TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
25 AUG 13 P6 :40
SENATE
S. No. 1182
RKEiVtD BY;
Introduced by Senator FRANCIS N. PANGILINAN
AN ACT
STRENGTHENING OF THE NATIONAL AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES 
EXTENSION SYSTEM TO ACCELERATE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES 
DEVELOPMENT, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The country's agricultural and fisheries sectors are facing significant challenges. 
Despite their vital role in the national economy, they have historically struggled with 
slow growth and low productivity. This is partly due to the fragmented and 
underfunded agricultural extension system.
Historically, agricultural extension services in the Philippines were led by the 
national government. However, the Local Government Code of 1990 (RA No. 7160) 
devolved these functions to Local Government Units (LGUs). This devolution aimed to 
bring services closer to the people but has resulted in significant problems. Many LGUs 
lack the necessary resources, technical expertise, and funding to effectively deliver 
quality extension services. This resulted in a patchwork of inconsistent and often 
insufficient support for farmers and fisherfolk across the country. The Agricultural 
Training Institute (ATI) of the Department of Agriculture, while a key player, often 
struggles to provide adequate nationwide support due to these systemic issues.


Effective agricultural extension services are critical for sharing best practices, 
introducing new technologies, and providing crucial education to farmers and 
flsherfolk. A robust extension system is proven to increase productivity, improve food 
security, and elevate the living standards of rural communities. This bill seeks to 
address the systemic failures of the current system by creating the National Agriculture 
and Fisheries Extension System.
The bill proposes the establishment of a national body to provide unified direction, 
set performance standards, and offer institutionalized technical and financial 
assistance to LGUs. This strategic approach will ensure that farmers and fisherfolk 
nationwide receive consistent, high-quality, and science-based extension services, 
thereby accelerating the development of the agriculture and fisheries sectors.
It is respectfully acknowledged that Senator Loren Legarda filed a similar 
measure in the Fifteenth Congress, upon which this bill builds, with the shared goal of 
establishing a unified resource extension system for farmers, fisherfolk, and rural 
communities.
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
FRANCIS N. RANGILINAN
Senate


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. No. 1182
of 
’■ u'jf*
25 AUG 13 P6 :40 
\
RtCEIVEDBi.
Introduced by Senator FRANCIS N. PANGILINAN
AN ACT
STRENGTHENING THE NATIONAL AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES 
EXTENSION SYSTEM TO ACCELERATE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES 
DEVELOPMENT, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
CHAPTER I
2 
GENERAL PROVISIONS
3 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Agriculture and
4 
Fisheries Extension Act of 2025."
5 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The goals of national economy are a more
6 
equitable distribution of opportunities, income and wealth; a sustained increase in the
7 
amount of goods and services produced by the nation for the benefit of the people;
8 
and expanding productivity as the key to raising the quality of life for all, especially
9 
the underprivileged.
10 
The State shall promote economic modernization and full employment based
11 
on sound agricultural development and agrarian reform, through industries that make
12 
full and efficient use of human and natural resources, and which are competitive in
13 
both domestic and foreign markets. In pursuit of these goals, all sectors of the
14 
economy and all regions of the country shall be given optimum opportunity to develop.
15 
Thus, it is hereby declared the policy of the State to enable those who belong
16 
to the agriculture and fisheries sector to participate and share in the fruits of
17 
development and growth in a manner that utilizes the nation's resources in the most
1


