Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 1919

Introduced by Representatives
DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL ARROYO and GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE SMALL RUMINANTS CENTER
EXPLANATORY NOTE

Goat, sheep and other small ruminants perform an important part in our country's
agricultural development. They are reared widely in small farm systems which form the
pivot of traditional agriculture. They produce meat, milk, fiber and hides which if
developed, can be a main source of income for the farmers. They also perform a
variety of miscellaneous functions such as dung production which can be used as
‘organic fertilizer or as fuel for biomass energy.

The fact remains, however, that despite their wide importance and apparent
advantages, small ruminants have not been accorded adequate attention, compared,
for example, to cattle development. Inadequate emphasis and development are
reflected in the lack of goat and sheep breeding and propagation. It is therefore
important to consider the opportunities for further development of small ruminants in
order to maximize their potential of becoming an important segment in our agricultural
development.

This is exactly what this Bill envisions to do. Thus, its approval is earnestly
sought.

DIOSDADO PAGAL ARROYO GLORIA WACAPAGAL ARROYO
Second District, Camarines Sur Second District, Pampanga


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 1910

Introduced by Representatives
DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL ARROYO and GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE SMALL RUMINANTS CENTER

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 Philippine Small
Ruminants Act of 2013.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared to be the policy of
the State to:

a. Conserve, improve and develop the Philippine goat,
sheep and other small ruminants as sources of animal milk, meat
and fiber;

b. Enable the farmers, particularly smallholder farmers,

to avail themselves of good quality goat and sheep stocks at all
times and at reasonable prices through an organized program of
breeding and development;

c. Increase the local supply of meat, milk and fiber from
goats, sheep and other small ruminants; and

d. Encourage backyard goat, sheep and other small
ruminants development in rural areas by raising goat and sheep


which are good milk and meat producers so as to reduce
importation of milk and milk by-products.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. — As used in this Act, the following terms
‘shall be construed to mean as follows:

a. __ Crossbred — refers to the offspring of two (2) purebred
animals;

b. Performance Testing - refers to the systematic
selection of the best animal from a population raised under the
same environment. The basic consideration is its genetic potential;

c. _ Philippine Small Ruminant Center — refers to the
Philippine Small Ruminant Center with the National Center based in
the Central Luzon State University;

d. Research Network — refers to the Philippine Council
for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and
Development (PCARRD), Department of Agriculture and private
organization conducting researches geared towards developing
technology that will increase productivity of smallholder farmers;

e. _ Smallholder Farmers — are basically farmers owning
below twenty (20) heads of goats or sheep;

in Small Ruminants — refers to any hooved animal
belonging to the division of Artiodactyla having four stomachs, such
as but not limited to, goat and sheep;

g. Upgraded — refers to the offspring of a cross between
a native stock and an exotic breed of animal.

SECTION 4. Creation of the Philippine Small Ruminant Center. - The
Philippine Small Ruminant Center is hereby created with the National Center
based in the Central Luzon State University and with satellite centers in the other
goat and sheep centers in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The center in Luzon
shall be the Central Luzon State University (CLSU) in Nueva Ecija. The center in
Visayas shall be the Visayas State University (VSU) in Leyte. The center in
Mindanao shall be the DA-Bagalupa Stock Farm in Zamboanga del Sur.

SECTION 5. Scope. — The activities of the Philippine Small Ruminant
Center encompass all research and development efforts in all disciplines that
lead to the improvement of the over-all productivity of the Philippine goat and
sheep. In addition, research efforts to increase the annual population growth rate
of small ruminants to meet existing and future demand shall be pursued


