V/
NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
I'l ;
of in? ' • li- ‘'i'
•22 JUL 12 All :08
SENATE
s. No. 351
m:.CE!V;Liev
Introduced by Senator Cynthia A. Villar
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE INTEGRATED AGRICULTURE INFORMATION SYSTEM 
(AIS) IN THE COUNTRY IN COOPERATION WITH CITIES AND 
MUNICIPALITIES NATIONWIDE
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Section 5, Article XIII of the 1987 Constitution directs the State to "provide 
support to agriculture through appropriate technology and research, and adequate 
financial, production, marketing, and other support services."
It is clear that agriculture should be a priority agenda of the State as it is one of 
the main sources of livelihood among Filipinos with an average employment of 11.4 
million since 2008, or equivalent to near one-third of overall employment. In recent 
years, it has contributed no less than 9 percent on average to the country's gross 
domestic product (GDP) being the main driver of food security.
However, the latest figures of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) indicate 
that the agriculture sector stood as the lowest contributor to the GDP among the three 
major industries in 2020. Declines in the gross value added (GVA) were recorded 
across many subsectors, particularly.
Farmers and fisherfolks play a significant role in achieving modernization and 
industrialization of the agricultural sector to ensure enough food supply for the 
country. They have to be listed and identified in the government's official list of farmers 
and fisherfolks to be able to enjoy various benefits provided for them. For owners of 
coconut farms not more than five hectares, tenants, tillers, growers, or farm workers, 
they will receive benefits stipulated in Republic Act 11524 or Coconut Farmers and 
Industry Trust Fund Act. They can also select or be selected as representatives in the 
PCA Board. For rice farmers to be able to access the inbred rice seeds for planting 
from PhilRice under the Rice Tariffication Law or RA Republic Act 11203 that created


the RCEF, they have to be listed in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture 
(RSBSA). Also, under Republic Act No. 11589 or the Cash Assistance for Filipino 
Farmers Act which gives financial support to rice farmers tilling two hectares or less 
until 2024 requires that they should be listed in the RSBSA.
The Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) in order to cover the 
investment of subsistence farmers and fisherfolks in agricultural production such as in 
rice, corn, livestock, high value crops farmers, fishers and aqua culturist and their 
nonagricultural assets, they have to be in the RSBSA. It identifies who would be 
beneficiaries for different agriculture-related programs and services of the 
government, including the granting of free premium for agricultural Insurance.
The RSBSA is an electronic compilation of basic information of farmers, farm 
workers, fishers, and other target agriculture-related beneficiaries of the government. 
Their data are encoded in the farmers and fishery registry system managed by the DA 
Central Office.
The identified beneficiaries of the Department of Agriculture, the Department 
of Agrarian Reform, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the 
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the Irrigators Association have to be listed, 
cross checked and regularly updated In one unified list.
Hence, this bill, which serves as the counterpart of the measure filed by Rep. 
Lorenz R. Defensor of the 3rd district of Iloilo, which was filed in the 18th Congress, 
seeks to establish the Agriculture Information System (AIS) In all cities and 
municipalities In the country to create one centralized database under the Department 
of Agriculture that will link all systems to streamline the country's agricultural planning 
process. The AIS, at the local level, shall serve as an online database where 
information on the demand for specific agricultural and fisheries commodities is 
gathered and uploaded simultaneously with production data to enable farmers to 
market their produce to buyers through online means.
The proposed AIS is derived from the Municipal Agriculture Information System 
(MAIS) of Mina, Iloilo that served as a decision-making tool with an up-to-date 
Inventory of all agricultural commodities in the local government unit (LGU), which 
provided easy access to a commodity's real-time supply and production situation at ail 
times.
Ultimately, the proposed bill aims to enhance the welfare of all Filipino farmers 
and enable them to further contribute in the overall development of the country.
In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought.
SEN. CYNTHIA A. VILLAR


