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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINE:
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES)
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

House Bill No, 8477

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. GARY C. ALEJANO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

For so long, agriculture has been associated with the production of essential food
‘crops. At present, agriculture above and beyond farming includes forestry, dairy, fruit
cultivation, poultry, bee keeping, etc. Today, processing, marketing, and distribution of crops
and livestock products etc. are all acknowledged as part of current agriculture. Thus,
agriculture could be referred to as the production, processing, promotion and distribution
agricultural products. Agriculture plays a critical role in the entire life of a given economy
and it is considered the backbone of the many economies. In addition to providing food and
raw material, agriculture also provides employment opportunities to very large percentage of
the population

Despite this real and apparent importance of agriculture, R.A. 7160 limits the
‘mandatory appointment of agriculturists to ensure effective representation of the agricultural
sector in local government planning and coordination in the provincial level. For city and
municipal governments, appointment of an agriculturist is allowed, but not necessarily
mandated.

Seeing that agriculture remains a vital sector in the country, the appointment of
agriculturists should be deemed not as an option, but as a requirement demanded by the
urgency and necessity of having one. Under this Act, cities and municipalities whose growth
is primarily driven by its agriculture sector shall be mandated to appoint their respective
municipal agriculturists

The general interest of the agricultural sector in these localities should be a primary
concem of the local government, so that it will be able to better determine the agricultural
priorities of their constituencies, but only with a qualified agricultural expert can this be done.

In view of the foregoing, immedi is bill is earnestly sought.

Represerhative
Magdalo Para sa Pilipino Party-List


OVauaune

25

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

House Bill Né,"_ 8477

Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative
HON. GARY C. ALEJANO

AN ACT
MANDATING THE APPOINTMENT OF MUNICIPAL AGRICULTURISTS IN
MUNICIPALITIES WHRE AGRICULTURE IS A SIGNIFICANT INDUSTRY,
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTIONS 443 AND 482 (A) OF REPUBLIC ACT.
NO. 7160, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
CODE OF 1991

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

SEC.1. Section 443 of Republic Act No. 7160, as amended, otherwise known as
Local Government Code of 1991, is hereby amended to read as follows:

“Section 443. Officials of the Municipal Government -

(a) There shall be in each municipality a municipal mayor, a municipal vice-
mayor, sangguniang bayan members, a secretary to the sangguniang
bayan, a municipal treasurer, a municipal assessor, a municipal accountant,
a municipal budget officer, a municipal planning and development
coordinator, a municipal engineer/building official, a municipal health
officer and a municipal civil registrar.

(b) In addition thereto, the mayor may appoint a municipal administrator, a
municipal legal officer, a municipal agriculturist, a municipal social
welfare and development officer, a municipal architect, and a municipal
information officer: PROVIDED, THAT INSOFAR AS
MUNICIPALITIES WHERE AGRICULTURE IS A SIGNIFICANT
INDUSTRY OR WHERE THE MAIN LIVELIHOOD 1S
AGRICULTURAL IN NATURE, THE APPOINTMENT OF A
MUNICIPAL AGRICULTURIST SHALL BE MANDATORY.”

SEC.2. Section 482 (a) of R.A. No. 7160, as amended, is hereby amended to read as
follows:

“Section 482. Qualifications, Powers and Duties.

(a) No person shall be appointed agriculturist unless he is a citizen of the
Philippines, a resident of the local government unit concerned, of good


‘moral character, a holder of a college or university and a first grade civil
service eligible or its equivalent, He must have practiced his profession in
agriculture or acquired experience in a related field for at least five (5)
years in the case of the provincial and city agriculturist, and three (3) years
in the case of the municipal agriculturst.

The position of the agriculturist shall be mandatory for the
provincial goverment and optional for the city and municipal
governments: PROVIDED, THAT INSOFAR AS MUNICIPALITIES
WHERE AGRICULTURE IS A SIGNIFICANT INDUSTRY OR
WHERE THE MAIN LIVELIHOOD IS AGRICULTURAL IN
NATURE, THE APPOINTMENT OF A MUNICIPAL.
AGRICULTURIST SHALL BE MANDATORY.”

SEC.3. Implementing Agency.- The Department of Interior and Local Government
(DILG) and the Department of Agriculture (DA), in coordination with local government
units, shall promulgate the rules and regulations necessary for the effective implementations
of this Act.

SEC.4. Appropriations Clause. - The amount necessary for the effective
implementation of this Act shall be included in the general appropriations Act of the year
following its enactment.

SECS. Repealing Clause. Other relevant provisions of the R.A. No. 7160, insofar as
the appointment of agriculturist is concemed, and any law, decree, executive order, and rules
and regulations, or portions thereof not consistent with this Act are hereby amended
accordingly.

SEC.6. Separability Clause.- Should any part or provisions of this Act be declared
unconstitutional or invalid, the remaining parts or provisions not affected thereby shall
remain in full force and effect.

SEC.7. Effectivity.- This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following the
completion of its publication either in the Official Gazette or in newspaper of general
circulation in the Philippines.

Approved,