Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL vo 241 3

Introduced by Representative Wilbert T. Lee

AN ACT ESTABLISHING AN INTEGRATED AGRIPRENEURS
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS
THEREFOR

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Article XIV, Section 1 of the 1987 Constitution states that “[t]he State shall protect and
promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels, and shall take appropriate
steps to make such education accessible to all.” Likewise, Section 2(1) of the same mandates
the state to “[e]stablish, maintain, and support a complete, adequate, and integrated system of
education relevant to the needs of the people and society;

Taking into consideration that Philippines is primarily an agricultural country, utmost
priority must be given to our agricultural sector. Agriculture today faces escalating challenges
in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Aside from food price crises, climate change and rapid
urbanization, globalization and market liberalization further threatens a weak agricultural
system! In 2014, Professor Zamora of the University of the Philippines Los Bafios revealed
that of the “three million students enrolled in higher education only 2.8% are enrolled in
agriculture, forestry, and fisheries degree programs.” Several reasons he enumerated for the
decline in enrollment in agriculture are: a) negative perception of agriculture as a profession:
b) insufficient government investment in SUCs; c) rapid urbanization of agricultural areas; and
d) devolution of agricultural services to the local government units.

Aside from public investments being funneled to agriculture infrastructure and
equipment, we must give equal importance to integrated efforts on investing in human
development i.e. education and training of our people in this sector.

1 Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (n.d) The role of RAS for inclusive agripreneurship. Retrieved last
6 July 2022 from: https://www.g-

fras.org/en/agripreneurship.html:~:text= Agripreneurship%20refers%20to%20entrepreneurship%20in, business
%£2%80%9D%20(Reynolds%20et%20al,

2 Zamora, O, (2014) Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Agricultural Education in the Philippines
and in the ASEAN Region; Journal of Developments in Sustainable Agriculture 9: pg.29-40


This bill seeks to encourage more students to study agriculture, forestry, and fisheries
degree programs with support from the government and empower them to be “agriprencurs”
scholars by establishing an integrated agricultural scholarship program. It shall also provide
the institutional mechanism for the envisioned sustained human resource development of the
Philippine agricultural system. The scholarship program shall provide a total of | Billion Pesos
support annually to qualified agripreneur scholars and other educational resource support
mechanisms for the pursuit of studies in the field of agriculture by deserving and qualified
students, Another component of this scholarship program is a mandatory retum service
program to help improve the agricultural system of the country.

‘Through these integrated efforts, we are looking forward to a more robust and stronger
agricultural system built with agripreneurs that are creatively competing with more sustainable,
community-oriented, and digitally-marketed agricultural products.

In view of the foregoing, the swift passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

HON| WILBERT T. LEE

epresentative
AGRI PARTYLIST


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

* 2419

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Representative Wilbert T. Lee

AN ACT ESTABLISHING AN INTEGRATED AGRIPRENEURS
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS
THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress

assembled:

SEC. 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the “Agripreneurs Scholarship Program Act.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. It is the declared policy of the State to promote sound
agricultural development in the country and to achieve global competitiveness in the
agricultural sector. Towards this end, agriculture education and trainings shall be encouraged
among the youth in order to inculcate the latest agricultural principles and techniques. The
State, therefore, shall extend the avenue for this learning process by providing accessible

education on agriculture and other related courses.

SEC. 3. Establishment of the Integrated Agripreneurs Scholarship Program. There shall be
established an Integrated Agripreneurs Scholarship Program (IASP) for deserving Filipino
students in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) and in partner private higher education
institutions (PHEls): Provided, That the applicant has satisfied the qualifications enumerated
in Section 5 of this Act. The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) may designate more
than one partner higher education institutions (HET) per region, as deemed necessary, upon
consultation with the Department of Agriculture (DA).


SEC. 4. Coverage of the Agricultural Scholarship. The student financial assistance under the
IASP shall cover the following:

a)

b)

Tuition and other school fees;

Allowance for prescribed books, supplies and equipment;
©

qd

Clothing or uniform allowance

Allowance for dormitory or boarding house ‘accommodation, or transportation
allowance, whichever is more applicable

©)

Internship fees, including financial assistance during the required internship period

£) Licensure exam fees, if applicable, of the scholar concerned taken within one (1) year
after graduation

2) Subsistence or living allowance.

