Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS

First Regular Session

House Bill No. 3786

Introduced by Hon. Delphine Gan Lee

EXPLANATORY NOTE

At current prices, gross earnings in agriculture amounted to P697.2 billion, higher by
0.88 percent than last year's record. It is still a huge industry that helps sustain our needs for
food, consumer goods, and just about anything a person may need to live. However, based on
a study conducted by the Central Mindanao University (CMU), the average age of the
Filipino farmer today is 55 years old. Dante Delima, an assistant secretary at the Department
of Agriculture who is in charge of the agency’s Rice Program, pegged the average age of the
Filipino farmer at 59. The high average age of the country’s farming population shows that
much of the youth have shunned tilling the soil as a profession or business undertaking.
Based on the latest poverty incidence report from the National Statistical Coordination Board,
poverty incidence is highest among fishermen and farmers at 41.4 percent and 36.7 percent in
2009. In 2009, the poverty incidence was pegged at 26.5 percent.

There is thus a need to increase the assistance provided to our farmers and make
farming a more attractive undertaking. By creating an accreditation program for farmers, the
resources of the government will be better and more equitably distributed to those who need

it the most. The early approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

HON. GAN LEE
RepresetativeyAGRI Party-List


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 3786

Introduced by Hon, Delphine Gan Lee

AN ACT
CREATING A NATIONAL FARMER ACCREDITATION PROGRAM

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines. in
Congress assembled:

SI \is Act shall be known as the “Farmer Accreditation Act

[ION 1. Short Title.

of 2013.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. ~ It is the policy of the State to promote the
general welfare of the people. Pursuant to this policy, this Act seeks to create a National
Farmer Accreditation Program to consolidate the entire sector of farmers in the entire country

and ensure the delivery of goods and services to theit members.

SECTION 3.Definition of Terms. ~ For purposes of this Act, the term “Farming” or
“agriculture” shall include farming in all of its branches and the cultivation and tillage of the
soil, dairying, the production, cultivation, growing and harvesting of any agricultural,
aquacultural, floricultural or horticultural commodities, the growing and harvesting of forest
products upon forest land, the raising of livestock including horses, the keeping of horses as a
commercial enterprise, the keeping and raising of poultry, swine, cattle and other

domesticated animals used for food purposes, bees, fur-bearing animals, and any forestry or


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lumbering operations, performed by a farmer, who is hereby defined as one engaged in
agriculture or farming as herein defined, or on a farm as an incident to or in conjunction with
such farming operations, including preparations for market, delivery to storage or to market

or to carriers for transportation to market.

SECTION 4. National Farmer Accreditation Center, — There shall be created a
National Farmer Accreditation Center under the Department of Agriculture that will serve as
a development center for farmers. Accreditation of all farmers shall be compulsory and shall

be implemented on the barangay, municipal, city, provincial, and national levels.

SECTION 5. Functions of the Center. ~The Center shall have the following
responsibilities:

(A) To produce a database or directory of accredited farmers from the entire country;

(B) To accredit farmers as defined herein;

(C) To conduct seminars, trainings, and other related activities.

SECTION 6, Funding. ~ The Center shall have an initial funding of FIFTY MILLION
PESOS (P50,000,000.00). No accreditation fee shall be collected from the farmer-members.

SECTION 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. ~ The Secretary of Agriculture
shall issue the implementing rules and regulations necessary for the implementation of this

Act within thirty (30) days from its date of effectivity.

SECTION 8, Separability Clause. ~ If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain

valid and subsisting.

SECTION 9, Repealing Clause. — Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive

order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent


1 _ with the provisions of this act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.

2 SECTION 10. Effectivity Clause. ~ This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

3 publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.