1 
efficient and sustainable way possible by establishing a more equitable access to
2 
assets, income, basic and support services, and infrastructure.
3 
The State shall give priority to promote science, technology and human
4 
resource development as essentials for national development and progress.
5 
The State shall utilize research results through information, education,
6 
extension and communication services. It shall support the development of a national
7 
extension system that will help accelerate the transformation of agriculture and
8 
fisheries sectors of the country from a resource-based industry to a knowledge based
9 
and market-oriented industry.
10 
The State shall adopt a market approach as the enabling framework for the
11 
agriculture and fisheries sector to attain food security, poverty alleviation, sustainable
12 
development and environmental protection, and balanced urban and rural
13 
development while addressing the welfare of the consumers for more affordable
14 
nutritious food especially among the lower income groups. The State shall promote
15 
market-oriented policies in its agricultural development program to enable agriculture
16 
producers to transform their enterprises into technologically advanced profitable
17 
ventures.
18 
The State shall empower the agriculture and fisheries sector to develop and
19 
sustain itself to meet present and future needs of the country. Towards this end, the
20 
State shall ensure the establishment and development of the agriculture and fisheries
21 
extension system that increases and sustains its contributions towards the
22 
achievement of the goals of agriculture modernization as mandated by Republic Act
23 
No. 8435: a) Poverty Alleviation and Social Equity; b) Food Security; c) Rational Use
24 
of Resources and Sustainable Development; d) Global Competitiveness; and e) People
25 
Empowerment.
26 
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the term:
27 
a) "Agriculture Development Worker (ADW)" or "Agriculture Extension Worker
28 
(AEW)" refers to a person who is a graduate of at least a bachelor's degree in
29 
agriculture, agriculture engineering, agriculture economics, or any related course
30 
registered and licensed with the Professional Regulation Commission or Civil Service
31 
Commission; who perform communication, curriculum development,
32 
agricultural/coastal community organizing, econometrics, water management,
2


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
veterinary work, statistical work, training and extension works in agriculture 
production, trade, and processing including crop and animal protection, food safety, 
agriculture and natural resource economics, and marketing. For purposes of this Act, 
the term "Agriculture Development Worker (ADW)" is interchangeably used with 
"Agriculture Extension Worker (AEW).
b) "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, soil and water 
conservation, agricultural buildings and structures, agricultural processing and post­
harvest facilities,
c) "Agriculture Extension" is an educational and information service aimed at the 
transformation of the behavioral traits or characteristics of agriculture and fishery 
producers, consumers, or traders as a consequence of "new knowledge" or research 
results. Agriculture extension services include all those provided by both national and 
local governments, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector.
d) "Agroforester" refers to a person who is a graduate of a four-year course in 
forestry, agroforestry, or related fields and licensed with the Professional Regulation 
Commission or Civil Service Commission,
e) "Barangay Technician" refers to a successful agriculture/fishery producer who 
volunteers and is assigned to assist farmers and other agriculture producers in their 
respective barangays towards the modernization of their respective AF enterprises. 
The barangay agricultural technician works closely with the barangay agriculture 
committee for the planning of projects to be implemented at the barangay level.
f) "Catalytic Financing" refers to the provision of financial assistance by the 
National Government as a counterpart grant to the resources provided by the local 
government units to achieve increased investment by the private sector in the 
implementation of agriculture and fisheries extension services to accelerate the 
achievement of national goals.
g) "Civil Society" refers to the group of organizations whose voluntary collective 
action revolves around shared interests, purposes and values. Civil societies are 
organizations composed of community groups, women's organizations, faith-based


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
organizations, professional associations, trade unions, self-help groups, social 
movements, business associations, coalitions and advocacy groups.
h) "Consumers" are those that acquire goods or services for direct use or 
ownership rather than for resale or use in production and manufacturing.
i) "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 in agriculture and fishery production, primarily at the level of 
the farmers, fisherfolk and those engaged in food and non-food production and 
processing, in order to give them enhanced economics rights.
j) "Extension System for Agriculture and Fisheries" refers to the extension service 
delivery system of the country that includes all services provided by national, local, 
non-governmental organizations, and the private sector.
k) "Farmer-to-Farmer or Fisher-to-Fisher Extension Approach" refers to the 
modality of extension where farmers or fishers systematically learn from their 
successful peers new knowledge or skills to improve the productivity and income of 
their enterprises.
l) "Fisheries" refers to all interrelated activities which include the production, 
growing, harvesting, processing, marketing, developing, conserving and managing of 
all aquatic and fisheries areas.
m) "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.
n) "Food Security" refers to the national policy objective of meeting the food 
requirements of the present and the future generations of Filipinos in substantial 
quantity, ensuring the availability and affordability of safe and nutritious food for 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.
o) "Formula grants" refer to financial transfers from the National Government 
to the local governments to enable them to meet national standards in the provision 
of Agriculture and Fisheries Extension Services (AFES) especially among the poor. The
4


