FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Fh'st Regular Session 
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SENATE 
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267 
S.No. ____ _ 
Introduced by Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill seeks the creation of the Philippines Bamboo and Rattan Center (PBRC). 
The creation of this Center will boost the efforts towards the development of the bamboo and 
rattan industry which is expected to eventually contribute to the growth of the Philippine 
economy for its high potentials of generating additional revenues for our farmers and processors. 
Said Center aims, among others, to promote bamboo and rattan as sources of food, furniture, 
light construction materials and other industrial products; to enable the farmers to avail 
themselves of high quality bamboo and rattan planting stocks at all times and at reasonable 
prices; to undertake training programs for farmers on the proper establishment procedure of 
bamboo and rattan plantations and its efficient processing thereafter; to encourage small farm 
owners to engage in bamboo and rattan plantation development and processing business; to 
undertake research activities in all disciplines leading to the improvement of the over-all 
productivity, of the bamboo and rattan. 
In sum, the Philippine Bamboo and Rattan Center (PBRC) shall prioritize to increase the 
productivity and efficiency of the bamboo and rattan plantations through employing the socio-
economic researches that ensure economic viability and the development of appropriate 
technologies that are cost-effective, simple and practical for the industry. With this bill, the 
implementation of a bamboo and rattan distribution and propagation program to primarily benefit 
the smallholder farmers will be facilitated while the farmer-participants will be encouraged to 
establish strong farmer's associations or cooperatives to serve as focal point for government 
assistance in this industry. 
In view of the foregoing, the approval of this measure is earnestly requested. 
A~J.~~;LNES 
IV 
Senator 


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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
S. Nd. __ 
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Introduced by Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV 
AN ACT 
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PROPOSING THE CREATION OF THE PHILIPPINE BAMBOO AND RA 1'1' AN 
CENTER (PBRC) TO CONSEIWE, PROPAGATE AND PROMOTE BAMBOO AND 
RA 1'1' AN SPECIES 
Be in enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Bamboo and Rattan Act of2010". 
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SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The Constitution provides that the State shall develop a 
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self-reliant and independent national economy effectively controlled by Filipinos. It also 
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provides that the State shall support indigenous, appropriate and self-reliant scientific and 
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technological capabilities, and their application to the country's productive systems and national 
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life. Towards this end, the State shall establish various programs to conserve, propagate and 
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promote bamboo and rattan as sources of food, fumiture and light constmction materials. 
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SEC. 3. DejinitiOlI of Terms. - As used in this Act, the following terms shall mean; 
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a) "Bamboo and Rattan Center" refers to the Philippine National Banlboo and Rattan 
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Center at the Pampanga Agricultural College in Magalang, Pampanga, the other 
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. banlboo and rattan centers in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, and those that will be 
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created pursuant to the enactment of this Act.; 
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b) "Rattan" refers to all members of the climbing palm belonging to Subfamily 
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Calamoideae of the Family Palmae or Arecaceae; 
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c) "Bamhoo" refers to all members of the tall or shrubby grasses with woody culms 
under the Subfamily Bambusoideae of the Family Graminae or Poaceae; 
d) "Smallholder Farmer" refers to a farmer owning or cultivating a farmland ofless than 
or equal to five (5) hectares; 
e) "Semi-Commercial Production" refers to a farmer owning or cultivating a farmland 
of more than five (5) hectares; 
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SEC. 4. Creation of tile Pllilippine Bamboo and Rattan Center. - There is hereby 
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created a Philippine Bamboo and Rattan Center, hereinafter referred to as the PBRC, which shall 
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be under the supervision and control of the Department of Agriculture. 
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SEC.'5. Powers and Functions of tile PBRC. - The PBRC shall have the following 
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powers and functions: 
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a) Conserve, propagate and promote bamboo and rattan as sources of food, furniture and 
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light construction materials and other industrial products; 
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b) Enable the famlers, particularly smallholder farmers and CARP beneficiaries to avail 
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themselves of high quality bamboo and rattan planting stocks at all times and at 
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reasonable prices through an organized program of propagation, breeding, training 
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and distribution; 
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c) Undertake training programs for farmers, particularly smallholder farmers and CARP 
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beneficiaries, designed to transfer technology on the proper processing of bamboo 
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and rattan products; 
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d) Encourage small farms owners to engage 
111 bamboo and rattan plantation 
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development and processing business to improve their living conditions; 
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e) Undertake research activities in all disciplines that lead to the improvement of the 
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over-all productivity of the bamboo and rattan; 
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In~rease the existing plantation of bamboo and rattan to keep with human population 
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. growth; and 
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g) Enter into memoranda of agreement and receive donations through the Department of 
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Agriculture from local and foreign sources. Upon the recommendation of the PBRC 
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Advisory Board, the individual bamboo and rattan centers may enter into agreements 
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directly with funding agencies through their respective board of regents of head of 
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agency. 
