FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
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SKp 11 jzs :1;7 
First Regular Session 
1 
SENATE 
~~~~~~~~~ 
w 
S. No. 
Introduced by Senator JUAN MIGUEL F. ZUBlRl 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The use of pesticides, insecticides, and other agricultural chemicals in our farms 
has proved not only to be hazardous to health but counter-productive in the long run. 
Chemical-intensive farming alters soil composition and increases its acidity thus 
resulting in low fat yields, pollution, and environmental destruction. 
This bill seeks to check the ill effects of chemical farming through the promotion 
of "bio-organic farming", an agricultural production system that relies on biological 
means of conditioning and enriching the soil, and controlling pests, such as but not 
limited to the use of beneficial organisms, the utilization of plant and animal wastes 
through composting, crop rotation, intercropping, multiple cropping, and the adoption of 
integrated pest management (IPM) or pesticide-free community ecology approaches to 
pest management; and which minimizes the use of chemical or inorganic farm inputs, 
pesticides, weedicides, and feed additives. It also covers areas, such as but not limited 
to, soil fertility management, varietal breeding and selection and other cultural practices 
that enhance the productivity without destroying the soil and harming farmers, 
consumers, and the environment. 
This bill also provides for the creation of a Bio-Organic Farming Commission. 
This Commission is envisioned to propagate bio-organic cultivation and production 
methods among the farmers and encourage research and development in these fields 
of agricultural production. Corollary, it is intended to aid in solving problems related to 
industrial waste and community garbage disposal. 
Immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
'7 Ep 11 $2 :57 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
~~~~~~~~~ 
BY: 
S. No. 1 
Introduced by Senator JUAN MIGUEL F. ZUBlRl 
AN ACT 
PHILIPPINES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
PROVIDING FOR THE PROMOTION OF BIO-ORGANIC FARMING IN THE 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Bio-organic Farming Act of 
2007." 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State 
to promote, propagate and assist the practice of bio-organic farming in the Philippines 
that will cumulatively condition and enrich the fertility of the soil, increase farm yields, 
reduce pollution and destruction of the environment, prevent the depletion of natural 
resources, and save on imported farm inputs. Towards this end, a comprehensive 
program for the production and distribution of bio-organic fertilizers, pesticides and other 
farm inputs, together with a nationwide educational and promotional campaign for their 
use and manufacture, shall be undertaken. The State will recognize and support the 
central role of the people at the grassroots in this program. 
SECTION 3. Bio-organic Farming. - As used in this Act, the term "bio-organic 
farming" means an agricultural production system which primarily relies on biological 
means of conditioning and enriching the soil, and controlling pests, such as but not 
limited to the use of beneficial organisms, the utilization of plant and animal wastes 
through composting, crop rotation, intercropping, multiple cropping, and the adoption of 
integrated pest management (IPM) or pesticide-free community ecology approaches to 
pest management; and which minimizes the use of chemical or inorganic farm inputs, 
pesticides, weedicides, and feed additives. It also covers areas, such as but not limited 
to, soil fertility management, varietal breeding and selection and other cultural practices 
that enhance the productivity without destroying the soil and harming farmers, 
consumers, and the environment. 


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SECTION 4. Program. - There is thereby established a comprehensive bio- 
organic farming program through the propagation of bio-organic cultivation and 
production methods which have already been developed, continuing research and 
upgrading thereof, the education of more and more farmers thereon, the extension of 
assistance to individuals and groups who are practicing and promoting these methods 
as well as those who are willing to do so, other pertinent activities, and documentation 
and evaluation of the program. The Department of Agriculture (DA) shall take the lead 
role, supported by all service agencies in their respective areas of concern. 
SECTION 5. Bio-Organic Farming Commission. - To carry out the policy and the 
program provided in this Act, there is hereby created a Bio-Organic Farming 
Commission (BOFC). The BOFC shall have a juridical personality and shall consist of a 
Board of Commissioners (hereinafter referred to as the Board) which shall provide the 
direction and general guidelines for the program, with an Executive Directorate which 
shall implement the program in its various aspects in accordance with the direction and 
guidelines of the Board. The various government departments and agencies and the 
officials thereof named in this Act, in collaboration with private individuals and groups 
also herein named, are hereby directed to align and intensify their activities with the 
program of the BOFC. 
The BOFC shall ensure the full participation of people's organizations (POs), 
non-government organizations (NGOs), and the general public through mechanisms, 
such as but not limited to, public hearings, meetings, and joint projects. 
