REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

House Bill No: __8350__

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

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Food security, as defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization, is a situation that exists
where “all people have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious
food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy lifestyle at
all times.”

However, challenges in shrinking agricultural lands, degradation of food resource bases,
climate change and reduced food ecosystem and biodiversity in addition with the continued
growth in the country’s population, which is expected to reach around 107 million by the end
of the year, endangers the capacity of the country to ensure food security.

Food insecurity as well as terrorism, and other external challenges present a significant threat
highlights the need for the government to adopt a policy on food security. It is therefore
indispensable for the government to address this problem.

Hence, this measure seeks to create a National Food Security Council that would harmonize
the country's efforts to ensure food staples self-sufficiency and security. It shall harmonize
the programs, functions, and provide a single direction to the NFA, the NIA, the FPA, and the
PCA without effecting changes in their Charters. The Council shall provide the Office of the
President with policy inputs, necessary data and information, based on extensive policy
research, concerning food security and production trends and development.

In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this measure is earnestly sought,

‘Representative
Magdalo Para sa Pilipino Party-List


REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

House Bill No, _ 8350

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

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING THE STATE POLICY ON FOOD PRODUCTION AND
SECURITY, ESTABLISHING THE NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY COUNCIL,
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

SECTION. 1. Creation. — A body to be known as the National Food Security Council
hereinafter referred to as the Council, is hereby created, and attached to the Office of the
President.

SEC. 2. Definition. — For purposes of this Act, food security shall mean “the
availability, at all times, affordable, accessible, healthy and safe food, shared by all and by all
future generations of Filipinos; produced with utmost care and protection of our food
resource base and ecosystems; where food are produced under a policy of utmost support and
where gains from its production are shared foremost by those who till and toil to make
bountiful food possible for our people and others.

SEC. 3. The National Food Security Strategic Development Framework (FSSDF).
— A National Food Security Strategic Development Framework formulated herein referred to
as the Framework, is being formulated to include a concerted and harmonized undertaking of
both government and non-government organizations to ensure the adequate and continuous
supply of rice, corn, grains, and other key food products generated principally from domestic
land- and fishery based agricultural activity distributed at reasonable and affordable prices at
all times, especially in times of calamities and/ or emergencies.

‘Towards this end, the State hereby recognizes all sectors, including national and local
government agricultural and field extension workers, to participate in the sharing of
resources, provide for the planning, marketing and institute marketing and control systems, to
maximize agricultural production with the government providing the technical support,
regulatory and monetary requirements while progressively minimizing its active participation
in roles assigned to the private sector.

SEC. 4. Mandate. ~ The Council shall be the primary body of the Executive Branch
of Government tasked with policy making, planning, regulating and coordinating policies and
directives concerning food and food staples production and all necessary complementary


requirements that will promote food self-sufficiency and security. To carry out this mandate,
the Council shall be guided by the following policies of:

a) Ensuring availability and affordability of food by closely monitoring the
production of food such as but not limited to agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries
and mari-culture, and the like;

Rationalizing the utilization of infrastructure that complement food production
such as irrigation facilities, pre and post-harvest machineries as well as those that
‘support storage/ warehousing and marketing;

Ensuring agricultural productivity by promoting, monitoring and utilizing
environment-friendly production technologies and the development and
application of pest-management methods, including the regulation of inputs for
pest management and control;

‘Affording special support and ensure the economic viability of specific crops or
crop species such as, but not limited to coconuts, taking into consideration their
propagation, rejuvenation, promotion, and marketing;

Rationalizing agriculture extension work and its development in the light of their
role in the State’s over-all food security thrusts and directions;

f) Integrating national and local food security directions and thrusts with the
framework and operational guidelines of the National Convergence Initiative; and,
Ensuring the availability and accessibility of food grains, flour and other food
commodities in the market and to closely monitor and regulate imports for the
same, especially rice and corn.

b)

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SEC. 5. Composition. — To execute the foregoing policy, there is hereby created the
National Food Security Council, hereinafter referred to as the Council. The Council shall
have the overall responsibility for formulating and coordinating a comprehensive program for
the implementation of these policies and objectives. The Council shall be composed of the
following:

Chairman: Secretary, Department of Agriculture (DA)
Members: Secretary, Department of Finance (DOF)
Secretary, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
‘Administrator, National Food Authority (NFA)
Administrator, National Irrigation Authority (NIA)
Executive Director, Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA)
Administrator, Philippine Coconut Authority
President, Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP)
President, Quedan and Rural Credit Guarantee Corporation
(Quedancor)
Chancellor, University of the Philippines — Los Bafios (UPLB)
President, Central Luzon State University (CLSU)
President, Mindanao State University (MSU)
Representative, Consumer Sector
Representative, Grains Sector
Representative, Farmers Sector
Representative, two (2) each from the Senate and the House of
Representatives (Chairs of the Committee on Agriculture and Food and
the Special Committee on Food Security) as Ex-Officio member