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SEC. 6. Priorities. - The PBRC shall give priority to the following activities: 
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a) Expand bamboo and rattan plantations and improve them per unit area productivity; 
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b) Development of bamboo and rattan plantation establishment procedure for backyard 
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and semi-commercial production, improving planting materials production efficiency, 
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physiology and schemes to reduce losses caused by pests and diseases; 
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c) Propagation, breeding, site species matching and plant nutrition; 
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d) Socio-economic researches to ensure economic viability and acceptance of 
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technology by fmmers; and 
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e) Development of appropriate technologies that are cost-effective, simple and practical. 
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At least five (5) hectm'es bamboo setum and five (5) hectares rattan gene bank shall 
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be established by each bamboo and rattan center to ensure the preservation of the 
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el\isting bamboo and rattan genetic materials in the Philippines and provide option to 
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the fanners. 
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SEC. 7. PBRC Advisory Board. - The PBRC Advisory Board shall be composed of the 
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following: 
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a) Secretary of the Department of Agriculture or his representative, as Chainnml; 
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b) Undersecretary for Regional Operations, Department of Agriculture, as Vice 
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Chairman; 
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c) Executive Director, Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural 
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Resources, Research and Development (PCARRD); 
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d) Director, Bureau of Agricultural Research, Department of Agriculture; 
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e) President of the Pampanga Agricultural College (PAC) in Magalang, Pampanga; 
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Chancellor of the UP Los Banos (UPLB) in Laguna; and the Presidents of Tarlac 
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College of Agriculture (TCA) in Camiling, Tarlac; Ramon Magsaysay Technological 
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University (RMTU) in San Marcelino, Zambales; Mariano Marcos State University 
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(MMSU) in Batac, IIocos norte; Leyte State University (LSU) in Baybay, Leyte; 
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West Visayas State University (WVSU) in Iloilo; central Mindanao University 
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(CMSU) in Bukidnon; Sultan Kudarat Polytechnic College (SKPSC) in Tacurong, 
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Sultan Kudarat; and Western Philippine University (WPU) in Aborlan, Palawan; and 
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the president of the state college or university where a rattan and bamboo center may 
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be established pursuant to this Act; 
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1) Director of the Bureau of Plant Industry; 
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g) Ecosystem Research and Development Bureau; 
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h) Executive Director of PBRC; and 
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i) Fanners' representative to be appointed by the Board. 
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SEC. 8. Functions of tile PBRC Advisory Board. - The PBRC Advisory Board shall 
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perfonn the following functions: 
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a) Fonnulate policies, programs, and projects for the development of the bamboo and 
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rattan industry; 
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b) Review and recommend the annual budget of the PBRC; 
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c) Evaluate the implementation, efficiency, and effectiveness of the programs and 
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projects of the PBRC; and 
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d) Recommend the establishment or abolition of bamboo and rattan centers as may be 
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deemed necessary. 
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SEC. 9. Executive Director of ti,e PBRC. - The Executive Director of the PBRC shall be 
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appointed by the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture. The Executive Director of the 
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PBRC shall perform the following functions: 
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a) Oversee the implementation of the policies, programs, and projects ofthe PBRC; 
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b) Assist the PBRC Advisory Board in the review, evalnation and monitoring of the 
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Bamboo and Rattan Program; and 
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c) Perform such other functions as may be assigned by the PBRC Advisory Board. 
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SEC. 10. Appointment of Directors or Center Cltiifs of Other Bamboo and Rattail 
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Centers. - The Directors or Center Chiefs of other bamboo and rattan centers shall be appointed 
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by the respective board of regents or head of agency. 
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SEC. 11. FUllctiolls of the DirectOl's or Cellter Chiefs of Other Bamboo alld Rattail 
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Centers. - Subject to the policies of the PBRC, the Directors or Center Chiefs of other bamboo 
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and rattan centers shall perform the following functions: 
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a) Administer the policies, programs, and projects of the PBRC III their respective 
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centers and areas of responsibility; 
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b) Recommend the creation of divisions and sections including the staffing pattern of 
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the centers; 
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c) Prepare the annual budget of their centers; 
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d) Approve the expenditures of their respective budgets; 
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e) Recommend to their respective heads of agency the appointment of personnel or 
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consultants; 
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f) Recommend policies, programs, and projects to the Executive Director of the PBRC; 
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and 
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g) Perform such other functions as may be assigned by the Executive Director of the 
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PBRC. 
