Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. _______________
Introduced by ANG PROBINSYANO
Party-List Representative Alfred Delos Santos
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Article II, Section 21 of the 1987 Constitution declares that it is the
State’s duty to “promote comprehensive rural development.” Under Section 15
of the same Article, it is likewise stated that the “[t]he State shall protect and
promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness
among them.” These two policies impose upon Congress the responsibility of
championing the advancement of the Philippine dairy industry, which is vital to
both agricultural growth and public health.
There have indeed been such efforts. In 1964, we had Republic Act No.
4041 (“An Act to Develop the Dairy Industry”), which, in Section 1, makes it the
government’s policy to “promote and encourage the development of dairy
industry so as to achieve self-sufficiency, at least, in milk and dairy products
and to improve the health and standard of living of the people.” Next, for
1989-1993,
we
had
the
Medium-Term
Development
Plan
for
Dairy,
accompanied by the Dairy Industry Development Model (DDM), which led to
the establishment of dairy zones. So it was that in 1992, the Philippine
Carabao Center (PCC) came into being. This was followed in1995, by the
National Dairy Authority (NDA). Finally, we had the Dairy Road Map (DRM) for
2010-2016.
Yet we currently find ourselves with a dairy industry that remains
crippled by several age-old problems:1 1) shortage of dairy stocks; 2) limited
industry entrants; 3) competition with cheap imported milk powders; and 4)
trained technicians and farmers leaving the country to work in dairy farms in
New Zealand and Australia. The dairy industry is still clamoring for:2 1)
2 Id.
1 Angelo M. Tapia, “The Philippine Dairy Industry: Situation and Prospects,” University of the Philippines Los Baños,
available at http://dairyasia.org/dmdocuments/AMT-edited.pdf.
September 19, 2022
4:24 pm
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improved productivity of animals on the ground; 2) increased herds through
intensive
local
upgrading;
3)
increased
numbers
of
small-hold
farmers
generating profits from dairy enterprise; 4) support for the establishment of
breeding farms to supply new industry entrants with good dairy stocks; and 5)
continued training of farmer technicians.
The Commission on Audit (COA) has declared that “lack of coordination
among key agencies, lack of well-defined roles and responsibilities for the dairy
industry’s stakeholders, lack of funding, operational issues, and significant
cattle and buffalo mortality rates” all “led to the non-attainment of DRM
targets.”3 This, according to the Philippine Institute for Development Studies
(PIDS), has resulted in us having to import practically 99% of our dairy
requirements, while our local milk sources battle issues of being compromised
or contaminated.4
This Bill has five primary measures. First, the fast-tracking and close
monitoring of the implementation of dairy-related Public Investment Programs
(PIP) under the National Economic Development Agency’s (NEDA) List of
2017-2022 Priority Programs and Projects. Second, the prioritization and
boosting of projects that are meant to improve dairy animal health, welfare,
and nutrition. Third, the identification of Model Farms, which will offer
mentoring and host on-site trainings, both for fledgling dairy farmers, and
those already seeking to expand their operations. Fourth, institutionalizing
tie-ups between dairy farms and their local government units (LGUs), especially
for
regular
milk-supplying
programs
in
public
schools,
and
for
promoting/marketing dairy products as staple/specialty goods of their locality.
And
fifth,
revitalizing
and
streamlining
financial
aid programs for dairy
farmers.
It is for the foregoing premises that the approval of this Bill is earnestly
sought.
ALFRED C. DELOS SANTOS
Representative, Ang Probinsyano Party-List
4 Sonny N. Domingo and Ma. Divina C. Olaguera, “Review of High-Value Agriculture in the Philippines with
Comprehensive Subsectoral Foccus: Livestock Industries,” PIDS Discussion Paper No. 2017-51, p.16, available at
https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps1751.pdf.
3 Genshen L. Espedido, “Not enough dairy animals to reach milk self sufficiency,” Business World Online, February 7,
2020, available at https://www.bworldonline.com/not-enough-dairy-animals-to-reach-milk-self-sufficiency/.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. _______________
Introduced by ANG PROBINSYANO
Party-List Representative Alfred Delos Santos
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR
THE DAIRY INDUSTRY, GEARED TOWARDS PHILIPPINE DAIRY
SELF-SUFFICIENCY
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the
Philippines in Congress assembled:
SECTION
1.
Short
Title.
–
This
Act
shall
be
known
as
the
“Comprehensive Dairy Farming Act.”
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – The State recognizes its duties of
pushing for agricultural development, particularly in terms of self-sufficiency,
and promoting public health, with emphasis on better nutritional options for
all. As such, the State acknowledges the necessity to enact measures for
bringing the dairy industry’s development back on track.
