EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE —)

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES J
First Regular Session )
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H.B.No,__4939

Introduced by Rep. Vilma Santos-Recto
6th District of Batangas

AN ACT
DESIGNATING THE SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
AS CHAIRPERSON OF THE NATIONAL FOOD AUTHORITY COUNCIL

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘The National Grains Authority was created under Presidential Decree (PD) No. 4, s.
1972 and became the National Food Authority (NFA) through PD No. 1770, s. 1981. Its
mandate is to ensure national food security and stabilize supply and prices of staple cereals
both in the farm and consumer levels. By virtue of Executive Order (EO) No. 398, s. 1997,
NFA shall intervene in the stabilization of sugar prices, including the procurement of sugar
when necessary. Furthermore, EO No. 22, s. 1998 authorized NFA to include in its scope the
marketing operation of other basic food items.

In 2014, EO No. 165 transferred the NFA together with National Irrigation
Administration (NIA), Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), and Fertilizer and Pesticide
Authority (FPA) to the Office of the President. Furthermore, Memorandum Order No. 70, s.
2014 provided oversight responsibilities over the aforesaid agencies to the Presidential
Assistant for Food Security and Agricultural Modernization (OPAFSAM). Pursuant to EO
No. 1, s. 2016, NFA, together with eleven (11) other agencies from OPAFSAM, were
subsequently transferred to the Office of the Cabinet Secretary.

Notwithstanding the adoption of EO 62, s. 2018 which transferred the NFA along
with PCA and FPA to the Department of Agriculture’s supervision to ensure efficiency and
coordination in the performance of their respective mandates, it is better that a positive

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legislative action is enacted to give this measure a more permanent character, thus, not

dependent upon the impulse of the President.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passag

VILMA SANTOS-RECTO


ear ane one

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
4539

H.B. No.

Introduced by Rep. Vilma Santos-Recto
6th District of Batangas

AN ACT
DESIGNATING THE SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
AS CHAIRPERSON OF THE NATIONAL FOOD AUTHORITY COUNCIL

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

Section 1. Section 6 of Presidential Decree No. 1770, s. 1981 is hereby amended to
read as follows:
“Section 6. Composition of the National Food Authority Council. - The
Council shall be composed of the following:
[Phe Minister of Human Settlements]
‘The Administrator, National Food Authority
The [Minister] SECRETARY of Agriculture
‘The [Minister] SECRETARY of Finance
‘The [Minister] SECRETARY of TRADE AND Industry
Phe Miniter of Frade]
THE SECRETARY OF NATIONAL ECONOMIC AND
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF OFFICE OF THE
PRESIDENT
‘The Governor, [Central Bank of the Philippines] BANGKO SENTRAL
NG PILIPINAS
The [Chairman] CHAIRPERSON, Development Bank of the
Philippines
[Fhe President; Philippine National Bank]

The President, Land Bank of the Philippines
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A Representative of the Office of the President
A FARMER SECTOR REPRESENTATIVE
‘The [Chairman] CHAIRPERSON shall be the [Minister of Human
Settlements] SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE and the Vice-[Chaisman]
CHAIRPERSON shall be the Administrator of the National Food Authority.
The Administrator of the National Food Authority shall be appointed by the
President of the Republic of the Philippines.
XXX.”
Sec. 2. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations which are
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
Sec. 3. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation or in the Official Gazette.
Approved,