Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

3587

House Bill No.

Introduced by Hon. Rodolfo G. Biazon

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The continued importation and use of chemical or inorganic fertilizers, pesticides,
weedicides, and other farm inputs has long been a source of protest and debate within the agricultural
sector. It is well known now that increased use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers have created a
chain of problems of soil, environment and water degradation. Intensive chemical agriculture is
‘causing heavy pollution of our food, drinking water and air. The life expectancy has improved but the
quality of life has substantially deteriorated.

This bill secks to establish a comprehensive bio-organie farming program as an alternative to
chemical agriculture.

Bio-organic farming is defiried as an agricultural production system which avoids the use of
chemical or inorganic farm inputs, pesticides, weedicides, and feed additives and relies on biological
‘means of conditioning and enriching the soil, and controlling pests.

‘The program is aimed at reducing the possible damage caused by chemical or inorganic farm
inputs, which may have irreparable or irreversible effects on the environment and living organisms in
the ecosystem. Moreover, the program seeks to help farmers reduce their expenses by decreasing
their dependence on inorganic fertilizers and thereby increase farm yield and income.

To provide the direction and guidelines for the program as well as supervise its
implementation, the Bio-Organic Farming Authority (BOFA) shall be created under the Office of the
President, with the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture as Chairman, and the Secretaries (or
their representatives) of the following as members: Department of Science and Technology,
Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Education, Department of Interior
and Local Government, as well as representatives of small farmers, non-government organ
and state colleges and universities.

zations,

It would be to the advantage of our environment, our economy, and ultimately our people to
adopt this measure providing for the promotion of bio-organic farming in the Philippines.

In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly requested

Lone District, Muntinlupa City


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS

First Regular Session

ld
House Bill No. 35 87

Introduced by Hon. Rodolfo G. Biazon

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE PROMOTION OF BIO-ORGANIC FARMING IN THE
PHILIPPINES

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

SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared the Policy of the State to

promote, propagate and assist the practice of bio-organic farming in the Philippines that will

cumulatively condition and enrich the fertili

of the soil, increase farm yields, reduce

pollution and destruction of the environment, prevent the depletion of natural resources, and
reduce our dependence on imported farm inputs. Towards this end, a comprehensive program
for the production and distribution of bio-organic fertilizers, pesticides and other farm inputs
shall be undertaken in order to meet the country requirements.

Sec. 2. Bio-Organic Farming. — For purposes of this Act, “bio-organic farming” shall
mean an agricultural production system which avoids the use of chemical or inorganic farm
inputs, pesticides weedicides and feed additives and relies on biological means of
conditioning and enriching the soil and controlling pests, such as but not limited to the use of
beneficial organisms, the utilization of plant and animal wastes through composing, crop
rotation, intereropping, multiple cropping, and the adoption of integrated pest management
(IPM) or pesticide-free community ecology approach to pest management. It also covers


areas such as but not limited to, soil fertility management, varietal breeding and selection
under chemical and pesticide-free- conditions, and other cultural practices that enhance
productivity without destroying the soil and harming farmers, consumers, and the
environment.

Sec. 3. Program. — There is hereby established a comprehensive bio-organic farming
program which shall adopt and. develop the propagation of bio-organic cultivation and
production methods, the education of more and more farmers thereon, the extension of
assistance to individuals and groups who are practicing and promoting these methods as well
as those who are willing to do so, other pertinent activities, and documentation and evaluation
of the program.

Sec. 4. Bio-Organic Farming Authority. - To carry out the policy and the program
provided in this Act, there is hereby created a Bio-Organic Farming Authority (BOFA) under
the Office of the President. The BOFA shall have a juridical personality and shall consist of a
Board Directors, hereinafter referred to as the Board, which shall provide the direction and
general guidelines for the program. It shall have an Executive Directorate which shall
implement the program in its various aspects in accordance with the direction and guidelines
of the Board. The various government departments and agencies and the officials thereof
named in this Act, in collaboration with private individuals and groups also herein named, are
hereby directed to intensify and coordinate their activities with the program of the BOFA.

