NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
Third Regular Session 
)
|f\N 14 °6o9
SENATE
S. No. 2918
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING THE NATIONAL CONVERGENCE STRATEGY FOR 
SUSTAINABLE RURAL DEVELOPMENT BASED ON THE "RIDGE-TO-REEF" 
APPROACH, PROVIDING THE IMPLEMENTING MECHANISMS AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Article II Section 21 of the 1987 Constitution provides that, "The State shall 
promote comprehensive rural development and agrarian reform."
Pursuant to this state policy, the Common Framework for Sustainable Rural 
Development was devised and operationalized in 1999. It was aimed to address the 
fragmented and piecemeal delivery of rural development efforts. Through the years, 
the convergence initiative was refined and expanded with four government agencies 
taking the lead - Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Agrarian Reform 
(DAR), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Department 
of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
The strategy anchored on the holistic protection and rehabilitation of natural 
resources, particularly within major river basins and watersheds, and the 
establishment of sustainable and environment-friendly agriculture, forestry, and 
fisheries enterprises, proved successful in reducing poverty incidence and enhancing 
agricultural yield and income as seen in these examples1:
1 National Convergence Initiative for Sustainable Rural Development (NCI-SRD) FAQs. 
https://ncisrd.da.gov.ph/faas/


1. 
Decrease in poverty incidence in Pili Watershed Convergence Area in Bicol 
region from 41.3% to 32.4%;
2. Increase in rice production in Carood Watershed Convergence Area in 
Central Visayas from 80 cavans per hectare to 180 cavans per hectare; and
3. 
Increase in cacao production in Suawan Kulafu Subwatershed Convergence 
Area located in Davao from 342 kg per hectare to 440 kg per hectare.
This measure seeks to institutionalize the National Convergence Strategy for 
Sustainable Rural Development (NCS-SRD) that is currently being implemented under 
DA-DAR-DENR-DILG Joint Administrative Order No. 1, series of 2020.
Considering the lamentable fact that farmers, fisherfolk, and individuals in rural 
areas remained the poorest sectors of our society based on official government 
statistics despite the immense economic opportunities therein, it is imperative that 
policies aimed towards inclusive growth and prosperity in the countryside be 
strengthened.
This measure is also aligned with a number of Sustainable Development Goals 
(SDGs), specifically:
• 
SDG 1: End poverty in all its forms;
• 
SDG 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and 
sanitation for all;
• 
SDG 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine 
resources; and
• 
SDG 15: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial 
ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt 
and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this measure is recommended.
NGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
Third Regular Session 
)
SENATE 
S. No.
IMV:
14 P6:39
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING THE NATIONAL CONVERGENCE STRATEGY FOR 
SUSTAINABLE RURAL DEVELOPMENT BASED ON THE "RIDGE-TO-REEF" 
APPROACH, PROVIDING THE IMPLEMENTING MECHANISMS AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and the 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 "National Convergence
4 
Strategy for Sustainable Rural Development (NCS-SRD) Act."
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Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to
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promote and prioritize agricultural development as a means to ensure food security
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and to provide agro-economic opportunities especially among the rural folks by
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developing, operationalizing, and harmonizing a common framework for equitable,
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inclusive, and sustainable rural development through the convergence of the
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resources of the rural development agencies namely the Department of Agriculture
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(DA), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of Environment and Natural
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Resources (DENR), and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
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Towards this end, conservation, protection and rehabilitation of natural
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resources, including rivers and watersheds, with the establishment of sustainable and
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environment-friendly agriculture, forestry, and fisheries enterprises are hereby


