, 
FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. '59B 
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INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Agrarian reform addressed the distributive inequities of the tenancy 
system. However, with the exit of landlords from rural markets, the farmer finds 
himself without access to credit, to market opportunities and to many other 
things. Government intervention in rural markets has to address the urgent need 
to institutionalize ways of packaging factor inputs in agriculture to bring about 
innovative, efficient and competitive modes of production and marketing. 
This 
bill 
rationalizes 
and 
restructures 
the 
existing 
government 
organizations in order to establish harmony and coordination between policy-
making and implementation, and market-development programs geared towards 
supporting the farmer as he transforms himself into an entrepreneur. 
The National Agricultural Marketing Council will serve as the policy-
making body for agricultural trading, with the Regional Agricultural Marketing 
Councils as its branch offices. The following attached agencies are also created 
to serve proprietary roles in market development and intervention: (a) The 
National Agricultural Trading Corporation (NATCOR), to function as the market 
development and intervention arm of the council; (b) The Public Warehousing 
Corporation, to operate Commodity Exchange Centers (CECs); establish 
terminal markets all over the country, and maintain the country's buffer stocks of 
food grain and other food commodities; (c) The Agricultural Credit and Guarantee 
Corporation of the Philippines (AGCREDOR) to provide credit assistance and 
guarantee cover on project loans and inventory financing for commodities 
deposited 
in the warehouses of the Public Warehousing Corporation's 
warehouses. 
Under the proposed set-up, the specialized functions are clearly identified, 
delineated and distributed among the appropriate agencies so as to avoid conflict 
of interest situations that have so often hamstrung past policy making and 
implementation. Moreover, the separation of policy-making and enforcement 
from proprietary functions paves the way for the eventual transfer of the latter 
functions to the private sector, with competitive markets geared for efficiency. 
In view of the foregoing, immediate passage of this bill is earnestly 
requested. 
Senator 
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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Se~ate Bill No. 596 
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INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
, 
AN ACT 
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TO PROMOTE THE AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY, STABILIZE PRICES OF 
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS AND ENHANCE FOOD SECURITY THROUGH 
THE 
EFFECTIVE 
PRODUCTION, 
PROCESSING, 
MARKETING 
AND 
DISTRIBUTION OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS, RATIONALIZING AND 
RESTRUCTURING FOR THE PURPOSE, ALL EXISTING GOVERNMENT 
ORGANIZATIONS 
IN 
AGRICULTURAL 
PRODUCTION, 
DISTRIBUTION, 
MARKETING AND 
OTHER SUPPORT PROGRAMS, 
APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION. 1. Title - This Act shall be known as the "National 
Agricultural Marketing Act of 2010." 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy - It is hereby declared to be the policy of 
the State to ensure the general welfare of farmers, who constitute a majority of 
the national population, and are key to the production of sufficient food supplies 
all over the country. It shall also be the policy of the state to ensure the 
attainment of food security at all times as an essential element of national 
security and a critical element of national development. For purposes of this Act, 
food security shall be defined as the availability and stability of food supply in a 
manner accessible to every Filipino of any economic and social standing, given 
any change in the country's climatic, social, political and economic condition. The 
State recognizes that the goal of food security is best served through the 
operation of competitive markets that will provide sufficient incentives to farmers 
and producers to increase the productivity levels of their farms. 
For the above purposes, the state hereby rationalizes and restructures 
existing government structures and programs on the production, processing, 
marketing and distribution of agricultural products. 
