1
Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Constitution Hills, Batasan Complex, Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No________________ 
Introduced by Representatives EDDIEBONG G. PLAZA and 
ALFEL M. BASCUG 
Explanatory Note 
The uplands are the preferred destination for rural migration. It is home to many indigenous 
tribes and it hosts much of our forest resources and underground minerals. In 2000, an estimated 
20 million Filipinos, approximately 26% of the population, lived in the uplands and more than 
eight million hectares of which are under some kind of cultivation (Guiang in Tacio, 2000). The 
uplands are also where we can find the highest incidence of poverty. Productivity is very low; 
upland farmers barely survive, and their children suffer from malnourishment. The situation is 
alarming as it further exposes our remaining forest cover to unhampered exploitation while 
keeping upland dwellers poor and destitute, making them susceptible to enticement by lawless 
elements to commit crimes and violence. 
A clear policy and implementation strategy on upland development can kill three birds with 
one stone: protect the environment, fight poverty and eliminate crimes and insurgency. The Upland 
Sustainable Agro-Forestry Development (USAD) Program of the Province of Agusan del Sur 
launched in late 2013 was very instrumental in reducing poverty in the Province from 45% in 2015 
to 32.4% in 2018. Currently, USAD maintains nearly 5,000 hectares of upland farms planted with 
high value crops providing an alternative source of livelihood to thousands of upland families. The 
USAD farms hectarage increases geometrically every year greening thousands of hectares of 
denuded uplands which helps in improving the quality of the Province’s forests and timberlands. 
It should be emphasized that growing crops is only secondary to USAD’s main thrust on 
“growing people” – the empowerment of individuals and communities for greater productivity and 
sustainability. With a clear-cut implementation procedure that gives premium on accountability, 
both people beneficiaries and government workers of the Program have developed pride in hard 
work that brings tangible results to the benefit of the people and the service.  
After eight years of implementation, USAD’s humble strategy has been recognized a 
rousing success when it won the prestigious GALING POOK Award in October 2021. With 
August 10, 2022
4:30 pm
3489


 
2
Agusan del Sur’s successful experiment with USAD, these humble representations wish to share 
this experience with the entire nation. 
 
 
 
In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
 
 
 
 
EDDIEBONG G. PLAZA                                                         ALFEL M. BASCUG 
2nd District, Agusan del Sur                                                         1st District, Agusan del Sur 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


3
Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Constitution Hills, Batasan Complex, Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No________________ 
Introduced by Representatives EDDIEBONG G. PLAZA and 
ALFEL M. BASCUG 
AN ACT ESTABLISHING UPLAND SUSTAINABLE AGROFORESTRY 
DEVELOPMENT (USAD) PROGRAM IN UPLAND AGRICULTURAL LANDS AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in the Congress 
assembled: 
ARTICLE I 
SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the “USAD Act”. 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. Consistent with the policy of the State to free the people from 
poverty through policies that provide adequate social services, a rising standard of living and an 
improved quality of life, the State shall adopt a comprehensive and holistic approach in poverty 
alleviation wherein every Filipino is able to meet the basic needs of food, nutrition, environmental 
sanitation, shelter, education, and income security. 
It is also the policy of the State to protect and promote the right of the people to a balanced 
and healthful ecology. The State shall implement projects and programs geared towards economic 
growth and sustained national development in harmony with environmental conservation and 
ecological balance.  
3489


 
4
SECTION 3. Purpose and Objectives. It is the purpose and objective of this Act to reduce poverty 
incidence in the uplands and specifically aims to: 
 
a. Employ a convergence approach in alleviating poverty in the most marginalized sectors in 
the country- the upland and indigenous communities; 
b. Create and increase economic opportunities for upland communities especially for those 
who make a living out of farming; 
c. Protect and conserve the natural resources by providing alternative sources of livelihood 
for people in upland communities; 
d. Involve the indigenous people communities into mainstream through comprehensive 
development programs; 
e. Empower the individuals and communities for sustainability through holistic development  
Approach that addresses the multi-dimensionality of poverty; 
f. Optimize agricultural productivity on idle lands owned by marginalized landowners. 
 
