Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House aittNo. 42.3.4

Introduced by Representatives Walden F. Bello (AKBAYAN), Mark Landro L. Mendoza
{a® District, Batangas), Irvin M. Alcala (2™ District, Quezon), Tomas B. Apacible {1*
District, Batangas}, Salvador H. Escudero it (1* District, Sorsogon}, Cresente C. Paez
(COOP NATCCO}, Cesar V. Sarmiento (Lone District, Catanduanes}, Bernardo M.
Vergara (Lone District, Baguio City}, Ronald M. Cosalan (Lone District, Benguet), Teddy
Brawner Baguilat, Jr. (Lone District, Ifugao}, Pryde Henry A. Teves (3™ District, Negros
Oriental) and Kaka J. Bag-ao (AKBAYAN)

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Irrigation is a vital input to agricultural production. It is essential to maximizing land
Productivity and improving farmers’ incomes. Data from the Bureau of Agricultural
Statistics indicate that palay yield per hectare in irrigated lands is at 4.21 metric tons per
hectare. This is 43 % higher than the yield per hectare in non-irrigated which is at 2.93
metric tons per hectare. Similarly the average net income of a rice farmer planting in
irrigated lands is at PHP 14,063 per hectare, per season. On the other hand, a rice
farmer tilling non-irrigated Jands only earns an average net income of Php 8,447 per
hectare, per season,

Unfortunately, despite the proven significance of appropriate irrigation systems
increasing farm output and farmers’ income, government has yet to decisively act
towards ensuring that every agricultural producer has ready access to irrigation facilities
and services. At present, only 45.89 per cent of total agricultural lands have irrigation
facilities.

In 1992, Congress passed Republic Act 6978 providing for the accelerated program for
the construction of irrigation projects. However, government has yet to implement the
said law. This bill seeks to amend and build on RA 6978 by ensuring that there is a
definite mechanism, process, as well as resources to ensure the establishment of
irrigation facilities in all agricultural lands under a Ten Year Full Irrigation Masterplan.
The bill also emphasizes the role of farmers’ groups and organization in developing and
monitoring the said master plan,

The urgency of improving the country’s irrigation facilities is at no time more urgent
than today. Extreme weather conditions, such as prolonged droughts, are expected to
be more prevalent because of climate change. Improving the country’s irrigation
systems, facilities and services is an important strategy in building farmers’ resilience to
climate change, while helping them improve productivity and incomes.

In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.


Walden F. Bello Mark Llandro L. Mendoza-
{AKBAYAN) (4™ District, Batangas)
bMealh — 7b
fomas W. ppeibe Salvador H. Escudero Ill
(1 District, Batangas) (1 District, Sorsogon),
Sm ps BS
Cesar V. Sarmiento Bernardo M. Vergara ald M. Cosalan >
istri {Lone District, Baguio City) (e District, Benguet}

7
Pryde Henry A. Teves kaka J cS
(3 District, Negros | taxdavan)

Oriental}


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bi NO. 4251

Introduced by Representatives Walden F. Bella (AKBAYAN), Mark Liandro L Mendoza
(4" District, Batangas}, Irvin M. Alcala (2 District, Quezon), Tomas B. Apacible (1°
District, Batangas), Salvador H. Escudero Ill (1% District, Sorsogon), Cresente C. Paez
(COOP NATCCO), Cesar V. Sarmiento (Lone District, Catanduanes), Bernardo M.
Vergara (Lone District, Baguio City), Ronald M. Cosalan (Lone District, Benguet), Teddy
Brawner Baguilat, Jv, (Lone District, Ifugao}, Pryde Henry A. Teves (3” District, Negros
Oriental) and Kaka J. Bag-ao (AKBAYAN)

AN ACT
TO PROMOTE RURAL DEVELOPMENT BY PROVIDING FOR AN
ACCELERATED PROGRAM WITHIN A SIX-YEAR PERIOD FOR THE
CONSTRUCTION OF IRRIGATION PROJECTS

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

SECTION 1. Declaration of Poticy. — it is the policy of the State to help maximize
the potential of the country’s limited land resource, help farmers cope with extreme
weather changes brought about by climate change and improve farmers’ productivity
and incomes by ensuring that all of the country’s agricutturat lands are covered and
serviced by appropriate and fully operational irrigation systems and facilities.

