Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____________ 
Introduced by 
HON. CHRISTOPHERSON “COCO” M. YAP 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A SEEDLING BANK OF THE BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY IN THE 
MUNICIPALITY OF HINUNANGAN, PROVINCE OF SOUTHERN LEYTE, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS 
THEREFOR 
“The Philippines is primarily an agricultural country with a large portion of Filipinos living in rural 
areas and supporting themselves through agricultural activities. . . . .  about a quarter of employed 
Filipinos work in the agricultural sector . . . In 2020, the sector generated a gross value added (GVA) 
of about 1.78 trillion Philippine pesos, equivalent to a 10.2 percent share of the country’s gross domestic 
product (GDP). However, as a result of the prolonged lockdown imposed due to the coronavirus 
(COVID-19) pandemic, along with the natural calamities that occurred in the country, the sector’s gross 
output contracted by 1.2 percent in that year.”  
-https://www.statista.com/topics/5744/agriculture-industry-in-the-philippines/
While Filipino farmers have been producing much of the staple food crops in the country for 
generations, the growth of the agriculture sector in the Philippines has not been able to keep pace 
with the spurt of the growth of the population. There have been many reasons proffered to explain 
the phenomenon, among which is the rampant conversion of arable lands to residential 
subdivisions, industrial plants, and resorts.  True, land conversion eating away the country’s 
farmlands is happening in areas near or surrounding highly urbanized cities where the once-
agricultural landscape characterized by rice fields as far as the eyes could see has already been 
transformed into industrial, commercial, manufacturing, and recently, service-oriented enterprises.    
However, it is also true that large swathes of land in many islands and rural areas have remained 
uncultivated or marginally productive.  Of the country’s 30 million hectares of land area, only one-
third is used for agricultural activities.   
Another explanation for the lethargy on the part of current farmers to maximize the potentials of 
their farms is their lack of access to new farm production technology and new variety of seeds and 
planting materials, among others.  If they will source their inputs from local traders, affordability 
will be a huge problem because small farmers do not generally earn sufficient income to buy 
imported modern farms inputs.   
September 9, 2022
4:44 pm
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Indeed, a country that relies on imported production inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides, farm 
equipment, and even quality seeds and planting materials can only do so much, a realization that 
has been echoed again and again in various fora.  Our scientists have also been incessant in urging 
the government to commit itself to help the farmers, else, the agriculture sector will continue to 
decline, and continue to fail to feed a hungry population.  
To respond to one of the major problems aired by farmers in Southern Leyte, which is lack of 
access to modern technology and production innovations including certified seeds and planting 
materials that can thrive despite insect pests and diseases and changing climate conditions, this bill 
proposes the establishment of a seedling bank and field office of the Bureau of Plant Industry 
(BPI) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in the Municipality of Hinunangan, Province of 
Southern Leyte.   
The Municipality of Hinunangan is strategically located if one wishes to engage majority of the 
farmers in Southern Leyte, especially the municipalities in the Pacific Rim thereof. Envisioned to 
bring the services of the BPI to the province, the proposed seedling bank shall serve as a center 
for trainings, pilot area, and provider of technical advice and relevant services on crop culture and 
management, and ensure the production and distribution of quality seeds and planting materials 
of staple food crops and other high-value crops for food security and livelihood generation.  
Indeed, the proposed BPI-DA Southern Leyte Seedling Bank will modernize the agriculture sector 
not only in the host town but in the entire Province of Southern Leyte. 
 
In view of the foregoing, ug sa ngalan sa SERBISYONG TINUORAY, approval of the bill is 
earnestly recommended. 
 
 
CHRISTOPHERSON “COCO” M. YAP 
Representative, Second District of Southern Leyte 
 
 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____________ 
Introduced by 
HON. CHRISTOPHERSON “COCO” M. YAP 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING A SEEDLING BANK OF THE BUREAU OF PLANT 
INDUSTRY IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF HINUNANGAN, PROVINCE OF 
SOUTHERN LEYTE, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. There shall be established a seedling bank and field office of the Bureau of Plant 
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Industry (BPI) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in the Municipality of 
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Hinundayan, Province of Southern Leyte, to be known as the BPI-DA Southern Leyte 
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Seedling Bank, which shall serve as a center for training and provision of technical 
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advice and relevant services on crop culture and management and ensure the 
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continuous supply, production, and distribution of quality seeds and planting materials 
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of staple food crops and other high-value crops for food security and livelihood 
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generation of the farmers in Southern Leyte.  
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SEC. 2 
The BPI-DA may enter into a memorandum of agreement with the Southern Leyte 
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State University (SLSU) and other institutions for the purpose of conducting research 
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and extension programs geared towards the development of high-yielding crop varieties 
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suitable for the area, food security, providing support to small farmers, and the 
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promotion of the local plant industry. 
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SEC. 3 
The amount necessary for the establishment and operations of the BPI-DA Southern 
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Leyte Seedling Bank shall initially come from the savings of the DA. Thereafter, such 
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sum as may be necessary for the efficient operation and maintenance of such office 
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shall be included in the allocation of the DA in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
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SEC. 4 
Within six (6) months following the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture 
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shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation 
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of this Act. 
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SEC. 5 
All other laws, acts, presidential decrees, executive orders, issuances, proclamations, 
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rules and regulations or parts thereof, which are contrary to or inconsistent with any 
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provision of this Act, are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly. 
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SEC. 6 
Should any part or provision of this Act be held unconstitutional or invalid, the 
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provisions which are not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
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SEC. 7 
This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette 
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or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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