SECTION 4.  Definition of Terms. Whenever used in this Act, the following terms shall mean: 
 
a. Agricultural land- refers to land devoted principally to the raising of crops such as rice 
corn, sugar cane, tobacco, coconut, etc., or to pasturing, dairying, inland fishery, salt 
making and others, including and forest lands1; 
b. Convergence approach- refers to multi-stakeholders or multi-agency cooperation in 
sprouting sustainable economic development; 
c. Custodian- refers to the designated authority and/or accountable person over the non-
livelihood infrastructures; 
d. Enrollees-refer to upland dwellers which are identified as recipients of USAD Program; 
e. Home and Backyard Small Business- refers to small income-generating being run from 
someone’s home or backyard which may include, but not limited, to baking, pastry-
making etc., handicrafts such as but not limited to weaving, knitting; dressmaking and 
tailoring, and others; 
f. Social Preparation- the conduct of preliminary social analysis of the community where 
organizer, 
engage 
in 
institution 
preparations, 
area 
selection 
and 
social 
investigation/integration. 2 It also refers to series of pre-implementation activities 
involving individuals and communities intended for the proper and effective discharge 
or execution of the USAD Program such as but not limited to: 
 
i. 
educating and informing the enrollees and their respective communities on the 
poverty situation and other relevant data that will contextualize their 
participation in the program; 
ii. 
the conduct of Participatory Assessment (PRA) and evaluation, if any, of 
barangay development plan; and 
iii. 
the assessment of the absorptive capacity of the communities and enrollees 
based on the availability of labor and/or land. 
 
g. Participatory Rapid Assessment (PRA)- an interactive data collection process 
 
1 PD 464, Sec. 3 (c) 
2 DSWD, MC 06, S.2014. 


 
5
conducted at a community level or with a specific community group of interest. PRA 
is applied at the design, early implementation, and evaluation phases of a project cycle. 
h. Upland- refers to areas comprising: (1) marginal lands with slopes of 18 percent (18%) 
or higher, (2) lands within mountainous zones and (3) lands within terrain classified as 
hilly to mountainous. 
i. Upland Sustainable Agro-forestry Development- refers to a comprehensive 
development framework aimed at alleviating poverty in the upland communities by 
way of convergence approach providing livelihood programs, non-livelihood and 
infrastructure projects and conducting continuous education and trainings relative 
thereto. 
 
SECTION 5. Scope and Coverage. This Act shall apply and cover provinces, cities and 
municipalities with upland communities. 
 
ARTICLE II 
Structure, Composition, Operation of the USAD Program 
 
SECTION 6. Creation of USAD Coordinating Unit. It is hereby created an USAD Coordinating 
Unit in every province, city and municipality which shall be under the direct supervision of the 
Local Chief Executive. It shall organize and assign USAD Coordinating and teams for the effective 
implementation of the USAD Program. The Provincial USAD Coordinating Unit shall serve as 
lead unit to municipal counterparts, the Municipal USAD Coordinating Unit. 
 
SECTION 7. Composition of USAD Coordinating Unit. The USAD Coordinating Unit shall be 
composed of a Program Coordinator, USAD Teams and its respective team members. 
 
SECTION 8. Functions. The functions of the USAD Coordinating Unit are as follows: 
 
a. USAD Program Coordinator. The Program Coordinator shall be the head of the 
Provincial/Municipal/City USAD Programs Unit whom shall be mandated to prepare and 
capacitate individuals and communities for the productive and beneficial absorption of 
government’s development programs. He/she shall coordinate with the Program 
Management Team and the Implementing Offices for the programs, projects and activities 
for an integrated intervention approach on any given target community for development. 
He/she shall perform the following functions: 
 
1. Requires implementing offices for the submission of detailed work and financial plan 
for USAD areas along with initial impact assessment report; 
2. Requires updates on all programs,, projects and activities under USAD Programs and 
recommends measures based on the implementation procedure from the Implementing 
Offices; 
3. For municipal USAD, coordinates with the Municipal Local Chief Executive, 
municipal or the barangay focal person if deemed necessary; 
4. Coordinates with other national agencies relative to USAD convergence programs; 
5. Participates in the planning process to any programs and projects development 
particularly in the reduction of poverty condition of the province; 


 
6
6. Supervises the USAD teams; 
7. Coordinates with the program management team to ensure success of the programs 
and/or projects; 
8. Conducts meeting with Program Team Leaders; 
9. Conducts validation of submitted reports and present progress report to the 
province/city/municipal government in the implementation process under the USAD 
Program; and 
10. Provides updates for the Governor/City/Municipal Mayor and make recommendations 
for constant improvement in the implementation process under the USAD Program; 
and  
11. Performs any functions as required by the Provincial Governor/ City/ Municipal 
Mayors. 
 
b. USAD Team. For provincial USAD Unit, one (1) USAD Team shall be assigned for every 
municipality or component city enrolled to USAD. 
 
