Republic of the Phili
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Quezon City, Metro Manila

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 3432

Introduced by Representative Crispin Diego “Ping” D. Remulla

AN ACT
ENCOURAGING YOUTH SECTOR PARTICIPATION IN THE AGRICULTURAL
SECTOR, ESTABLISHING FOR THE PURPOSE A 'TULONG KABATAAN SA
AGRIKULTURA PROGRAM! AND A 'TULONG KABATAAN SA AGRIKULTURA
‘TRUST FUND', APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Agriculture remains a fundamental aspect of the Philippine economy. It provides
livelihood and ensures national food security. However, the agricultural sector faces significant

challenges, including an aging farmer population and declining youth engagement.

According to an article posted by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate
Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), the average age of Filipino farmers ranges
between 55 and 59 years old. Experts warn that the country may face a critical shortage of
farmers within the next 10 to 12 years, which can jeopardize food security and plans for rice
self-sufficiency. Furthermore, there is a consistent decline in enrollment in agriculture and

related courses, averaging a 1.5% decrease annually prior to the pandemic.

‘This measure secks to reverse these trends by establishing the Tulong Kabataan sa
Agrikultura Program and its corresponding Trust Fund. This measure seeks to offer

scholarships, experiential learning opportunities, and agribusiness to the marginalized but


deserving students. Finally, this measure seeks to ensure the long-term sustainability of

Philippine agriculture.

In view of the foregoing, the approval of this measure is earnestly sought.

CRISPIN DIF ING” D. REMULLA


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 343 2

Introduced by Representative Crispin Diego “Ping” D. Remulla

AN ACT
ENCOURAGING YOUTH SECTOR PARTICIPATION IN THE AGRICULTURAL
SECTOR, ESTABLISHING FOR THE PURPOSE A 'TULONG KABATAAN SA
AGRIKULTURA PROGRAM! AND A 'TULONG KABATAAN SA AGRIKULTURA
TRUST FUND', APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER:
PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Phil
assembled:

»pines in Congress

ARTICLE I
GENERAL PROVISIONS

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Tulong Kabataan sa
Agrikultura Act”.

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — The State shall give priority to education, science and
technology to accelerate social progress and promote development Towards this end, the
government shall provide opportunities for all to obtain quality education and for this purpose,
scholarships in Agriculture, Agri-Entrepreneurship, Forestry and Fisheries are hereby
strengthened. It is also the policy of the State to develop graduates who will become competent
agribusiness managers and entrepreneurs.

SEC. 3. Objectives. ~ The objectives of this Act are to:

a) Increase youth participation in the agricultural sector;

b) Provide opportunities to poor but deserving students to realize their potentia

agribusiness and entrepreneurships;


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Develop competency skills and knowledge of students in agricultural technologies
and agribusiness;
d)

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Increase food production;

Commercialize proven viable technologies to increase food production and income
of rural communities through the development of livelihoods and markets;

f) Provide Income to students while doing experiential learning and on-the- job
training which form part of their degree programs;

2) Link young farmer-students with credit, financing, and marketing institutions; and

h) Contribute to the alleviation of poverty.

SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. — for the purposes of this Act:

a) Tulong Kabataan sa Agrikuitura Program or The Program ~ refers to the
scholarship program established by this Act which targets poor but deserving
graduates of agricultural and fisheries tracks in senior high schools and similarly
situated students taking up agriculture and related courses in tertiary education;

b

Tulong Kabataan sa Agrikuitura Trust Fund or The Fund ~ refers to the trust fund
created under this Act to ensure the achievement of this Act's incentives;

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Agribusiness Venture Laboratory — refers to agricultural subjects and classes
designed as business ventures in agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and agri-
entrepreneurship including but not limited to raising of poultry, goats, corn or rice
or crop production and counted as satisfying the laboratory requirement of a course.
ARTICLE I
THE TULONG KABATAAN SA AGRIKULTURA PROGRAM

SEC. 5. Establishment of a Tulong Kabataan sa Agrikultura Program. ~ A Tulong
Kabataan sa Agrikuitura scholarship program in agriculture, fisheries, forestry and related
areas to be administered by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is hereby
established. The program shall be a ladderized program in Diploma in Agricultural Technology
(DAT), Bachelor in Agricultural Technology (BAT) and Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness
(BSAgrib). The program shall initially be offered by the University of the Philippines-Los
Banos College of Agriculture in the first two (2) years of this Act's effectivity. The program
shall be offered in SUCs which provide courses in agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and other
allied fields.

