FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
• S.B. No. 2066 
Introduced by Senator EDGARDO J. ANGARA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Philippine agriculture is in crisis. The country has continually faced the problem of 
high food cost; it has the highest food prices among the ASEAN countries. And most 
recently, it experienced shortage of its most important staple food: rice. The high cost of 
food, being wage goods, has affected the competitiveness of the country's industry 
specially those in export. Compounding the problem is high rural poverty. 
Agriculture and Fisheries extension is central to growth and development of the 
agriculture and fisheries sector. How a country manages its agriculture knowledge through 
its extension services is cnlcial to agriculture growth and development. Knowledge at the 
hands of the producers empowers and gives them the competitive edge. Extension, along 
with Research and Development (R&D), has the highest return of investment (ROI) :lmong 
policy instruments. Therefore, it is worth investing on it. 
Agriculture growth should come from knowledge-intensive practices in agriculture 
such as crop intensification. However, knowledge intensive agriculture (KIA) is dependent 
on a dynamic, responsive agriculture and fisheries extension with strong linkage to 
knowledge generation. Unfortunately, Agriculture and Fisheries Extension Services 
(AFES) in the Philippines face serious problems that affect its efficiency and effectiveness. 
The extension unit is highly fragmented, lacks a coherent direction, demoralized and 
composed of aging personnel who has not fully recovered from the effects of 
decentralization, weak research-extension linkage, underinvestment, and highly politicized 
structure among others. 
The proposed Agriculture and Fisheries Extension bill will address the current 
problems and more. 
The bill seeks to: 
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1) Strengthen the country's extension system by decentralizing it to the 
appropriate level of political unit that provides a viable economic unit 'for 
agriculture development Le., the province; 
2) Making the national government pay for the salaries and wages of extension 
personnel under the administrative direction of the provincial government; 
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3) Professionalizing and standardizing the salaries and wages of the Local 
Government Unit (LGU) extension personnel to that of equivalent positions in 
the national government; 
4) Creating a national agency, the Philippine Agriculture & Fisheries Extension 
Agency (P AFEA) to orchestrate, provide national directions, set standards of 
performance, and provide 'institutionalized financial and technical support to the 
LGUs. 
Hence, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
~//l-v--
EDGARDO J. ANGARA 
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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
, , '-
SENATE 
S.B. No. 2066 
Introduced by Senator EDGARDO J. ANGARA 
AN ACT 
PRESCRIBING THE STRENGTHENING OF THE NATIONAL EXTENSION 
SYSTEM TO ACCELERATE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES 
DEVELOPMENT, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
ARTICLE 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS 
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Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Agriculture and Fisheries 
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Extension Act of2009." 
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Section 2. Declaration of Policy. - The goals of the national economy are a more 
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equitable distribution of opportunities, income and wealth; a sustained increase in the 
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amount of goods and services produced by the nation for the benefit of the people; and an 
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expanding productivity as the key to raising the quality of life for all, especially the 
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underprivileged. 
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The State shaU promote industrialization and full employment based on sound 
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agricultural development and agrarian reform, through industries that make full and 
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efficient use of human and natural resources, and which are competitive in both domestic 
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and foreign markets. In pursuit of these goals, aU sectors of the economy and all regions 
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of the country shall be given optimum opportunity to develop. 
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Thus, it is hereby declared the policy of the State to enable those who belong to 
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the agriculture and fisheries sector to participate and share in the fruits of development 
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and growth in a manner that utilizes the nation's resources in the most efficient and 
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sustainable way possible by establishing a more equitable access to assets, income, basic . 
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and support services and infrastructure. 
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The State shall give priority to promote science, technology and human resource 
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development as essentials for national development and progress. 
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The State shall utilize research results through information, extension and 
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communication services. It shall support the development of a national extension system 
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that will help accelerate the transformation of agriculture and fisheries sectors of the 
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Country from a resource-based industry to knowledge and technology-based and market-
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oriented industry. 
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The State shall adopt the market approach in assisting the agriculture and fisheries 
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sector while recognizing the contribution of these sectors to food security, environmental 
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protection, and balanced urban and rural development, without neglecting the welfare of 
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the consumers, especially the lower income groups. The State shall promote market 
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oriented policies in agricultural production to encourage farmers to shift to more 
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profitable crops. 