 
The USAD Teams shall be composed of a team leader and its respective members. The 
functions of a team leader are as follows: 
 
1. Prepares action plan; 
2. Leads in the conduct of the USAD activities in the field; 
3. Conducts monitoring and submit reports on the progress of the implementation of the 
programs, projects and activities; 
4. Coordinates with the City/Municipal/ Barangay Local Government Units and USAD 
focal person for the efficient implementation of the programs, projects and activities; 
5. Attends regular meetings and update the program coordinator on the progress of USAD 
programs in their respective area of assignments; 
6. Submit to the program coordinator a written report on the validated report from the 
field. 
 
 
The team members shall perform the following functions: 
 
1. Conduct social preparation and capacity development of enrollees and communities; 
 2. Participates in the team planning process in the conduct of field implementation,  
monitoring and reporting of programs, project and activities in their respective area of 
assignments, 
3.  Conduct close monitoring and reporting on every stage of the implementation processes; 
4. Provide updated information to guide the implementing office for a timely intervention 
and/or technical assistance to USAD Program enrollees; and 
5. Submit to the team leader validated reports from the field. 
 
SECTION 9. Implementing Offices. The Implementing Offices shall propose, formulate, and 
implement programs, projects and activities (PPAs) on the target and identified areas having high 
poverty incidence. It shall be composed of the following offices : Provincial/City/Municipal 
Agriculture 
Office 
(PAO/CAO/MAO), 
Provincial/City/Municipal 
Veterinary 
Office 
(PVO/CVO/MVO), Provincial/City/Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office 


 
7
(PSWDO,CSWDO/MSWDO), Provincial/City/Municipal Engineering Office (PEO, CEO, MEO), 
Provincial/City/Municipal Health Office (PHO, CHO, MHO), Provincial/City/Municipal 
Environment 
and 
Natural 
Resources 
Offices 
(PENRO/CENRO/MENRO), 
Provincial/City/Municipal Employment Services Offices (PESO, CESO, MESO). It is hereby 
mandated to perform the following functions: 
 
1. Implement and manage their respective programs or projects identified under USAD; 
2. Provide technical support to the USAD Program especially to the USAD teams in the field 
in assisting enrollees to ensure success of the Program; 
3. Prepare and provide necessary data to the program coordinator which will be used by the 
USAD teams in monitoring and validation; 
4. Prepare and provide progress report in each implementation phase and final report at the 
end of each fiscal year; and 
5. Participate in the USAD general meetings. 
 
SECTION 10. Management Team. It is hereby created a Program Management Team (PMT) 
who shall serve as the overseer of the USAD Program Units’ activities. The Program Management 
Team shall comprise with the Heads of Offices of the following offices: Provincial/City/ Municipal 
Planning and Development Office (PPDO/CPDO/MPDO), Bids and Awards Offices (BAC), 
Provincial/City/ 
Municipal 
General 
Services 
Office 
(PGSO/CGSO/MGSO), 
Provincial/City/Municipal Accounting Office (PAdMO/CadMO/), Provincial/City/ Municipal 
Administration and Management Office (PadMO/CadMO/MadMO), ProvincialCity/Municipal 
Human Resource and Management Office (PHRMO/CHRMO/MHRMO), Internal Audit Offices  
(IAOs), Information Management Offices (IMOs), Provincial/City/Municipal Treasury Office 
(PTO/CTO/MTO) and a representative of the municipal and barangay councils. The Municipal 
Management Team shall also be created which shall closely coordinate with the PMT. 
 
 
It shall be mandatory that the Program Management Team is represented in every progress 
report presentation. The Program Management Team shall hold meetings as often necessary which 
shall be attended by the members sitting in ex-officio capacity. 
 
 
It shall, thereafter, provide policy support, review and recommend course of actions and 
policies, provide feedback to policy makers, project developers, examine the objectives of the 
proposed programs, evaluate the progress and achievement reports and perform other functions 
deemed necessary to aid the program coordinator in ensuring the success of the programs and 
projects. 
 
SECTION 11. Municipal/Component City USAD Units. The Municipal/City Government shall 
organize a Municipal/Component City USAD Unit which shall work under close coordination with 
the Provincial USAD Program Unit. Its programs and projects shall be consistent with those of the 
Provincial USAD Unit. 
 