SEC. 3. Creation of the National Agricultural Marketing Council -
There is hereby created a policy-making and implementing body corporate called 
the National Agricultural Marketing Council, which shall have the general powers 
and attributes of a corporation as set forth in the Corporation Law and the 
particular 
mandate 
to 
perform 
the 
following 
functions, 
powers 
and 
responsibilities: 
(a) To formulate policies, plans and programs on food production, post 
harvest handling, storage, milling, distribution and credit support, including the 


coordination of its implementation among the various agencies and institutions of 
the government and the private sector; 
(b) To ensure the best administration of market development programs for 
agricultural commodities and food products; 
(c) To ensure an adequate flow of these products to consumers as well as 
a fair return to producers and prevent inefficient and wasteful methods of 
distribution; 
(b) To foster the empowerment of agricultural producers into effective 
associations or corporations under their own control for greater unity of effort in 
marketing; 
(c) To promote the establishment and financing of a farm marketing 
systems of producer- owned and producer-controlled cooperative associations 
and other agencies; 
(d) To set and review annually the government's buffer grain stock 
requirements at the national and local levels and to ensure that these 
requirements are achieved; 
(e) To effect, with the Regional Agricultural Marketing Councils and/or 
other government entities as implementing agents, the domestic procurement of 
the government's buffer grain stock through purchases of warehouse receipts or 
quedans of grain deposits in government, farmer-cooperatives and private 
warehouses and/or by buying grain produce directly from farmer cooperatives; 
, 
(f) To cause the direct importation of rice and allocation of import quotas 
among private entities, especially certified and licensed farmer cooperatives; 
(g) To promulgate the government's "stabilization price" for grains to 
assure farmers with a reasonable mark-up on their production cost and 
participation in the profits that may be realized from the sale of the government's 
buffer grain stock; 
(h) To reorient the country's food production policies, plans and programs 
in such a way that the thrust of ihcreasing the productivity of farmers is not only 
in terms of yield per unit area but more so in the aggregate income from farming 
enterprises; 
(i) To promote and coordinate plans and programs of assistance to 
producers through input supplies, purchases, payments and other operations, 
including low or no interest loans in partnership with available financial sources 
or institutions; 
0) To institutionalize and actively promote the adoption of sustainable 
agricultural practices at all farm levels so that steady production of various food 
commodities to cope with the demands of a growing population is achieved in a 
way that maintains the productivity of the soil and diminishes any adverse impact 
to the immediate environment; and 
(k) To undertake other tasks and activities as may be necessary to ensure 
the attainment of efficient agricultural marketing systems and food security. 
SEC. 4. Governing Council. - The powers, functions and affairs of the 
Council shall be exercised and directed by a governing council to be chaired by 


the Executive Secretary, with the Secretary of Agriculture as Vice Chair and with 
the following as members: 
(a) The Secretary of the Departrnent of Agrarian Reform; 
(b) The Secretary of the Department of Finance; 
(c) The Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry; 
(d) The Secretary of the Departm~nt of Public Works and Highways; 
(e) The Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local 
Government; 
(f) The Secretary of the Department of Budget Management; 
(g) The Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development; 
(h) The Secretary of the Department of Transportation and Communications; and 
(i) The Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. 
The governing council shall meet regularly at least every month on any 
date to be determined by the Chair; Provided, That the Chair may convene 
special meetings to discuss urgent matters needing immediate resolution. The 
council members shall be entitled to per diem for every meeting actually attended 
by them and other remunerations as may be determined by them. It shall 
prescribe the rules and regulations to govern its deliberations and other official 
actions. 
SEC. 
5. Organization and Staff - The management of the day-today 
operations of the Council shall be vested in an executive director who shall be 
appointed with the rank of an undersecretary by the President of the Philippines. 
The Council shall set up the organizational. structure, staffing pattern, 
qualification standard, compensation scale, functions and authorities of their 
officers and employees pursuant to pertinent laws, rules and regulations being 
implemented by the Civil Service Commission and the Department of Budget and 
Management. 
SEC. 6. Regional Agricultural Marketing Councils. - To operate and 
serve as the branch offices of the National Agricultural Marketing Council at the 
regional level, there are hereby instituted Regional Agricultural Marketing 
Councils in all administrative regions of the country. 
The Regional Agricultural Marketing Councils shall be under the 
administrative supervision and control of the National Agricultural Marketing 
Council and shall implement in the region the policies, plans and programs of the 
latter. 
SEC. 7. Composition of the Regional Agricultural Marketing Council. 