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
V 
.....
•22 JUL 12 A11 m
SENATE
s. No. 351
RHCEIVLD BV-
Introduced by Senator Cynthia A. Villar
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE INTEGRATED AGRICULTURE INFORMATION SYSTEM 
(AIS) IN THE COUNTRY IN COOPERATION WITH CITIES AND 
MUNICIPALITIES NATIONWIDE
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Phiiippines in 
Congress assembied:
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SECTION 1. Tide. - This Act shall be known as the "Agriculture Information
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System Act"
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SEC. 2, Deciaration of Poiicy. - It is the policy of the State to uplift the
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socioeconomic conditions of farmers and farming communities nationwide in order to
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promote their welfare and empower their sector in the overall development and
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progress of the country. Pursuant to this, an integrated, computerized, web-based
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agricultural commodity supply inventory and registry system linking farmers and
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organized communities all over the country needs to be established to provide an
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easy-to-access local and global real time information for agricultural commodities,
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with an end view of creating a wider range of market linkages among farmers and
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agricultural buyers. Furthermore, through a synchronized agriculture information
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system, the National Government shall have access to real-time agricultural
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information which can rationalize the objectives and policy directive in the agricultural
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sector.
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SEC. 3. Objectives. - This Act aims to attain the following objectives:
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a) Provide an up-to-date database of agricultural and fisheries products in a
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locality;
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b) Foster information sharing between farmers and potential buyers of
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agricultural and fisheries products;


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c) Secure a market for agricultural and fisheries products and ensure appropriate 
return of investment for farmers and fisheries stakeholders;
d) Allow local government units to manage a secure and independent platform 
that creates linkages for farmers and fisheries stakeholders;
e) Provide data on specific commodities that are readily available in a particular 
locality for purposes of production monitoring in order to meet the demands of 
the market;
f) Provide a secure, transparent, and independent modem web application that 
may be accessed anytime by the public through a multi-platform support or 
cross-platform support devices which can be linked to existing systems In the 
Department of Agriculture (DA);
g) Streamline training and seminars in the management of the operations;
h) Monitor the use of inputs given by producers, buyers, and other segments of 
the value-chain including information during post-harvest and processing; and
i) Ensure that all forms of assistance given to local government units (LCDs), 
registered cooperatives and other qualified individuals and organizations are 
monitored.
SEC. 4. Agricultural Information System. - All cities and municipaiities are 
hereby mandated to establish an Agricultural Information System (AIS), hereinafter 
referred to as Information System. The AIS shall serve as a dynamic online computer 
database where information on the demand for specific agricultural and fisheries 
commodities is gathered and uplocided simultaneously with the production data from 
farmers in every barangay. The AIS shall merge and synchronize agricultural data from 
different sources Into a cohesive database designed to facilitate linkages from place 
of origin or the farm to local, and ultimately, global markets. The AIS shall also be 
integrated with the existing system.s of the DA.
The Information System shall have the following features and contents:
a) Municipal and city-wide identification of individual farmers, fish breeders, aqua 
culturlst and fisherfolk as well as qualified organizations which produce specific 
farm and fisheries products, regardless of quantity;
Crop harvest, volume, and type forecasting;
Inventory of specific classification of crop varieties planted including coconut 
and banana farmers. Including livestock, poultry, dairy raisers, and fish catchers 
in municipal waters and growers as to type of fish raised in a particular LGU; 
Farmers’ and fisherfolk demographics, including age group, gender, ethnic 
group, income, seminars and trainings attended, and assistance received; 
Selected reports presented in both tabular and graphical form;
Registry of farmers' contact details and farm location to facilitate market 
linkages;
g) Search engine which allows farmers, fish breeders, and fisherfolk to look for 
potential and actual buyers and for such buyers to search for farms, farmers, 
and available agricultural and fisheries products; and
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)