SECTION 12. Personnel, Members and Staff. Only non-ex-officio personnel, members and staff 
of the USAD Program Units, Program Management Team and the Program Implementing Office 
shall be entitled to renumerations to be determined by the concerned local government units taking 
into account their actual duties and responsibilities. It may be increased as per yearly reviews on 


 
8
the merits based on their productivity. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ARTICLE III 
Project Establishment Phase 
 
SECTION 13. Selection of Barangays. Barangays shall be selected and ranked according to their 
poverty incidence based on the results of Community Based- Monitoring System. Among those 
selected barangays, priority shall be given to those with existing Barangay Development Plan. 
 
SECTION 14. Non-livelihood and Livelihood Projects. The Program shall serve as an avenue for 
infrastructure, social and non-livelihood projects and livelihood programs for upland residents 
towards comprehensive intervention and holistic development framework. 
 
a. Non-livelihood and Infrastructure Projects. Non-livelihood projects shall cover health, 
education, cultural and sports programs. Infrastructure projects shall include barangay 
health units, day care centers, sanitation and water facilities. 
b. Livelihood Projects. The USAD Program Unit shall determine the priority 
commodities and other support crops, home and backyard small business, fishery, 
livestock and poultry suitable for the livelihood projects. 
c. Documentary Requirements. The Implementing Offices shall issue the guidelines for 
the projects and project proposal. Non-compliance to the guidelines may result to 
automatic rejection without prejudice to its reversal upon compliance of the guidelines 
within the prescribed schedule. 
 
SECTION 15. Selection of Enrollees. Selection of enrollees shall be made for the livelihood 
projects only. The prospective enrollees shall come from the list of households with income below 
poverty threshold provided that they are able to meet the requirements of the project such as labor, 
time and/or land. 
 
 
All prospective enrollees must present a barangay certification attesting that he or she is a 
resident of the barangay at least six (6) months prior to the application to the Program validated 
through the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS). Enrollees not listed in CBMS must 
register with the system prior to acceptance to the Program. The Implementing Office may also 
require additional requirements as may be necessary in the enrollment of the Program. 
 
 
 
For agricultural development programs and projects, the Implementing Office shall require 
a confirmation and validation from the Register of Deeds as to land status. 
 
SECTION 16. Duties and Responsibilities of Enrollees. Upon agreeing with the terms and 
conditions of the Program, the enrollees shall comply with all requirements of the USAD’s 
projects, programs and activities which include but not limited to: 


 
9
 
a. attending capacity development trainings; 
b. strictly observe guidelines and modules provided by the technical staff or expert resource 
person of the Implementing Office; and 
c. provide timely and necessary feedback and/or report to the USAD Team on the progress 
of the projects under their care. 
 
SECTION 17. Procurement of Materials. The procurement of materials shall be prioritized and 
in accordance to existing procurement laws. The procurement process shall likewise take into 
consideration farms’ schedule, timely field implementation to avoid delays as much as possible. 
 
SECTION 18. Social Preparation and Capacity Development of Enrollees. The USAD 
Provincial, City and Municipal Team in coordination with the Implementing Offices shall conduct 
Participatory Rapid Appraisal (PRA) to identify community needs, assist in the crafting of a  
Barangay Development Plan if in case such is not updated and hold program orientation to 
barangay councils, enrollees and any interested member(s) of the communities. 
 
 
The USAD Coordinating Unit shall also assist in the organization of the enrollees whom 
shall have a set of officers, approved policy and/or by-laws. This organization shall be registered 
at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). 
 
 
In case of an existing registered organization, the Implementing Office shall review the 
organization’s constitutions and by-laws to determine its compatibility with the project’s 
objectives. Non-member enrollees shall be enlisted with the organization. 
 
 
A Memorandum of Agreement or Memorandum of Understanding shall be entered into by 
the Provincial/City Government, Municipality, Barangay and Enrollees’ Organization prior to the 
establishment of the projects. 
 
 
It shall be mandatory to conduct capacity development training which shall be attended by 
the enrollees who shall be assessed after. Appropriate assessment tools shall be developed for that 
purpose. 
 