SECTION 3. Coverage. – This Act shall apply to, and be implemented, in
all the provinces of the Philippines that have dairy farms of any size.
SECTION 4. Goals. – This Act focuses on the attainment of the following
goals, all going towards meeting the goal of locally producing enough dairy
products to meet at least 10% of the national demand:
(a) Faster, but more strategic, herd build-up for all three types of dairy
animals used in the Philippines—cattle, carabaos, and goats;
(b) Establishment
of
modernized
and accessible technical, financial,
marketing/promotional,
and
mentorship-based
support
for
dairy
farmers; and
(c) Improved awareness of, and intensive training on, dairy farming
practices that are protective of animal health, nutrition, and welfare.
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SECTION
5.
Fast-tracking
and
Monitoring
the
Implementation
of
Dairy-related Public Investment Programs. – From among the National Economic
Development Agency’s List of Priority Public Investment Programs (PIP) for
“Expanding Economic Opportunities in Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries”
which may hereinafter be promulgated, those that are dairy-related shall be
implemented with more urgency, and closer performance monitoring, involving
regular accomplishment or update reports. The performance monitoring for the
dairy-related PIP may be done per category, with the various PIP grouped into
the following clusters:
(a) Herd build-up;
(b) Training;
(c) Research and Development; and
(d) Marketing of Dairy Products and Institutionalization of Milk-feeding
Programs.
Using
the
feedback
and
analyses
from each cluster’s performance
monitoring, the implementation flow of any particular PIP may be adjusted, by
the involved actors, as would be necessary for that PIP’s targets or objectives to
be realized in a timely manner.
SECTION 6. Prioritizing and Boosting Projects on Improving Dairy Animal
Health, Welfare, and Nutrition. – This Act mandates its implementing agencies,
under the leadership of the National Dairy Authority, to heavily invest in
measures meant to improve dairy animal health, welfare, and nutrition, so as
to:
(a) combat the staggering rates of dairy animal mortality;
(b) promote and institutionalize humane dairy farming practices that are
respectful of animal rights;
(c) eliminate animal cruelty or abuse in the dairy industry;
(d) come up with dairy end-products that are more nutrient-rich.
SECTION 7. Model Farms. – The National Dairy Authority, with the
cooperation of the members of this Act’s implementing task force, shall
produce guidelines, processes, and criteria for the identification of model dairy
farms all over the nation. These model farms shall serve as:
(a) centers for on-site training for dairy farmers;
(b) hubs for partnerships and mentorships meant to build the capacities
of starting or fledgling dairy farmers; and
(c) examples
for
dairy
farmers
seeking
to
expand
their
current
operations.
SECTION 8. Tie-ups between dairy farms and their local government
units. – Local government units (LGUs) outside of Metro Manila, especially
those that already have dairy farms within their respective territories, are
strongly encouraged to institutionalize and consistently advertise the following
forms of tie-ups with their constituent dairy farmers:


(a) Milk feeding programs for public schools, with prioritization given to
primary and elementary schools;
(b) Developing, packaging, and promoting dairy products as specialty
goods of their localities; and
(c) Locating and establishing communal grazing or pasture areas for
dairy animals.
In all three forms of tie-ups, each LGU must primarily uphold the interest of its
constituent smallholder dairies.
SECTION 9. Financial aid for dairy farms. – This Act further encourages
LGUs
to
foster
streamlined
versions
of financial aid programs for their
constituent dairy farmers, wherein private businesses or financial institutions
are tapped as creditors, with a dedicated office of a subject LGU stepping in as
guarantor for the debtor-farmer.
SECTION 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The National Dairy
Authority (NDA), as the lead implementing agency for this Act’s provisions,
shall be responsible for drawing up the implementing rules and regulations for
the same. It shall also convene the following government bodies, to form an
implementing task force where all aspects of the dairy industry are properly
represented and accounted for:
(a) The Philippine Carabao Center
(b) The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources
Research and Development
(c) The Livestock Development Council
(d) The Bureau of Animal Industry
(e) The Dairy Research & Training Institute
(f) The Dairy Confederation of the Philippines
(g) The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry; and
(h) The Philippine Association of Food Manufacturers
SECTION 11. Separability Clause. – If any provision or part of this Act is
held invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining provisions or parts unaffected
shall remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 12. Repealing Clause. – All laws, executive orders, presidential
decrees or issuances, letters of instruction, administrative orders, rules, and
regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are
hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.
SECTION 13. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15)
days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general
circulation.
Approved,