NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES)
Third Regular Session)
S. No.
SENATE
2906
24 OECin P4 -22
IllX:. !;
(In Substitution of Senate Biil Nos. 1544 and 2535)
Prepared and submitted jointiy by the Committees on Civii Service, Government 
Reorganization and Professional Reguiation; and Finance with Senators Reviila, Jr., 
Zubiri, Padilla and Poe as authors thereof
"AN ACT
REGULATING THE PRACTICE OF THE AGRICULTURE PROFESSION IN THE 
PHILIPPINES, CREATING FOR THE PURPOSE A PROFESSIONAL REGULATORY 
BOARD FOR AGRICULTURISTS, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR'"
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:
1 
ARTICLE I
2 
TITLE, DECLARATION OF POLICY, OBJECTIVES,
3 
AND DEFINITION OF TERMS
4
5 
SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shail be known as the "Phiiippine
6 
Agricuiturists Act."
7 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. The State recognizes the importance of
8 
registered agricuiturists in nation-building and development. Hence, it shail develop
9 
and nurture competent, ethical, globally competitive, and weli-rounded registered
10 
agriculturists who shail observe the highest standards of exceilence and whose
11 
professionalism shaii be fostered through the administration of transparent, credible,
12 
and relevant licensure examinations, a system of registration, and continuing
1


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
professional development programs and activities.
SEC. 3. Objectives. This Act provides for:
a) The examination, registration, and licensure of agriculture practitioners;
b) The supervision, control, and regulation of the practice of the agriculture 
profession in the Philippines;
c) The development and upgrading of the Bachelor of Science (BS) 
Agriculture curriculum;
d) The development of the professional competence of registered 
agriculturists through Continuing Professional Development (CPD); and
e) The integration of the agriculture profession.
SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. As used in this Act:
a) Accredited Integrated Professional Organization (AIPO) refers to a 
professional organization accredited by the Professional Regulatory Board 
of Agriculture and the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), 
mandated under this Act to integrate all registered agriculturists into one 
national organization wherein membership is automatic and mandatory;
b) ^Agriculture refers to the science, art, ethics, management, and 
entrepreneurship in the production, establishment, processing, 
distribution, and marketing of crop, livestock, and poultry commodities, 
along with soil/land, water, and biodiversity management, to ensure food 
and nutrition security, foster economic development, drive global trade 
and adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change; and safeguard 
the equitable use of resources for current and future generations.
c) Agriculture-related degrees refer to the courses that have been authorized 
and defined by the Board for purposes of qualifying for the agriculturists
2


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
licensure examination and registration without examination as 
agriculturists, such as (BS) in Agriculture, BS in Agricultural and Applied 
Economics, BS in Agribusiness Management, BS in Agricultural 
Biotechnology, BS in Agricultural Chemistry and other agriculture-related 
courses that may hereafter be identified or recognized by the CHED and 
the Professional Regulatory Board of Agriculture;
d) Practice of the agriculture profession refers to all activities, acts, services, 
or pursuits performed by registered agriculturists as herein prescribed or 
specified; and
e) Registered agriculturist refers to a person who has been issued a 
Certificate of Registration (COR) and Professional Identification Card (PIC) 
to practice the agriculture profession.
ARTICLE II
14 
PROFESSIONAL REGULATORY BOARD OF AGRICULTURE
15 
SEC. 5. Creation and Composition of the Professional Regulatory Board
16 
of Agriculture. A Professional Regulatory Board of Agriculture, hereinafter referred to
17 
as the Board, is hereby created under the administrative supervision and control of the
18 
PRC. The Board shall be composed of a chairperson and five (5) members. Each
19 
member shall represent one of the six (6) fields of specialization provided in Section 14,
20 
Article III of this Act. The President of the Philippines shall appoint the chairperson and
21 
members of the Board from the two (2) recommendees for each position submitted by
22 
the PRC from a list of three (3) nominees for each position submitted by the AIPO for
23 
registered agriculturists. The PRC may determine other sources of nominees, including
24 
other professional organizations and the academe, in the event that there is no AIPO
25 
or in case of failure or refusal of the AIPO to submit Board nominees.