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SEC. 12. Impiemetltatioll alld Coordillatioll of tile Program. -- The PBRC Advisory 
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Board through the Executive Director shall coordinate, monitor, and evaluate the implementation 
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of the bamboo and rattan programs. It shall identity, through the Directors of bamboo and rattan 
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centers and Center Chiefs from the various implementing stations, the programs and projects in 
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the areas of propagation, breeding, distribution, soil requirement plant nutrition, and processing 
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of bamboo and rattan raw material. It shall formulate strategies relative to the propagation and 
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distribution cif the bamboo and rattan. Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao shall initially have a total 
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of ten (l0) bamboo and rattan centers. The centers in Luzon shall be located at Pampanga 
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Agricultural College (PAC) in Magalang, Pampanga; UP Los Bailos (UPLB) in Laguna; Tarlac 
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College of Agriculture (TA) in Camiling, Tarlac; Ramon Magsaysay Technological University 
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(RMTU) in San Marcelino, Zambales; Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) in !locos 
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Norte. The centers in Visayas shall be at Leyte Sate University (LSU) in Baybay, Leyter; and 
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West Visayas State University (WVSU) in Iloilo. The centers in Mindanao shall be at Central 
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Mindanao University (CMU) in Bukidnon; Sultan Kudarat Polytechnic State College (SKPSC) 
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in Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat; and Western Philippine State University (WPSU) in Aborlan 
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Palawan. These centers shall specialize in the development of technology on propagation, 
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breeding, plant nutrition, site species matching, and processing of bamboo and rattan raw 
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materials. 
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SEC. 13. Farmer's Participatioll. - The farmer-participants shall be encouraged to 
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establish strong farmers' association or cooperatives to serve as focal point for government 
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assistance in the propagation and distribution of bamboo and rattan and the dissemination of 
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technology on bamboo and rattan. 
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SEC. 14. Belleficiaries. - The beneficiaries of the CARP and other smallholder farmers 
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shall be given priority in the bamboo and rattan distribution program. 
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SEC. 15. Participation of the Department of Agriculture ami Local Govertlment Units. 
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- The bamboo and rattan centers, the regional and provincial offices of the Department of 
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Agriculture, specifically the Bureau of Plant [ndustry, and the local government units shall 
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implement a bamboo and rattan distribution and propagation program within their respective 
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areas in accordance with the national policy and program of the PBRC. The PBRC shall adopt a 
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national dispersal program to primarily benefit the smallholder farmers and CARP beneficiaries. 
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Any income from the sale of bamboo and rattan shall be placed in a revolving fund to be used 
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in the propagation and distribution of bamboo and rattan. 
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SEC. 16. Use of Funds. - Not more than fifty percent (50%) of funds allocated under 
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this Act and in subsequent annual appropriations shall be used for personal services, and 
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maintenance and operating expenses, ten percent (10%) for research and development, forty 
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percent (40%) for bamboo and rattan dispersal and distribution. All income generated by the 
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PBRC, as well as donations, shall be used to augment the budget of the center with an annual 
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expenditure .program to be recommended and approved by the Board. The Office of the 
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President, through PAGCOR, shall also allocate 50M yearly for Bamboo and Rattan Processing 
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and 
entrepreneurship 
assistance 
to 
farmers/growers; 
bamboo 
processors 
and 
for 
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research/development and extension activities. 
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SEC. 17. Annual Report. - The PBRC shall submit an annual report to the Office of the 
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President, the Senate, and the House of Representatives indicating among others hectarage of 
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established bamboo and rattan plantations, the number of bamboo and rattan distributed, and the 
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names of the beneficiaries. 
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SEC. 18. Transfer of Bamboo and Rattan Programs to the PBRC. - Upon approval of 
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this Bill, the extending Bamboo and Rattan programs and projects implemented by various 
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agencies shall be transferred to the PBRC. 
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SEC. 19. Appropriation. - The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act 
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shall be included in the General Appropriations Act of the year following its enactment into law 
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thereafter. 
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SEC. 20. Separability Clallse. - If any part, section, or provision of this Act shall be held 
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invalid or unconstitutional, the rest of the provisions shall not be affected thereby. 
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SEC. 21. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, rules and regulations, or parts 
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thereof which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly: 
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Provided, however, That nothing in this Act shall amend, modify or repeal the provision of 
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Republic Act No. 160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code 
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SEC. 22. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (IS) days fi'om the date of its 
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publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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