‘The representatives of the consumers, grains, and farmers sectors shall be Filipino
citizens, not less than thirty-five (35) years of age, with sufficient education, proven honesty,
integrity, and recognized competence. They shall be appointed by the President of the
Philippines to hold office for a term of four (4) years unless sooner removed for cause or until
its successors have been appointed and qualified.

The Council shall meet regularly at least once a month on any date to be determined
by the Chairman. Provided, that the Chairman may convene special meetings to discuss
matters needing immediate action. The Council members shall be entitled to a per diem for
each meeting actually attended by them and as may be determined by the Council in
accordance with existing policies but not to exceed two (2) meetings per month. The Council
member, in his or her absence, may designate a permanent representative, provided however,
in case of a government official, said representative should at least be a third ranking official
of his/her department or office.

‘The Council shall adopt its own rules and regulations to govern its proceedings. It
shall determine its official location and address and likewise organize a Secretariat to support
its work.

SEC. 6. Powers and Functions. — To carry out its mandate, the Council shall govern
and coordinate the existing tasks and functions of the NFA, the NIA, PCA, and the FPA and
shall effect the harmonization of the mentioned agencies pursuant to Section 3 of this law.

The Council shall have the following functions:

1. To provide the Office of the President with policy inputs necessary data and
information, based on extensive policy research, concerning food security and
production trends and developments;

2. To coordinate with different national and local government agencies and the
private sector in the pursuit of implementing national and local food security
targets and directions within the ambit of the National Food Security Strategic
Development Framework;

3. To formulate and recommend policy and other measures to effect the
implementation of national and local food security policies and initiatives;

4. To strengthen, maximize and extend financial assistance to existing capacity-
building initiatives extended to agricultural extension workers and establish their
linkage and integration with local government units and like agencies;

5. To manage government, non-government and foreign sources of funds necessary
for the implementation of food security programs aside from those already being
implemented by other national government agencies;

6. To harmonize finance and credit facilities for farmers and agricultural workers
such as, but not limited to crop insurance, multi-purpose and emergency loans,
loans for mechanization purposes, and the like; PROVIDED, that such facilities
will be utilized to increase and improve food production;

7. To ensure the sustainability of agricultural productivity in an environmentally-
friendly manner through integrated plant nutrients management and safe crop
protection systems;

8. To develop facilities and develop policy and programs that will extend special
attention and support for the coconut and other palm oil industry in all its aspects
to include the implementation and sustainability of a nationwide coconut planting



and replanting, fertilization and rehabilitation, and other farm productivity
programs;

9. To rationalize and systematize infrastructure support for food security especially
the water requirements in the form of irrigation facilities and managing the same
for provision of services for farmers and farm workers;

10. To extend both financial and non-financial incentives for local government units
that share counterpart resources for the effective implementation food security
initiatives;

11. To regulate and manage food imports specifically, but not limited to, rice
distribution and supply;

12. To regularly report to Congress the status of the Council’s implementation and
operations necessary including, but not limited to, all aspects of its operations and
programs and project implementation, financial status and other relevant data as
reflected by the basic reform indicator.

SEC. 7. Creation of a Congressional Oversight Committee in the Senate and House
of Representatives. — There is hereby created a Congressional Committee in both house of
Congress to monitor the implementation of this Act.

SEC. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations, ~ The Council shall formulate the
implementing rules and regulations within 60 days from the enactment of this law.

SEC. 9. Funding. ~ Upon enactment of this law, the current and available funds of
the NFA, NIA, PCA, and FPA shall be used for the operations of the Council, subject to
existing accounting and auditing laws and procedures. Furthermore, the Office of the
President shall include in its yearly budget the funds necessary for the operation of the
Council.

SEC. 10. Transitory Provision. — The personnel and assets of the NFA, NIA, PCA,
and FPA are hereby retained and transferred to the Council to ensure the efficient and
uninterrupted implementation of the programs and projects of the NFSC.

All regular or permanent employees who shall be affected by the executive order shall
not suffer any loss of seniority or rank or decrease in emoluments.

SEC. 11. Repealing Clause. ~ All presidential acts, letters of instruction, executive
orders, rules and regulations, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of
this Executive Order, are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SEC. 12. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days from its
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,