Kia uN .

hy
/e RECEIVED "2

Republic of the Philippines S
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2 DA TEP. 0 5 2022 2
Quezon City, Metro Manila xT IME: Tm £
NINETEENTH CONGRESS <, co BY: PY
First Regular Session . Ks &
SINDEXZ
HOUSE BILL Ni 441 8

Introduced by Representative Ivan Howard A. Guintu

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Section 5, Article XIII of the 1987 Constitution provides that the State “shall provide
support to agriculture through appropriate technology and research, and adequate financial,
production, marketing, and other support services.”

The Philippines is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including sea
level rise, increased frequency of extreme weather events, rising temperatures, and extreme
rainfall. This is due to its high exposure to natural hazards, dependence on climate-sensitive
natural resources, and vast coastlines where all of its major cities and the majority of the
population reside.' In fact, the Philippines ranked 8th in the 2021 World Risk Index with a
score of 21.392 The WRI is a statistical model for assessing the global risk of disasters that
arise directly from extreme natural events such as earthquakes, storms, floods, droughts or sea
level rise.

‘The severe impacts of climate change in the country pose a huge threat to the agriculture
sector and consequently, food security if not addressed urgently. It has already caused
devastating damage to the agriculture sector. According to the World Food Programme, the
Philippines incurred Php 290 billion in damages due to extreme weather events over the past
decade to the agriculture sector.‘

To address the effects of climate change in the agriculture sector, the government
through the Department of Agriculture must capitalize on the fast-paced development of new

1 Philippines: At a Glance. Climatelinks. https://www.climatelinks.org/countries/philippines

2 World Risk Report 2021. Bindnis Entwicklung Hilft Ruhr University Bochum — Institute for Intemational Law
of Peace and Conflict 2021

3 FF2021-20: World Risk Index 2020. Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department House of
Representatives __hitps://epbrd.congress.gov.ph/2012-06-30-13-06-51/2012-06-30-13-36-50/1306-f12021-20-
world-risk-index-2020

* WEP study provides first-ever look at the links between climate change and food security in the Philippines.
World Food Programme. November 12, 2021. https://www.wfp.org/news/wip-study-provides-first-ever-look-
links-between-climate-change-and-food-security-
philippinest:~:text=Vet%2C%20the%20impact%2001%20climate,caused%20t0%20the%20agriculture%420sect
or.



and modem technology to come up with practices and innovations that are adaptive to climate
change.

Thus, this bill seeks to establish the use of crop climate calendars throughout the
Philippines that are tailor-made for each specific locality or community. It also seeks to provide
regular training and capacity-building for farmers in the practice of climate-sensitive decision-
making. Furthermore, it mandates the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical
Services Administration (PAGASA) to provide regular and up-to-date localized weather and
climate information to agriculturist’s offices of local government units and directly to the
farmers.

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

~ GUINTU
[UNO Partylist


Republic of the Phi
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

4418

HOUSE BILL Nt

Introduced by Representative Ivan Howard A. Guintu

AN ACT
ENHANCING THE RESILIENCY AND ADAPTABILITY OF FARMERS TO.
ADVERSE WEATHER AND CLIMATE EVENTS BY INSTITUTIONALIZING THE
USE OF CROP CLIMATE CALENDARS, EQUIPPING FARMERS FOR CLIMATE-
SENSITIVE DECISION-MAKING, AND PROVIDING ACCESS TO LOCALIZED
WEATHER AND CLIMATE INFORMATION

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “Climate-Resilient
Agriculture Act.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — In recognition of the importance of agriculture in the
country’s economic development, the State shall enhance the resiliency and adaptability of the
sector against the adverse effects of weather disturbances and climate change that endanger
productivity levels and harvest yield. Climate resiliency shall be a priority government
intervention for the agriculture sector.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. — As used in this Act, the following terms shall be defined
as follows:

a. Crop climate calendar refers to a visual tool that presents the phenology and cultivation
practices of a crop against the timeline of the cropping season, containing information
on the weather and climate states that occur in the locality and the risks faced by the
crop per growing stage in relation to these;

'b. Climate-sensitive decision refers to decisions that hinge on weather and climate states,
with final outcomes and even decision alternatives which are varying depending on the
prevailing weather phenomena; and


¢. Localized weather and climate information refers to information on weather and
climate phenomena that are particularized down to the city or municipal level.

SEC. 4, Crop Climate Calendars. — The Department of Agriculture (DA) shall
establish and promote the use of crop climate calendars throughout the Philippines. In
coordination with municipal, city and provincial agriculturists, the DA shall implement a
continuing program for all farmers and farmer’s organizations to formulate, use, and interpret
crop climate calendars that are tailor-made for each specific locality or community. These crop
climate calendars shall be distributed free-of-charge to all farmers and farmer’s organizations
and be made available online.

SEC. 5. Climate-Sensitive Decision-Making. — The DA, through the Agricultural
Training Institute (ATI), shall provide regular appropriate training and capacity-building for
farmers and farmer’s organizations in the practice of climate-sensitive decision-making and the
use of relevant tools and applications. The ATI shall formulate and develop clear, concise and
easily understandable charts, tables, diagrams, briefers, and similar documents on climate-
sensitive decision-making for distribution to farmers and farmers’ organizations.

SEC. 6. Localized Weather and Climate Information. — The Philippine Atmospheric,
Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) shall provide regular and
up-to-date localized weather and climate information to city, municipal and provincial
agriculturist’s offices and directly to the farmers themselves through all available means of
communication and information dissemination including internet, social media, television and
radio. This information shall be written in simple English, Filipino and other regional language
or dialect as necessary and must be presented in a clear, concise and easily understandable
form.

SEC. 7. Appropriations. — The amount necessary for the implementation of this Act
shall be included in the annual General Appropriations for the year following its enactment
into law and thereafter.

SEC. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. ~ Within sixty (60) days from the
effectivity of this Act, the DA and PAGASA, in coordination with other relevant government
agencies, farmers’ organizations and stakeholders, shall issue the necessary rules and
regulations to implement the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 9. Repeating Clause. — All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders,
proclamations, rules and regulations, or any part thereof, which are inconsistent with the
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 10. Separability Clause. ~ If any provision or part of this Act, or the application
thereof to any person or circumstance, is held unconstitutional or invalid, the remainder of this
Act shall not be affected thereby.


SEC. 11. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from its
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,