- The Regional Agricultural Marketing Council shall be composed of: 
(a) All the provincial governors of the region; 
(b) The regional directors of the Department of Agriculture; 
(c) A representative from the farming/fisheries sector; 
(d) A representative from the agricultural marketing and.trading sector; and 
(e) A representative from the consumer sector 
All provincial governors with the Department of Agriculture Regional 
Director shall by majority vote choose the sectoral representatives from among 
nominees respectively submitted by recognized sectoral associations in the 
region. Thereafter, the council members shall elect their Chair, Vice-Chair and 
other officers. 
SEC. 8. Support Staff - The Regional Agricultural Marketing Council shall 
appoint, from among its members or qualified outsider, a regional director who 


shall manage and direct the day-to-day operations of the regional council. The 
concomitant organizational structure and plantilla of personnel shall be set up by 
the regional council subject to the approval of the national council. 
SEC. 9. Creation of the NATCOR - There is hereby created a body 
corporate to be known as the National Agricultural Trading Corporation 
(NATCOR) an attached agency to the Council hereinafter referred to as the 
NATCOR which shall evolve the most efficient, dependable economical and 
equitable marketing systems for agricultural products. 
SECTION. 10. General Powers and Functions of the NATCOR. The 
NATCOR shall have the following powers and functions: 
(a) To formulate a medium term agricultural market development plan 
which shall be updated every year; 
(b) To provide farmers and fisher folks an up-to-date market information 
by the establishment of an integrated and efficient nationwide information access 
system that will guide producers and other stakeholders to make decisions on 
what and how much to plant and where and when to market: 
(c) To gather, analyze and disseminate market information on various 
foreign countries' food supply, domestic and export demand, local and export 
prices and other relevant data; 
. 
(d) To identify markets for Philippine agricultural products and assist in the 
planning of market centers, marketing channels and distribution networks to 
reduce marketing costs for producers and ultimately the cost to consumers; 
(e) To foster and assist in the development of new or expansion of existing 
domestic and foreign markets through institutional arrangements like contract 
growing, market matching, market intelligence and other promotional activities for 
agricultural products; 
(f) To provide farmers, fisher folks and other persons or firms access to 
existing public and private researches supporting food market development 
activities; 
(g) 
To 
disseminate 
information 
standardization, and grading system for all 
global competitiveness; 
on 
inspection, 
classification, 
agricultural products to enhance 
(h) To formulate as part of its market development thrust more efficient 
ways, systems, and facilities for harvesting, threshing or shelling, drying, storage, 
milling, packaging, post-harvest handling, transportation and/or shipping of 
agricultural products for purposes of reducing costs and ensuring stable 
consumer supply; 
(i) To require .as a tool for market information the annual registration and 
publication of a directory of all persons, natural or juridical, engaged or intending 
to engage in wholesaling, milling, processing, warehousing and transporting of 
agricultural products, including byproducts thereof; 
U) 
To 
coordinate 
with 
the 
Department 
of 
Transportation. and 
Communications towards establishing more efficient, regular, adequate, sUitable 
and economical systems of transporting and/or shipping of food products for 


purposes of reducing marketing costs and ensuring availability of basic transport 
which is central to the whole chain of agricultural production and distribution; and 
(k) To promulgate policies, plans, programs, rules and regulations, 
sanctions and penalties as may be necessary for the effective exercise of the 
powers and functions of the NATCOR. 
SEC. 11. Strengthening of the Agricultural Marketing Information 
System. - For the effective implementation of the policy enunciated in this Act, 
the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics shall be strengthened as the principal line 
agency of the Republic of the Philippines for agricultural statistics and marketing 
information. It shall serve the data requirements of the NATCOR. 
SEC. 12. Cooperation with other Government Agencies and Private 
Business Organization - All units and agencies of the government shall support 
and cooperate with the NATCOR in the implementation of its functions and 
programs. Likewise, private research organizations, purchasing and consuming 
organizations, boards of trade, chambers of commerce, other associations of 
business or trade organizations, transportation and storage agencies and 
organizations, or other persons or corporations engaged in the production, 
transportation, storing, processing marketing and distribution of agricultural 
products shall support the NATCOR in the implementation of its functions. 
