EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
S E N A T E  
S. No. 
R .S 4
B^riuHC
of tlu’ frrtrctaip
*19 
JUL 22 P2 «1
In tro d u ce d  by SENATOR RAMON BONG REVILLA, 3R.
RECEi'.lO i.
AN ACT
TO ESTABLISH AN INTEGRATED SYSTEM FOR AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGY 
GENERATION AND TRANSFER AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Philippines is primarily an agricultural country and agriculture is still one of the 
country's principal source of income and employment. But the sad reality is that agriculture 
is dying in our country. Agricultural lands are being converted into malls, gold courses, 
residential lots, condominiums and subdivisions. Also, our small farm-holders and tenant 
farmers still rely on traditional farming methods instead of adopting new agricultural 
techniques and technologies.
In spite of efforts by government agencies, institutions and non-government 
organizations, to modernize and develop our agricultural industry, some farmers have yet to 
evolve and adapt to the times, their orthodox way of doing things now hinder them from 
growing like large new agribusiness farms in the country. The conventional ways of farming 
they are accustomed to keep them buoyant but also threaten their survival for the coming 
years. Today's economic climate isn't farmer-friendly, they are starting to feel the weight 
brought by the times.
A lot of our farmers remain economically powerless and technologically outdated due 
to the low Investment in research and development (R&D) and inadequate generation and 
ineffective transfer of agricultural technologies.


The Philippines cannot afford to allow the present state of affairs to continue, with 
the increasing population, the country may not be able to produce or import the food to 
properly meet the needs of Its people and the nation's rapid growth.
In order for our country to become a progressive industrialized nation, it should have 
a strong and highly productive agricultural sector. Its strength and productivity rely on the 
empowerment of the majority of farmers and the promotion of the development of cutting- 
edge agricultural technologies to enable our country to become highly competitive in the 
international market.
This Act is in response to the strongly felt need to integrate R&D, technology 
generation and transfer into a single coherent and harmonious national system completely 
dedicated to the socio-economic well-being of Filipino farmers. It aims to transform 
traditional agricultural practices to modern highly productive agricultural practices that will 
elevate their incomes and provide a totally better quality of life.
A sustained expansion of the national economy requires sustained growth in the 
agricultural sector. We must transform our farmers Into a resource of renewed national vigor 
and creativity in our drive for global competitiveness.
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill Is earnestly requested.
R A M O ^ O N G  REVILLA, JR.


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHIQPPINES 
First Regular Session
S E N A T E
s. No. 654
' 
S^CluT? 
tOKicf of Itjc ^ " tr f t a r p
{[f1 '■
Introduced by SENATOR RAMON BONG REVILllA, JWL 22 P2
AN ACT
RECEI-:Ul,;.
TO ESTABLISH AN INTEGRATED SYSTEM FOR AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGY 
GENERATION AND TRANSFER AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and House o f Representatives o f the Philippines in 
Congress Assembled:
1 
Section 1. Short Title. - This act shall be known as the "Agriculture Technology
2 
Generation and Transfer Act".
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration o f Policy. -
4 
a) The State shall protect and promote the socio-economic welfare and well-
5 
being of Filipino farmers, particularly those in the countryside towards this end,
6 
it is the purpose of this Act to establish an Integrated System of Agriculture
7 
Technology Generation and Transfer that will most efficiently and effectively
8 
provide the agricultural technology services as a means of empowerment of
9 
farmers and enable them to help sustain a self-sufficient and self-reliant food
10 
and agriculture production for its people and accelerate agro-industrial
11 
development of the country.
12 
b) The State also commits itself to the protection of the environment and the
13 
promotion of sustainable agriculture.
14 
Sec. 3. Scope. -This Act shall apply to and govern all existing agricultural research
15 
and extension activities of the National Government, the local government units, farmer's
16 
and non-government organizations and the state universities and colleges in the country.
17 
Sec. 4. Definition o f Terms. -The following terms shall mean as defined herein:
18 
a) Agriculture. - Refers to the art, science and business of cultivating the soil,
19 
planting of crops, growing of fruit trees, management of forests, raising or
1


