EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
Second Regular Session 
)
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SENATE
Senate Bill No. .1927
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20 NOV 23 P)2 :40
(In Substitution of Senate Joint Resolution No. 12)
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Prepared Jointly by the Committees on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform^ 
Finance; and Ways and Means with Senator Cynthia A. Villar as author thereof
AN ACT
AUTHORIZING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO USE THE ANNUAL 
TARIFF REVENUES IN EXCESS OF PIO BILLION, UNDER REPUBLIC ACT 
11203 OR "AN ACT LIBERALIZING THE IMPORTATION, EXPORTATION 
AND TRADING OF RICE, LIFTING FOR THE PURPOSE THE QUANTITATIVE 
IMPORT RESTRICTION ON RICE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES," FOR 
DIRECT CASH ASSISTANCE TO FARMERS OWNING ONE (1) HECTARE OR 
LESS OF RICE LAND UNTIL 2024
Be It enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the ’'Cash Assistance for
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Filipino Farmers Act of 2020".
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SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby the declared policy of the
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State to address the plight of small farmers in the country. The State recognizes the
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urgency of intervening for our farmers in light of the current state of declining palay
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prices and the crippling effects of the COVID pandemic. Towards this end, the State
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shall provide monetary assistance to the hardest hit segments of our small farmers
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in the form of actual giving of cash to farmers.
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SEC. 3. Coverage. - This Act shall apply only to farmers owning one (1)
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hectare or less of rice land. The Department of Agriculture shall establish actual
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beneficiaries of this Act on the basis of its Registry System for Basic Sectors in
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Agriculture (RSBSA) for rice.
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SEC. 4. Authorization. - The Department of Agriculture is hereby
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authorized to use the monies from the annual tariff revenues in excess of PlOB, as
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provided in Section 13 of Republic Act 11203, for direct provision of cash assistance
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to farmers. The Bureau of Customs is hereby mandated to directly remit to the
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Department of Agriculture the said excess funds.
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Further, any money in excess of PlOB in the annual tariff revenues in any
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given year in the life of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) under
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said Act, shall automatically be given as cash assistance to farmers, unless otherwise
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amended by law.
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The Bureau of Customs and the Department of Agriculture shall submit
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separate reports to Congress at year end, through the Committee on Agriculture, on
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the remittance of funds and the actual fund disbursement for the year, respectively.
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SEC. 5. Funding. - The source of funds for the annual direct cash assistance
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to farmers shall be the excess of PIO billion in the annual revenue collections under
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Republic Act 11203.
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SEC. 6. Separabiiity Ciause. - In case any provision or any part thereof is
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declared unconstitutional, the other provisions not so declared and affected shall
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remain in force and effect.
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SEC. 7. Repeaiing Ciause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance,
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executive order, letter of instruction, rule or regulation inconsistent or contrary to
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the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
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SEC. 8. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect immediately following its
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publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general circulation.
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Approved,