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
funding formula takes into consideration, among others, the financial capacity of a 
municipality or a province.
p) "Knowledge Management" is a systematic approach which invents, 
understands, shares, creates and utilizes knowledge in order to create values such as 
producers value, 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.
q) "Partnership" refers to the relationship between and among agencies that is 
characterized by mutual cooperation and responsibility towards the achievement of 
shared goals.
r) "RBOs" are rural based organizations or people's organizations composed of 
various sectors of the rural community such as farmers, fisherfolk, growers, seed 
producers, women, and youth.
s) 'Targeted Financial Transfer" is a financial support provided by the National 
Government to the LGUs to enable them to plan and implement projects in agricuiture 
extension aimed at helping the poor and economically disadvantaged rural 
beneficiaries.
t) "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.
u) "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.
Sec. 4. Statement of Goals. - Agricultural Extension is a policy instrument for 
agriculture and fisheries development aimed at empowering individuals and 
organizations; public agriculture extension shall contribute towards the achievement 
of the national goals of agriculture development.
Sec. 5. Statement of Objectives. - Agriculture and fisheries extension shall 
contribute to the following objectives:
a) To enhance the economic right of producers, especially the poor, to use the 
most appropriate technologies they feel will give them the best profit and to 
choose the most affordable loans in producing the quality and quantity of
5


1 
products and to sell their products freely; traders, to move goods in the
2 
expectation of profits unconstrained by serious lack of knowledge and
3 
information; and consumers, regardless of their geographic location, to buy
4 
safe and nutritious foods at the lowest prices possible.
5 
b) To manage knowledge in strengthening the individual and organizational
6 
capabilities of producers, traders and consumers; and
7 
c) To help create an enabling environment that strengthens the linkage
8 
between knowledge generation and knowledge use, and encourages
9 
increased investment in agriculture extension by the private sector, civil
10 
society, and local governments.
11 
Sec. 6. Clients. - The clients of Philippine agricultural and fisheries extension
12 
system are the producers (farmers, fisherfolk, and agricultural processors), traders
13 
and consumers along the value chain. Public extension shall focus on the delivery of
14 
public goods. The priority clients shall be the economically and socially disadvantaged
15 
groups in agriculture and fisheries. Local government units shall put primary attention
16 
to these groups in the provision of extension services.
17 
ARTICLE II
18 
STRUCTURE AND ORGANIZATION
19 
Sec. 7. Creation of the Philippine Agriculture and Fisheries Extension Agency
20 
(PAFEA). - The Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) is hereby strengthened and
21 
transformed into the Philippine Agriculture and Fisheries Extension Agency (PAFEA).
22 
It shall serve as the national apex organization for a unified and efficient agriculture
23 
and fisheries extension system of the country. It shall ensure that public extension
24 
services meet the national standards of performance and effectively contribute
25 
towards the achievement of the national goals of agriculture and fisheries
26 
modernization and sustainable development.
27 
Sec. 8. Powers and Functions -
28 
a) Provide direction in the development of national extension policies In
29 
agriculture and fisheries;
30 
b) Orchestrate the development of an extension strategic plan including its
31 
financing in coordination with the Department of Budget and Management
32 
and stakeholders;


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
c) Develop and implement national policies and programs aimed at the 
continuous improvement of the quality of extension methods, products, and 
services towards a more efficient and client-responsive national agriculture 
and fisheries knowledge management system;
d) Develop a system towards the management of the country's extension 
resources for agriculture and fisheries to ensure a sustainable, participatory 
and efficient system of funding for information, education, and 
communication materials (lEC); and to help achieve optimal efficiency along 
the value chain;
e) Provide leadership in the development and implementation of the National 
Agriculture and Fisheries Knowledge Network (NAFKN) in agriculture and 
fisheries of the Department through a system of partnerships that may 
include, but is not limited to, the local government units (LCDs), the Regional 
Development Council (RDC), the Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Council 
(RAFCs), the academe especially the state universities and colleges (SUCs) 
of agriculture and fisheries, the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), 
producers, Rural-Based Organizations (RBOs), and the private sector;
f) Provide national leadership in developing extension partnerships towards 
increased investment and robust private sector participation in consultation 
with agriculture and fisheries councils (AFCs);
g) Harness centers of research excellence in collaboration with state universities 
and colleges (SUCs) of agriculture and fisheries for the implementation of 
national programs particularly in the areas of extension innovations, national 
training, impact assessment, and monitoring and evaluation of extension 
institutions, programs, and projects;
h) Provide leadership in developing and implementing a national system of 
strengthening institutional extension capacities at all levels of 
implementation; and
i) In coordination with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the 
Local Government Units, the Department of Interior and Local Government, 
and other stakeholders, the PAFEA shall set up a review mechanism for all 
agriculture and fisheries extension programs and budgets of national agencies
7


