EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
.•.-rvv
SENATE
'19 
J'JL 29 P3 54
Introduced by SENATOR CYNTHIA A. VILLAR
AN ACT
INSTITU TIO N ALIZIN G  THE PHILIPPINE FIBER INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT 
PROGRAM, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This bill seeks to spur the revival and the development, production, 
processing, marketing and distribution of Philippine local fibers in suitable areas of 
the country in order to provide income to people living in rural areas and spur 
economic growth.
Philippine weaving involves many threads being measured, cut, and 
mounted on a wooden platform. The threads are dyed and weaved on a loom. 
Before Spanish colonization, native Filipinos weaved using fibers from abaca, cotton, 
and bark cloth. They also weave all of the clothing that was worn then. The woven 
textiles express both the agricultural roots of each community, as well as a strong 
non-Christian belief system animated by ancestral and natural spirits, such as the 
wind god, a motif prevalent in weaving communities. Filipino artistry and creativity 
are evident in various art forms but what makes the weaving culture distinct.
The textile industry began in the country in the 1950s. 
It covers: fiber 
production, and yarn, fabric, garment, and made-up textile manufacture. The 
primary processing sector includes spinning, twisting, weaving, knitting, dyeing and


finishing. Spinning involves the mixture of natural and man-made fibers into yarns 
and threads. The weaving process turns yarns and threads into woven fabrics, while 
the knitting process, produces knitted fabrics. 
The finishing stage improves the 
appearance, texture and quality of fabrics through bleaching, dyeing, printing, and 
treatment. The secondary-processing sector includes garment and made-up textile 
goods manufacturing.
The weaving of indigenous textiles with cotton fiber is an integral part of 
the country's culture but it has been in trouble for some time. The traditional 
weavers have turned to the use of synthetic thread due to cotton scarcity over the 
past few decades. In the past, the thread was made from various materials such as 
cotton, jusi (banana fiber), pina (pineapple fiber), ramie or Chinese nettle found in 
Mindanao is even stronger than cotton and wool and Maguey can be used as 
upholstery and wall covering, table linens and curtains. Nowadays, it's just mostly 
made from cotton and rayon thread because, unfortunately, prices of raw materials 
have skyrocketed over the years.
We Filipinos can take pride in the amazing diversity and beauty of our 
textile arts and weaving traditions. The Mandaya people of Davao Oriental are 
known for their masterful ikat (a weaving pattern) in abaca, the primary fiber they 
use for weaving.
The Pina cloth originated from Akian. Considered the finest of Philippine 
textiles, the pina fabric is made from the fibers of the leaves of the red Bisaya 
pineapple through an arduous process. The pina is the preferred material for the 
barong Tagalog. Hablon is a type of woven cloth most often seen during formal 
events, fashion shows, and in homes of Ilongos. It is taken from the Hiligaynon 
word "habol", meaning "to weave".
The Ilocano of northwestern Philippines is well-known for their inabel hand 
weaving, a tradition with ancient roots, with the kapas or cotton as the main 
material. The abel cloth is known for being a strong, colorful material for blankets, 
pillow cases and


Cotton production in the country has declined since the early 1990s "when the 
country had 38,000 hectares planted in the crop," states an article by the Cornell 
Alliance for Science, citing the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority 
(PhilFIDA). In November 2017, the agency spearheaded the planting of the Bt 
cotton variety, a genetically engineered crop that resists bollworm, in the provinces 
of Ilocos Norte, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, and areas in Mindanao in an effort 
to revive the local cotton industry. Its adoption promises lower production costs and 
consistent supply.
The local silk industry needs capital and government support in terms of 
promotion to take advantage of the huge global market. Sericulture or silkworm 
culture, the rearing of silkworm for the production of raw silk, is an emerging 
industry in the Philippines. Bago City in Negros Occidental produces some of the best 
quality silks in the world. Flundreds of farmers from Bago and other neighboring 
towns are supported by this industry. Farmers rear silkworm whose cocoons are 
produced into silk yarns which are then used as raw material for Barong Tagalog 
and other world-class silk products. There is also a silkworm farm that produces silk 
fabric in Bacnotan, La Union and a processing plant at the Sericulture Research and 
Development Institute (SRDI) at the Don Mariano Marcos State University also in La 
Union. Mulberry trees absorb air pollutants while silkworm wastes and residues 
during the production period can be converted into organic fertilizer.
Ramie fiber is pure white in color, lustrous, moisture absorbent, and readily 
dyed. The fibers are spun into yarn, which can then be woven into textiles. The fiber 
is stronger than flax, cotton, or wool. Ramie is a perennial plant that may live for 
several years and can be found in Mindanao.
Maguey, (Agave cantala Roxb.), grows into a rosette of 20-50 leaves and 
grows in soil which seems unproductive like rocky and hilly areas and even along the 
seashore. It is not difficult to grow and does not require abundant and evenly 
distributed rainfall. Maguey plant has strong resistance to pest draught and diseases. 
The maguey fabric is can be used as upholstery and manufacturing wall covering, 
bags, table linens and curtains.