SEC. 13. Creation of the Public Warehousing Corporation - There is 
hereby created a government-owned corporation to be known as the Public 
Warehousing Corporation, hereinafter called the Corporation, which shall be 
attached to the Council and have the following functions, powers and 
responsibilities: 
(a) To establish and maintain warehouses and post-harvest facilities for 
foods, grain and other agricultural products in all areas of production in the 
country; 
(b) To provide warehousing/storage services and post-harvest facility 
assistance for the farmers' grain and food agricultural stocks/inventories; 
(c) To issue, pursuant to existing laws and regulations, corresponding 
warehouse receipts or quedan for the farmers' grain and food inventory deposits; 
, 
(d) To store and safe-keep the government's food or grain buffer security 
stocks as directed by the Council; 
(e) To lease out, sell, build, and transfer warehouses and/or post-harvest 
facilities to farmer-cooperatives and federations, subject to the approval of the 
Council; 
(f) To establish and operate Commodity Exchange Centers (CEC); and 
(g) To exercise the general powers and attributes of a corporation as set 
forth in the Corporation Law. 
SEC. 14. Authorized Capital Stock of the Corporation - The authorized 
capital stock of the Corporation shall be Five billion Pesos (P5,000,000,000) 
divided into five million (5,000,000) common shares of stock which shall be 
subscribed and paid for by the national government and government institutions. 


SEC. 15. Governing Board - The powers, functions and affairs of the 
Corporation shall be exercised and directed by a governing board composed of 
the following: 
(a) Executive Director of the Council as Chair; 
(b) General Manager of the Corporation as Vice-Chair; 
(c) President of AGCRECOR as member; 
(d) Director of NATCOR as member; and 
(e) Director of the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics as member. 
The Board shall meet regularly at least every month and convene special 
meetings to discuss urgent matters. The Board members shall receive per diem 
for each meeting actually officiated and other remuneration as may be 
determined by the Board. It shall prescribe the rules and regulations to govern its 
deliberations and other official actions. 
SEC. 16. Organization and Staff - The management of the day-to-day 
operations of the Corporation sh<;lll be vested in a general manager who shall be 
appointed by the Council. 
The governing board shall set up the organizational structure, staffing 
pattern, qualification standard, compensation scale, functions and authorities of 
their officers and employees pursuant to pertinent laws, rules and regulations 
being implemented by the Civil Service Commission and the Department of 
Budget and Management. 
SEC. 17. Commodity Exchange Centers (CEC) - The Corporation shall 
establish at all terminal markets in the country, especially in Metro Manila and 
cities in Luzon, Visayas and .Mindanao, Commodity Exchange Centers which 
shall serve as central trading facilities for grains in the regions to provide ready 
market for farmers' produce and promote efficiency of grain distribution to 
consumers under a transparent marketing system which enhances the interest of 
farmers and consumers alike. Strategically located warehouses of the National 
Food Authority (NFA) shall be the sites and business officers of the Commodity 
Exchange Centers. NFA personnel, because of their expertise in warehousing 
and grain classification and grading, shall serve as the core staff for the operation 
of the CECs. 
Initially, daily public bidding of grains shall be on the basis of "on the spot" 
commodity. Bidding shall later be on the basis of quedans or warehouse receipts 
for grain inventories deposited in the warehouses of the Corporation, the CECs 
or private bonded warehouses. Trading on agricultural commodity "futures" shall 
be the final phase that the CECs shall work for to achieve. Similarly, the CECs 
shall initially cover grains only and later include other food and agricultural 
commodities. 
SEC. 18. - Responsibility for Credit Assistance and Guarantee Cover 
- The provision of credit assistance and guarantee cover on project loans and 
inventory financing for commodities owned and deposited by farmers, 
consumers, 
and 
traders in the warehouses of the Public Warehouse 
Corporations and franchised private bonded warehouses shall be the primordial 
responsibility of the Quedan and Rural Credit Guarantee Corporation, which is 
hereby attached to the Council and renamed as the Agricultural Credit and 
Guarantee 
Corporation 
of the 
Philippines, 
hereinafter 
referred 
to 
as 
AGCRECOR. 
