 
SECTION 3. Dejhition - For purposes of this act, the term: 
(A) ELIGIBLE ENTITY- means- 
(1) a regional or local agency; 
(2) a nonprofit organization or institution that farms or provides farm or 
educational services to persons or organizations that own or operate farms; 
(3) a farm or fan& or for-profit corporation that farms, or group of such farms, 
farmers, or corporations, at least 50 percent of the gross revenue of which is 
derived from the sale of food or fiber grown on the farm, if the acreage under 
their control, individually and collectively, whether through ownership or 
leasehold interests, is less than 65 hectares; and 
(4) institutions of higher education, as defined in section by the Commission on 
Higher Education. 
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(B) RENEWABLE ENERGY- means energy obtained from a resource in a manner 
capable of being indefinitely sustained or replenished. 
(C) SECRETARY- means the Secretary of Energy. 
(D) SELF-POWERED FARM- means a farm or collection of farms that, 
(1) is capable of independence from offsite sources of energy, fuel, and raw 
materials for fuel; 
(2) is a community resource for-- 
(i) food; and 
(ii) energy, fuel, or raw materials for fuel; 
(3) minimizes or eliminates ongoing operating expenditures to offsite entities for 
fossil fuel-derived energy; 
(4) employs sustainable farming practices for long term soil fertility; and 
(5) produces at least 2 times as much energy, including fuel or raw materials for 
fuel, as it consumes both on site and in the transfer of farm products to market. 
SECTION 4. Department of Science and Technology Recommendations. - The Secretary 
shall enter into an arrangement with the Department of Science and Technology for-- 
(1) the development of recommendations for appropriate evaluation measures and 
criteria for the programs under this Act; and 
(2) an evaluation of the feasibility of prize and best practices award programs as 
tools to promote self-powered farms, and recommendations for how to carry out 
such programs, if feasible. 
Not later than twelve (12) months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall transmit to the Congress a report containing the recommendations and evaluation as 
described in this section. 
SECTION 5. Research and Technology Development Program. - The Secretary shall 
establish a program, taking into account the recommendations of the Department of Science and 
Technology under Section 4, for the research, development, demonstration, and commercial 
application of energy technologies or other technologies that have the potential to increase 
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Cooperative Extension System. 
energy efficiency or otherwise to enable self-powered farms. The Secretary shall award grants 
under this section to eligible entities, or consortia thereof, on a competitive basis. The Secretary 
shall encourage participation in the program under this section through the Agricultural 
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SECTION 6. National Agricultural Demonstration Program Awards. - The Secretary 
shall establish a program, taking into account the recommendations of the Department of Science 
and Technology under Section 4, for making awards to not more than 30 national agricultural 
research programs for the demonstration in a farm setting of the integration of technologies 
developed under Section 5, or other technologies, in a manner that best achieves the goal of self- 
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powered farms. 
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SECTION 7. Loan Programs. -The Secretary shall provide, on a competitive basis, low- 
cost revolving loans and loan guarantees to eligible entities for the commercial application of 
energy technologies or other technologies that will contribute to the goal of establishing self- 
powered farms. 
(A) Preferences- In providing loans or loan guarantees under this section, the Secretary 
shall give preference to applicants who propose to derive the highest prnportion of their 
energy needs froin teclmologies that use biobased feedstocks or other renewable, energy 
sources. The Secretary shall give highest preference to applicants who propose to meet 
their energy needs from biobased feedstocks or other renewable energy sources produced 
on that farm. 
(B) Oversight- The Secretary shall establish procedures to enable the Secretary to oversee 
the operation of projects supported by loans or loan guarantees under this section, to 
ensure that such projects are operated consistent with the goals and requirements of this 
Act. 
(C) Loan Amount- The amount of a loan under this section shall not exceed 80 percent of 
the cost of the project for which the loan is provided. 
(D) Guarantee Amount- The Secretary shall not guarantee under this section more than 
80 percent of the principal of any loan. 
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SECTION 8. Consultation. - In carrying out this Act, the Secretary shall consult with the 
Secretary of Agriculture. 
SECTION 9. DOST Review. - The Secretary shall enter into an arrangement with the 
Department of Science and Technology for a review of the programs under this Act and the 
development of recommendations for improvements to such programs. Not later than 4 years 
after the date o€ enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit to the Congress a report 
containing such review and recommendations. 
SECTION 10. Appropriations. - To carry out the provisions of this Act, such amount as 
hereby necessary is hereby authorized to be appropriated from the National Treasury. Thereafter, 
the amount necessary for the continuation of the program shall be included in the annual 
appropriation of the Department of Science and Technology. 
SECTION 11. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 12. Repealing CIause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or is inconsistent 
with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 13. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days afier its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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