1 
The new Board shall be constituted within six (6) months from the effectivity of
2 
this Act.
SEC. 6. Qualifications of the Chairperson and Members of the Board.
At the time of their respective appointments, the members of the Board, including 
the Chairperson, must be:
a) A natural-born Filipino citizen and resident of the Philippines;
b) Of good moral character and must not have been convicted of any crime 
involving moral turpitude;
c) A member in good standing of the AIPO for registered agriculturists;
d) A holder of a degree in BS in Agriculture, BS in Agricultural and Applied 
Economics, or BS in Agribusiness Management, preferably with a Master in 
Agriculture (MAgr), Master of Science (MS), or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in any 
agriculture discipline obtained from a school, college or university recognized by 
the government: Provided, That each member of the Board shall serve in any of 
the six (6) recognized fields of specialization in agriculture;
e) A registered agriculturist with a valid COR and PIC and with at least ten (10) 
years of relevant experience in agriculture;
f) Not be a member of the faculty, whether full-time or part-time, of any school, 
college, or university where a regular or review course in agriculture is taught 
nor shall have any pecuniary interest, direct or indirect, in such institution; and
g) Not be an incumbent officer or trustee of the AIPO for registered agriculturists. 
SEC. 7. Powers and Functions of the Professional Regulatory Board of
23 
Agriculture. The Board shall have the following powers and functions:
24 
a) Promulgate, administer, and enforce rules and regulations, including the Code of 
Ethics and Code of Technical Standards for Registered Agriculturists, to carry out
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
25


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21
22
23
24
25
the provisions of this Act;
b) Supervise and reguiate the iicensure, registration, and practice of registered 
agriculturists;
c) Determine and evaiuate the quaiifications of the applicants for issuance of COR, 
PIC, and speciai temporary permit (STP);
d) Issue, suspend, revoke, or reinstate the COR, PIC, and STP for a cause;
e) Prepare and modify the questions for the examination and prescribe the Tables 
of Specifications of the subjects for examination and their relative weights;
f) Administer the Oath of Professionai;
g) Look into the conditions affecting the practice of agriculture, adopt measures for 
the enhancement of the profession and the maintenance of high professional, 
technical, and ethical standards, and conduct inspection of estabiishments where 
registered agricuiturists practice their profession;
h. Inspect the existing facilities of universities or coileges and evaiuate the 
quaiifications of deans and faculty members offering the course or program of 
agricuiture, to ensure that standards are met based on the criteria set by CHED, 
and skilis and competencies of graduates are enhanced;
i. 
Investigate violations of this Act, its Implementing Ruies and Regulations (IRR), 
and the Code of Ethics and Code of Technicai Standards for registered 
agricuiturists;
j. 
Issue subpoena ad testificandum and subpoena duces tecum to secure the 
attendance of respondents or witnesses or the production of documents relative 
to the investigation conducted by the Board and PRC;
k. 
Prepare guideiines for the CPD, in coordination with the AIPO, for registered 
agricuiturists; and
5


1 
I. Perform other powers, functions, and duties as may be necessary to effectively
2 
implement the provisions of this Act.
3 
The policies, resoiutions, rules and regulations, orders, and decisions issued or
4 
promulgated by the Board shall be subject to the review and approvai of the PRC.
5 
However, the Board's decisions, resolutions, or orders not interlocutory in an
6 
administrative case shali be subject to review only on appeal.
7 
SEC. 8. Term of Office. The members of the Board shall hold office for a term
8 
of five (5) years after appointment or untii their successors shall have been appointed
9 
and duly qualified: Provided, That members of the first Board to be appointed after the
10 
approval of this Act shall hold office for the following terms: the two (2) members, one
11 
of whom shail be designated as chairperson, shail serve for five (5) years; two (2)
12 
members shail serve for three (3) years; and the other two (2) members shall serve for
13 
one (1) year.
14 
Each member of the Board may only be reappointed for one full term of five (5)
15 
years. A successor to a member whose term has expired shali be appointed for the fuil
16 
term of five (5) years from the date of expiration of the term for which the predecessor
17 
was appointed.
18 
Any vacancy in the Board shali be filied for the unexpired portion of the term
19 
oniy. Each member shail take an oath of office before the assumption of duties.
20 
SEC. 9. Compensation and Allowance of the Chairperson and Members
21 
of the Board. The chairperson and members of the Board shali receive compensation
22 
and allowances comparable to those obtained by the chairpersons and members of the
23 
other PRC Professional Regulatory Boards as provided in the annual General
24 
Appropriations Act.