SEC. 5, Qualification Requirements. An applicant to the IASP shall possess the following
qualifications:

a) Must be a natural-born or naturalized Filipino citizen residing in the Philippines;

b)

Must have a family income not sufficient to support tertiary education;

©) Must be a senior high school graduating student from any Department of Education
(DepEd) recognized educational institution: Provided, That they have maintained a
general weighted average of at least a passing grade in the past terms preceding their
scholarship application; and

qd

Must have passed the entrance examinations and other related requirements for
admission for an agricultural-related degree identified in the SUC or PHEI where the
scholarship intends to enroll, as determined by CHED and DA.

SEC 6. Conditions for the Grant of Scholarship. Students accepted to the IASP shall be
subject to the following conditions:

a) Must sign an agreement containing the terms and conditions for the grant of the
scholarship as provided under this Act and as may be prescribed in the implementing
rules and regulations;

b) Must enroll, full load of, subjects prescribed per semester by the SUC or the PHEI
concemed, and shall under no circumstance, drop a course which will result in
underloading;

°)

Must finish the entire bachelor’s degree program enrolled within the prescribed time
frame of the SUC or PHEI where the scholar is enrolled, subject to the retention policies
of the SUC or the PHEI; Provided. That. the scholar may be allowed, for valid and
justifiable reasons, to file a leave of absence for one (1) academic year;


d) Must take the licensure examination within a maximum period of one (1) year after
completion of the bachelor’s degree, if applicable; and

e) Must agree to render return of service as provided under Section 8 of this Act.
SEC. 7. Termination of Scholarship and Penalties. The grant of benefits under the [ASP
shall be terminated and the scholar shall repay the full cost of scholarship and related benefits

received in case of the following circumstances:

a) Ifthe scholar fails to comply with any of the conditions for the grant of scholarship as
provided under Section 6 of this Act;

b)

If the scholar accepts another scholarship from other government or private agencies or
entities while enjoying the benefits under this Act;

©

If the scholar fails in thirty percent (30%) of the subjects he/she is enrolled in or fails
to meet the academic requirements of the SUC or the PHEI or to complete the course
within the prescribed period without valid cause as may be determined by the SUC or
PHEI, CHED or DA: Provided, That instead of repaying in cash the full cost of the
scholarship and related expenses, the terminated scholar may opt to repay the same in
kind by working in the agricultural sector or accredited agricultural enterprises for a
period equivalent to the number of years the scholarship has been availed; and

r)

While being a scholar, the scholar commits gross misconduct in a manner that would
bring significant damage to the SUC or PHEI concerned or to the community as a
whole.

SEC. 8. Mandatory Return Service and Integration into the Public Agricultural System.
Within one (1) year after graduation or passing the licensure examinations, whichever is
applicable, the Agripreneur Scholar shall serve in public agricultural institutions or accredited
agricultural institutions or companies by the DA. In the event that an agripreneur scholar fails
or refuses to serve the return service required under this Act, he/she shall be required to pay
the full cost of the scholarship, including other benefits and related expenses incurred by reason
of participation in the scholarship program. In case of non-payment, necessary and applicable
charges shall be filed against the said scholar: Provided, That the sanction shall not apply to
scholars who fail to comply with the required return service on account of, or by reason of,
severe or serious illness.

SEC. 9, Integration of All Nationally-Funded Agriculture Scholarship Programs. Upon the
effectivity of this Act, all nationally-funded agricultural-related scholarship programs shall be
harmonized, rationalized, and consolidated under the IASP.

SEC. 10. Start-up Cash Grants for Agripreneur Scholars. The DA, in coordination with the
relevant government agencies and financial institutions, shall prepare and consolidate cash


grant programs that can be availed by our Agripreneur scholars who wish to venture and
establish their Agribusinesses.

SEC. 11. Appropriations. An amount of One Billion Pesos (P1,000,000,000) is hereby allotted
for this purpose annually. Thereafter, the sum necessary for its implementation shall be in the
General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations, Within one hundred eighty days (180) days
from the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture and the Chairman of CHED, in
consultation with various SUCs and PHEIs and other relevant stakeholders, shall jointly
promulgate the rules and regulations necessary for the effective implementation of this Act.

Sec. 13. Separability Clause. If any part or provision of this Act shall be declared
unconstitutional or invalid, other provisions hereof which are not affected thereby shall
continue to be in full force and effect.

Sec. 14. Repealing Clause. All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, rules and
regulations, other issuances, and parts thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of
this Act, are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Sec. 15. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its publication in
three (3) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,