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
to determine cost-effectiveness of operations and impacts to national and 
local goals.
Sec. 9. Structure of PAFEA. - The PAFEA shall be headed by a Director General 
(DG) with a rank of Assistant Secretary who shall be assisted by two Deputy Director 
Generals (DDG) who shall be appointed by the President upon recommendation of the 
Secretary of Agriculture from a list submitted by an Independent Search Committee 
organized and based on the qualification standards set by the Council of Extension 
Research Development in Agriculture and Fisheries (CERDAF). They shall have a fixed 
tenure of six (6) years and may be re-appointed for an additional term of four (4) 
years based on very satisfactory performance.
Sec. 10. The Council for Extension Research Development in Agriculture and 
Fisheries (CERDAF). - The Council for Extension Research Development in Agriculture 
and Fisheries (CERDAF) is hereby strengthened. It shall ensure that the agriculture 
and fisheries research, development and extension policies and programs of the 
Department are consistent with national policies and priorities. As part of its functions 
and duties, the Council for Extension Research Development in Agriculture and 
Fisheries (CERDAF) shall:
a) Recommend to the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture policies 
covering program priorities and resource allocation in agriculture and 
fisheries research and extension of all agencies of the Department;
b) Enhance coordination and linkage of government institutions involved in 
agriculture and fisheries research, development and extension;
c) Strengthen the participation of various stakeholders, especially the civil 
society, local government units, and private sector in the development of the 
National Research Development and Extension (NRDE) agenda and 
programs;
d) Strengthen the institutional efficiency of the NRDE system, including the 
creation of a monitoring and evaluation system on the effectiveness and 
efficiency of its various components; and
e) Set guidelines for the use of services and facilities, collection of fees, and 
the utilization of income.


1 
Sec. 11. Composition of the Council for Extension Research Development in
2 
Agriculture and Fisheries (CERDAF). - The Undersecretary for Policy and Planning of
3 
the DA shall be the Chair of the Council. There shall be a Vice Chair to be elected from
4 
among the other members of the Board. The Executive Director of the Philippine
5 
Agriculture and Fisheries Extension Agency (PAFEA) and the Director of the Bureau of
6 
Agricultural Research (BAR) shall be the ex officio members, and the Chair shall
7 
appoint the Executive Director of PAFEA as Secretary of the Council.
8 
The CERDAF shall have the following members:
9 
a) Designated Undersecretaries for Policy and Planning of the following
10 
Departments:
11 
1) Department of Science and Technology;
12 
2) Department of Environment and Natural Resources;
13 
3) Department of Interior and Local Government;
14 
b) Presidents of the following LGU organizations:
15 
1) League of Provinces;
16 
2) Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP);
17 
c) Four (4) CSO representatives or one each from the rural youth, rural women,
18 
farmer, and fisherfolk as identified, and selected by the Department of
19 
Agriculture;
20 
d) One (1) private sector representative appointed by the DA Secretary;
21 
e) One representative each from the following national professional scientific
22 
societies/ organizations as recommended by the Secretary of the
23 
Department of Science & Technology:
24 
1) crops;
25 
2) agriculture economics/economics;
26 
3) fisheries &. aquatic science;
27 
4) livestock/ animal science;
28 
5) plant protection;
29 
6) sociology/anthropology/communications
30 
Sec. 12. Offices under the PAFEA. - To carry out and discharge its functions, the
31 
PAFEA shall have four technical offices as follows:
32 
(1) Policy Development;
9