SEC. 19. Operating Guidelines - The AGCRECOR shall adhere to the 
following operating guidelines: . 


(a) Provide production loans to farmers/fisherfolk through their primary 
cooperatives or federations by direct lending, co-financing schemes, providing 
lending banks with especial time deposit, rediscounting lending banks' production 
loan receivables and similar mechanisms so as to reach out to as many rural 
clients as possible; 
(b) Encourage lending institutions to extend project loans for production, 
warehouses, post-harvest machineries and equipment, land transportation and 
shipping, bulk and the like, by providing" a guarantee cover on such loans; 
(c) Provide guarantee cover on inventory loans for grain or food 
commodities owned and deposited by farmers, consumers and traders in the 
PWC warehouses, Commodity Exchange Centers and franchised private bonded 
warehouses; 
(d) Extend loans directly for the aforementioned projects and food 
inventory when and where no lending banks are available or willing to provide the 
loans; 
(e) Endeavor to provide soft-term loans by sourcing and coordinating 
grants, no-interest and low interest funds and blending them with commercially 
sourced funds; 
(f) Submit for the Council's approval and funding, a credit plan and budget 
for the undertakings envisioned in paragraphs (a) and (d) above, detailing therein 
the per region loan volume targets, expected beneficiaries, repayments, 
arrearages and defaults on previous loans. Likewise, a separate plan shall be 
submitted in regard to the guarantee operation; and 
(g) Remit back to the Council all repayments for current loans and 
recoveries on past due loans funded by the said Council. 
SEC. 20. Increase in Fuhd Base - To achieve the vital credit assistance 
and guarantee cover envisioned in this Act, the authorized capital stock of 
AGCRECOR is hereby increased to Five billion pesos (P5,OOO,OOO,OOO) divided 
into common shares of stock of the same par value and with the same ' 
government-private sector ownership structure spelled out under Republic Act 
No. 7393. At the start of the year and upon the endorsement of the Council, the 
Department of Budget and Management and the Department of Finance shall 
program and execute the national government's and government institutions' 
(LBP, DBP, SSS, GSIS, PAGCOR, PCSO, etc.,) subscriptions and payment 
thereof for the government portion of the authorized capital stock of AGCRECOR 
until such government portion is fully completed within five (5) years. 
Furthermore, to enhance credit assistance to farmers/ fisherfolk, 
cooperatives/federations and other food enterprises envisioned in this Act, the 
national government through the Secretary of Finance shall guarantee the 
AGCRECOR's borrowings, duly approved and endorsed by the Council, from 
government or private, domestic or foreign, financial institutions. 
SEC. 21. Incentives for Banks' Credit Support -
The guarantee 
obligation of AGCRECOR shall be "sovereign" in nature and deemed as the 
obligation of the national government in order to entice much greater credit 
support from the banking sector since such guaranteed loan receivables shall be 
considered as compliance with the Agri-Agra Law, have access to the 


rediscounting window of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and exempted from the 
"single-borrower limit" and "risk asset ratio requirements". 
SEC. 22. Compliance with Agri-Agra Law - All banking institutions are 
hereby mandated to allocate at least fifteen percent (15%) of their loanable funds 
to the agricultural sector. Furthermore, the prOVisions of the Agri-Agra Law, 
Presidential Decree No. 717, as amended on substantial compliance through the 
purchase of government securities, are hereby repealed. Bank loans extended 
for grain inventories deposited in the warehouses of the Corporation, 
Commodities Exchange Centers and franchised private bonded warehouse 
operators shall be deemed as compliance with the Agri-Agra Law. 