The Cordillera Region has their own style and fabric execution in their ikat 
weaving. They use indigenous raw materials from banana, cogon, abaca and 
maguey and braid them with polyester or cotton textile. The yarn is colored with 
natural dye from ginger or indigo plants, mud, and tree bark.
Sericulture or silkworm culture, the rearing of silkworm for the production 
of raw silk, is an emerging industry in the Philippines. Bago City in Negros Occidental 
produces some of the best quality silks in the world. Hundreds of farmers from Bago 
and other neighboring towns are supported by this industry. Farmers rear silkworm 
whose cocoons are produced into silk yarns which are then used as raw material for 
Barong Tagalog and other world-class silk products. The Negros silk project is 
managed by the Organization for Industrial, Spiritual and Cultural Advancement 
(OISCA) - International, an NGO founded and based in Japan. 
There is also the 
Sericulture Research and Development Institute (SRDI) of the Don Mariano Marcos 
Memorial State University (DMMMSU).
Mindanao weaving communities include the Mandaya, B'laan, Maranao, 
Maguindanao, Yakan, Bagobo, T'boli, and Tausug, each with weaving traditions and 
techniques distinct from the next.
The Mandaya, which can be found in the provinces of Davao Oriental, 
Davao del Norte, Compostella Valley, Surigao del Sur, and Agusan del Sur, have a 
strong weaving tradition too as seen in their coarsely textured dagmay, hand-woven 
using a special kind of back-strap loom, made from abaca fibers, and following 
intricate designs.
The B'laan weave the tabih using abaca fibers and the back-strap loom. 
The fibers are dyed using the warp tie-dye resist ikat technique and natural dyes 
from native plants.
The Maranaw of Lanao del Norte and Lanao Del Sur know a wide range of 
weaving techniques including the weft and warp ikat tie-dye resist and continuous 
and discontinuous supplementary weft design.


The TBoli of Lake Sebu in Cotabato are well-known for their t'nalak, a 
distinctive abaca cloth that traditionally comes in three colors: deep reddish brown, 
black, and white. The brown and black colors come from naturally occurring dyes, 
with white being the natural color of abaca.
The Bagobo, a subgroup of the Manobo, are expert in extracting the fibers 
of the abaca from the leaf sheaths and selecting the very fine ones for weaving their 
textiles. The Tausug of Jolo in Sulu is an Islamic community structured around a 
sultanate. They used to weave cotton and silk textiles from imported yarns.
Sadly, modern times are threatening to wipe out the things that have 
made us uniquely Filipino. Fiber production in the country which is principally cotton 
has declined since the early 1990s. The weavers lack the materials to use for their 
designs or they are expensive. The industry's downfall may have been largely due to 
uncontrollable forces in the textile industry worldwide — think of the cheap, fast 
fashion sourced in mass-produced fabrics from abroad. We cannot just watch our 
cultural traditions fade. Other production related problems include lack of planting 
materials, (low yield and lack of hectarage) lack of working capital to sustain 
knotting and weaving activities, unstable supply and high price of raw materials and 
lack of market information .
While progress is good, it should never stand in the way of us preserving 
those things that are rightfully part of our heritage and way of life. There are also 
challenges such as the market, the innovation of design, technique and the use of 
physical labor, the output per looms and their efficiency, the contemporary usage of 
the woven products and the inventory of all weavers, product promotion, and the 
loss of interest in weaving among the younger members of the community. Proper 
financial assistance is not available to have the stock of raw materials like cotton, 
abaca, jusi, ramie, piha, silk, maguey for the weavers to work continuously. Further 
the raw materials are provided by the private dealers with high costs and there are 
no credit lines available to weavers for them to purchase materials when needed.