1 
(2) Extension Innovations & National Training;
2 
(3) Knowledge Products and Services Development; and
3 
(4) Extension Governance and Partnerships.
4 
The PAFEA shall maintain a small regional office to:
5 
a) Liaise with Department Regional Field Units (RFUs), which should serve as
6 
the principal arm of the Department in the implementation of extension
7 
policies and programs in the regions;
8 
b) Provide technicai assistance in the efficient implementation of PAFEA policies
9 
and programs; and
10 
c) Monitor and evaluate extension programs and projects funded by the DA that
11 
are being undertaken in the region.
12 
The PAFEA is authorized to utilize existing Agricultural Training Institute (ATI)
13 
plantilla positions and to convert them into positions most appropriate to the Agency
14 
to provide national technical and managerial leadership.
15 
ARTICLE III
16 
ORGANIZATION OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXTENSION SERVICES
17 
Sec. 13. Province as the LGU Unit of Operation for Agriculture and Fisheries
18 
Extension. - To achieve efficiency and to provide more responsive services, the
19 
planning and implementation unit of the extension services at the ievel of the LGUs
20 
shall be the province through a Provincial Agriculture and Fisheries Extension Services
21 
under the Office of the Governor. Towards this end, all technical and financial
22 
assistance for agriculture and fisheries development from the National Government to
23 
the LGUs shall be coursed through, and coordinated by, the province. The Provincial
24 
Agriculture and Extension Services shall be headed by a technically qualified career
25 
Provincial Agriculturist & Fisheries Officer (PAFO).
26 
The PAFO shall have two deputies or Assistant PAFOs: one for fisheries and
27 
one for agriculture development. The PAFOs shall be appointed by the Director
28 
General of PAFEA chosen from three qualified nominees per position submitted by
29 
the Governor. Its staff shall be composed of technically qualified career agriculturists,
30 
economists, statisticians, agricultural engineers, fishery technologist, and
31 
veterinarians appointed by the Provincial Governor.
10


1 
Sec. 14. Extension Personnel in Municipalities & Non-chartered Cities. - Upon
2 
the effectivity of this Act, all municipal and non-chartered cities agriculture and
3 
fisheries extension personnel shall become provincial government employees unless
4 
the LGU concerned chooses to retain these personnel under their own plantilla and
5 
budget. Municipal and city extension employees transferred to the province shall be
6 
issued a new appointment by the Governor as organic personnel of the Provincial
7 
Agriculturist & Fisheries Office (PAFO). Transferred extension personnel may continue
8 
to serve their respective municipalities and non-chartered cities as' detailed employees
9 
of the province based on a rationalized organizational structure submitted by the LGUs
10 
and approved by the PAFEA and the DBM. Existing employees of municipalities or
11 
cities that opt to retain their personnel do not need to issue new appointments to staff
12 
of the same positions. The Municipal/City Agriculture and Extension Services shall be
13 
headed by a technically qualified career Municipal/City Agriculturist & Fisheries Officer
14 
(M/CAFO) based on the criteria set by the PAFEA. They shall be appointed by the
15 
PAFEA chosen from three (3) qualified nominees submitted by the governors. Existing
16 
MAOs or CAOs who are not reappointed for reasons other than for just cause, shall
17 
serve as Supervising Agriculturists with salaries equal to that of their existing positions.
18 
M/CAFO whether under the plantilla of the province or the municipalities/ cities shall
19 
have direct day-to-day supervision of all extension municipal/ city personnel whether
20 
organic or detailed to the municipalities. On the other hand, the PAFO shall have direct
21 
technical supervision of all M/CAFOs in the province regardless of their sources of
22 
salaries. As such, M/CAFOs and their personnel are obligated to attend meetings,
23 
workshops, seminars, and other activities organized by the province that require their
24 
participation. In addition, they shall, on a periodic basis, submit data and reports
25 
required by the province or the national government. In cooperation with the PAFEA
26 
and the state colleges and universities of agriculture, all provinces are required to
27 
design and implement a periodic external or third party evaluation of all municipal and
28 
city extension programs and services.
29 
Sec. 15. Salaries and Wages of Extension Personnel. - The salaries and wages
30 
of all agriculture and fisheries technical extension personnel under the payroll of the
31 
provincial government shall be paid by the National Government through an annual
32 
grant-in-aid to be paid out of the regular appropriation of the PAFEA of the Department
11