1 
SEC. 10. Suspension and Removal of the Chairperson and Members of
2 
the Board. The chairperson or member of the Board may be suspended or removed
3 
by the President of the Philippines upon recommendation of the PRC for neglect of duty,
4 
abuse of power, oppression, incompetence, unprofessional, unethical, immoral, or
5 
dishonorable conduct, commission, or toleration of irregularities in the conduct of
6 
examination or tampering of the grades therein, or for conviction by final judgment of
7 
any criminal offense involving moral turpitude, after having been allowed to defend
8 
oneself in a proper administrative investigation.
9 
SEC. 11. Supervision of the Board, Custodian of its Records, Secretariat
10 
and Support Services. The Board shall be under the administrative supervision and
11 
control of the PRC. The PRC shall keep all records of the Board, including applications
12 
for examination, papers and results, minutes of deliberations, and administrative and
13 
other investigative cases involving registered agriculturists.
14 
The PRC shall designate the Secretary of the Board and other support services
15 
to implement the provisions of this Act.
16 
SEC. 12. Annual Report. The Board shall submit an annual report to the PRC
17 
within thirty (30) days after the close of each calendar year, stating a detailed account
18 
of its proceedings and accomplishments during the year and recommending measures
19 
to be adopted to upgrade and improve the conditions and practice of the agriculture
20 
profession in the Philippines.
ARTICLE III
21
22
23
24
25
LICENSURE EXAMINATION AND REGISTRATION
SEC. 13. Professional Licensure Examination. Every applicant seeking to 
be registered as an agriculturist shall undergo a written professional licensure 
examination as provided in this Act. The Board shall give examinations for the practice


1 
of the agriculture profession in the Philippines at least once yearly in such places and
2 
dates as the PRC may designate.
3 
SEC. 14. Scope of Examination. Applicants for registration as registered
4 
agriculturists shall be given a written examination. The scope shall include the six (6)
5 
foundation subjects as follows:
6 
a) Crop Science;
7 
b) Animal Science;
8 
c) Soil Science;
9 
d) Crop Protection;
10 
e) Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness, Agri-entrepreneurship; and
11 
f) Agricultural Extension and Communication.
12 
The Board may re-cluster, re-arrange, modify, add to, or exclude any preceding
13 
subjects as the need arises to conform to technological and agricultural modernization.
14 
SEC. 15. Qualifications of Applicants for Professional Licensure
15 
Examination. To be admitted to the Professional Licensure Examination for
16 
Agriculturists, an applicant, at the time of filing of application, must be:
a) A citizen of the Philippines or a foreign country which has a policy on reciprocity 
for the practice of the agriculture profession;
b) A holder of a Bachelor's Degree in Agriculture or any related course from a 
school, college, or university recognized by the government: Provided, That the 
applicant has finished a minimum of thirty-six (36) units of agricultural subjects 
required to take licensure examination for agriculture; and
c) Of good moral character and has not been convicted of any crime involving moral 
turpitude.
An incumbent holder of any agriculture position in the national, regional, or local
8
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
21
22
23
24
25
government offices or agencies, including government-owned and controlled 
corporations, and who has been engaged in agricultural functions acceptable to the 
Board may qualify to take the professional licensure examination for agriculturist: 
Provided, That they are holders of professional civil service eligibility and must have 
taken units of agricultural subjects, which shall include the six (6) foundation subjects 
and the minimum number of units shall be prescribed by the Board.
SEC. 16. Ratings in the Professional Licensure Examination. For an 
examinee to pass, the examinee must obtain an average of at least seventy-five percent 
(75%) in all subjects, with no rating below fifty percent (50%) in any subject: Provided 
That, in the event that an examinee obtains a general weighted average rating of 
seventy percent (70%) or higher but obtains a rating below fifty percent (50%) in any 
of the subjects. In that case, an examinee shall be allowed to take the examination in 
the subject or subjects where a grade below fifty percent (50%) was obtained only 
once in the immediately succeeding licensure examination.
15 
An examinee who fails to pass the examination thrice shall be required to
16 
undergo a refresher course before the examinee shall be allowed to re-take the
17 
examination.
18 
The Board shall prescribe specific guidelines for the implementation of the
19 
refresher course requirement.
20 
SEC. 17. Release of the Results of the Professional Licensure
Examination. The examination results shall be released within fourteen (14) working 
days from the last day of the examination unless otherwise extended for a valid reason.
SEC. 18. Registration without Examination. An applicant, upon approval 
of the application and payment of the prescribed fees, may be registered as an 
agriculturist without examination if, to the satisfaction of the Board, proves that an
9