SECTION19. Establishment of Livelihood Projects. For agricultural farm projects, the following 
activities shall be undertaken: 
 
1. the concerned agricultural extension worker and agriculturist shall assist the enrollees in 
getting a soil sample from their respective farm site for laboratory analysis to determine its 
suitability for farming and appropriate crops; 
2. lay-outing of the farm and geo tagging; 
3. the timely delivery of planting materials, seedlings, and other necessary material inputs 
shall also be made to the concerned enrollees by the Implementing Offices along with 
USAD Teams. The guideline for the proper distribution shall be strictly observed; and 
4. the USAD Team along with the Implementing Offices and its technical staff shall monitor 
and assist enrollees, if needed, in the implementation activities such as but not limited to, 
land preparation, planting, trimming and application of fertilizer. 


 
10
 
 
Technical assistance shall be made available to enrollees from their corresponding  
Implementing Office all throughout the process from land preparation, planting,  harvesting, 
farm maintenance, value-adding, processing, marketing and financial management. 
 
 
For non-agricultural and projects, the Implementing Offices along with the USAD Teams 
shall conduct ocular inspections of the sites to assess its suitability to the intended project, program 
and activities. The same shall deliver to the enrollees all material inputs and the kits needed for the 
approved projects, programs and activities. 
 
SECTION 20. Establishment of Non-livelihood and Infrastructure Projects. The assigned 
custodian shall submit quarterly maintenance report to the USAD unit who shall coordinate with 
the Implementing Office for timely and necessary assistance and feedback. The delivery of the 
projects shall be done in accordance with the approved implementation procedure. 
 
 
The Implementing Offices shall likewise supervise the projects’ delivery and installation. 
It shall also conduct capacity development training to assigned custodian while the projects are 
still in progress and involved the same in the formulation of the maintenance plan.  
 
 
The assigned custodian shall submit quarterly maintenance report to concerned 
Implementing Offices on which the latter shall provide necessary assistance and feedback. 
 
SECTION 21. Project Maintenance Phase. Sustainability. Reports submitted by the enrollees to 
the USAD Team shall be validated and verified by the Implementing Office in the field after which 
a meeting shall be called wherein the Implementing Office shall make necessary recommendations 
and take the necessary actions concerning the report. The USAD Team shall ensure that said 
recommendations are properly carried out in the field. 
 
 
It shall be mandatory for the Implementing Offices in coordination with the USAD Unit to 
conduct continuing training and education of the enrollees taking into consideration issues and 
concerns in the field. 
 
SECTION 22. Project Marketing Phase. The Implementing Office shall conduct an inventory or 
areas with agriculture production and organize the enrollees into associations in preparation for 
the marketing phase. Capacity building on value-adding commodity and market matching for 
possible buyers shall also be made. 
 
SECTION 23. Graduation of Enrollees. The enrollees are deemed to have graduated from the 
program if the household earned an income above the prevailing poverty threshold as reflected by 
their respective Progress Report Card created for that purpose. 
 
 
The graduated enrollees are hereby granted the option to continually attend the trainings 
and education conducted under the USAD Program. 
 
SECTION 24. Reportorial Requirements. It shall be mandatory for every USAD teams to submit 
monthly progress reports to the Program Coordinator. The latter shall provide updates to the 


 
11
Provincial Governor/City Mayor accordingly. 
 
 
A mid-year assessment report shall be conducted by the USAD Program Unit taking into 
consideration the progress of the projects, programs, activities in each barangay, the general status 
of the USAD Program and other issues and concerns in the implementation phase. 
 
 
The annual report shall cover the barangay status prior to the implementation of the projects 
(physical profile, demographic, brief history and poverty profile) vis-à-vis progress of the USAD 
projects and its impact in the communities. 
 
SECTION 25. Development Program Harmonization. All national line agencies, civil society 
organizations and other institutions that implements socio-economic development projects shall 
harmonize and align policies, plans and programs for a sustainable USAD implementation. 
 
 
ARTICLE III 
Miscellaneous Provisions 
 
SECTION 26. Appropriations. The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act 
shall be charged against the General Appropriations Act. 
 
SECTION 27. Implementing Rules and Regulations. Within sixty (60) days after the effectivity 
of this Act, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in coordination with the 
Department of Agriculture, Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of Health (DOH), 
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Social Welfare and 
Development (DSWD), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Technical Education and 
Skills Development Authority (TESDA) shall formulate the rules and regulations to fully 
implement the provisions of this Act. 
 
SECTION 28. Separability Clause. If for any reason, any part or provisions of this Act is declared 
invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall remain in full and 
effect. 
 
SECTION 29. Repealing Clause. All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders and rules and 
regulations contrary or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified 
accordingly. 
 
SECTION 30. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the 
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
12
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
13