TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
)
SENATE 
S. No.
25 JUL -7 A11 58
Introduced by Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa
AN ACT
PROVIDING DIRECT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO FILIPINO FARMERS AND 
FISHERFOLK, ESTABLISHING FOR THE PURPOSE THE "FILIPINO FARMERS 
AND FISHERFOLK FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM/' PROVIDING 
FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Food security remains one of the most pressing challenges in the Philippines. 
Despite the country's abundant natural resources and strong agricultural potential, 
millions of Filipinos continue to suffer from undernourishment and food insecurity. The 
COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, climate-related disruptions, and global trade volatility 
have only magnified these vulnerabilities.
At the heart of the food security equation are our farmers. Yet many of them 
remain among the poorest and most underserved. They contend not only with the 
uncertainties of weather and market prices, but also with systemic neglect—limited 
access to credit, low mechanization, and inadequate safety nets during times of crisis.
This bill seeks to institutionalize the Filipino Farmers and Fisherfolk Financial 
Assistance Program, a conditional cash transfer initiative tailored specifically for small 
farming households. It aims to stabilize income, encourage continued agricultural 
production, and mitigate poverty in the countryside. It is designed to complement, not 
replace, existing interventions such as subsidies and loan programs.
Key features include a targeting system for eligible farming households in 
coordination with the DA, DAR, and LGUs, identifying conditions such as registration


under the DA's sector registry and participation in agriculturai training, as weil as the 
establishment of a cash-for-work component to supplement income through 
infrastructure and public service projects relevant to rural development.
The DSWD shall serve as the lead agency, leveraging its experience under the 4Ps 
program and working in close partnership with national agencies. Oversight and 
monitoring mechanisms will ensure accountability, impact evaluation, and 
responsiveness to local realities.
This is not just a welfare program—it is a strategic investment in productivity, social 
justice, and food sovereignty. When farmers are protected, the nation is secured.
For these reasons, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought.
RONALD nBATOl0PELA ROSA


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE
207
25
S. No.
-7 An -.58
Introduced by Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa
AN ACT
PROVIDING DIRECT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO FILIPINO FARMERS AND 
FISHERFOLK, ESTABLISHING FOR THE PURPOSE THE "FILIPINO FARMERS 
AND FISHERFOLK FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM/' PROVIDING 
FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Filipino Farmers and
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Fisherfolk Financial Assistance Program Act".
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Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is a deciared policy of the State to promote a
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just and dynamic social order through policies that provide adequate social
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services, promote full employment, a rising standard of living, and an improved quality
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of life for all.
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Towards this end, the State shall formulate and implement programs and
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projects guided by a national strategy to reduce poverty in the countryside and ensure
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the sufficiency and accessibility of food products for all.
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Sec. 3. Filipino Farmers and Fisherfolk Financial Assistance Program. - The
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Filipino Farmers Fand Fisherfolk Financial Assistance Program, hereinafter referred to
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as the Program, is hereby established as a national strategy for rural poverty reduction
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and program for ensuring food security and sufficiency that provides conditional cash
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transfer to poor farming and fisherfolk households to mitigate the decline of farming
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and fishing incomes.


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The financial assistance under this Program shall be supplementary to other
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similar undertakings of the government and shall not be a replacement for any existing
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programs for farmers.
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Sec. 4. Conditional Cash Transfer to Farming and Fisherfoik Househoid-
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Beneficiaries. - The Advisory Council created under Republic Act No. 11310, otherwise
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known as the "Pantawid Pamiiyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) Act," shall determine the
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amount of cash grants to be extended to farming and fisherfoik household-
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beneficiaries.
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Sec. 5. Eligible Beneficiaries. - The Department of Social Welfare and
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Development (DSWD) shall. In consultation with the Department of Agriculture (DA),
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the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), and local government units, select qualified
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farming and fisherfoik household-beneficiaries of the program. From the above
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selection, farming and fisherfoik households shall be eligible to receive cash grants
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under the Program after complying with the following requirement:
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(a) Household-beneficiaries is engaged in agricultural production through
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farming or fishing;
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(b) Responsible person from household-beneficiaries who actually engages in
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agricultural production must register with the DA under the Registry System for
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Basic Sectors in Agriculture;
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(c) At least one (1) member from the Household-beneficiary must attend at
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ieast one (1) training program to be conducted by Philippine Center for
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Postharvest, Development and Mechanization, Agricultural Training Institute,
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or Technical Education and Skills Development Authority in the respective city
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or municipality.
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Sec. 6. Noncompliance with the Conditions for Entitlement - The person of a
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reported qualified household-beneficiary who fails to comply with the conditions set
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forth in Section 5 of this Act shall be notified in writing. Further payment of cash grants
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shall be suspended after four (4) months of noncompliance and the erring household-
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beneficiary shall be subject to case management process of the DSWD.
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Sec. 7. Cash-for-Work for Farmers and Fisherfoik Program. - As additional
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income for farming and fisherfoik household-beneficiaries, the DSWD may, in
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coordination with government agencies concerned, facilitate short-term intervention