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
of Agriculture; Provided, however. That during the first year of the effectivity of this 
Act, the local government concerned shall reallocate its savings from the personal 
services for agriculture personnel to its agriculture and fisheries extension; Provided, 
further. That every year thereafter, the concerned LGU shall appropriate the 
equivalent funds paid by the national government as the minimum amount for its 
agriculture and fisheries operation or counterparts to national grant-in-aid in 
agriculture and fisheries, without prejudice to the provision of additional funds that 
may be allocated by the LGUs for this purpose. The salaries and wages of technical 
extension personnel for both agriculture and fisheries shall be standardized so as to 
equal or be comparable with similar positions of national employees without prejudice 
to the provision of additional staff benefits by concerned LGUs where their finances 
warrant. The provision of grants in aid to pay for the salaries and wages of the 
technical personnel of the LGU extension services shall be subject to external review 
and evaluation every five (5) years to determine its impact to the quality of services, 
its cost-effectiveness, and impact on the goals of AFMA. A copy of the report shall be 
provided to Congress, and serve as the basis for the continuation or modification of 
the grants-in-aid.
Sec. 16. Structure of the Provincial Extension Services. - The provincial and 
municipal agriculture and fisheries extension services shall organize and structure its 
services based on the agricultural and extension needs of the province and on the 
standards set by the PAFEA. The technical positions of the Provincial & Municipal 
Extension Services shall be rationalized to provide the appropriate number of positions 
for agriculturist, mixed crop-livestock/tree specialist, communication and curriculum 
specialist, community organizers/anthropologists, economists/agribusiness 
economists, agricultural engineers, fishery technologists, and veterinarians.
Sec. 17. LGU Livestock Production Services. - In recognition of the need to 
provide an integrated extension approach to total farm development, the LGU 
livestock production services shall be part and parcel of the Provincial Agricultural 
Office (PAO). In cases where these functions were earlier integrated into the 
Provincial Veterinary Services, they shall be returned and re-integrated to the rest of 
the PAO services. This is to prevent conflict of interest between regulatory functions 
and livestock extension functions.
12


1 
Sec. 18. Strategic Plan in Agriculture and Fisheries. - To provide coherence of
2 
all government plans in agriculture and fisheries and to achieve efficiency in the use
3 
of resources, all provincial governments are required to develop a five-year strategic
4 
,plan in agriculture and fisheries based on the framework and principles provided by
5 
the Department of Agriculture (DA). The Strategic Plan shall serve as the basis for the
6 
Provincial Annual Work Program & Budget and for the DA to provide short-term and
7 
long-term assistance.
8 
ARTICLE IV
9 
AGRICULTURAL SERVICE CAREER DEVELOPMENT
10 
Sec. 19. Professionalization of Extension Services. - The State shall support the
11 
development and professionalization of agricultural services by providing the
12 
necessary compensation and benefits to various extension workers based on their
13 
duties, responsibilities and qualifications. For this purpose, the PAFEA, in coordination
14 
with Civil Service Commission, shall develop qualification standards beyond the
15 
minimum set by the Civil Service Commission for the various managerial, technical
16 
and non-technical positions of the extension services of the country including that of
17 
all local government units. The PAFEA shall also develop a career path of all technical
18 
extension personnel that will allow them, regardless of assignment or location in
19 
government, to move vertically in the promotion system. Managerial positions shall be
20 
open to all qualified personnel regardless of geographic or agency assignment.
21 
Towards this end, the PAFEA shall issue guidelines for the creation of a merit
22 
promotion boards in all extension agencies/ office to include representatives of civil
23 
societies and the SUCs of agriculture and fisheries. In determining the salaries of
24 
agriculture and fishery development workers, the provisions of Joint Resolution No. 4,
25 
Series of 2009, entitled, "Joint Resolution Authorizing the President of the Philippines
26 
to Modify the Compensation and Position Classification System of Civilian Personnel
27 
and the Base Pay Schedule of Military and Uniformed Personnel in the Government,
28 
and for Other Purposes," shall apply.
29 
Sec. 20. Mandatory Managerial Positions for Agricultural Services in Local
30 
Government Units. - The creation of the following positions' are hereby made
31 
mandatory in addition to the prescribed positions under the Local Government Code
32 
of 1991:
13


