Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. ______ 
Introduced by Rep. MARIO VITTORIO “MARVEY” A. MARIÑO 
5th District, Batangas 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution recognizes the right of farmers to receive a just share of the fruits of 
their labor. It is unfortunate that in this day and age of trade globalization, the welfare of 
the people who grow or raise our food has been neglected. We talk about raising production, 
consumer protection, importing shortfalls, raising or lowering tariffs, mechanization and 
the use of technology in farming, livestock growing or aquaculture but never about the 
plight of the simple farmer, grower, raiser who are the backbone of our food producing 
sector. 
Our rice farmers have been plagued by losses brought about allegedly by the Rice 
Tariffication Law. Whatever the reason may be, the prevailing market price for their rice 
produce simply was not enough to cover the time, effort and expenses to raise their crops. 
There have also been reports about vegetable farmers in Ifugao, who decided to let their 
crops rot instead of going through the hassle and expense of bringing their crops down from 
the mountains to the market, to be sold at nearly giveaway prices. Recently, a SRP has 
been imposed on meat and vegetable products to protect consumers. But who protects the 
supply side of the equation?  
It is also a fact that our economy has suffered a severe downturn brought about by the 
COVID 19 pandemic. Industries will take time to retool and rebuild but while we wait for 
our industries to catch up or resume normal production, economic experts point at the 
agricultural or food producing sectors as one of the sectors that could help bring our 
economy back up. It is however hard to entice farmers and food producers to work the land 
if it does not prove to be income generating. 
This proposed measure of authorizing the Department of Agriculture to regulate FARM 
GATE PRICES of agricultural produce, livestock, fisheries and aquaculture products will 
ensure that our farmers, growers, fisherfolk, all the people responsible for raising, catching 
or growing our food are assured of their just return for the time, effort and expense they 
have incurred.  
The approval of this measure is earnestly requested. 
MARIO VITTORIO “MARVEY” A. MARIÑO 
July 1, 2022 
12:25 pm
912


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. ______ 
Introduced by Rep. MARIO VITTORIO “MARVEY” A. MARIÑO 
5th District, Batangas 
AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
TO REGULATE FARM GATE PRICES FOR AGRICULTURAL AND 
FISHERIES PRODUCTS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES  
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
Section 1. Short Title. Farm Gate Price Regulation Act of 2021 
Section 2. Declaration of Policy. The State shall protect the right of 
farmers, the fisherfolk, livestock raisers and other sectors involved in food 
production to receive a just share of the fruits of their labor. The State shall 
therefore come up with a program that ensures the profitability of the food 
production sector.  
Section 3. Definition of Terms. For the purposes of this Act, the following 
are hereby defined as follows: 
a. Agricultural Products refer to unprocessed food derived from
cultivated plants or animals to sustain or enhance human life.
Agricultural produce shall also refer to unprocessed food derived
from the following activities:
1. Agriculture: cultivating soil; planting; raising, and harvesting
crops; rearing, feeding, and managing animals
2. Aquaculture: raising private aquatic animals (fish)
3. Horticulture: growing fruits, vegetables, and plants
b. Fisheries Products refer to unprocessed food derived from the activity
of catching fish and other living organisms from the wild.
c. Farm Gate Price refers to the prices received by farmers for their
produce at the location of “farm” or first point of sale. Transportation
and marketing costs not included in farm gate prices.
Section 4. The Department of Agriculture is authorized to regulate 
farm gate prices of agricultural and fisheries products, as defined in 
Section 3 of this Act and shall therefore establish a Standard Farm Gate 
912


Price index. The Standard Farm Gate Price index shall continuously 
undergo seasonal review and appropriate changes made, taking into 
account the time, effort and resources, market conditions and other 
economic indicators so as to ensure profitability will accrue to the benefit 
of our food producers. 
 
Section 5. The Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards of the 
Department of Agriculture shall come up with qualitative, quantitative 
and other related standards which shall serve as the baseline for 
determining the Standard Farm Gate Price for agricultural and 
fisheries produce.   
 
Section 6. The Department of Agriculture shall strengthen its Market 
Linkages program in support of this Act to ensure that the farmers, 
fisherfolk, livestock raisers and other member of the food producing 
sector has an outlet for their products as well as ensure the compatibility 
of supply versus demand. 
 
Section 7. Implementing Rules. – Within ninety (90) days from 
effectivity of this Act, the Department of Agriculture shall promulgate 
the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of 
this Act. 
 
Section 8. Repealing Clauses. – All laws, executive orders, letters of 
instructions, rules and regulations and other issuances, or provision thereof, 
which are inconsistent with the of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or 
modified accordingly. 
 
Section 9. Separability Clause. – The provisions of this Act are hereby 
declared separable. If any provision or portion thereof shall be held invalid 
or unconstitutional, the other provisions will remain in full force and effect. 
 
Section 10. Effectivity – This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days 
following its publication in two (2) national newspaper of general circulation, 
or in the Official Gazette, whichever comes first. 
  
Approved.