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encouraged and promoted by the intervention initiative to contribute to inciusive
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growth and poverty reduction in the countryside.
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Sec. 3. Scope and Coverage. - This Act shaii apply to all rural development
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areas primarily inhabited by the targeted beneficiaries - the smallholder farmers (both
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agrarian reform beneficiaries and non-agrarian reform beneficiaries), fisherfolk,
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upland dwellers, and Indigenous Peoples (IPs) within convergence areas. It shall
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provide the principles, physical framework, implementing mechanisms and
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organizational structure, funding, and system of monitoring and evaluation of the NCS-
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SRD.
10 
CHAPTER II
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DEFINITION OF TERMS
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Sec. 4. Definition of Terms. - For the purpose of this Act, the following terms
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shall be defined as follows:
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a) Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) - Farmers who were granted lands
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under Presidential Decree No. 27 (Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law)
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and Republic Act No. 9700 (Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Extension with
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Reforms), regular farm workers who are landless, irrespective of tenurial
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arrangement, who benefitted from the redistribution of lands, regardless of
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crops or fruits produced, to include the totality of factors and support
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services designed to lift the economic status of the beneficiaries and all
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other alternative arrangements to the physical distribution of lands, such as
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production or profit-sharing, labor, administration, and the distribution of
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shares of stock of which will allow beneficiaries to receive a just share of
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the fruits of the lands they work.
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b) Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (AFF)-enterprise - Business venture,
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typically micro-, small-, and medium-scale, that can be undertaken either
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on- or off-farm or a service that can be used to support other businesses.
28 
It operates in a defined territory, which may be a barangay (village),
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municipality, or group of municipalities.
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c) Capacity Development (CD) - The process through which individuals,
31 
organization, and societies obtain, strengthen, and enhance competencies
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to set and achieve their development objectives over time.


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d) Civil Society Organization (CSO) - Non-state and non-profit association that 
works to improve society and human conditions. Basic types of CSOs include 
non-government organizations, people's organizations, cooperatives, social 
movements, professional and business groups.
e) Convergence Area - Physical area where the NCS-SRD is implemented, 
which is identified based on a selection criterion, supported by a 
Convergence Area Development Plan (CADP), proposed by the LGU and 
approved by the NCS-SRD Executive Board (NEB).
f) Convergence Area Development Plan (CADP) - A comprehensive plan that 
contains the strategies, programs, activities, and projects that will promote 
holistic and sustainable management of all resources within the 
convergence area.
g) Convergence Initiative - Complementation of efforts and resources between 
and among the DA, DAR, DENR, DILG, LGUs, and relevant stakeholders to 
promote and harmonize the delivery of AFF and rural development services 
towards sustainable rural development.
h) Ecosystem - A community of living organisms interacting with each other 
and with their physical environment.
i) Information, Education, Communication and Motivation (lECM) - 
Approaches to combine information, education, communication and 
motivation into products that could be transmitted over communication 
channels or multimedia in order to interest or capture targeted clients.
j) Inclusive Growth - Growth that is rapid enough to matter, given the 
country's large population, geographical differences, and social complexity. 
It is sustained growth that creates jobs, draws the vast majority into the 
economic and social mainstream, and continuously reduces mass poverty.
k) Information and Communications Technology (ICT) - Totality of electronic 
means to access, create, collect, store, process, receive, transmit, present, 
and disseminate information.
l) Indigenous People (IP) - Group of people or homogenous societies 
identified by their self-ascription and ascription by others, who have 
continuously lived as organized community on communally bounded and


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defined territory, and who have, under claims of ownership since time 
immemorial, occupied, possessed customs, tradition and other distinctive 
cultural traits, or who have, through resistance to political, social and 
cultural inroads of colonization, non-indigenous religions and culture, 
became historically differentiated from the majority of Filipinos.
m) Key Production Area (KPA) - Priority area, which includes among others 
Agrarian Reform Areas (ARAs), whose agro-climatic and market conditions 
favor the production, processing and marketing of specific AFF products.
n) Knowledge Management (KM) - Range of strategies and practices used so 
that pertinent data and information is gathered, processed, disseminated, 
shared, and utilized to enable the adoption of insights and experiences and 
to ensure that NCS-SRD programs, activities, and projects are designed, 
implemented, and monitored in an efficient and effective manner.
o) LGU alliances - Inter-local cooperation formed through appropriate 
ordinances for the purpose of consolidation or coordination of efforts, 
services, and resources commonly beneficial to them.
p) Participatory Approach - Systematic involvement of communities in various 
aspects and stages of decision-making pertaining to government programs, 
projects and other interventions.
q) People's Organization (PO) - Grassroots organization legally registered or 
accredited whose membership is composed of smallholder farmers, small 
fisherfolk, industrial laborers, women, youth, and others which are formed 
at the local, regional and national levels. It also includes cooperatives, 
associations, etc.
r) Provincial Commodities Investment Plan (PCIP) - A strategic plan that 
rationalizes the interventions with the various segments of the value chain 
of priority commodities that are of significance to the province and that will 
contribute to the national goals of the agriculture and fishery sectors. It is 
a three (3)-year rolling consensus plan between the DA and the LGU based 
on the value chain analyses of these commodities, conducted with strong 
participation of the various stakeholders.