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The State shall empower the agriculture and fisheries sector to develop and 
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sustain themselves to meet present and future needs of the Country. Toward this end, the 
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State shall ensure the establishment and development of the agriculture and fisberies 
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extension system that increases and sustains its contributions to the achievement of the 
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goals of agriculture modernization as mandated by Republic Act 8435: a) Poverty 
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Alleviation and Social Equity; b) Food Security; c) Rational Use of Resources and 
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Sustainable Development; d) Global Competitiveness; and e) People Empowerment. 
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Section 3. Definition of Terms. As used in this Act, the term: 
1. "Agriculturist" Tefers to a person who is a graduate of a bachelor's degree in 
agriculture or any related course registered and licensed with the Professional 
Regulation 
Commission 
or Civil Service 
Commission; who 
performs 
communication, curriculum development, econometrics, statistical work, training 
and extension works in agriculture production, trade, and processing including 
crop and animal protection, food safety, agricultural and natural resource 
economics, and marketing; 
2. "Agricultural Engineer" refers to a person registered with the Professional 
Regulation Commission or Civil Service Commission performing training and 
extension work in agricultural and fisheries mechanization, irrigation, drainage, 
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soil and water conservation, agricultural buildings and structures, agricultural 
processing and post harvest facilities; 
3, "Catalytic Financing" - the provision of financial support to achieve excellence, 
equity and increased investment by the local governments in the implementation 
of agriculture and fisheries extension services towards the achievement of 
national goals; 
4, "Civil Society" - refers to the group of organizations whose uncoerced 
collective action revolves around shared interests, purposes and values. Civil 
~ocieties are 
organizations composed of community groups, 
women's 
organizations, faith-based organizations, professional associations, trade unions, 
self-help groups, social movements, bnsiness associations, coalitions and 
advocacy groups; 
5. "Consumers" - are those that acquire goods or servIces for direct use or 
ownership rather than for resale or use in production and manufacturing; 
6, "Empowerment"- is the expansion of assets and capabilities of people to 
participate in, negotiate with, influence, control and hold accountable institutions 
that affect their lives; it involves providing authority, responsibility, and 
information to people directly engaged on agriculture and fishery production, 
primarily at the level of the farmers, fisher folk and those engaged in food and 
non-food production and processing, in order to give them enhanced economics 
rights; 
7. "Fisheries" - refers to all systems or networks of interrelated activities which 
include the production, growing, harvesting, processing, marketing, developing, 
conserving and managing of all aquatic and fisheries areas; 
8, "Fisheries Technologist" refers to a person who is a graduate of a four year 
course in Fisheries and registered and licensed with the Professional Regulation 
Commission or Civil Service Commission performing training and extension on 
fisheries, marine resources and aquaculture; 
9, "Food Security" - refers to the policy objective, plan and strategy of meeting 
the' food requirements of the present and future generations, of Filipinos in 
substantial quantity, ensuring the availability and affordability of safe and 
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nutritious food to all, either through local production or importation, or both, 
based on the country's existing and potential resource endowment and related 
production advantages, and consistent with the overall national development 
objectives and policies; 
10. "Formula grants" - these are national govermnent financial transfers to the 
local governments to support the regular expenditures in the provision of 
Agriculture and Fisheries Extension Services (AFES) based on a formula that 
takes into consideration, among others, the level of economic development of a 
municipality or a province; 
I!. "Gross Value Added in Agriculture" - refers to the total value, excluding the 
value of non-agricultural or fisheries intermediate inputs, of goods and services 
contributed by the agricultural and fisheries sectors; 
12. "Knowledge Management" -
is a systematic approach which invents, 
understands, shares, creates and utilizes knowledge in order to create values such 
as customer's value, employee's value, stockholder'S value, business partner's 
value and social value to achieve the vision and goal of the organization; 
13. "Partnership" -
a relationship between and among agenCIes that is 
characterized by mutual cooperation and responsibility towards the achievement 
of shared goals; 
14. "Private sector" - the part of a nation's economy that IS not owned and 
managed by the government; 
15. "Producer" - one that produces, especially a person or organization, that 
produces goods or services for sale; 
16."RBOs" - are rural based organizations or people's organizations composed of 
various sectors of the rural community such as farmers, fisher folk, growers, seed 
producers, women, and youth; 
17,"Targeted financial transfer" - is a financial support provided by the national 
government to the LGUs in support of national goals or programs; 
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18."Value chain" - is a process from seed to shelf or from the producers to the 
consumers, showing activities and interventions of/for a chosen commodity/ties 
based on understanding the needs for such interventions; 
19. "Veterinarian" refers to a person registered with the Professional Regulation 
Commission performing professional services related to the practice of veterinary 
medicine including training and extension on disease prevention control and 
animal health. 
