FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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S E N A T E  
Senate Bill No. 431 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The National Food Authority (NFA) is one of the critical 
agencies of the government tasked to ensure continuous and 
adequate food supply and to maintain prices of food at affordable 
level for the common people. 
One of the recurring problems of the nation is rice shortage. 
Thus, NFA was established as a successor to the National Grains 
Authority and the National Rice Corporation to enable government to 
regulate the activities of rice traders as well as to regulate the cost 
and price of rice. 
As presently constituted, the NFA Council does not include any 
representative from the farmers as well as the private sector, 
representing the interests of rice consumers and entrepreneurs 
engaged in rice production. 
Under Presidential Decree No. 4 issued on September 26, 
1972, entitled, “Providing for the Development of the Rice and Corn 
Industry and Creating for this purpose the National Grains Authority”, 
a representative from the consuming sector and traders were 
included in the composition of the National Grains Industry 
Development Council. 
Subsequently, with the issuance of 
Presidential Decree No. 1485 on June 11, 1978, further amending 
certain provisions of the National Grains Industry Development Act, 
representation from the rice producers and rice and corn millers and 
traders was deleted. On January 14, 1981, Presidential Decree No. 
177, entitled, Reconstituting the National Grains Authority to the 
National Food Authority, Broadening its Functions and Powers and 
for the other purposes” was issued which, likewise, deleted 
representation from the following sectors, namely, the consuming 
sector and the representatives from the rice producers and rice and 
corn millers and traders. 


It is necessary to include farmers and private sector in the 
Council to assist in the formulation of policies and strategies to mainly 
stable rice supply at affordable prices and likewise in the 
development of pricing policies, the employment of rice production 
technology as well as in the implementation of import and export 
mechanism sensitive to the problems and concern of rice growers 
and rice consumers. Likewise, the representation of these particular 
sectors will enable the Council to reduce bureaucratic practices 
because they are aware of the problem on a first hand basis and 
have the expertise, experience as well as the desire for immediate 
results and to cut through red tape. 
This bill seeks to achieve above mentioned objectives by 
including representatives from the farmers and the private sector in 
the NFA Council. 
d 
ESTRADA 
( )Senator 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
7 JIJl -2 
p 2 
First Regular Session 
) 
S E N A T E  
Senate Bill No. 431 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE INCLUSION OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE 
PRIVATE SECTOR AND FARMERS ORGANIZATION IN THE NATIQNAL 
FOOD 
AUTHORITY 
COUNCIL 
AMENDING 
FOR 
THE 
PURPOSE 
PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1770, AS AMENDED AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION I. Se,ction 6 of P.D. No. 1770 is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
"Sec 6 - Composition of the National Food Authority 
Council. The Council shall be composed of the following: 
[The Minister of Human Settlements] 
A) Th e Administrator, National Food Authority; 
B) Th e [Minister] SECRETARY of Agriculture; 
C) The [Minister] SECRETARY of Finance; 
D) The [Minister] SECRETARY of Trade and 
E) Th e Governor, Central Bank of the Philippines; 
F) The Chairman, Development Bank of the 
G) A Representative of the Office of the Philippines; 
H) A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE CONSUMING 
I) A REPRESENTATIVE FROM A LEGITIMATE 
J) A REPRESENTATIVE FROM A LEGITIMATE 
Industry; 
Philippines; 
SECTOR; 
FARMERS ORGANIZATION; 
FARMERS ORGANIZATION 
The Chairman shall be the [Minister of Human Settlements] SECRETARY 
OF AGRICULTURE and the Vice-chairman shall be the Administrator of the 
National Food Authority shall be appointed by the President of the Republic of 
the Philippines 
ORGANIZATION SHALL BE AT LEAST THIRTY FIVE (35) YEARS OF AGE, 
THE 
REPRESENTATIVE 
OF 
ANY 
LEGITIMATE 
FARMERS 
WITH SUFFICIENT EXPERIENCE IN1 FARMING, OR PROVEN HONESTY, 
INTEGRITY, RECOGNIZED COMPETENCE, AND HAS FAMILIARITY OF RICE 
PRODUCTION 
TECHNOLOGIES. 
THE 
REPRESENTATIVE 
OF 
THE 
FIVE (35) YEARS OF AGE, OF PROVEN HONESTY, INTEGRITY, AND 
CONSUMING SECTOR SHALL BE A FILIPINO CITIZEN, AT LEAST THIRTY- 


RECOGNIZED BY THE PHILIPPINES TO HOLD OFFICE FOR A TERM OF 
FOUR YEARS UNLESS SOONER REMOVED FOR CAUSE OR UNTIL THEIR 
SUCCESSORS SHALL HAVE BEEN QUALIFIED AND APPOINTED. 
The Council shall meet regularly at least once a month on any date to be 
determined by the Chairman. Provided: That the Chairman may convene 
special meetings to discuss urgent matters. The Council Members shall be 
entitled to per diem of not less than [EIGHT HUNDRED PESOS (PSOO.OO] (TWO 
THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED PESOS) for each meeting actually attended by 
them and such other remuneration as may be determined by the Council. 
The management of the Authority shall be vested in an Administrator who 
shall have the rank of a [Minister] SECRETARY and shall be assisted by two (2) 
Deputy Administrators and as many Assistant Administrators as may be 
determined by the Council and whose respective qualifications shall be the 
same as those provided for in the said Decree. 
The Administrator shall receive a compensation, to be determined by the 
Council in accordance with provisions of pertinent compensation law. 
SEC 2. Such sum as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this 
Act shall be included in the General Appropriations Act. 
SEC 3. All existing laws, executive orders, presidential decrees, rules and 
regulations of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC 4. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its publication 
in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,