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s) Results-Based Monitoring and Evaluation (RBME) System - Management 
tool that aims to keep track of the progress and end result of the project 
implementation within the convergence areas.
t) Ridge-to-Reef Approach - Holistic, collaborative, multiple use and 
sustainable management of all resources within the watershed.
u) Rural Development - Strategy to enable a specific group of people, poor 
rural women and men, to gain for themselves and their children more of 
what they want and need. It involves helping the poorest among those who 
seek a livelihood in rural areas to demand and control more of the benefits 
of rural development. The group includes smallholder farmers, small 
fisherfolk, tenants, and the landless.
v) Fisherfolk - People directly or personally and physically engaged in taking 
and/or culturing and processing fishery and/or aquatic resources.
w) Smallholder Farmers - Marginal and sub-marginal farm households that own 
and/or cultivate not more than 3.0 hectares of land.
x) Sustainable Integrated Area Development (SIAD) - Strategy that takes into 
account area-based interventions, and concepts on integrated island 
development, and has people and integrity of nature at its core. This is 
grounded on the basic principles of the Philippine Agenda 21, specifically on 
the integration of the various overarching dimensions and components of 
sustainable development and the need for participation of government, 
business, and civil society as provided for under Executive Order No. 15, s. 
1992 and Executive Order No. 370, s. 1996.
y) Sustainable Rural Development (SRD) - Improving the quality of life for the 
rural poor by developing capacities that promote community participation, 
health and education, food security, environmental protection, and 
sustainable economic growth, thereby enabling community members to 
leave the cycle of poverty and achieve their full potential for the present 
and future generations.
z) Watershed - Land area drained by a stream or fixed body of water and its 
tributaries having a common outlet for surface run-off.


1 
CHAPTER 111
2 
FRAMEWORK AND OPERATIONALIZATION
3 
Sec. 5. The National Convergence Strategy for Sustainable Rural Development
4 
(NCS-SRD). - The National Convergence Strategy for Sustainable Rural Development
5 
(NCS-SRD) is a government strategy to address the fragmented delivery of rural
6 
development services. Adopting the ridge-to-reef approach as the intervention
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framework in the convergence areas, the NCS-SRD shall be operationalized in the
8 
identified convergence areas, where complementation of efforts and concerted and
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coordinated interventions from NCS-SRD agencies and other reievant stakeholders
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interplay to achieve optimum resuits.
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Sec. 6. Criteria for Selection of Convergence Areas. - The identification and
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selection of convergence areas shall conform to the ridge-to-reef approach based on
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the following must and prioritization criteria, which shaii be reviewed periodicaiiy:
14 
Must Criteria
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a) Completeness of ecosystem zones. The convergence areas should cut
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across the various ecosystems or should be combination of at least two (2)
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ecosystems.
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b) Passer of Good Financial Housekeeping. This is proof that the LGU has good
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governance performance in internai housekeeping, particuiarly in sound
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fiscai management.
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Prioritization Criteria
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a) Presence of key production areas for increased productivity and income. The
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convergence areas should have tracts of land identified for agro-forestry
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and fisheries development for major production or with potentiai for
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expansion/scaling up and/or connection to allied industries/services for
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backward and forward integration.
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b) Combination of areas across major poverty groups. The convergence areas
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should cover a significant number of smallholder farmers/agricultural
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workers, including actuai and potentiai ARBs, small fisherfolk, IPs, upland
30 
dwellers, and rural women.
31 
c) Involvement of local government leaders of LGUs/LGU alliances. The
32 
convergence area should have LGUs/LGU alliances whose Locai Chief