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Section 4. Statement of Goals. - Agricultural extension i~ a policy instrument for 
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empowering individuals and organizations; public agriculture extension shall contribute 
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towards the achievement of the national goals of agriculture development. 
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Section 5. Statement of Objectives. - Agriculture and fisheries extension shall 
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contribute to the following objectives: 
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a) To enhance the economic rights of Producers, especially the poor, to 
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use the most appropriate technologies they feel will give them the best profit and 
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to choose the most affordable loans in producing the quality and quantity of 
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products and to sell their products freely; Traders, to move goods in the 
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expectation of profits unconstrained by serious lack of knowledge and 
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information; and Consumers, to buy safe and nutritious foods at the lowest prices 
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possible. 
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b) To 
manage knowledge 
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organizational capabilities of producers, traders and consumers; and 
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c) To help create an enabling environment that strengthens the linkage 
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between knowledge generation and knowledge use and encourages increased 
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investment in agriculture extension by the private sector, civil society, and Local 
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Governments. 
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Section 6. Clients. - The clients of Philippine agricultural and fisheries extension 
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system are the producers (farmers, fisherfolk, agricultural processors), traders, and 
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consumers along the value chain. Public extension shall focus on the delivery of public 
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goods. The priority clients shall be the economically and socially disadvantaged groups 
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in agriculture and fisheries. Local Government Units shall put primary attention to these· .. 
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groups in the provision of extension services through formula grants and targeted and 
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catalytic financing of National Government Agencies. 
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ARTICLE II Structure and Organization 
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Section 7. Creation of the Philippine Agriculture and Fisheries Extension Agency 
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(P AFEA). - The Agricultural Training Institute is hereby strengthened and transformed 
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into the Philippine Agriculture and Fisheries Extension Agency (P AFEA). It shall serve 
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as the national apex organization -for a unified and efficient agriculture and fisheries 
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extension system of the country. It shall ensure that public extension services meet the 
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national standards of performance and effectively contribute towards the achievement of 
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the national goals of agriculture and fisheries modemization. 
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The Philippine Agricultural and Fisheries Extension Agency (P AFEA), shall 
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coordinate all govemment extension programs in agriculture and fisheries. 
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Section 8. Powers and Functions. 
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a) Provide direction in the development of national extension policies 111 
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agriculture and fisheries; 
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b) Orchestrate the development of extension strategic plan including its financing 
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in coordination with the Department of Budget and Management and other stakeholders; 
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c) Develop and implement national policies and programs aimed at the continuous 
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improvement of the quality of extension methods, products, and services towards a more 
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efficient and client-responsive national agriculture and fisheries knowledge management 
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system; 
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d) Develop a system towards the management of the country's extension resources 
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for agriculture and fisheries to ensure a sustainable, participatory. And efficient system of 
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funding for information, education, and communication materials (lEC) and to achieve 
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optimal efficiency along the value chain; 
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e) Provide leadership in the development and implementation of the National 
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Agriculture & Fisheries Knowledge Network (NAFKN) in agriculture an fisheries of the 
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Department through a system of partnerships that may include, but not be limited to, the 
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. (Local Govemment Units) LGUs, the regional development council (RDC), the Regional 
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Agriculture and Fisheries Council (RAFCs), the academe especially the SUCs of 
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agriculture and fisheries, the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), producers, rural based 
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organizations (RBO)s and the private sector; 
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f) Provide national leadership in consultation with agriculture and fisheries·· 
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councils (AFCs), in developing extension partnerships towards increased investment and 
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private sector participation; 
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g) Team up with state universities and colleges (SUCs) of agriculture and 
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fisheries as key partners in the implementation of the national programs specially in the 
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areas of extension innovations, national training, and monitoring and evaluation of 
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extension institutions and programs; 
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h) Provide leadership in developing and implementing a national system of 
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strengthening institutional extension capacities at all levels of implementation; and 
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i) In coordination with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM); the 
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Local Government Units, The Department of Local governments, and other stakeholders, 
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the P AFEA shall set up a review mechanism for all agriculture and fisheries extension 
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programs and budgets of national agencies to determine cost effectiveness of operations 
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and potential impacts to national goals. 