The BOFA shall ensure the full participation of people’s organizations (POs), non-
government organizations (NGOs), and the general public through mechanisms, such as but
not limited to, public an meetings, and joint projects.

Sec. 5. The Board. — The Board shall consist of:

~ the Secretary of Agriculture, Chairman;


the Secretaries (or their representatives) of the Department of Science and
‘Technology, of the Environment and Natural Resources, of Education, and of the

Interior and Local Government;

two (2) representatives of small farmers;

the Chairman of the Fertilizer and Pesticides Authority (PFA);
= two (2) representatives of non-government organizations involved in sustainable

agriculture for at least three (3) years; and

two (2) representatives of agricultural state and private colleges and universities,
Members.

The representatives of small farmers, NGOs and of agricultural state and private
colleges and universities, shall be chosen by the Secretaries of Agriculture and Science and
Technology, respectively, from among nominees submitted to the agency concemed by their
respective national organizations. They shall be conversant with bio-organic farming and
committed to the policies and programs provided under this Act.

Sec. 6. Organization of the Board. — Within sixty (60) working days from the
“effectivity of this Act, the national organizations of small farmers, of NGOs, and of
agricultural colleges and universities shall submit their respective nominees to the Secretary
of Agriculture and the Secretary of Science and Technology, as the case may be, who shall
evaluate the qualifications of the nominees and appoint the most qualified members to the
Board Oo

The Chairman shall call the members of the Board, or a majority thereof if not all
have been designated, to a meeting to organize themselves and prescribe its rules and

procedures for the attainment of the objectives of this Act. A majority of all the members of

‘the Board shall constitute a quorum.


The Board shall also determine its budget, including travel expenses, allowances and
per diems of its non-governmental members when attending official Board meetings or
attending to matters assigned to them, and costs of office space, equipment and supplies.
The Board may appoint full-time assistants and other employees, subject to existing
Civil Service rules and regulations.
Sec. 7. Executive Directorate. — The Executive Directorate, hereinafter referred to as
the Directorate, shall be headed by a full-time Executive Director who shall be appointed by
the President of the Philippines not later than thirty (30) working days after the Board's
organizational meeting and whose compensation shall be fixed by the Board. The Executive
Director shall be assisted by the members of the Directorate, who shall be composed of the
following public officials and representatives of private groups, and who are hereby directed
to extend full support and cooperation;
- The Director, Bureau of Soils and Water Management;
2The Director, Bureau of Plant industry;
- The Director, Agricultural Training Institute;
- The Director, Bureau of Agricultural Research;
- The Executive Director, Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA)
~ A representative, to be designated by the Secretary of the Department of Science and
Technology;

- A representative, to be designated by the Secretary of the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources;

- A representative, to be designated by the Secretary of the Department of Education,
Culture and Sports; .

- A representative, to be designated by the Secretary of the Department of the Interior

and Local Government;


- The Executive Director, Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural
Resources Research and Development (PCARRD);

- A representative from the Farmers Cooperative Sector;

- Two (2) representatives of other NGOs involved in sustainable agriculture or
development for the past three (3) years to be chosen by the Secretary of
Agriculture and Food from among the nominees of the NGO sector;

~ A representative each of agricultural state and private colleges and universities, to be
chosen from among the nominees of national organizations of said colleges and
universities; and

- Three (3) representatives of small farmers to be chosen by the Secretary of

Agriculture from among the nominees of national organizations of small farmers;

All the members or representatives in the Executive Directorate shall be conversant
with bio-organic farming and committed to the policies and program provided under this Act.

‘The Executive Director is hereby empowered to call upon any government agency for
assistance in the performance of his tasks.

‘The Departments of Agriculture and of Science and Technology shall jointly provide
an office and staff for the Directorate.