applicant:
a) Is a graduate of a Bachelor's Degree in Agricuiture or any reiated baccalaureate 
programs such as BS in Agricultural and Applied Economics, BS in Agribusiness 
Management, BS in Agricultural Biotechnology, and BS in Agricultural Chemistry 
from a school, college, or university established or recognized by the 
government; and
b) Has served the agriculture industry in any technical capacity from the 
government or private sector for not less than five (5) years before the effectivity 
of Republic Act (RA) No. 8435, otherwise known as the "Agriculture and Fisheries 
Modernization Act of 1997" and prior to the creation of the Board of Agriculture 
consistent with the provisions of Section 75 of the same Act. This service shall 
be certified in the service record if an applicant is a government employee and 
certified under oath by an authorized official of the firm, company, or corporation 
if employed in the private sector.
This mode of registration without examination as specified in the preceding 
subsections a) and b) shall apply to applicants who met the above qualifications 
prior to the year 2003 when the first licensure examination was conducted by 
the PRC and can be availed of only until five (5) years upon the effectivity of this 
Act. All laws and issuances inconsistent with this provision are hereby repealed 
or amended accordingly.
SEC. 19. Oath of Profession. All persons qualified for registration, with or
22 
without examination, shall be required to take an oath of profession before any member
23 
of the Board or any government officiai authorized by the PRC to administer oaths prior
24 
to entering into the practice of the agriculture profession.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
10


1 
SEC. 20. Issuance of the Certificate of Registration (COR) and
2 
Professional Identification Card (PIC). A COR shall be issued to a successful
3 
registrant, with or without examination, subject to the payment of fees prescribed by
4 
the PRC. The COR shall bear the signature of the chairperson of the PRC and the
5 
chairperson and members of the Board, stamped with the official seals of the PRC and
6 
the Board, indicating that the person named therein is entitled to practice the agriculture
7 
profession, with all the benefits and privileges appurtenant thereto. The COR shall
8 
remain in full force and effect until revoked or suspended in accordance with this Act.
9 
A PIC bearing the registration number and dates of issuance and expiry duly
10 
signed by the chairperson of the PRC shall likewise be issued to every registrant upon
11 
payment of the required fees. The PIC shall be renewed subject to compliance with the
12 
prescribed requirements for such period as may be determined by the Board and the
13 
PRC.
14 
SEC. 21. Refusal to Register. The Board shall not register and issue a COR to
15 
a registrant who has been convicted by final judgment by a court of competent
16 
jurisdiction of any criminal offense involving moral turpitude or found guilty of immoral
17 
or dishonorable conduct after an investigation by the Board or has been declared to be
18 
of unsound mind. The reason for the refusal shall be in writing.
19 
SEC. 22. Revocation or Suspension of the Certificate of Registration,
20 
Professional Identification Card, or Cancellation of Special Temporary
21 
Permit. The Board may revoke the COR and PIC of a registered agriculturist or suspend
22 
from the practice of the profession or cancel the STP for any of the causes provided in
23 
Section 21 hereof or for unprofessional or unethical conduct, malpractice, or violation
24 
of any of the provisions of this Act, its IRR, Code of Ethics and Code of Technical
25 
Standards for Registered Agriculturists after due notice and hearing to the party
11


1
2
3
4
5
6 
7
concerned,
SEC. 23. Reinstatement, Reissuance, or Replacement of Certificate of 
Registration and Professional Identification Card. The Board may reinstate or 
reissue a revoked COR after two (2) years from the date of revocation, upon petition 
and for reasons deemed proper and sufficient. Thus, it may exempt the applicant from 
taking another licensure examination.
In case of loss of the COR or PIC, the registrant shall duly prove the
8 
circumstances leading to the loss. The duplicate of a lost or revoked COR or PIC shall
9 
be issued in accordance with the existing rules and regulations subject to the payment
10 
of the necessary and mandated dues.
11 
SEC. 24. Issuance of Special Temporary Permit. The Board, upon
12 
application and payment of the required fees and subject to the approval of the PRC,
13 
may issue an STP to a foreign registered agriculturist whose services are urgently
14 
needed due to the absence or inadequacy of local registered agriculturists to promote
15 
or enhance the practice of the agriculture profession in the Philippines.
16 
The Board shall issue the conditions for the grant of the STP, including the
17 
designation of a local understudy for every foreign agriculturist to be employed in the
18 
Philippines.
SEC. 25. Foreign Reciprocity. No foreign professional agriculturist shall be
20 
admitted to the examination or be given a COR or PIC and be entitled to any of the
21 
privileges provided in this Act unless the country of which the foreign professional
22 
agriculturist is a citizen and specifically allows Filipino registered agriculturists to practice
23 
within its territorial limits on the same basis as the citizens of such foreign country.
ARTICLE IV
24
25
PRACTICE OF AGRICULTURE PROFESSION
12