1 
catching or both of livestock poultry or fish; including the harvesting and post-
2 
harvest handling of such products, and other activities and practices performed
3 
by persons whether natural or juridical in conjunction with such operations.
4 
b) Research and Development (R&D). - Pertains to all organized activities
5 
designed to search for new knowledge or modify existing ones, develop new
6 
methods and techniques of operation, tools, equipment or types of organisms
7 
through the application of the scientific method.
8 
c) Technology Generation. - R&D activities that are directed principally towards
9 
the development of such methods, techniques, computer software and
10 
hardware, tools, equipment, or types of organisms that may be used or applied
11 
for the benefit of the product of such activities 
may be referred to as
12 
technologies.
13 
d) Technology Transfer. - Pertains to all organized activities designed to enable
14 
individuals or groups to effectively adapt a particular technology.
15 
e) Farmer. - Any person who engages in any agricultural activity.
16 
f) Sustainable Agriculture. - Any principle, method and/or practice that aim to
17 
make agriculture economically viable, ecologically sound, socially just, culturally
18 
appropriate, and grounded on holistic science.
19 
Sec. 5. Purpose. -The purpose of the Integrated System of Agriculture Technology
20 
Generation and Transfer is to most effectively and efficiently respond to and provide for the
21 
technology needs of farmers and enable them to attain higher productivity and market
22 
competitiveness in the context of sustainable agricultural principles and practices.
23 
Sec. 6. The Integrated System o f Agriculture Technology Generation and Transfer
24 
(ISATGaT). - All government agencies and institutions, including local government units and
25 
farmers and non-government organizations that are engaged in R&D, training and extension
26 
activities in agriculture shall be organized and formed into an Integrated System of
27 
Agriculture Technology Generation and Transfer (ISATGaT). It shall be organized into
28 
hierarchical and interlocking councils at the national, regional and provincial levels. The
29 
national and regional councils shall be concerned with both the technology generation and
30 
transfer activities while the provincial councils shall be concerned with technology transfer
31 
activities.
32 
Sec. 7. Components o f the System. -
33 
a) Department of Agriculture
2


1 
b) Institutes and Centers for Agricultural Research Development and Training
2 
c) Local Government Units
3 
d) State Universities and Colleges
4 
e) Farmers' and Non-Government Organizations
5 
Sec. 8. The Department o f Agriculture (DA) shall:
6 
a) Provide the office of the Chairman and the Secretarial of the National
7 
Integrated System for Agriculture Technology Generation and Transfer
8 
(NISATGaT) Council
9 
b) Organize and operate a Bureau of Agriculture technology Generation and
10 
Transfer (BATGaT) out of its existing research centers and outreach stations
11 
and training institutes for purposes of addressing agriculture technology issues
12 
or for national concern, and
13 
c) Coordinate the activities of the NISATGaT Council with that of the other units
14 
within its department and with other agencies and instrumentalities of the
15 
Government in order that such activities shall be consistent with and in pursuit
16 
of the National programs and objectives of the country.
17 
Sec. 9. The Autonomous National Institutes and Centers for Agricultural Research,
18 
Development and Training shall: -
19 
a) Undertake such technology generation and transfer activities as may be
20 
recommended by the NISATGaT Council, and
21 
b) Maintain and improve high level of technical manpower and appropriate
22 
facilities to be able to effectively undertake whatever technology generation
23 
and transfer activities may be deemed necessary.
24 
Sec. 10. The Local Government Units (LGUs) sh a ll:-
25 
a) Designate a Provincial Agriculture Officer (PAO)- in each province who will
26 
represent the respective provinces in the Regional Integrated System for
27 
Agriculture Technology Generation and Transfer (RISATGaT) Council and
28 
coordinate all activities pertaining to agricultural technology services to farmers
29 
in his/her provinces; and
30 
b) In collaboration with a duly recognized provincial college of agriculture, shall
31 
organize a Provincial Agriculture Technology Transfer (PATT) Council whose
32 
members will include the head of the agricultural institution, the PAO, Municipal


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
Agricultural Officers, representatives of recognized local farmers' and non­
government organizations.
Sec. 11. The State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) shall: -
a) Designate an Agriculture Technology Generation and Transfer (ATGaT) 
Coordinator who will represent the institution in the Regional Integrated System 
for Technology Generation and Transfer (RISATGaT) Council in the case of duly 
accredited regional SUCs;
b) Designate an Agriculture Technology Transfer (ATT) Coordinator for the 
institution and who will represent the institution in the Provincial Integrated 
System for Agriculture Technology Transfer (PISATT) Council in the case of duly 
accredited provincial agricultural colleges or provincial technical institutes of 
agriculture;
c) Undertake research, technology generation and/or technology transfer on 
such areas as may be recommended by the NISATGaT, RISATGaT or PISATT 
Council in the case of duly accredited national, regional or provincial agricultural 
institution(s), respectively:
d) Provide the office of the Chairman and Secretariat of the RISATGaT Council 
in the case of the regional state agricultural institution or of the PISATT Council 
in the case of the provincial agricultural institution as may be designated by the 
NISATGaT Council, and
e) Provide facilities and staff for and conduct training of agricultural 
technologies, technicians and farmers in the utilization of the various 
agricultural technologies.
Sec. 12. Farmers and Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) shall: -
a) Volunteer facilities or certain portions of their farms for tests and/or 
demonstration of certain agricultural technologies that are of potential benefit 
to them;
b) Actively participate in the problem opportunity identification, planning and 
implementation of research and development of promising technologies; and c) 
Share in the cost of research and development of technologies that are 
potentially beneficial to them.


