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Republic of the Philippines

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Firs Ss
rst Regular Session.
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House Bill No.

Introduced by Congressman Alfred Vargas

EXPLANATORY NOTE

According to the Food and Fertilizer Technology Center for the Asian and
Pacific Region, the average age of farmers in the Philippines is pegged at 57 years
old, Assuming an average life span of 70, a shortage of farmers is expected in 15
years, It is said that the Filipino youth tend to turn away from the agricultural
profession because of the level of difficulty and the supposedly low income
associated with farming. Moreover, the average level of education of a farmer is
primary level only. This makes Filipino farmers less receptive to new farming
technologies that can boost the industry. This poses a threat to food security in the
country.

This bill seeks to attract the Filipino youth to the agriculture profession by
creating a scholarship program for agriculture students. It also provides graduates
with support mechanisms to pursue agri-entrepreneurship.

Through this initiative, we are not only ensuring that the new generation of
Filipinos will have food on their tables but also secures the future of the Philippine
agriculture industry.

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

ALFRED VARGAS,



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
3 Q98

ve

House Bill No.

Introduced by Congressman Alfred Vargas

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING THE YOUNG FARMERS PROGRAM, PROVIDING FUNDS.
THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Title, - This Act shall be known as the “Young Farmers Program
Act of 2016.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the
State to imbue among the Filipino youth a new perspective on farming and fishing,
to provide them career guidance, to equip them with entrepreneurial skills and to
maximize their learning from school-to-work opportunities in the university's
academic, research and extension activities, thus, inspiring and making them
productive partners in the development of the country’s agriculture and fishery
sector.

SECTION 3. Statement of Objectives. - This Act shall have the following
objectives:

a. To attract incoming college students to choose and complete a
field in agriculture and fishery as a college course;

b. To prepare career options for students and graduates of
agriculture and fishery courses;

0 involve agriculture and fishery students in the extension work
of the university; and

d, To support students, graduates and out-of-school youth with the
academic background in agriculture and fisheries in their
entrepreneurial pursuits in agribusiness,

SECTION 4, Definition of Terms. - The following terms shall be defined under
this Act as follows:


a, “Program” refers to the Young Farmers Program or YFP as
established under this Act;

b. “Young Farmers’ refers to:

1

inrollees of state universities and colleges (SUCs) with a
commitment to finish a college, diploma or certificate
program in agriculture and fisheries under a socialized tuition
fee scheme of the Young Farmers Program;

2. Bachelor degree, diploma or certificate course graduates of
any agriculture and fishery courses of SUCs and private
colleges and universities enlisted by the Commission on
Higher Education (CHED)-National Agriculture and Fisheries
System (NAFES) as members of the Young Farmers Program;
and

3, Out-of-school youth who finished at least two years of college
education in agriculture and fisheries and are enlisted by the
NAFES-SUCs as members of the YFP.

c The National Agriculture and Fisheries Education System
(NAFES) refers to the integrated system of agriculture and fishery
education covering both public and private institutions in all
three levels of education chaired by the Commission on Higher
Education and created by the Agriculture and Fisheries
Modernization Act of 1997.

SECTION 5. Implementation of the Program. - The Extension Offices of the
members of the National Agriculture and Fisheries System are hereby mandated to
implement the Young Farmers Program.

The NAFES Committee shall oversee and monitor the implementation of the
Program, It shall likewise promulgate the rules and regulations, implement, and
adopt procedures and guidelines to effectively carry out the Program.

SECTION 6. Role of LGUs. - The LGUs shall endeavor to support the Program
through additional counterpart funding assistance. The Municipal Agriculture Office
(MAO) shall identify farms or fish farms in need of assistance to become the field
laboratory of currently enrolled Young Farmers in case they have not yet chosen
laboratories of their own.

SECTION 7. Role of SUCs and Private Education Institutions. - The NAFES-
SUCs shall:

a, Establish a Young Farmers Organization (YFO) out of their
respective agriculture and fishery enrollees;


b. Create a socialized tuition fee scheme for agriculture and fishery
enrollees;

©. Trace graduates and those who finished at least two years of their
respective agriculture and fishery programs and invite them to
become members of the university/college YFO;

d. Conceptualize and implement an extension partnership with the
Provincial Agricultural Offices;

e. Conceptualize a career path for the young farmers as agriculture
and fishery entrepreneurs, support their start-up agri-businesses
and forge a contract of service with them stipulating their
assistance to small farmers and fisher folks in exchange of
government support.

SECTION 8. Funding, - The sum of FIFTY MILLION PESOS (P50,000,000.00)
is hereby appropriated out of any savings or unexpended balance in the National
Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to cover the amounts needed for the initial
year of implementation of this Act. Thereafter, such amount as shall be needed for
the Program shall be included in the budget of the SUCs. Amounts needed by the
CHED for the management of the program and those of the requirements of private
colleges and universities for scholarships shall be released to the CHED-NAFES, All
funds currently being appropriated for the Young Farmers Program in the
Department of Agriculture shall be transferred to CHED-NAFES. Moreover, the
CHED-NAFES and the Agricultural Competitive Enhancement Fund (ACEF) National
Committee shall develop a rationalization scheme to allot a portion of ACEF from
both the seed fund as well as from repayments of loans to the Young Farmers
Program, The scholarship of students in private colleges and universities shall be
given in the form of vouchers

SECTION 9. Separability Clause, - If any provision or part hereof, is held
invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise
affected shall remain valid and subsisting,

SECTION 10. Repealing Clause, - Any law, presidential decree or issuance,
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation
contrary to or inconsistent with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed,
modified, or amended accordingly.

SECTION 11. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect thirty (30) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of
general circulation.

Approved,