SEC. 26. Scope of Practice of Agriculture. The agriculture profession 
involves services consisting of crop and livestock and poultry production, processing, 
and distribution in both urban and rural areas that include the following:
a) Soil, crop, and animal health management;
b) Consultation, evaluation, investigation, and management services requiring the 
application of knowledge in agriculture and its components;
c) Preparation of plans, specifications, project feasibility studies and estimates, and 
other management services in the establishment and production of crops, raising 
of livestock and poultry, landscape horticulture, and marketing agriculture 
products;
d) Conduct research projects and studies in the areas of soil resources 
management, crop improvement, crop production, breeding of livestock and 
poultry, and animal and plant pest and disease management;
e) Conduct training and extension work in agricultural crop production, poultry, and 
livestock raising;
f) Management and marketing services related to agriculture as a business or 
industry;
g) Teaching agriculture subjects in schools, colleges, and universities established or 
recognized by the government; and
h) Employment in the private and government sectors where such employment 
requires the knowledge and expertise of a registered agriculturist.
A person shall be considered in the practice of agriculture if the nature and
23 
character of the work or employment requires professional knowledge in agriculture as
24 
defined in Section 4(b), Article I of this Act. A person is also deemed to be in the practice
25 
of the agriculture profession if that person teaches any agriculture professional subject
13
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21
22


1 
in a university, coilege, or schooi or engages in research in any agricuiture-reiated
2 
research or extension.
3 
The foregoing iist notwithstanding, other activities, which now or hereinafter may
4 
require the appiication of knowiedge, skiiis, training, and expertise in agricuiture as may
5 
be determined by the Board, shali be deemed to be within the scope of the practice of
6 
agricuiture and shaii be governed by the provisions of this Act.
7 
SEC. 27. Professional Title Appendage. Oniy registered agricuiturists, as
8 
herein defined, may append the titie "Registered Agriculturist (RAgr)"to their names.
9 
SEC. 28. Prohibition Against the Unauthorized Practice of Agriculture
10 
Profession. No person shaii practice the agriculture profession in the Phiiippines or
11 
offer oneself as a registered agriculturist, or use the titie, word, ietter, figure, or any
12 
sign tending to convey the impression that one is a registered agriculturist, or advertise
13 
or indicate in any manner whatsoever that one is quaiified to practice the profession
14 
uniess the person has compiied with aii the requirements for registration, with or
15 
without examination, and a holder of a valid COR and PIC or a vaiid STP duiy issued
16 
by the Board and the PRC.
17 
SEC. 29. Act Not Affecting Other Professionals. This Act shall not be
18 
construed to affect or prevent the practice of any other legaily recognized professions.
19 
SEC. 30. Prohibition Against Corporate Practice. A soie proprietor,
20 
consulting firm, association, or organization may engage in the practice of the
21 
agriculture profession in the Philippines: Provided, That it compiies with the foilowing
22 
requirements:
a) That the firm, association, or organization is duiy registered with the Department 
of Trade and Industry, Securities and Exchange Commission, or other 
appropriate agencies;
14
23
24
25


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
b) That the majority of the officers and board members of the firm, association, or 
organization are registered agriculturists; and
c) That registered agriculturists shall carry out the practice of the consulting firm, 
association, or organization.
SEC. 31. Employment of Agriculturists in the Government. National 
government agencies concerned with agriculture activities shall ensure that registered 
agriculturists fill all existing technical plantilla positions.
Registered agriculturists shall occupy all existing technical plantilla positions of 
provincial, city, and municipal agriculturist offices, including all agriculture technical
10 
positions therein. For purposes of this Act, a position is deemed to be technical when
11 
the same primarily requires the professional knowledge and skills of a registered
12 
agriculturist based on the scope of practice provided in Sec. 26 of this Act. All faculty
13 
members of State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) teaching agricultural courses shall
14 
be occupied by registered agriculturists.
15 
The Board shall assist in developing Position Classification Standards for relevant
16 
government plantilla positions in collaboration with the Civil Service Commission and
17 
other appropriate national and local government agencies.
18 
SEC. 32. Salary. The minimum base pay of registered Agriculturists working in
19 
the national government, including the SUCs, shall not be lower than Salary Grade 13.
20 
In line with the preceding paragraph, local government units (LGUs) are
21 
encouraged to increase the salary grade of their personnel, consistent with the
22 
governing principles, guidelines, and provisions of R.A. No. 7160 or the Local
23 
Government Code of 1991, subject to their financial capability.
24 
SEC. 33. Employment or Engagement of Agriculturists in the Private
25 
Sector. Private agricultural corporations shall employ or engage the services of
15