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Section 9. Structure of P AFEA. - It shall be headed by a Director General (DG) 
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with a rank of Assistant Secretary to be assisted by two Deputy Director Generals (DDG) 
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and they shall be appointed by the President upon recommendation of the Secretary of 
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Agriculture from a list submitted by an independent Search Committee organized and 
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based on the qualification standards set by the Council for Extension Research 
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Development in Agriculture and Fisheries (CERDAF) . They shall have a fixed tenure of 
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six (6) years and may be re-appointed for an additional term of four (4) years based on 
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very satisfactory performance. 
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Section 10. The Council for Extension Research Development in Agriculture and 
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Fisheries (CERDAF) - The Council for Extension Research Development in Agriculture 
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and Fisheries (CERDAF) is hereby strengthened. It shall ensure that the agriculture and 
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fisheries research, development and extension policies and programs of the Department 
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are consistent with national policies and priorities. 
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a) Functions and duties of the Council for Extension Research 
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Development in Agriculture and Fisheries (CERDAF). 
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(1) Approve policies covering program priorities and resource allocation III 
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research and extension of all agencies of the Department; 
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(2) Enhance coordination and linkage of government institutions involved III 
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agriculture and fisheries research, development and extension; 
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(3) Strengthen the participation of various stakeholders, especially the civil 
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society, local government units, and private sector in the development of National 
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Research Development and Extension (NRDE) agenda and programs; 
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(4) Strengthen the institutional efficiency of the NRDE system, including the 
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setting up of a monitoring and evaluation system on the effectiveness and efficiency of its 
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various components; and 
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(5) Set guidelines in the use of services and facilities, collection of fees and in the 
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uhlization of income. 
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Section 11. Composition of the Council for Extension Research Development 
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Agriculture and Fisheries (CERDAJ;''). The Undersecretary for Policy and Planning of the 
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DA shall be the Chair of the Council. There shall be a Vice Chair to be elected from 
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among the other members of the Board. The Executive Director of the Philippine 
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Agriculture and Fisheries Extension Agency (P AFEA) and the Director of the Bureau of 
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Agriculture Research (BAR) shall be ex officio members and the Chair shall appoint the 
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Executive Director of P AFEA as Secretary of the Council. The CERDAF shall have the 
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following as members: 
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(1) Designated Undersecretaries for Policy & Planning of the following 
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Departments: 
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i. Department of Science and Technology; 
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ii. Department of Environment and Natural Resources; 
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iii. Department of Agrarian Reform; 
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(2) Presidents of the following LGU organizations: 
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i. League of Provinces; 
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ii. Union of Local Authorities ofthe Philippines (ULAP); 
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(3) Four (4) CSO representa~ives from the rural youth, rural women, and farmer, 
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and fisher folk sectors as identified and selected by the Department 'If 
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Agriculture; 
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(4) One (1) private sector representativ'e designated by the Management 
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Association of the Philippines (MAP); 
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(5) Representatives from scientific/professional organizational societies; 
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One representative each from 
the following national professional 
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organizations: i) agriculturists; ii) agricultural engineers; iii) fishery technologists 
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and iv) veterinarians. 
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Section 12. Offices under the P AFEA. -To carry out the functions of the Agency, 
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P AFEA shall have four technica.l offices as follows: (1) Policy Development; (2) 
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Extension Innovations & National Training; (3) Knowledge Products & Services 
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Development; and (4) Extension Governance & Partnerships. 
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The PAFEA shall maintain a small regional office to: (1) liaise with the 
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Department Regional Field Units (RFUs) that should serve as the principal arm of the. 
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Department to implement extension policies and programs in the regions (2) provi<le 
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regional technical assistance in the implementation of P AFEA policies and programs and 
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(3) monitor and evaluate extension offices and programs being undertaken by 
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government agencies. The PAFEA is authorized to utilize existing Agricultural Trainiug 
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Institute (A TI) plantilla positions but in no case shall it exceed 85% of the plantilla 
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positions in 2008. 
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ARTICLE III Organization of the Local Government Extension Services 
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Section 13. Province as the LGU Unit of Operation for Agriculture & Fisheries 
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Extension. - To achieve efficiency and to provide more responsive services, the 
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administrative unit for the planning and implementation of the extension services at the 
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level of Local Government Units is the province through a Provincial Agriculture and 
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Fisheries Extension Services under the Office of the Governor. The Provincial 
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Agriculture and Extension Services shall be headed by a technically-qualified career 
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Provincial Agriculturist (P A). The PAS shall be appointed by the Director General of 
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P AFEA chosen from three qualified nominees submitted by the Governor. Its staff shall 
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be composed of technically qualified career agriculturists, economists, statisticians, 
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agricultural engineers, fishery technologists and veterinarians appointed by the Provinci~l 
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Governor. Congress and serve as the basis for the continuation or modification of the 
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grants-in aid. 
