Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HOUSE`BILL No.   6890
Introduced by the Honorable ANIELA BIANCA D. TOLENTINO
EXPLANATORY NOTE
There is a need for the State to improve the socio-economic conditions of farmers
and farming communities in order to promote their welfare and empower their sector in
the   overall   development   and   progress   of   the   country.    For   said   purpose,   this
representation proposes the passage of a law which will create a wholistic, computerized,
technology-based  agricultural commodity supply inventory and  registry system that will
connect farmers and organized communities in the country. The bill herein will establish
the Agricultural Information System.
The   proposed   law   will   create   a   synchronized   and   web-based   agriculture
information   system  that  will   provide  the  National   Government  access  to   real-time
agricuitural  information  which  will  rationalize the objectives and  poliey directives  jn  the
agricuitural sector of the country.
This representation believes that the proposed Agricultural Information System will
ensure  a  vibrant  market  for  agricuitural  and  fisheries  products  and  safeguard  the
appropriate return of invesment for farmers and fisheries stakeholders thru technology-
based mechanisms operated on the ground by local government units. The proposed law
will  enable  local  government units to manage a  secure and  independent platform that
creates linkages for farmers and fisheries stakeholders. Versions of the bill  herein  have
also have been filed in the Senate of the Philippines.
For the Filipino people, approval of the bill is earnestly being sought.
JT=:---------


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HOUSEEILLNo.   6890
Introduced by the Honorable ANIELA BIANCA D. TOLENTINO
AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE AGRICULTURE INFORMATION SYSTEM
IN ALL pFrovlNCEs, cITIEs AND MUNlclpALmEs,
AND AppFropRIATING FUNDs THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House cif Representatives of the Philippines
in Congress assembled:
SECTION  1.  Storf  77f]/g.  - This  Act  shall  be  known  as  the  "Agriculture  Information
System Act."
SECTION 2. Oca/arafx.ar ofp8/x'gr. -It is hereby declared a policy of the State to improve
the socio-economic conditions of farmers and farming communities in order to promote
their welfare and empower their sector in the overall development and progress of the
country.  Congruent  to  this,  a  wholistic,  computerized,  technology-based  agricultural
commodity  supply  inventory  and  registry  system  connecting  farmers  and  organized
communities all over the country needs to be created to provide an eaey-to-access local
and global real time information for agricultural commodities, with an end view of creating
a  wider  range  of market  linkages  among  farmers  and  agricultural  buyers.  Through  a
aynchronized  and  web-based  agriculture  information  system,  the  National  Government
shall have access to real-time agricultural information which can rationalize the objectives
and  poliey directives in the agricultural sector.
SECTION 3.  a+I/'8ct7.Mes, -This Act aims to attain the following objectives:
(a) Establish an up-to-date database of agricultural and fisheries products in a locality:


(b) Promote information-sharing between farmers and potential buyers of agricultural
and fisheries products;
(c) Ensure   a   market  for  agricultural   and   fisheries   products   and   safeguard   the
appropriate return of investment for farmers and fisheries stakeholders.
(d) Enable local government units to manage a secure and independent platform that
creates linkages for farmers and fisheries stakeholders.
(e) Create data on specific commodities that are readily available in a particular locality
for purposes of produdion monitoring in order to meet the demands of the market.
(D  Establish a secure, transparent, and independent modern web application that may
be  accessed  anytime  by  the  public  through  a  multiplatform  support  or  cross-
platform support devices which can be interconnected to existing aystems in the
department of Agriculture (DA).
(g) Rationalize training and seminars in the management of the operations.
(h) Oversee the use of inputs given by producers, buyers, and other segments of the
value{hain including information during post-harvest and processing.
(i)  Guarantee that all  forms of assistance  given  to  local  government  units  (LGUs),
registered   cooperatives  and   other  qualified   individuals  and   organizations  are
monitored`
SECTION 4. Agm'cw/rune Jw/z}»7raf/o„ frs£ELm, - All cities and municipalities are hereby
mandated to establish an Agriculture Information System (AIS). The AIS shall serve as a
dynamic  online  computer  database  where  information   on   the  demand  for  specific
agricuitural and fisheries commodities is gathered and uploaded simuitaneously with the
production data from farmers in every barangay. The AIS shall  merge and synchronize
agricultural  data  from  different sources  into a  cohesive database designed to facilitate
linkages from place of origin or the farm to local, and ultimately, global markets. The AIS
shall  also  be  integrated  with  the  existing  systems  of the  DA.  The  AIS  shall  have  the
following features and contents:
(a) Municipal  and  city-wide  identification  of  individual  farmers,  fish  breeders,  and
fisherfolk  as  well  as  qualified  organizations  which   produce  specific  farm  and
fisheries products, regardless of quantity.
(b) Crop harvest, volume, and type forecasting.
(c) Inventory of specific classification of crop varieties planted,  livestor:k and type of
fish  raised  in a particular LGU.
(d) Farmers' and fisherfolk demographics, including age group, gender, ethnic group,
income, seminars and trainings attended, and assistance received.
(e) Selected reports presented in both tabular and graphical form.
(f)  Registry of farmers' contact details and farm location to facilitate market linkages.