The state of our fiber industry needs a lot of catching up for our country 
to meet local demands and be promoted internationally. This will entail convincing 
the farmers to plant, giving them a market, and helping them make profit.
The Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA) is an agency 
of the Department of Agriculture responsible for promoting the growth and 
development of the fiber industry in the Philippines, such as abaca, cotton, silk, coir 
among others. PhilFIDA was created by Executive Order No. 709 on July 27, 1981 to 
promote growth and development of the fiber industry, in all its aspects including 
research, production, processing, marketing and trade regulation. It ceased to be a 
government owned and controlled corporation and was regularized under Executive 
Order No. 494, series of 1981. It is led by an administrator, who is assisted by two 
deputy administrators and supported by nine divisions and ten regional offices.
The Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI) is the premier textile research 
and development arm of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). It is 
mandated by Executive Order No. 128 dated January 30, 1987 to perform the 
following functions, - Conduct applied research and development for the textile 
industry sector; undertake the transfer of completed researches to end-users or via 
linkage units of other government agencies; and undertake technical services and 
provide training programs. Most of the technologies can be commercialized through 
on-the-job 
training 
and/or 
seminar/workshops 
offered 
by 
the 
Institute. 
Seminar/workshops are done in-house or throughout the regions and provinces.
The state of our fiber industry needs a lot of catching up for the country to 
meet local demand. This will entail convincing the farmers to plant, giving them a 
market, and helping them make a profit. The promotion of production and planting 
materials and methods of fiber crops is with PhilFida, while the execution and 
processing of this plants to threads and ultimately cloth in with DOST-PTRI. The two 
agencies in charge should together and in complementation spearhead the revival 
and promotion of Philippine fiber and in the end the Philippine textile industry.


Through the transfer of the developed technologies to end-users in the textile 
industry sector and textile-based cottage, small and medium scale industries, it is 
hoped that new textile-based industries in the countryside would be developed.
In view of the foregoing, I highly recommend the approval of this bill.
CYNTHIA A. VILLAR
Senator


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
(//V  
** • 
. 
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f at : &■ I vtar*»
*19 
JUL 29 P3 54
S. No.
Introduced by SENATOR CYNTHIA A. VILLAR
AN ACT
IN STITU TIO N ALIZIN G  THE PHILIPPINE FIBER INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT 
PROGRAM, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House o f Representatives o f the Phiiippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Short Title. -  This Act shall be known as the "Philippine Fiber
2 
Industry Development Program of 2019."
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration o f Policy. -  It is hereby declared the policy of the State to
4 
protect and promote the right of the Filipino people to a better quality of life,
5 
improve their living conditions, through programs that provide sustainable livelihood,
6 
increase employment and protect the environment.
7 
Sec. 3. Definition o f Terms. -  For purposes of this Act, the following terms
8 
shall refer to:
9 
a) 
Program -  the Philippine Abaca Industry Development Program
10 
designed to promote competitiveness of the Abaca Industry worldwide.
11 
b) 
Philippine Fiber Industry Development Council (PFIDC) -  the council
12 
established herewith.
1


1 
c) 
Secretariat -  the Secretariat of the PFIDC as contained herewith shall
2 
be DOST-PTRI.
3 
Sec. 4. Creation o f the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Coordinating
4 
Council (PFIDCC). -  There is hereby created a Philippine Fiber Industry Development
5 
Coordinating 
Council 
(PFIDCC), 
hereinafter 
referred 
to 
as 
the 
Council,
6 
administratively attached to the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine
7 
Textile Research Institute, charged with the main function of coordinating the
8 
activities of various agencies and instrumentalities to ensure the accomplishment of
9 
the Philippine Fiber Framework for Development.
10 
The Chairman of the Council shall submit an annual report to both Houses of
11 
Congress on the status of the implementation of this Act.
12 
Sec. 
5. 
Composition. 
-  The 
Philippine 
Fiber 
Industry 
Development
13 
Coordinating Council shall be composed of the following:
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28 
29
a) 
Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology as Chairman 
(DOST);
b) 
The Executive Director of Philippine Textile Research Institute as Head of 
the Council Secretariat;
c) 
Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural resources 
(DENR);
d) 
Secretary of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR);
e) 
Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA);
f) 
Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI);
g) 
Representative from the League of Municipalities of the Philippines;
h) 
Representative from a League of Provinces;
i) 
Representative from the State Universities and Colleges with Fiber 
Development Extension Program;
j) 
Representative from a reputable Private Fiber Industry Association;
k) 
Two (2) Representatives from Fiber Farmers / Producers / Processors / 
Associations;