SECTION 6. Priorities. - The following shall be the priority areas of the
Philippine Small Ruminants Center and such other priorities or programs that the
Board shall formulate:

a. Research and development efforts in the areas of
biotechnology, breeding, nutrition, reproduction, animal health and
product development utilization, socioeconomics, technology
promotion and environmental impact shall take priority. Research
activities geared towards development of appropriate technologies
shall be the primary concern. These technologies are those that
would increase productivity of the goat and sheep in a cost
effective, simple and practical manner. Socio-economic researches
shall be undertaken hand in hand with the development of the
technologies to ensure economic appropriateness and acceptance
of the technology by farmers;

b. Development of goat and sheep with improved
performance as milk-meat animals shall be the main focus in
breeding;

c. Development of feeding systems for backyard and

semi-commercial production, nutrition, improving reproductive
efficiency, physiology and schemes to reduce losses by parasites
and diseases shall likewise receive priority. Emphasis shall be put
on technology transfer on the developed appropriate technologies;
and

d. Development for dairy, meat, fiber and hide
production for domestic and/or export market.

SECTION 7. Philippine Small Ruminant Center Board. - The Board shall
formulate policies and oversee the implementation of the Philippine Small
Ruminant Center, in consonance with the National Research and Development
policies. The Philippine Small Ruminant Center Board shall be composed of the
following:

1 President of the Central Luzon State University
(CLSU);

2. Directors of Department of Agriculture - Bureau of
Animal Industry/Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAI/BAR);

3. Executive Director of the Livestock Development
Council;


4. Executive Director of the Philippine Council for
Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and
Development (PCARRD);

5. Farmers representative; and

6. Executive Director of the Philippine Small Ruminant
Center.

The CLSU President shall be the Chairperson, the Director of DA-BAI
shall be the Vice-Chair, while the Executive Director of the Philippine Small
Ruminant Center shall serve as the Ex-Officio Secretary.

SECTION 8. Implementation and Coordination of the Program of the CLSU.
— The Philippine Small Ruminant Center Board shall be tasked to coordinate and
monitor the implementation of all program relative to small ruminants. It shall
identify, through the Department of Agriculture, the Director of the Philippine
Small Ruminant Center and Project Leaders from various implementing stations
of the research and development projects in the areas of breeding, nutrition,
animal health, reproductive physiology, socio-economics, techno-transfer,
product development and utilization and environmental impact assessment. It
shall formulate strategies concerning performance testing of bucks and rams,
multiplication and distribution of elite germplasm purebreds, crossbreds and
native bucks and rams.

The CLSU in Nueva Ecija shall be the Philippine Small Ruminant National
Center which specializes in the development of breeding system of the goat,
sheep and other small ruminants of smallholder farmers with exotic breeds and
shall specialize in the breeding of purebred small ruminants and its crossbreds
and generation of technology on goat dairying and sheep fiber. Furthermore, the
center shall specialize in the development of technology on nutrition,
reproductive physiology, animal heath, product development and utilization,
socio-economics and techno- transfer.

The other centers shall take responsibility of the regional research needs
and spearhead implementation of development activities in their respective
geographical area of responsibility. It shall include field testing and verification of
technologies developed by the national center.

SECTION 9. Farmers Participation. - The farmer cooperators shall be
encouraged to strengthen existing farmers’ cooperatives or establish strong
farmers association to serve as focal point for government assistance, production
and multiplication of upgraded small ruminants and on the dissemination of new
knowledge on goat dairying and fiber production from sheep


SEcTION 10. Funding. — To fund the Philippine Small Ruminant Center, the
amount of Twenty Million Pesos (PhP20,000,000.00) shall be appropriated by the
Department of Budget and Management from the unexpended balance of the
National Treasury and thereafter, shall be included in the General Appropriations
Act. The salaries of permanent staff and maintenance and operating budget
shall be appropriated and released directly to the various agencies of the
Philippine Small Ruminant Center Network, in accordance with the approved
program of activities.

‘Any income derived from the sale of goats, sheep and other small
ruminants shall be placed in a revolving fund to be used in the propagation and
distribution of goats, sheep and other small ruminants.

SecTION 11. Repealing Clause. - All provisions of law, presidential
decrees or issuances, orders, including rules and regulations inconsistent
herewith are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 12. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15)

days following the completion of its publication in the Official Gazette or in at
least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,