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Section 16. Professionalization of Extension Services. The P AFEA, in· 
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coordination with the Civil Service Commission and subject to the approval of the 
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CERDAF, shall develop qualification standards beyond the minimum set by the Civil 
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Service Commission for the various managerial, technical, and non-technical positions of 
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the extension services of the country including that of all local government units. The 
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PAFEA shall also develop a career path of all technical extension personnel that 
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will allow them regardless of assignment or location in government, to move vertically in 
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the promotion system. Managerial positions shall be open to all qualified personnel 
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regardless of geographic or agency assignment. Towards this end, the PAFEA shall issue 
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guidelines for the creation of a merit promotion boards for each extension agency that 
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will include representatives of the SUCs of agriculture and fisheries. 
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Section 17. Structure of the Provincial Extension Services. - The provincial 
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agriculture and fisheries extension services shall organize and structure its services based 
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on the agricultural and extension needs of the province and on the standards set by the 
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P AFEA. The technical positions of the P AFEA, and the Provincial Extension Servicys 
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shall be rationalized to provide the required number of positions for agriculturists, 
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communication and curriculum specialists, economists, agricultural engineers, fishery 
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technologists and veterinarians. 
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Section 18. LGU Livestock Production Services. In recognition of the need to 
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provide an integrated extension approach to total farm development, the LGU livestock 
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production Services shall be part and parcel of the Provincial Agricultural Office (P AO). 
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In cases where these functions were transferred to the Provincial Veterinary Services, 
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they shall be returned and integrated to the rest of the PAO services. 
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Section 19. Strategic Plan in Agriculture & Fisheries. To provide coherence of all 
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government plans in agriculture and fisheries and to achieve efficiency in the use of 
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resources, all provincial governments are required to develop a five-year strategic plan in 
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agriculture and fisheries based on the framework and principles provided by the 
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Department of Agriculture (DA). The Strategic Plan shall serve as the basis for the DA to 
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provide short-term and long-term assistance. The yearly program of work and budget 
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shall be derived from the strategic plan. 
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ARTICLE IV Funding for Extension Services 
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Section 20. Initial Appropriation. - For the first year of implementation of this 
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Act, the amount of five billion pesos (PHP 5,000,000,000.00) shall be appropriated out of 
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the total budget of the Dept of Agriculture (DA) for personal services, grants-in-aid to the 
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LGUs, operation and capital outlay requirements of the Philippine Agriculture and 
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Fisheries Extension Agency (P AFEA). 
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The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is hereby mandated to 
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include annually in the President's program of expenditures for submission to Congress 
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and release an amount not less than five billion pesos (PHP 5,000,000,000.00) or one 
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percent of the gross value added in agriculture and fisheries, whichever is higher, for the 
, 
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implementation ofthis Act. 
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The P AFEA is authorized to utilize part of its yearly appropriation to set up or 
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upgrade necessary facilities to improve the provision of national extension services. 
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All assets, resources both human and financial of Agriculture Training Institute 
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(ATI), shall be transferred to the PAFEA. 
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All revenues generated out of the use of services, facilities and equipment shallQe 
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utilized by the Agency to augment its maintenance and operating expenditures subject to 
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the approval of the Governing Board. 
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ARTICLE IV Final Provisions 
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Section 21. Oversight Committee. The Congressional Oversight Committee f~r 
Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization shall oversee the implementation of this Act for 
a period not exceeding five (5) years from its effectivity. 
Section 22. Implementing Rules and Regulations. -Within ninety (90) days from 
the effectivity of this Act, the implementing rules and regulations shall be fonnulated by 
the Department of Agriculture in coordination with the members of the Congressional 
Oversight Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization. The said rules and 
regulations shall be submitted by the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to 
the Committee of Agriculture ofboih Houses of Congress. 
Section 23. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and 
regulations, issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or 
amended accordingly. 
Section 24. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid 
or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain valid .and 
subsisting. 
Section 25. Effecfivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect thirty (30) days from 
the date of its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least in two (2) national 
newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved 
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