SECTION 2. Mandate. - The National Irrigation Administration shall undertake a
six-year program for the construction of irrigation projects in the remaining 1.5 million
hectares of unirrigated but irrigable lands, whether in the lowlands or in the uplands,
including other related project components nationwide. The program shall give priority
to areas with social and economic problems, taking into consideration population, area
served, project cost and other economic and environmental factors as may be deemed
necessary in undertaking the program within the context of the national development
plans. The National irrigation Administration, in consultation with the provincial and
municipal development councils, shall determine the areas which shall be given priority.

SECTION 3.- Regular updating of inventory of irrigation facilities and creation
of @ National irrigation Database - The Nationat Irrigation Authority shall regularly
update its inventory of all irrigation systems and facilities and maintain a publicly
accessible National Irrigation Oatabase. The database shaif include municipal, provincial,
regional and national information on the following:

* Status of irrigation systems, including the area covered as wel! as the type
of existing irrigation facilities;
= Irrigation balances;


ies for rehabilitation.

* Listing of irrigation fat

The taventory shall include an accomplishment report on the implementation of the
accelerated ten-year irrigation program mandated under Republic Act No. 6978
otherwise known as the “AN ACT TO PROMOTE RURAL DEVELOPMENT BY PROVIDING FOR AN
ACCELERATED PROGRAM WITHIN A TEN-YEAR PERIOD FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF IRRIGATION
PROJECTS.”

SECTION 4. Third party validation. — The results of the inventory shall be
validated by at least two local farmers’ organizations operating within each province.

SECTION 5. Establishment of a Full Irrigation Task Force. — A special task force,
from hereon referred to as the Task Force, shall be created to formulate a Six-Year Full
{srigation Master Plan, based on the results of the inventory of irrigation facilities as well
as results of the assessment of the status of implementation of the accelerated ten year
irrigation plan provided in Republic Act No. 6978.

The Task Force shall be headed by the National Irrigation Agency, and shall be
composed of the following:

1. Secretary of the Department of Agriculture

2. Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management

3. Secretary of the Department of Agrarian Reform

4. Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
5. Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology

6. Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government

7. Arepresentative of the Irrigators’ Association

8. Arepresentative each from three (3) national farmers’ organization

The Secretaries of the above-mentioned agencies may appoint their duly authorized
representative to sit in the Task Force.

The President of the Philippines, in consultation with the Department of Agriculture,
shall appoint the representatives of the national farmers’ organizations in the Task
Force. The Department of Agriculture shall consult farmer organization members of the
National Agricultural Fisheries Council in identifying representatives of the national
farmers’ organizations that should sit in the Task Force.

SECTION 6. Functions and mandate of the Task Force. - The Task Force shalt
undertake the following functions:

1. Review and recommend policies on the maintenance and rehabilitation of
irrigation facilities as well as the financial and transfer arrangements of
irrigation facilities to the Irrigators’ Association and other qualified farmers’
organizations. The review process shall include local and national consultations
with farmers groups and other affected stakeholders.

2. Create a Ten Year Full Irrigation Masterplan, hereon referred to as the irrigation
Master Plan, which shall establish government's annual irrigation target and the
corresponding budget requirement, consistent with the provision of RA 6978,
with the end in view of irrigating all agricultural lands and building farmers’
resilience to droughts and rising atmospheric temperatures as a result of
climate change, within a period of ten years upon the passage and
implementation of this Act.


The Master Plan, which will be implemented by NIA, shall include targets for
rehabilitation of existing irrigation facilities and the installation of new irrigation
systems per region, including in upland areas. It shall also identify the types of
istigation facilities appropriate for each province, in consultation with farmers’
organizations in the focality.

3. Exercise of oversight function over the implementation of the Ten Year Full
Irrigation Masterplan,

SECTION 7. Appropriations. - Such sums as may be necessary for the
implementation of this Act, including the conduct of the inventory of the and the
operations of the Task Force, shal be taken from any available appropriations of the
National Irrigation Administration under the current General Appropriations Act.
Thereafter, the succeeding appropriations for its continued implementation shall be
included in the annual General Appropriations Act until the program shall have been
completed.

SECTION 8. Separability Clause. ~ If, for any reason, any section or provision of
this Act is held unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof shalt
not be affected thereby and shall continue to be in full force and effect.

SECTION 9. Repeating Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and
regulations, or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 10. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or at least two (2) national newspapers of general

circulation.

Approved,