1 
Sec. 13. Creation o f the National Integrated System for Agriculture Technology
2 
Generation and Transfer (NISATGaT) Council. - To carry out the programs for generation
3 
and transfer of agriculture technologies of the country, the National Integrated System for
4 
Agriculture Technology Generation and Transfer (NISATGaT) Council is hereby created and
5 
attached to the Department of Agriculture for administrative purposes only, with the
6 
following composition and functions:
7 
a) Composition. - The following shall serve as members of the NISATGaT with
8 
its Chairman to be elected to serve for a period of three (3) years:
9 
1) One outstanding scientist from each of the fields of Crop Science,
10 
Animal Science, Agricultural Engineering, 
Fisheries, Forestry and
11 
Veterinary Medicine who shall be nominated by heads of faculties,
12 
scientific or professional groups for a term of three (3) years, and from
13 
among themselves, a Co-chairperson shall be chosen;
14 
2) The Director of the Bureau of Agriculture Research, Technology
15 
Generation and Transfer (BARTGaT) who shall also serve as the
16 
Executive Director of the Secretariat of the Council;
17 
3) The Dean, College of Agriculture of the University Council of the
18 
Philippines at Los Banos;
19 
4) The President of the Philippine Association of Agricultural Colleges and
20 
Universities;
21 
5) The Executive Director of the Philippine Council for Agriculture and
22 
Resources Research and Development (PCARRD);
23 
6) One representative of the National Farmers' Organizations and one
24 
representative of the 
National 
NGOs 
involved 
with 
agricultural
25 
technology transfer;
26 
7) Chairperson of each of the RISATGaT Councils;
27 
8) The Director, Bureau of Animal Industry; and
28 
9) The Director, Bureau of Plant Industry; and
29 
10) The Director, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
30 
b) Functions. - The NISATGaT Council shall have the following duties and
31 
functions:


1 
1) Scan the environment of the Philippine agriculture and study new
2 
development and trends where problems and opportunities could arise
3 
and taken advantage of by developing new technologies;
4 
2) Study new technologies in agriculture and related fields and determine
5 
whether these could be advantageously adapted by Filipino farmers,
6 
3) Formulate policies that will encourage and promote the expeditious
7 
generation and transfer of technologies that are most beneficial to the
8 
Filipino people,
9 
4) Prioritize national programs for research, technology generation and
10 
transfer that government should support;
11 
5) Make representation with the Department of Budget and Management
12 
and see to the timely and sufficient allocation of finds for agriculture
13 
research, technology generation and transfer programs as recommended
14 
by NISATGaT, and
15 
6) 
Formulate 
policies 
regarding 
technology, 
protection,
16 
commercialization and dissemination.
17 
Sec. 14. Creation o f the Regional Integrated System for Agriculture Technology
18 
Generation and Transfer Council. -To carry out the regional programs for generation and
19 
transfer of technologies appropriate for each of the regions, a Regional Agricultural
20 
Technology Generation and Transfer (RISATGaT) Council is hereby created in each of the
21 
geographical regions of the country and attached to a chartered regional state university or
22 
college as designated by the MSATGaT Council.
23 
a) Composition. - The RISATGaT Council shall be composed of the following
24 
members whose Chairman shall be elected by its members for a term of three
25 
(3) years and assisted by a Secretariat:
26 
1) The Fleads of the accredited agricultural university(ies) and college(s)
27 
of the region,
28 
2) The Directors/ Fleads of Regional Integrated Agriculture Research
29 
Centers and of other duly recognized agricultural commodity research
30 
and training centers in the region,
31 
3) The Manager/ head of the Regional Outreach Station;
32 
4) The Provincial Agricultural Officers of each province of the region,