SECTION 6. The Board. - Aside from providing the direction and general 
guidelines for the program, the Board shall supervise its implementation and shall 
exercise all the powers not otherwise conferred on other bodies and individuals under 
this Act. The Board shall decide issues which cannot be resolved at the lower levels of 
the BOFC. It shall represent and shall be the spokesman, through the Chairman, of the 
BOFC. 
SECTION 7. Composition of the Board. - The Board shall consist of: 
a) The Secretary of Agriculture, or his representative, Chairman; 
b) The Secretaries (or their representatives) of the Departments of Science and 
Technology, Environment and Natural Resources, Education, Culture and 
Sports, and Interior and Local Government; 
c) A representative each from the small farmers; NGOs involved in sustainable 
agriculture for at least three (3) years; agricultural colleges and universities; 
and private sector or agri-business firms; as members. 
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The representatives of small farmers and NGOs, and of agricultural colleges and 
universities, shall be chosen by the Secretaries of Agriculture and Science and 
Technology, respectively, from among nominees submitted to the agency concerned by 
their respective national organizations. They shall be conversant with bio-organic 
farming and committed to the policies and programs provided under this Act. 
SECTION 8. Organization of the Board. - Within sixty (60) working days from the 
effectivity of this Act, the national organizations of small farmers, of NGOs and of 
agricultural colleges and universities shall submit their respective nominees to the 
Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Science and Technology, as the case may 
be, who shall evaluate the qualifications of the nominees and appoint the most qualified 
members of the Board. 
The Chairman shall call the members of the Board, or a majority thereof if not all 
have been designated, to a meeting to organize themselves and prescribe its rules and 
procedures for the attainment of the objectives of this Act. A majority of all the members 
of the Board shall constitute a quorum. 
The Board shall also determine its budget, including travel expenses, allowances 
and per diems of its non-government members when attending official Board meetings 
or attending to matters assigned to them, and costs of office space, equipment and 
supplies. 
The Board may appoint full-time assistants, secretaries, and other employees. 
SECTION 9. Executive Directorate. - The Executive Directorate, hereinafter 
referred to as the Directorate, shall be headed by a full-time Executive Director and an 
Assistant Executive Director who shall be appointed by the President not later than 
thirty (30) working days after the Board's organizational meeting. The Executive Director 
shall orchestrate the multi-agency-based program implementing activities, in 
accordance with the direction and guidelines of the Board. In case the Executive 
Director is incapacitated, or is absent in such a way that he cannot perform his duties or 
some of them, the Assistant Executive Director shall perform such duties and exercise 
the corresponding authority. The former may assign some of his tasks to the latter. 
The Executive Director and the Assistant Executive Director shall be assisted by 
the members of the Directorate, who shall be composed of the following public officials 
and representatives of private groups, and who are hereby directed to extend full 
support and cooperation: 
a) The Director, Bureau of Soils and Water Management, DA; 
b) The Director, Bureau of Plant and Industry, DA; 
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c) The Director, Institute of Bio-technology and Micro-biology, UPLB; 
d) The Director, Agricultural Training Institute, DA; 
e) The Director, Bureau of Agricultural Research, DA; 
9 The Executive Director, Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA); 
g) A representative, to be designated by the Secretary of the Department of 
Science and Technology; 
h) A representative, to be designated by the Secretary of the Department of 
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR); 
i) A representative, to be designated by the Secretary of the Department of Interior 
and Local Government (DILG); 
j) The Executive Director, Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural 
Resources Research and Development (PCARRD); 
k) A 
representative of 
the Organic Fertilizer Manufacturers Association 
(OERMANA); 
I) A representative of the Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (SAC); 
m) Two (2) representatives of state and private agricultural colleges and universities, 
to be chosen from among the nominees of national organizations of said colleges 
and universities: and 
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n) Two (2) representatives of small farmers, to be chosen by the Secretary of 
Agriculture among the nominees of national organizations of small farmers. 
All the members and representatives in the Executive Directorate shall be 
conversant with bio-organic farming and committed to the policies and program 
provided under this Act. 
The Executive Director is hereby empowered to call upon any government 
agency for assistance in the performance of his tasks. He shall initiate the proper 
criminal and/or administrative action under the Penal Provisions (Section 15) of this Act. 
The Department of Agriculture and the Department of Science and Technology 
shall jointly provide an office and staff for the Directorate. 
The salary and allowances of the Executive Director and the members and staff 
of the Directorate shall be in accordance with the Revised Compensation and Position 
Classification System. 