1 
Executives (LCEs) and Sanggunian are willing to support the Convergence
2 
Initiative.
3 
d) Presence of relevant stakeholders/CSOs. The convergence areas should
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have active CSOs that are willing to support the Convergence Initiative and
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be a conduit of interventions in the convergence area. The presence of
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private business and academic/research institutions that are willing to
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partner within the convergence area should be an advantage.
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Additional Criteria
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a) Presence of traditional AFF ecosystems and iocai/indigenous knowledge
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systems and traditional practices. The convergence areas should have
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conventional or traditional practices in the AFF ecosystem.
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b) Performs as a buffer zone of a protected area. The convergence areas may
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be adjacent to a protected area and serve as a buffer zone to provide an
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added layer of protection to the protected area.
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c) Availability of a Local Climate Change Action Plan. The LGU in the
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convergence area has an existing plan to address climate change stressors
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and there may be an organization present that leads in implementing
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strategies to reduce vulnerability to climate change impacts.
19 
CHAPTER IV
20 
IMPLEMENTING STRUCTURE AND MECHANISM
21 
Sec. 7. NCS-SRDAgencies. -The DA, DAR, DENR, and DILG are considered as
22 
NCS-SRD agencies. These agencies shall serve as the central planning, coordinating,
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implementing, and monitoring and evaluating body of the NCS-SRD.
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Sec. 8. NCS-SRD Executive Board (NEB). - The NEB shall act as the policy-
25 
making body of the NCS-SRD. The NEB shall be composed of the following or their
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duly-designated permanent alternates with a rank of an Undersecretary, whose acts
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shall be considered as the acts of their principals:
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Lead Convenor 
DA Secretary
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Co-Convenors: 
DAR Secretary
30 
DENR Secretary
31 
DILG Secretary
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Advisory Board : 
National Focal Person (Assistant Secretary)


1 
In the implementation of this Act, the NCS-SRD Executive Board shall perform
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the following functions:
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a) Provide overall policy directions for the implementation of
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programs/activities/projects (PAPs) under the NCS-SRD;
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b) Review the fulfillment of commitments of the respective agencies relative to
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the implementation of the NCS-SRD;
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c) Appoint or designate the National Focal Person (NFP) with a rank of
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Assistant Secretary, a Deputy National Focal Person (DNFP) with a rank of
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Director IV as the permanent alternate representative of the NFP, and a
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Head National Secretariat. The NFP, DNFP, and Head National Secretariat
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shall come from the DA as the lead agency, for efficiency purposes;
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d) Approve the implementation and coordination structure of the NCS-SRD,
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including the membership to the NTWG and the four (4) CWGs through the
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issuance of a Special Order (SO);
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e) Approve/ratify policy instruments and PAPs pertaining to the operation of
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the NCS-SRD; and allocate and approve resources to carry out the PAPs of
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the NCS-SRD, including third-party impact assessment of the convergence
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areas.
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Sec. 9. National Focal Person (NFP) and Deputy National Focal Person (DNFP).
20 
- The NFP shall have a rank of Assistant Secretary and a Deputy National Focal Person
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(DNFP), as the designated permanent alternate representative to the NFP, shall have
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a rank of Director IV. The NFP shall directly supervise the National Secretariat which
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shall have a Head and Deputy Head Secretariat. Plantilla positions shall be created for
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the NFP and DNFP. The NFP shall convene the members of the NCS-SRD TWG to
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discuss the status of the NCS-SRD programs, projects, and activities before the
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conduct of Board meetings. The NFP shall come from the DA as the lead department,
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the DNFP shall come from the DENR, DAR, or DILG.
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Sec. 10. NCS-SRD Secretariat - NCS-SRD Secretariat shall be created at the
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national, regional, provincial and municipal levels.
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a) National Secretariat - The National Secretariat, composed of seven (7)
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plantilla positions for its technical and administrative functions, shall serve
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as the main coordinating body of the NCS-SRD. It shall provide technical