1 
I) 
One (1) Representative from Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).
2 
The 
council regularly meet every two (2) months and may hold special
3 
meetings, whenever the need arises, to consider urgent matters upon the call of the
4 
Chairman or any seven (7) Council members.
5 
Sec. 6. Institutionalizing the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Program
6 
(PFIDP). -  There is hereby established the Philippine Fiber Industry Development
7 
Program, within the mandate of the DOST-PTRI, which shall be a ten (10) year
8 
framework and shall serve as guide to the formulation and implementation of plans,
9 
projects, programs and policies for the scientific propagation, processing, utilization
10 
and expansion of trade of Philippine major Fibers. 
The Framework shall likewise
11 
provide for the following:
12 
a) Site Identification -  The Department of Environment and Natural
13 
Resources in coordination with the Department of Agriculture, Department of
14 
Agrarian Reform and the local government units, shall identify the broad areas
15 
suitable for the planning and propagation of Philippine fibers, within six (6) months
16 
after the effectivity of this Act.
17 
b) Scientific Propagation and Development-The Department of Environment
18 
and Natural Resources and the Department of Science and Technology shall
19 
establish cultivation and propagation of Philippine disease free and disease resistant
20 
varieties of Philippine major fibers. The DOST shall also provide for the transfer and
21 
improvement of appropriate technology and techniques, which will be utilized in the
22 
production, processing, marketing and distribution. Particular emphasis shall also be
23 
made on adoption and upgrading of post-harvest technology;
24 
c) Production Support and Extension -  The Department of Environment and
25 
Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, Department of Trade and Industry,
26 
and the Department of Science and Technology in coordination with the local
27 
Government Units, and Non-Governmental Organizations, technical Education and
28 
Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Cooperative Development Authority (CDA),
29 
state universities and colleges (SUCs), and other relevant government agencies,
30 
shall establish programs which promote and provide adequate training on adapting
3


1 
technologies to 
individuals engaged 
in 
propagation, 
production, 
processing,
2 
marketing and distribution of Philippine abaca, strengthen farmers / producers /
3 
processors cooperatives and organizations involved in the sustainable and viable
4 
development of Philippine abaca.
5 
d) Market Promotion and Expansion o f Trade -  The Department of Trade and
6 
Industry, 
in 
coordination 
with 
Private 
Industry 
Associations, 
shall 
link-up
7 
agribusiness cooperatives and organizations directly with consumers cooperatives
8 
and organizations, agro-processing companies, or exporters to provide marketing
9 
outlets and assure relatively higher and stable prices of abaca. This also includes
10 
exploring national and international markets and facilitating the participation of local
11 
farmers, growers and exporters in local and international conferences, trade fairs,
12 
expositions and exhibit;
13 
e) Infrastructure Development- Access to post harvest facilities, storage and
14 
distribution/transport facilities of existing government agencies shall be facilitated by
15 
the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Local Government Units and
16 
the Department of Agriculture.
17 
f) Quality Assurance -  To ensure health and proper trading, the Department
18 
of trade and Industry, and Department of Science and technology, respectively, shall
19 
establish and enforce standards in grading, sampling and inspection, tests and
20 
analysis, 
specifications, 
nomenclature, 
units 
of 
measurement, 
packaging,
21 
preservation, conservation or transportation of Philippine fiber products and by-
22 
products and;
23 
g) Philippine Fiber Information Center -  The Department of Trade and
24 
Industry in coordination with Local Government Units shall establish a Philippine
25 
Abaca Information Center in areas where they are abundant.
26 
Sec. 7. Philippine Fiber Information Center. -  To provide for the funding
27 
requirements for the propagation, production, processing, marketing, promotion and
28 
distribution of Philippine fibers, there is hereby created a 
Philippine fiber
29 
Development Fund (PFDF), with an initial amount of Five Hundred Million Pesos


1 
(Php500,000,000.00) upon the approval of this Act and every year thereafter, to be
2 
provided by the Department of Budget and Management in the DOST-PTRI's budget.
3 
This is in addition to PTRI's existing allocation under the General Appropriations Act
4 
for the development of other fibers and its administrative, regulatory and operational
5 
expenses.
6 
For the succeeding years, for the next nine (9) years from the approval of this
7 
Act, 
a 
minimum 
amount 
of 
not 
less 
than 
Five 
Hundred 
Million 
Pesos
8 
(Php500,000,000.00) 
annually shall 
be allocated 
for the development and
9 
sustainability of the Philippine Fiber industry. 
The requirements of cooperating
10 
agencies shall be incorporated in their respective budget from the General
11 
Appropriations fund.
12 
Sec. 8. The Council Secretariat -  The Council Secretariat shall be headed by
13 
the Director of the PTRI. The Secretariat and technical staff shall be detailed from
14 
their existing personnel without prejudice to the designation by the Council of such
15 
additional staff members as it may deem necessary for the proper discharge of its
16 
function and responsibilities.
17 
Sec. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. -  The Philippine Fiber Industry
18 
Development Coordinating Council shall formulate and prescribe the necessary
19 
implementing rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this Act.
20 
Sec. 10. Separability Clause. 
-  If any portion or provision of this Act is
21 
declared unconstitutional or invalid, the remainder of this Act or any provisions
22 
hereof not affected thereby shall continue to be in force and effect.
23 
Sec. 11. Repealing Clause. -  Any law, presidential decree or issuance,
24 
executive order, letter of instruction, rule or regulation inconsistent or contrary to
25 
the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly.


1 
Sec. 12. Effectivity Clause. -  This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days
2 
following its complete publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general
3 
circulation.
Approved,