Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
House Bill No. ___________ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. JOSE “BONG” J. TEVES, JR. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE
 In 2020, Super Typhoon Rolly (Rolly) ravaged the entire abaca industry in our country. 
In the Abaca Capital of the Philippines – the province of Catanduanes alone, an estimate of 
Four Hundred Million Pesos (PHP 400,000,000.00) worth of damage was left by the said 
typhoon according to the local government unit. Before Rolly, the Abaca Capital earns around 
One Hundred Fifty Million Pesos (PHP 150,000,000.00) a month as its main agricultural 
product. Aside from Catanduanes, there are many other abaca producing provinces in Visayas 
such as the provinces of Leyte, Samar, Negros Oriental, Ilo-ilo, and Aklan, and all the provinces 
in Mindanao.  
To put it in context, the abaca is the top export product of the Philippines in the global 
market. Our country supplies the 80% demand of abaca in the international market, making the 
Philippines the number one source of abaca in the world. As such, our country benefits at least 
One Billion U.S. Dollars (USD 1,000,000,000.00) of income from our abaca products pre-
pandemic.1 Despite this international accomplishment and stature, the abaca industry in the 
Philippines is being overlooked by the national government. After the wrath of Rolly in 2020 
and during the pandemic, no assistance of any kind from the government were given to our 
1 http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0304-
28472023000110263#:~:text=Furthermore%2C%20during%202020%20only%20in,2021%3B%20FAO%2C%202
022). 
July 3, 2023
8:00 am
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abaca farmers. The government through the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas even decreased the 
income of our abaca farmers by shifting our One-Thousand Peso bills from fiber to plastic. At 
present, the abaca farmers are still suffering the damage brought about by Rolly in 2020, that 
is on top of the economic struggles due to the COVID-19 pandemic we are currently 
experiencing.  
 
 
Given the aforementioned facts, this measure seeks to provide financial assistance in 
the amount of Ten Thousand Pesos (PHP 10,000.00) to our abaca farmers to support, improve, 
and further increase their production of abaca. This is also to provide relief to our abaca farmers 
in times of national emergencies and crises just like the Super Typhoon Rolly and the 
pandemic. This is similar to the financial assistance the government provides to our rice farmers 
and other livestock raisers.  
 
By passing this measure, we are giving importance to our abaca farmers and 
recognizing that indeed we are the top producer of abaca in the world.  
 
 
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
HON. JOSE “BONG” J. TEVES, JR. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Deputy Majority Leader 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Representative, TGP Party-List 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
House Bill No. ___________ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. JOSE “BONG” J. TEVES, JR. 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO ABACA FARMERS AND PROVIDING 
OTHER FORMS OF RELIEF, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR  
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:  
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as “Financial Assistance to Abaca 
Farmers Act of 2023”.  
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the policy of the State to promote a just and 
dynamic social order through policies that provide adequate social services, promote full 
employment, a rising standard of living, and an improved quality of life. 
It is also the policy of the State to protect and enhance the right of all the people to 
human dignity, reduce social, economic, and political inequalities, and remove cultural 
inequalities by equitably diffusing wealth and political power for the common good. 
SECTION 3. Financial Assistance to Abaca Farmers. – A program of the national 
government providing for financial assistance to qualified abaca farmers is hereby established 
for rural poverty reduction and mitigate the decline of abaca farmers’ income and abaca 
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production which may have been caused by a national emergency, crises, or any natural 
calamity that may have occurred. 
Aside from the financial assistance, qualified abaca farmers shall also be provided for 
with other forms of relief such as the provision of fertilizers, adequate tools, and treatments for 
abaca crops. 
SECTION 4. Qualified Abaca Farmers. – The Department of Agriculture (DA) and 
the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA) shall select qualified 
beneficiaries of the program using a standardized targeting systems. To be qualified to receive 
a financial assistance and other forms of relief, the abaca famer must meet the following 
criteria: 
(a) Classified as poor or nearly-poor based on a standardized targeting system and the
poverty threshold issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) at any time of
the selection;
(b) Must have been engaged in the cultivation of abaca crop in the Philippines.
SECTION 5. Amount of Financial Assistance. – Qualified and selected beneficiaries 
under Section 4 of this Act shall be granted a financial assistance in the amount of Ten 
Thousand Pesos (PHP 10,000.00) to be provided for by the DA and PhilFIDA. 
SECTION 6. Reporting. – The DA in coordination with the PhilFIDA shall publish, 
on an annual basis, a full report on the implementation of this Act. The report shall include, but 
not limited to, financial disclosures, the number of abaca farming household-beneficiaries 
included in the program based on geographic, socioeconomic and cultural circumstances, and 
recommendations to improve the implementation of the program. The report shall be submitted 
either in print or by way of electronic document to the Senate and the House of Representatives 
prior to the submission of the President’s annual budget.  
SECTION 7. Appropriation. – The amount necessary for the implementation of the 
provisions of this Act shall be sourced from the annual budget of the Department of Agriculture 
and the Philippine Fiber Industry Authority. 


SECTION 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within thirty (30) days from 
the effectivity of this Act, the DA and PhilFIDA in coordination with other government 
agencies concerned, shall promulgate the rules and regulations to effectively implement the 
provisions of this Act. 
 
SECTION 9. Separability Clause. – If, for any reason, any section or provisions of 
this Act is held unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof shall not be 
affected thereby.  
 
SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. – Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, modified, or amended 
accordingly. 
 
SECTION 11. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) national papers of generical circulation or Official Gazette. 
 
 
Approved,