SEC. 6. Target Beneficiaries. — The Program shall target senior high school graduates
of agricultural and fisheries tracks, and similarly situated students of agriculture and fisheries

in tertiary education, who have a general weighted average of at least eighty percent (80%) or


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its equivalent: Provided, That beneficiaries who complete the agriculture and fisheries tracks
of senior high and who enroll in an agriculture, forestry, fisheries, or other similar course in
tertiary education shall continue to be covered by the Program.

SEC. 7. Assistance to Grantees. — Beneficiaries of the Program shall be entitled to
financial assistance, which shall Include the following:

a) Tuition and other school fees;

b) Outright grant for prescribed textbooks and essential school supplies;

c) Transportation expenses; and

4) Monthly living allowance.

SEC. 8. Curriculum Formulation. — There is hereby established a technical committee
which shall design the curriculum of the Program. The Committee shall be composed of the
following:

a) The Chairperson of the CfiED, or his permanent representative, as Chairperson of

the Committee;

b) The Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA), or his permanent

representative, as the Vice Chairperson;

c) The Dean of the University of the Philippines-Los Banos College of Agriculture;

and

d) One (1) representative cach from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao from other

colleges of agriculture, who shall be appointed by the President, and who shall each
serve a term of one (1) year.

At least twenty-five percent (25%) of the entire curriculum of the Program shall be in
the form of on-the-job training or related learning experience, Laboratory components of
various agricultural subjects shall be in the form of agribusiness ventures.

SEC. 9. Strengthening Agri-Fisheries Tracks in Senior High. — To achieve the
objectives of this Act, the Department of Education (DepEd) is hereby directed to ensure that
agri-fisheries tracks are offered in as many senior high school program in appropriate areas
nationwide.

SEC. 10. Agribusiness Venture Laboratories. — Each agribusiness venture shall be
under the supervision of a faculty who is also a technology expert in the chosen commodity.
The agribusiness venture laboratory to be developed must have short gestation, around three
(3) to twelve (12) months, should be science and technology based agribusiness, the end
products should be highly marketable and the facilities needed should be present within the
suc.


SEC. 11. Use of Idle Lands for the Agribusiness Venture Laboratory. — The
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) shall make available untenured
public lands under its jurisdiction for the use of students in their agribusiness ventures under
appropriate arrangements with CHED and the participating SUCs.

ARTICLE HL
THE TULONG KABATAAN SA AGRIKULTURA TRUST FUND

SEC. 12. Tulong Kabataan sa Agrikultura Trust Fund. — To ensure the financial

sustainability of this Act, a Tulong Kabataan sa Agrikultura Trust Fund is hereby created. The
Fund shall be used exclusively to fund the Program, and shall be funded from the following
sources:
a) The amount of Fifty million pesos (P50,000,000.00) as seed capital;
b) The equivalent of ten percent (10%) annual share on the total gross collections of
the travel tax;

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‘The equivalent of ten percent (10%) annual share on the total gross collections from
the Professional Registration Fee of the Professional Regulatory Commission;

d) Grants, donations and endowments from domestic and foreign sources, pursuant to
existing laws and regulations;

Such amounts as may be indicated under the General Appropriations Act (GAA)
for the purpose of sustaining the Fund; and

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f) Alll interest income of the trust fund.

SEC. 13. Administration of the Fund. ~The CHED shall administer the fund and shall
make available all records of how the funds are utilized, disbursed, and invested, in accordance
with existing laws.

ARTICLE IV
FINAL PROVISIONS.

SEC. 14. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The CHED in coordination with the
DA, and DENR and relevant private sector stakeholders shall prepare the Implementing Rules
and Regulations (IRR) of this Act and promulgate it within ninety (90) days after approval of
this Act.

SEC. 15. Separability Clause. —If any provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional
and invalid, the provisions hereof which are not affected shall continue to have force and effect.

SEC. 16. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules or regulations thereof,
inconsistent with this Act arc hereby modified or repealed accordingly.


1 SEC. 17. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete
2 publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation,

3 whichever comes after.

Approved,