1 
5) The President (s) or Chairperson (s) of duly recognized farmers and
2 
non-government organizations involved in the promotion of agriculture
3 
in the region; and
4 
6) The Coordinator of Agriculture Technology Generation and Transfer of
5 
the institution to which the RISATGaT is attached and who shall also
6 
serve as in charge of the Secretariat.
7 
b) Function. - The RISATGaT Council shall have the following duties and
8 
functions:
9 
1. Periodically discuss problems and opportunities for developing
10 
agriculture in the province and plan and cause the implementation of
11 
research, technology generation and transfer programs that will most
12 
effectively address such issues;
13 
2. Coordinate the research, technology generation and technology
14 
transfer activities in the region and see that they are consistent with the
15 
plans and programs approved by the RISATGaT;
16 
3. Determine the priorities for research, technology generation and
17 
transfer that may be implemented in the region and accordingly
18 
recommend financial support by the Government or by any interested
19 
parties;
20 
4. Periodically review on-going research and development projects and
21 
programs and see that they are squarely address their objectives; and
22 
5. Plan and facilitate the transfer of new and appropriate agricultural
23 
technologies to farmers and other end-users in the region.
24 
Sec. 15. Creation o f Provincial Integrated System for Agriculture Technology Transfer
25 
Council. - To effectively transfer agriculture technologies to farmers in the provinces and
26 
municipalities, the Provincial Agriculture Technology Transfer (PATT) Council shall be
27 
established in each of the provinces and attached to the provincial agricultural college
28 
designated by the RISATGaT Council.
29 
a) Composition. - The PATT Council shall be composed of the following
30 
members with the Chairman to be elected from among the members and serve
31 
for three (3) years:
32 
1) The Head(s) of recognized provincial agricultural college(s) or
33 
institute(s)
7


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
2) The Provincial Agricultural Officer (PAO) who shall also serve as 
Coordinator of Technology Transfer and in-charge of the PATT Council 
Secretariat.
3) The Municipal Agricultural Officer of each municipality; and
4) The chairperson(s) of duly recognized farmers and non-government 
organizations involved in agriculture in the province.
b) Functions. - PATT Council shall have the following duties and functions:
1) Periodically discuss problems and opportunities for developing 
agriculture in the province and plan and cause the implementation of 
appropriate technology for transfer to farmers and other local end-users;
2) Coordinate technology transfer activities in the region and see that 
they are consistent with its approved plans and programs;
3) Determine priority technology transfer activities that may be 
implemented in the province and accordingly recommend financial 
support by the local government or by any interested parties;
4) Periodically review on-going technology transfer activities in the 
province and see that they squarely address their objectives; and
5) Plan and facilitate the transfer of new and appropriate agriculture 
technologies to farmers and other end-users in the province.
Sec. 16. Budgetary Scheme. -T h e  budget shall be as follows: -
a) The current appropriations or budgets for agriculture research, technology 
generation and transfer program of the state agencies, institutes and centers 
and local government units and SUCs shall be increased from the present level 
by annual increment of 0.2% of the GVA of the agriculture sector for the next 
ten (10) years as recommended by the NISATGaT Council and approved by the 
Department of Budget and Management and shall be included in the Annual 
General Appropriations Act.
b) This Act hereby allocates an endowment lump sum amount of Fifty million 
pesos (Php 50,000,000.00) per annum for the next ten (10) years and shall be 
included in the General Appropriations Act starting 2020. This fund shall be 
called the Agriculture Technology Generation and Transfer Fund to support high 
priority technology generation and transfer programs of the NISATGaT Council
the RISATGaT Councils and the PATT Councils. Provided, that such find shall be
8


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
invested in government bonds and securities and managed by the NISATGaT 
Council using only the interest earnings of the said kind, 
c) The operations of the Bureau of Agriculture Research, Technology Generation 
and Transfer shall be funded initially from the DA allocation for the operation of 
both its Bureaus of Agricultural Research (BAR) and Agricultural Training 
Institute (ATI) upon the effectivity of this Act, the BAR and ATI shall be replaced 
by the BARTGaT Subsequently, the appropriation of the BARTGaT shall be 
incremented according to the provisions of subsection (a) hereof.
Sec. 18. Incentives for Private Institutions. - Private institutions and organizations 
may avail of the research, technology generation and transfer fund. Provided, That their 
programs are approved for funding by the NISATGaT Council. Furthermore, their 
expenditures for research and development activities shall be eligible for tax exemptions 
Provided, That the information that they derive therefrom are shared with the community 
of researches through scientific publications, seminars, symposia and the like.
Sec. 19. Incentives and Benefits for Technologists and Technicians and Farmers 
Participating in Technology Generation and Transfer.
a) Technologist and technicians involved in research, technology generation and 
transfer shall be paid salaries, at ieast, equal to the teaching staff of the SUCs 
of equivalent academic training and qualifications. They shall also be given 
corresponding incentives and benefits for any patent on products or processes 
that they have developed
b) Farmers who participate in the planning and implementation of technology 
generation and transfer activities or make available certain areas of their farm 
lots or farm facilities for such activities shall be entitled to certain incentives 
and benefits as may be recommended by the supervising Council and approved 
by the Commission on Audit.
Sec. 20. Repealing Clause. - All existing laws, rules and regulations or parts thereof 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.


1
2
3
4
5
6 
7
Sec. 21. Separability Clause. - If any part, section or provision of this Act shall be held 
invalid or unconstitutional, no other part, section or provision hereof shall be affected 
thereby.
Sec 22. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in 
two (2) newspapers of general circulation
Approved,
10