1 
a) Provincial Agriculture & Fisheries Officer (PAFO)
2 
1) Asst. PAFO for Fisheries Development
3 
2) Asst. PAFO for Agriculture Development
4 
b) City Agriculturist & Fisheries Officer (CAFO)
5 
c) Municipal Agriculture & Fisheries Officer (MAFO)
6 
Sec. 21. Transfer of Geographical Reassignment of Agricultural Officers and
7 
Employees of the LGUs. - No transfer or geographical reassignment shall be made or
8 
effected without prior written notice to the personnei concerned stating therein the
9 
reason therefor: Provided, That said written notice shall be made thirty (30) days prior
10 
to the date of transfer or reassignment: Provided, further. That if the employee
11 
concerned disagrees with the order of transfer or reassignment, he/ she may appeal
12 
said order with the Civil Service Commission or the Department of Agriculture, as the
13 
case may be: Provided, further. That pending appeal, such transfer or reassignment
14 
shall be held in abeyance: Provided, furthermore. That no transfer or reassignment
15 
shall be made three (3) months prior to any local or national elections: Provided,
16 
finally. That the necessary expenses of the transfer and/ or reassignment of the
17 
agricultural worker or employee and his/her immediate family shall be paid by the
18 
Government.
19 
Sec. 22. Security of Tenure. - An agricultural extension worker holding a
20 
permanent position shall not be terminated except for just cause: Provided, That in
21 
the event he/ she is found to be unjustly dismissed as verified by the Civil Service
22 
Commission, he/she shall be entitled to reinstatement without loss of seniority rights
23 
and back wages with twenty per centum (20%) interest to be computed from the time
24 
compensation has been withheld. In cases, however, where the agricultural extension
25 
worker does not desire to be reinstated, he/she shall be entitled to back wages and
26 
separation pay with twenty per centum (20%) interest.
27 
Sec. 23. Discrimination Prohibited. - An agricultural extension worker shall not
28 
be discriminated by reason of creed, sect, political belief, civil status, and ethnic
29 
grouping in the exercise of his/her profession.
30 
Sec. 24. Safeguards in Administrative Proceedings - In every administrative
31 
proceeding, an agricultural extension worker shall have:
32 
a) The right to be informed of the charges;
14


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
b) The right to full access to evidence against him/her;
c) The right to defend himself/herself through counsel of his/her choice;
d) The right to be given adequate time to prepare his/her case, which shall not 
be less than seven (7) days from receipt of the formal charge;
e) The right to appeal to designated authorities;
f) The right to cross-examine witnesses and to processes for the production of 
witnesses;
g) The right to reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred in his/her 
defense in case of exoneration or dismissal of the charges; and
h) Such other rights provided by other national agencies and local government 
units to their respective officers and employees to ensure fairness and 
impartially in prosecution.
Sec. 25. Code of Conduct. - All agricultural extension workers shall be guided 
by a code of ethics not contrary to law, morals, safety, health, public policy and public 
order, which shall be prepared by the Secretary of Agriculture in consultation with the 
recognized national associations of agricultural extension workers:
Sec. 26. Training and Schoiarship Programs. - The Department of Agriculture 
through the PAFEA shall undertake training and scholarship programs for agricultural 
extension workers, which shall be provided adequate budgetary support by the 
National Government.
Sec. 27. Married Agricultural Extension Workers. - Whenever possible, the 
proper authorities shall take steps to enable married couples both of whom are public 
agricultural extension workers, to be employed or assigned in the same municipality.
ARTICLE V
INCENTIVES AND REWARDS SYSTEM
Sec. 28. Criteria for Incentives and Rewards Syst&n. - The PAFEA shall develop 
a reward and incentive system for agricultural extension workers provided under this 
Act, to encourage them to stay in the service, promote their productivity and reward 
them for extraordinary performance.
Sec. 29. Other Compensation and Benefits - All agricultural extension workers 
shall be entitled to the following additional compensation and benefits:
15


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
a) Representation Allowance and Traveling Allowance All 
Provincial/City/Municipal AF Officers shall be entitled to Representation 
Allowance and Traveling Allowance (RATA) equivalent to the Department 
Head of the equivalent Local Government Units.
b) Hazard Allowance - All agricultural extension workers assigned in difficult 
areas, strife-torn or embattled areas, distressed or isolated stations, 
animal/ plant/ fisheries breeding station, plant nurseries, plantations and 
demonstration farms, laboratories especially those handling x-rays, 
radioisotopes, chemicals, etc., sea-borne patrols, construction and 
installation of agricultural infrastructure projects, and other areas declared 
under a state of calamity or emergency which exposes them to great 
danger, occupational risks of perils of life shall be compensated with hazard 
allowance equivalent to at least twenty per centum (20%) of the monthly 
basic salary.
c) Subsistence Allowance - All agricultural extension workers who are required 
to render services in the communities, institutions, animal and plant 
breeding nurseries, plantations and demonstration farms and other barrier 
programs and projects of the Department of Agricultural in order to make 
their services available at all times, shall be entitled to full daily subsistence 
allowance of three (3) meals, which shall be computed in accordance with 
the prevailing circumstances.
d) Longevity Pay - A longevity pay equivalent to five per centum (5%) of the 
monthly basic pay shall be paid to an agricultural extension worker for every 
three (3) years of continuous, efficient and meritorious services rendered.
e) Clothing Allowance - All agricultural extension workers shall be entitled to a 
clothing allowance in accordance with the approved laws and regulations or 
as mandated by law.
f) Housing - All agricultural extension workers who are on tour of duty and 
those who, because of unavoidable circumstances, are forced to stay in the 
institution or community shall receive housing allowances unless the 
government is able to provide free public accommodation. Housing 
allowance shall be reviewed periodically and adjusted accordingly.
16