The salary and office expenses of the Executive Director and the members and staff of
the Directorate as well as the traveling expenses, allowances and per diems of private
representatives in the Directorate attending official Directorate meetings and performing
other tasks assigned to them, shall be taken from the appropriations provided under this Act.

Sec. 8. Apportionment-of Tasks.-- The Executive Director shall apportion and
coordinate the tasks embraced by the program provided in this Act among the various

members of the Directorate according to their fields of specialization. Such tasks shall


include, but shall not be limited to, research, education, extension, training of farmers,

“taining of trainors including the giving of acquisition of scholarships and observation grants
here and abroad, pesticide-free IPM, small scale and commercial production of organic farm
inputs, an accreditation system to insure their quality, and sustained promotional campaigns.
‘The members of the Directorate shall at all times observe cooperation with one another,
complement and/or supplement each other's tasks, and involve their offices and/or
organizations in the accomplishment of such tasks.

Sec. 9. Work Plan. ~ Within sixty (60) working days after assuming office and after
the first organizational meeting of the Directorate, the Executive Director shall submit to the
Office of the President for approval;

a) A report on the setting-up and organization of the Directorate and staff;

b) A scheme of distribution and complementation of functions among the

members of the Directorate;

c) A plan of bringing the program down to the grassroots, utilizing available personnel
and facilities on the local level and those of local government units;

d) A pattern of cooperation and mutual assistance with local government units, POs
and NGOs, which will maximize people empowering and participatory approaches
to program formulation, implementation and monitoring; and

) A schedule of short-term, medium-term and long-term targets.

Sec. 10. Bio-organic Farming and Protection of the Environment. ~ The BOFA shall

constantly devise and.implement ways_and means not only of producing bio-organic
fertilizers and other farm inputs and needs on and off the farm, but also of helping to alleviate

the problems of industrial waste and community garbage disposal through appropriate

methods of sorting, collecting and composting.


Likewise, the BOFA in coordination with the Department of Education, Culture and
Sports shall set-up Bio-Organic demonstration farms in various schools nationwide.

The Executive Director shall conduct continuing studies, with consultations among the
people and officials involved as well as POs and NGOs, in order to advise local governments
from the Barangay to the Provincial level, on the collection and disposal of garbage and
waste in such a way as to provide raw materials for the production of organic fertilizer and
other farm inputs.

Sec. 11. Incentives. ~ The Government shall extend incentives for the manufacture and
propagation of bio-organic farm inputs by maximizing their use in all government and
government-supported agricultural production, research and demonstration programs. The
Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Science and Technology (DOST),
Department of Education (DepEd), Department of the Interior and Local Government.
(DILG), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Land Bank, and other government lending
and non-lending institutions shall also assist organic input producers through the provision of
adequate financial, technical, marketing and other services and resources.

Sec. 12. Appropriations. ~ The sum of Fifty million pesos (P50,000,000.00) for the
effective implementation of this Act is hereby appropriated out of any funds in the National
Treasury not otherwise appropriated. Thereafter, such amount as may be necessary for the
continuous implementation of the program shall be included in the annual General
Appropriations Act.

At least seventy-five percent (75%) of the BOFA’s budget shall be allotted for
integrated scientific research, information, education, and training of farmers and
demonstration on the farm level, including the provisions of full-time bio-farming extension
workers who will work with farmers’ associations and cooperatives, POs, NGOs, barangay

assemblies, rural communities, and other groups.


See. 13. Separability Clause, — If any provision of this Act or the application of such
provision to any person or circumstance is held invalid for any reason, the other provisions or
their application to other persons or circumstances not affected thereby shall remain in full

force and effect.

Sec. 14. Repealing Clause. ~ All laws, decrees, orders, rules, regulations and issuances

or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

Sec. 15. Effectivity. ~ This Act shall take effect upon its approval

Approved,