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to provide temporary employment to members of qualified farming and fisherfolk
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households. Projects that may be incorporated under the Cash-for-Work Program shall
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include, but not be limited to:
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(a) Irrigation programs and projects of the DA and the National Irrigation
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Administration;
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(b) Public works programs and projects of the Department of Public Works and
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Highways;
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(c) Water supply and sanitation projects of the Department of the Interior and
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Local Government and local water districts;
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(d) Disaster preparedness, mitigation, relief, rehabilitation, and risk reduction
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projects of the Office of the Civil Defense, National Disaster Risk Reduction and
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Management Council, and other similar agencies of government; and
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(e) Other similar programs and projects of national government agencies,
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government-owned or -controlled corporations, and local government units.
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The DSWD shall determine the payment rate of cash-for-work employment:
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Provided, That such payment shall be in no case lower than seventy percent (70%)
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of the prevailing daily wage rate set by the National Wages and Productivity
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Commission.
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Sec. 8. Lead Agenqr. - The DSWD shall serve as the central planning,
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coordinating, implementing and monitoring body of the Program. In the
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implementation of this Act, the DSWD shall perform the following functions:
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(a) Selection and application of appropriate, effective, and cost-efFicient methos
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in identification and selection of qualified farming and fisherfolk household-
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beneficiaries in coordination with the DA and DAR;
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(b) Identification and selection of target farming and fisherfolk household-
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beneficiaries based on a uniform, objective and transparent selection process;
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(c) Coordination with various national and local government agencies, including
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non-government and private sector organizations, to ensure full
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implementation of the provision of this Act;
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(d) Establishment of participatory system and methodologies to monitor and
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evaluate the compliance of household-beneficiaries and the implementation of
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the Program;


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(e) Provision of recommendation measures, rules and regulations to the
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Advisory Council in order to improve delivery of commitments made in this Act;
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(f) Determination of program coverage based on a standardized targeting
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system;
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(g) Provision of seminar-workshop and training programs to educate qualified
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farming and fisherfolk household-beneficiaries about the conditions and other
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actions pertinent to this Act;
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(h) Synchronization and harmonization of the implementation of the Program
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with other similar or related programs of the government;
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(I) Submission of an annual report to Congress on matters pertinent to the
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operations and financial status of the Program; and
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(j) Performance of other functions as may be necessary or incidental to the
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proper implementation of the provisions of this Act.
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Sec. 9. Monitoring and Evaiuation of the Program. - The DSWD shall monitor
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and evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of the Program and report is status
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at least once every three (3) years in order to ensure the realization of the objectives
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of this Act.
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The Independent Monitoring Committee created under Republic Act No. 11310,
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otherwise known as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4PS) Act," shall be used
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to complement the monitoring activities of the DSWD in the implementation of the
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Program. The Independent Monitoring Committee shall submit a report of its
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monitoring activities relative to the implementation of the Program to the Advisory
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Council.
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Sec. 10. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the implementation of the
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provisions of this Act shall be included in the funding allocation of the concerned
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agencies under the General Appropriation Act.
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Sec. 11. Impiementing Ruies and Reguiations. - Within sixty (60) days from
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the effectivity of his Act, the DSWD, DA, Department of Finance and Department of
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Budget and Management shall. In consultation with the appropriate government
30 
agencies and other stakeholders, shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations
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to implement this Act.


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Sec. 12. Separability Cause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provisions not affected thereby shall 
remain in force and effect.
Sec. 13. Repealing Cause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules, and regulations 
and executive orders contrary to or inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or 
modified accordingly.
Sec. 14. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the official gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,