1 
g) Motor and Vehicle Loan - All agricultural development workers shall be
2 
entitled to avail of the motor and vehicle loan of the Department of
3 
Agriculture. The National Government shall provide adequate budgetary
4 
support for this purpose.
5 
ARTICLE VI
6 
THE FARMER-TO-FARMER EXTENSION APPROACH
7 
Sec. 30. The Farmer-to-Farmer Approach. - The farmer-to-farmer approach in
8 
extension is hereby institutionalized. The PAFEA, in cooperation with centers of
9 
research excellence and interested LGUs, shall take leadership in developing a highly
10 
flexible and innovative system. It shall pilot the approach until it becomes an integral
11 
part of the national system in no more than ten (10) years. For the initial
12 
implementation of this provision, an initial budget of Twenty Million Pesos
13 
(P20,000,000.00) is hereby allocated for the first year. Every year thereafter the
14 
budget shall be adjusted accordingly depending on the needs and response of the
15 
LGUs and non-governmental organizations subject to review by the CERDAF.
16 
ARTICLE VII
17 
FUNDING FOR EXTENSION SERVICES
18 
Sec. 31. Initial Appropriation. - For the first year of implementation of this Act,
19 
the amount of Ten Billion Pesos (P10,000,000,000.00) shall be appropriated out of the
20 
total budget of the Department of Agriculture (DA) for personal services, grants-in-
21 
aid to the LGUs, operation and capital outlay requirements of the Philippine Agriculture
22 
and Fisheries Extension Agency (PAFEA).
23 
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is hereby mandated to
24 
include annually in the President's program of expenditures for submission to Congress
25 
and release, an amount not less than Ten Billion Pesos (P10,000,000,000.00) or one
26 
percent of the gross value added in agriculture and fisheries, whichever is higher, for
27 
the implementation of this Act. Five Billion Pesos (P5,000,000,000.00) of this amount
28 
shall be allocated to the salary grant to LGUs for the local extension personnel and
29 
operation of the PAFEA. The Department of Agriculture is hereby tasked accordingly
30 
to rationalize its budget to meet the requirements of this Act.
31 
The PAFEA is authorized to utilize part of its yearly appropriation to set up or
32 
upgrade necessary facilities to improve the provision of national extension services.
17


1 
All assets, resources both human and financial of Agricultural Training Institute (ATI),
2 
shall be transferred to the PAFEA.
3 
All revenues generated out of the use of services, facilities and equipment shall
4 
be utilized by the Agency to augment its maintenance and operating expenditures
5 
subject to the approval of the Governing Board.
6 
ARTICLE VIII
7 
FINAL PROVISIONS
8 
Sec. 32. Phased Implementation. - The implementation of this Act shall be
9 
phased over a period of five (5) years.
10 
Sec. 33. Oversight Committee. - The Congressional Oversight Committee for
11 
Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization (COCAFM) shall oversee the implementation
12 
of this Act for a period not exceeding five (5) years from its effectivity.
13 
Sec. 34. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days from
14 
the effectivity of this Act, the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) shall be
15 
formulated by the Department of Agriculture in close coordination with the
16 
Department of Interior and Local Government, the Leagues of Governors and Mayors,
17 
and relevant members of the civil society, which shall include an implementation plan
18 
indicating a phased approach to provide smooth transition from the present to the
19 
reformed extension system under this Act. The Secretary of the Department of
20 
Agriculture shall furnish a copy of the IRR to the Committee of Agriculture of both
21 
Houses of Congress.
22 
Sec. 35. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and
23 
regulations, issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed
24 
or amended accordingly.
25 
Sec. 36. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid or
26 
unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain valid and
27 
subsisting.
28 
Sec. 37. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect thirty (30) days after its
29 
publication in at least in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.
30 
Approved,
18