1 
registered agriculturists. All corporate farms, golf courses, agri-tourism, agri-related
2 
corporations or businesses, and other similar institutions or facilities involved in
3 
agriculture must employ or engage such number of registered agriculturists based on
4 
the scope of practice of the agriculture profession.
5 
All faculty members of higher educational institutions teaching agricultural
6 
courses shall be registered agriculturists.
7 
SEC. 34. Integration of the Agriculture Profession. All registered
8 
agriculturists shall have one (1) national organization, which the Board and the PRC
9 
shall recognize as the only AIPO for registered agriculturists. A registered agriculturist
10 
duly registered with the Board and the PRC shall automatically become a member of
11 
the AIPO and receive all the benefits and privileges appurtenant thereto upon payment
12 
of the prescribed fees and dues. Membership in the AIPO shall not bar membership in
13 
other organizations of registered agriculturists.
14 
Upon the approval of this Act, the PRC shall adopt rules and regulations to
15 
integrate the agriculture profession under such conditions as it sees fit to raise its
16 
standards.
17 
SEC. 35. Code of Ethics and Code of Technical Standards for Agriculture
18 
Profession. The Board shall prescribe and promulgate the Code of Ethics and the
19 
Code of Technical Standards for registered agriculturists in consultation with the AIPO.
20 
SEC. 36. Continuing Professional Development Program. All registered
21 
agriculturists shall abide by the requirements, rules, and regulations 
on CPD to be
22 
promulgated by the Board and the PRC in coordination with the AIPO of registered
23 
agriculturists and the academe. For this purpose, a CPD Council shall be created to
24 
implement its program.
25 
SEC. 37. Use of Seal. Every registered agriculturist shall obtain a seal of such
16


1 
design as the Board shall adopt and approve, which shall be affixed to or impressed
2 
upon all documents, records, papers, and instruments prepared by or under the direct
3 
supervision of or issued by the registered agriculturist. The registered agriculturist shall
4 
use the seal only during the validity of the license.
5 
The Board shall issue the pertinent guidelines on the use of seals.
6 
SEC. 38. Vested Rights: Automatic Registration of Agriculturists. All
7 
registered agriculturists registered when this Act takes effect shall automatically be
8 
recognized as registered agriculturists.
9 
ARTICLE V
10
11
PENAL AND FINAL PROVISIONS
SEC. 39. Penal Provision. Any violation of this Act, its IRR, Code of Ethics and
12 
Code of Technical Standards or other regulatory policies of the Board and the PRC shall
13 
be meted the penalty of a fine of not less than One hundred thousand pesos (Php
14 
100,000.00) or more than Five hundred thousand pesos (Php 500,000.00), or
15 
imprisonment of not less than six (6) months or not more than six (6) years, or both,
16 
at the discretion of the court.
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
Officers of government agencies and private establishments, including sole 
proprietors, consulting firms, associations, and organizations responsible for any such 
violation shall be held equally liable under this Act and other laws as the circumstances 
warrant.
SEC. 40. Appropriations. The Chairperson of the PRC shall immediately 
include In the PRC's programs the implementation of this Act, the funding of which shall 
be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
SEC. 41. Transitory Provisions. The existing Board of Agriculture shall 
continue to function in the interim until the new Board has been constituted pursuant
17


to this Act.
2
3
4
5
6 
7
SEC. 41. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The Board shall issue and 
promulgate the IRR within one hundred twenty (120) days from the effectivity of this 
Act, subject to the approval of the PRC and in consultation with the AIPO. The IRR shall 
take effect after fifteen (15) days following its publication in the Official Gazette or in a 
newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines.
SEC. 42. Separability Clause. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, or part of
8 
this Act shall be declared unconstitutional or invalid, such judgment shall not affect,
9 
invalidate, or impair any other part of this Act.
SEC. 43. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, executive orders, memorandum
11 
orders, and other administrative issuances or parts thereof that are inconsistent with
12 
the provisions of this Act are hereby modified, superseded, or repealed accordingly.
13 
SEC. 44. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
14 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
15 
Approved.
10
18