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and administrative support to the four Component Working Groups, NTWG, 
and the NEB. The National Secretariat shall be lodged at the DA as the Lead 
Convenor of the NCS-SRD. Filling up the plantilla positions shall prioritize 
the existing staff of the National Secretariat to ensure continuity of 
operations. The National Secretariat shall also be headed by a Head 
Secretariat, followed by the Deputy Head Secretariat, Secretariats for each 
of the four Component Working Groups and an administrative officer, 
b) Regional Secretariat - The regional secretariat will be composed of three 
(3) personnel per region.
Sec. 11. National Technical Working Group (NTWG). - The NTWG shall serve 
as the advisory and recommendatory body of the NEB on matters related to the 
implementation of the NCS-SRD. It shall be composed of the following or their 
designated permanent alternate representatives/s:
Chairperson 
Core members
NFP or DNFP 
Chairperson, PA CWG 
Chairperson, AFFECBD CWG 
Chairperson, CD CWG 
Chairperson, KM CWG
Secretariat 
: 
National Secretariat
Sec. 12. Component Working Groups (CWGs). - The planning, budgeting, 
implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of the NCS-SRD shall be done through 
the four (4) CWGs. These four (4) CWGs are: Policy and Advocacy (PA); Agriculture, 
Forestry, and Fisheries (AFF)-Enterprise Cluster and Business Development 
(AFFECBD), Capacity Development (CD), and Knowledge Management (KM). They 
shall serve as the horizontal or cross-cutting components on issues related to all 
ecosystems using the ridge-to-reef approach.
Each CWG shall have a Chairperson who shall serve on a rotation basis among 
the DA-DAR-DENR-DILG for a term of three (3) years.
Sec. 13. Regional, Provincial, and Municipai/City Convergence Initiatives 
Technical Working Groups (TWGs). - Regional, Provincial, and Municipal/City 
Convergence Initiatives Technical Working Groups (TWGs) shall be created. It shall


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act as the regional, provincial, and municipal/city arm of the NTWG and shall mirror
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the aims of NCS-SRD at the grassroots.
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Sec. 14. Other Partner Agencies and Institutions. -The NCS-SRD agencies, its
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CWG and TWGs, shall coordinate with other partner agencies and institutions to
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ensure the complementation and alignment of NCS-SRD interventions with that of
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other related agencies, offices, and institutions. They shall likewise work with NGOs,
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coalition groups, farmer and fisherfolk associations and groups, SUCs, and private
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sector/business groups.
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Sec. 15. Resuits-BasedMonitoring and Evaiuation (RBME). - An RBME system
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based on indicators of performance aligned with the PDP Results Matrix shall be
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developed and implemented.
12 
CHAPTER V
13 
TRANSITORY AND FINAL PROVISIONS
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Sec. 16. Convening of NCS-SRD Nationai Secretariat Office. - Within sixty (60)
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days from the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall convene the
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NCS-SRD National Secretariat Office.
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Sec. 17. Appropriations. - Funds necessary to carry out the implementation of
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the NCS-SRD shall be taken from the available funds of the DA, DAR, DENR and DILG
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under the current General Appropriations Act. Salary for the created plantilla positions
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of the NFP, DNFP and NCS-SRD National Secretariat shall come from dedicated funds
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under the DA Office of the Secretary in consideration of the DA as the lead convenor.
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Salary for the regional secretariat shall come from dedicated funds of their regional
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office. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the full operation of the NCS-
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SRD and the staggered implementation of the NCS-SRD plans and programs shall be
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included in the respective annual budget of the aforementioned Departments in the
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annual General Appropriations Act.
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Sec. 18. Grants and Additionai Funding. - Other sources of funds such as
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grants, donations, and other forms of assistance from donor agencies, other
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government agencies, and local and international business community/private sector
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may be tapped and facilitated by NCS-SRD Executive Board to support the PAPs of the
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Convergence Initiative, subject to regular auditing guidelines and procedures. Cost-
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sharing and/or counter parting schemes among NGAs, LGUs, NGOs, private sector.
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and other institutions shaii be encouraged to support the impiementation of the NCS-
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SRD.
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Sec. 19. Implementing Rules and Regulations. -The implementing rules and
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regulations of this Act shall be jointly formulated by the NCS-SRD agencies within
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ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act.
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Sec. 20. Non-Impairment Clause. - Nothing in this Act shall be construed as to
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diminish, impair, or repeal rights recognized, granted, or available to marginalized or
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basic sectors under existing laws.
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Sec. 21. Separability Clause. - If for any reason, any provision of this Act is
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declared unconstitutional or invalid, such parts not affected thereby shall remain in
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full force and effect.
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Sec. 22. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and
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regulations and other issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Act
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are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.
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Sec. 23. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
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publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,
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