(g) Search  engine  which  allous  farmers,  fish  breeders,  and  fisherfolk  to  look  for
potential and actual buyers and for such buyers to search for farms, farmers, and
available agricultural and fisheries products.
(h)Customizable  dashboard   which   is  accessible  only  to   registered   farmers  and
fisherfolk clients and contains the farmers` and fisherfolk's profile such as the area
of the farm or fishpond, crops planted, livestock and type of fish raised.
SECTION  5.  Aggkst7ijif/o„. - All cities and  municipalities shall encourage and facilitate
the free registration of all farmers, fisherfolk,  as vrell as buyers transacting within their
respective areas in the AIS.
9HCTl!OIN  6.   Duties   and   Obligations   of  Cities   and   Municipalities.  -  Oridles  arid
Municipalities shall exercise the following duties and obligations:
(a) The Municipal Agriculture Office or the City Agricuiture Office, in coordination with
the Municipal Agrarian Roform Office the City Agrarian Reform Office, shall gather,
encode,  and  consolidate  all  pertinent  data  on  the  profile  and  demographics  of
farmers, fisherfolk as well as buyers,
(b) Monitor and control farm inputs including machineries and equipment.
(c) For municipalities and component cities, prepare and submit real time data under
(a) and (b) to the provincial agricuitural office and to the respective regional offices
of the DA.
(d) For highly urbanized cities, submit real-time data to the respective regional offlces
Of the DA.
(e)Establish  farmer  and  buyer  linkages  and  act  as  a  gatekeeper  at  the  city  or
municipal level in the nationwide marketing of agricultural products.
(f)  Serve as the web administrator at the municipal or cfty level and  be responsible
for integrating farm and fisheries locations into the geographic integration system
map.
SECTION 7. Owt7es aHd Ob/wfyatous of fifle Pnor/#ce, -The provincial government shall
have the following duties and obligations:
(a) The Provincial  Planning and Development Office (PPDO)  is the web administrator
at the  provincial  level  and  is  responsible for integrating  farm  and  fisheries data
into the geographic integration system maps for agriculture and fisheries.
(b)The  Local  Economic and  Investment  Promotion  Office  (LEIPO)  acts as the  lead
administrator of the AIS in the provincial level and ensures the balance between
supply and demand.


(c) The   Provincial   Agricultural   Office   monitors   the   submission   of   reports   from
municipalities and component cities, and ensures the completeness, accuracy, and
validity of data submitted  by the Municipal Agricultural Offices and the  Municipal
Agrarian Reform Offices,
(d) Except for highly urbanized cities, prepare and submit such data to 28 the regional
office of the DA.
gHCTl!OIN 8.  Duties and Obligations of the Regional Office of the DA. -The rcygivnelJ
office of the DA shall have the following functions and responsibilities:
(a) Integrate the data  provided  by the  provinces and  highly  urbanized  cities  in  the
existing information systems of the DA such as the National Farmers and Fisheries
Information  System  (NFFIS)  which  is  a  web-based  data  collection  system  that
serves  as  a  platform  for  updating  the  Registry  System  for  Basic  Sectors  in
Ag riculture (RSBSA);
(b)Collaborate  with  the  regional  offices  of the  Deparment  Of Trade  and  Industry
(DII)  in  order to facilitate the availment of the various programs of the Dll as
well as strengthen market linkages through such programs;
(c) Recommend to the central office of the DA appropriate interventions in the form
of marketing, importation, and training assistance, as may be needed;
(d) Validate the data from the LGUs acting as the system administrator at the regional
level and provide real-time report to the central office of the DA; and
(e) (e) Endorse for financial assistance the qualified fifth and sixth class municipalities
that can be given assistance in establishing and maintaining their respective AIS,
SIHFTT!0" 9. Duties and Obligations of the Central Office of the DA. -The ce!mrdlal cfffivciR;
of the DA shall have the following duties and obligations:
(a) Allocate funding for the integration of the AIS with existing information systems;
(b) Coordinate with the Departhient of Information and Communications Technology
(DICT) to upgrade, expand, and integrate its information systems;
(c) Ensure    that    the    implementation,    appropriate    verification    processes    and
information safeguards are in  place pursuant to existing  laws and  regulations,  in
coordination with the DICT, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the National
Privacy Commission (NPC), the Department of the Interior and Local Government
(DILG) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST);
(d)Approve   the   prioritized   interventions   by   the   regional   offices   and   allocate
corresponding funding;


(e) Collaborate with other agencies for the creation of market linkages in the domestic
and international markets; and
(f)  Provide safety nets in the import and  export of agricultural  products in  order to
support farmers.
SECTION  10. Ozkt7es of frfe 5ednefary, - The Secretary of the DA, in coordination with
the  Secretary  of the  DILG,  shall  monitor  and  ensure  the  compliance  of all  cities  and
municipalities as provided for under this Act and shall, as soon as practicable, establish a
centralized AIS that shall integrate and link all existing information systems in the country.
SECTION  11.  #eporfe.  - The  Secretary of the  DA shall  prepare  and  submit to the
President and  both  Houses of Congress an annual  report on the implementation  of the
program  which  shall  contain  the  list  of  accomplishments  and  recommendations  for
improvements.
SIHCTroIN ¥2. Implementing Rules and Regulations. -W.TNhin rirme!rty (90n days crrfer the
effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall  promulgate the necessary rules
and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.
SECTION   13,  A4pmaprib#'oy7s,  -  The  Secretary  of  Agriculture  shall  include  in  the
Department's  programs  the  establishment  of the  integrated  and  centralized  AIS,  the
funding  of which  shall  be included  in the annual  General Appropriations Act. The  LGUs
shall  provide the  necessary funds for the  establishment of an  AIS  in  their  respective
annual budgets.
SECTION 14. 5apgra4M/try Cyg#5p. -If any provision or part of this Act be declared invalid
or unconstitutional, the other provisions or parts not affected thereby shall remain valid
and in full force and effect.
SECTION  15.   Aepca/y-„g  CrB#5e.  -  All  laws,  decrees,  orders,  resolutions  and  other
issuances, or portions thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are
hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.
SECTION 16. fi#acf7'Mftyr, -This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,
Cir