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

‘TEENTH CONGRI
First Regular Session

9"
House Bill No,_ 41.777

Introduced by DIWA Party.

Representative Emmeline Y. Aglipay ~ Villar

PLANATORY NOTE

Hybrid rice - a type which has been bred ftom two different parents and can outyield other rice
varieties -- is a key technology for the country's rice producers to meet the demand for the staple
food at home and abroad. Hybrid rice closes yield gaps evident in many areas, and raises yield
potential, which means that farmers can earn higher incomes and consumers may see more
affordable rice products on the market.

But for this to happen, greater support must be given to the seed research and production that can
create better products such as these hybrid seeds. Despite the passage of Republic Act No. 3708
otherwise known as the “Seeds Industry Development Act of 1992", there is still a need to
promote comprehensive quality seed production to farmers and farmer organizations by
developing and propagating quality seeds for them.

This bill ~ filed as a counterpart of Senate Bill No. 322 with the support of its author, Senator
Cynthia Villar -- will require the National Government to undertake a comprehensive program,
focused on the production of hybrid and other quality seeds at a subsidized cost, as well as
encouraging farmers to intensify their efforts in increasing farm productivity.

Aermtens 3, Kellen

EMMELINE Y. AGLIPAY ~ VILLAR
Representative, DIWA Party



Republic of the Philippines

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 4177

Introduced by DIWA

y-list Representative Emmeline Y. Aglipay ~ Villar

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A CONTINUING NATIONAL PROGRAM FOR HYBRID AND
OTHER QUALITY SEEDS PRODUCTION, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Title - This Act shall be known as "The National Seeds Production Act of
2016"

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to optimize
farm productivity through a systematic production of hybrid and other quality seeds which
are readily available and affordable to farmers. Towards this end, the government shall
formulate a system that will ensure the production of hybrid and other quality seeds sufficient
to address the requirements of the farmers and whereby the farmers may buy seeds from
various accessible centers at a subsidized price.

SECTION 3, Definition of Terms - For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall be
defined as follows:

a) Seed shall mean a plant material used for the production of food, forage, fibers, industrial
crops, oil, flowers, grasses, herbs, and aquatic plants, including but not limited to, meristem
and clonal propagules such tubers, corms, cuttings, seedlings, and micro-propagated
plantlets;

b) Hybrid seeds shall mean improved seeds certified by the National Seed Quality Control
Services under the Bureau of Plant Industry with proven capacity for high yield: Hybrids
result from the deliberate crossing of two different parent varieties from the same species

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©) Continuing Program shall mean an all year round program of production based on a pre-
determined volume of requirement that should be carried out on a regular basis;

d) Local Levels shall mean the regional offices of the Department of Agriculture, provincial
agriculture offices and the municipal agriculture offices;

¢) Subsidized Price shall mean the value of the seeds which is half of its acquisition and/or
production cost as determined by the Department of Agriculture, through the Bureau of Plant
Industry;

SECTION 4. Coverage - The National Government shall undertake a comprehensive
program on the production of hybrid and other quality seeds, including the following
activities:

a) Policy formulation on regulation and distribution of hybrid and other quality seeds to the
farmers at a subsidized cost,

b) Promotion and encouragement to the farmers of the use of hybrid and other quality seeds
in their effort to increase farm productivity;

c) The conduct of information dissemination, seminars and other support services to the
farmers;

4) Research and development pertaining to hybrid and other quality seeds, in coordination
with the Philippine Rice Institute and other specialized agencies

SECTION 5. Implementing Mechanism - The Department of Agriculture, through the
Bureau of Plant Industry is hereby designated as the implementing Agency of this program
and shall initiate, supervise, coordinate, monitor its implementation at the national and local
levels, It shall ensure the following,

a) The active participation of the private sectors in the mass production of hybrid and other
quality seeds in sufficient quantity;

b) The seeds that shall be mass produced in sufficient quantity should only be those hybrid
and other quality seeds that are certified by the National Seed Quality Control Services,
created under Republic Act 7308;

c) The establishments of areas devoted to the production of hybrid and other quality seeds in
each region and province, as may be deemed necessary, to augment any deficiency of
production from the private sector.

©) The establishments of buying/distribution centers in each municipality, through the
municipal agriculture office

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SECTION 6, Appropriations - The sum of Five Hundred Million pesos
(Php500,000,000.00) shall be appropriated for the initial implementation of this Act which
shall be incorporated in the Annual Budget of the Department of Agriculture, and thereafter
the amount necessary to carry out the program implementation shall be incorporated in the
General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 7 Annual Report - The Department of Agriculture shall render an annual report
to Congress on the accomplishment of the program. A review on the viability of the program
shall be made by the concerned agencies after three (3) years of its implementation.

SECTION 8 Implementing Rules and Regulations - The Department of Agriculture shall
issue rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act within ninety (90) days
from the effectivity of this Act,

SECTION 9. Penal Provisions - Any person, firm or association who shall obstruct,
impedes or in any manner defeats the purpose of this act, shall, upon conviction, be punished
with a fine of not more than One Hundred Thousand pesos (Php 100,000.00) or
imprisonment of not more than five (5) years, or both, in the discretion of the court. Provided,
that in case of a firm or association, the penalty of imprisonment shall be imposed upon the
officer(s) who knowingly participated, abetted, or consented to the commission of such
punishable acts.

SECTION 10. Separability Clause - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid or
unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain in full force and
effect,

SECTION 11. Repealing Clause - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders,
presidential proclamations, rules and regulations or parts thereof contrary to or inconsistent
with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly

SECTION 12. Effectivity - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,

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