, 
SEC. 23. Devolution of the Agribusiness Group, the National 
Agribusiness Corporation and the Agricultural Credit Policy Council - The 
Agribusiness Group of the Department of Agriculture, the National Agribusiness 
Corporation and the Agricultural Credit Policy Council are hereby devolved as 
follows: 
(a) The records of the Agribusiness Group shall be transferred to the 
NATCOR; 
(b) The records, researches and reference materials of the Agricultural 
Credit Policy Council shall likewise be turned over to the NATCOR; 
(c) All other properties, assets and unexpended appropriations or 
corporate operating budget of the National Agribusiness Corporation and the 
Agricultural Credit Policy Council shall be transferred to the Council; , 
(d) The Comprehensive Agricultural Loan Fund created under Executive 
Order No. 113, dated 24 December 1986 is hereby transferred to the Council; 
and 
(e) Officials and employees of the said group and agencies shall be 
devolved into the NATCOR on the basis of merit and qualification. 
SEC. 24. Devolution of the Personnel, Properties, Assets, Records, 
and Unexpended Appropriation of the National Food Authority (NFA) - The 
present warehouses, post-harvest facilities and equipment, trucks, and utility 
vehicles of the National Fooe! Authority shall be transferred as the initial 
government equity to the Public Warehousing Corporation. All personnel 
attendant to the said grain facilities shall likewise be transferred to the 
Corporation. 
All 
other personnel, properties, assets, records and 
unexpended 
appropriations of the National Food Authority are transferred to the National 
Agricultural Marketing Council ard National Agricultural Trading Corporation in a 
manner that the said Council shall decide. This shall include imported rice and 
corn already in the country and such other stocks that may arrive pursuant to the 
current importation thereof. Said stocks shall be disposed of in accordance with 
the new policy of the Council. 
SEC. 25. Outstanding Obligations of the NFA - All obligations of the 
National Food Authority upon the approval of this Act shall be transferred to and 
absorbed by the national government: Provided, That those incurred in the 
current importation shall be paid by the Council up to the extent of the rice/corn 
inventory still on hand and transferred to the Council. 


SEC. 26. Options of Devolved Personnel - All personnel herein 
devolved and those otherwise not absorbed may opt to retire, if qualified for 
retirement, or be laid off and gratuity shall be given as follows: 
(a) Not more than 20 years of service, 1.5 months gross pay per year of 
service; and 
(b) More than 20 years of service, 2 months gross pay per year of service. 
Those with pending administrative and/or criminal cases shall be paid only 
after exoneration, otherwise they shall forfeit whatever benefits are due to them. 
SEC. 27. Appropriations for the National Agricultural Marketing 
Council - The sum needed for the operation and maintenance of the Council, 
including the credit funds to support food production and other undertakings, 
shall form part of the appropriations, in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
SEC. 
28. Appropriation for the National Agricultural Trading 
Corporation. - For the initial operation of the NATCOR, the amount of Two 
Hundred Million Pesos (P200,000,000) is hereby appropriated from the current 
appropriations of the Department of Agriculture or the National Food Authority. 
Thereafter, such sum as may be needed for its operations and maintenance, 
including the amount needed for strengthening the Bureau of Agricultural 
Statistics, shall be included as part of the appropriations in the annual General 
Appropriations Act. 
SEC. 29. Appropriations for the Public Warehousing Corporation -
For its initial 
operation, 
the, amount of Five 
Hundred Million 
Pesos 
(P500,000,000) is hereby appropriated for the Corporation from the current 
appropriations of the Department of Agriculture or the National Food Authority. 
Thereafter, such amount needed for their continuous operation and maintenance 
shall be included as part of the appropriations in the annual General 
Appropriations Act. 
SEC. 30. Appropriations for the Regional Agricultural Marketing 
Council - The National Agricultural Marketing Council shall, out of its financial 
resources, appropriate such amount as would be necessary for the start-up and 
continuous operation of each Regional Agricultural Marketing Councils. 
SEC. 31. Repealing Clause - All laws, decrees, executive issuances, 
rules and regulations inconsistetlt with this Act are hereby repealed or modified 
accordingly. 
SEC. 32. Separability Clause - The provisions of this Act are hereby 
declared to be separable, and in the event one or more of such provisions are 
held unconstitutional, the validity of the other provisions shall not be affected 
thereby. 
SEC. 33. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect immediately after 
its complete publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,