SECTION ?O. Apportionment of Tasks. - The Executive Director shall apportion 
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and coordinate the tasks embraced by the program provided in this Act among the 
various members of the Directorate according to their field(s) of specialization. Such 
tasks shall include, but not limited to, research, education, extension, training of 
farmers, training of trainers including the giving or acquisition of scholarships and 
observation grants here and abroad, pesticide-free IPM, small-scale and commercial 
production of organic farm inputs, and accreditation system to ensure their quality, and 
sustained promotional campaigns. The members of the Directorate shall at all times 
observe cooperation with one another, complement and/or supplement each other's 
tasks, and involve their offices and/or organizations in the accomplishment of such 
tasks. 
SECTION 11. Work Plan. - Within sixty (60) working days after assuming office 
and after the first organizational meeting of the Directorate, the Executive Director shall 
submit for consideration by the Executive Directorate, which shall in turn submit with its 
recommendations to the Board for final approval, the following: 
a) A report on the setting up and organization of the Directorate and staff; 
b) A scheme of distribution and complementation of functions among the members 
of the Directorate; 
c) A plan of bringing the program down to the grassroots, utilizing available 
personnel and facilities on the local level and those of local government units; 
d) A pattern of cooperation and mutual assistance with local government units, POs 
and NGOs, which will maximize people empowerment and participatory 
approaches to program formulation, implementation and monitoring; and 
e) A schedule of short-term, medium-term, and long-term targets. 
SECTION 12. Bio-Organic Farming and Protection of the Environment. - The 
BOFC shall constantly devise and implement ways and means not only of producing 
bio-organic fertilizers and other farm inputs and needs on and off the farm but also of 
helping to alleviate the problems of industrial waste and community garbage disposal 
through appropriate methods of sorting, collecting and composting. 
The Executive Director shall conduct continuing studies, with consultations 
among the people and officials involved as well as POs and NGOs, in order to advise 
local governments, from the barangay to the provincial level, on the collection and 
disposal of garbage and waste in such a way as to provide raw materials for the 
production of organic fertilizer and other farm inputs. 
SECTION 13. incentives. - The government shall extend incentives for the 
manufacture and propagation of bio-organic farm inputs by maximizing their use in all 
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government and government-supported agricultural production, 
research and 
demonstration programs. The DA, DOST, DILG, DTI, Land Bank, and other government 
lending and non-lending institutions shall also assist organic input producers through 
the provision of adequate financial, technical, marketing, and other services and 
resources . 
SECTION 14. Local Execufive Committees. - Every provincial governor shall, in 
so far as practicable, form a provincial counterpart of the Executive Directorate, to be 
called the provincial executive committee, and which shall operate within his province in 
coordination and mutual assistance with the national executive directorate, pursuant to 
the provisions in this Act. 
The governor shall see to it that the municipal mayors and barangay chairmen 
will do the same within the area of their respective jurisdictions. 
SECTION 15. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to carry out the provisions 
of this Act shall be included in the General Appropriations Act of the year following its 
enactment into law and thereafter. 
At least seventy-five percent (75%) of the BOFC's budget shall be allowed for 
holistic and integrated scientific research, information, education, establishing bio- 
organic farm models in every legislative district, and training of farmers and 
demonstrations on the farm level, including the provision of full-time bio-farming 
extension workers who will work with farmers' associations and cooperatives, POs, 
NGOs, barangay assemblies, rural communities and other groups. The BOFC is hereby 
empowered to solicit and accept assistance from individuals and entities here and 
abroad, and to utilize these funds and resources for purposes of this Act subject to the 
usual budget, accounting and auditing rules and regulations. 
SECTION 16. Penal Provisions. - Any person who willfully and deliberately 
obstructs the development or propagation of bio-organic farming, or the manufacture or 
propagation, sale or use of bio-organic agricultural inputs, any person in the government 
service who willfully and deliberately refuses without just cause to extend the support 
and assistance required under Section 8 of this Act shall, upon conviction, be punished 
by imprisonment of not less than one (1) year nor more than six (6) years, or a fine of 
not less than Fifty thousand pesos (P50,OOO.OO) or both, at the discretion of the court. 
If the offender is a corporation of juridical entity, the official who ordered or 
allowed the commission of the offense shall be punished with the same penalty. 
If the offender is in the government service, he shall, in addition, be dismissed 
from office. 
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SECTION 17. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid 
or unconstitutional, the other provision not affected thereby shall remain in full force and 
effect. 
SECTION 18. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and 
regulations, and issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby 
repealed or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 19. Effecfivify, - This Act shall take effect immediately following its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation or in the Official 
Gazette, whichever comes first. 
Approved,