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h) Customizable dashboard which is accessible only to registered farmers and
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fisherfolk clients and contains the farmers' and fisherfolk's profile such as the
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area of the farm or fishpond, crops planted, livestock, and type of fish raised.
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Sec. 5. Registration. - All cities and municipalities shall encourage and facilitate
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the free registration of all farmers, fisherfolk, aqua culturist, agrarian reform
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beneficiaries, members of the irrigators associations with farms, as well as buyers
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transacting within their respective areas in the Information System.
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Sec. 6. Functions and Responsibilities of Cities and Municipalities. - The LGU
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shall exercise the following functions and responsibilities:
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a) The Municipal Agriculture Office, in coordination with the Municipal Agrarian
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Reform Office, and the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office
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shall gather, encode, and consolidate all pertinent data on the profile and
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demographics of farmers, fisherfolk, agrarian reform beneficiaries, member of
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irrigators associations, as well as buyers;
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b) Monitor and control farm inputs including machineries and equipment;
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c) For municipalities and component cities, prepare and submit real-time data
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under a) and b) to the provincial agricultural office and to the respective
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regional offices of the DA;
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d) For highly urbanized cities, submit real-time data to the respective regional
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offices of the DA;
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e) Establish farmer and buyer linkages and act as a gatekeeper at the city or
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municipal level in the nationwide marketing of agricultural products; and
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f) Serve as the web administrator at the municipal or city level and be responsible
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for integrating farm and fisheries locations into the geographic Integration
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system map.
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SEC. 7. Functions and Responsibilities of the Province. - The provincial
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government shall have the following functions and responsibilities:
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a) The Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) Is the web
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administrator at the provincial level and is responsible for integrating farm and
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fisheries data into the geographic Integration system maps for agriculture and
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fisheries;
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b) The Local Economic and Investment Promotion Office (LEIPO) acts as the lead
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administrator of the AIS in the provincial level and ensures the balance between
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supply and demand;
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c) The Provincial Agricultural Office monitors the submission of reports from
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municipalities and component cities, and ensures the completeness, accuracy,
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and validity of data submitted by the Municipal Agricultural Offices and the
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Municipal Agrarian Reform Offices, City/Municipal Environment and Natural
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Resources Office; and
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d) Except for highly urbanized cities, prepare and submit such data to the regional
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office of the DA.


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SEC. 8. Functions and Responsibilities of the Regional Office of the DA. - The
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regional office of the DA shall have the following functions and responsibilities:
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a) Integrated the data provided by the provinces and highly urbanized cities in the 
existing information systems of the DA such as the National Farmers and 
Fisheries Information System (NFFIS) which is a web-based data collection 
system that serves as a platform for updating the Registry System for Basic 
Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA);
b) Collaborate with the regional offices of the Department of Trade and Industry 
(DTI) in order to facilitate the availment of the various programs of the DTI as 
well as strengthen market linkages through such programs;
c) Recommend to the central office of the DA appropriate interventions in the 
form of marketing, importation, and training assistance, as may be needed;
d) Validate the data from the LGUs acting as the system administrator at the 
regional level and provide real-time report to the central office of the DA; and,
e) Endorse for financial assistance the qualified fifth and sixth class municipalities 
that can be given assistance in establishing and maintaining their respective 
AIS.
SEC. 9. Functions and Responsibilities of the Central Office of the DA. 
central office of the DA shall have the following functions and responsibilities:
The
a) Allocate funding for the integration of the AIS with existing information 
systems;
b) Coordinate with the Department of Information and Communications 
Technology (DICT) to upgrade, expand, and integrated its information systems;
c) Ensure that the implementation, appropriate verification processes and 
information safeguards are in place pursuant to existing laws and regulations, 
in coordination with the DICT, Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), National 
Privacy Commission (NPC), Department of the Interior and Local Government 
(DILG), and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST);
d) Approve the prioritized interventions by the regional offices and allocate 
corresponding funding;
e) Collaborate with other agencies for the creation of market linkages in the 
domestic and international markets; and
f) Provide safety nets in the import and export of agricultural products in order to 
support farmers.
SEC. 10. Duties of the Secretary. - The Secretary of the DA shall monitor and 
ensure the compliance of all cities and municipalities as provided for under this Act 
and shall, as soon as practicable, establish a centralized AIS that shall Integrate and 
link all existing information systems In the country.
SEC. 11. Reports, - The Secretary of the DA shall prepare and submit to the 
President and both Houses of Congress an annual report on the Implementation of the 
program which shall contain the list of accomplishments and recommendations for 
improvements.


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SEC. 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations. -Within ninety (90) days after
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the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall promulgate the necessary
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rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.
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SEC. 13. Appropriations. - The Secretary of Agriculture shall include in the
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Department's programs the establishment of the integrated and centralized AIS, the
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funding of which shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. The LGUs
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shall provide the necessary funds for the establishment of an AIS in their respective
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annual budgets.
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SEC. 14. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid or
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unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected by such declaration shall remain in
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full force and effect.
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SEC. 15. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders,
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rules and regulations or parts thereof which are Inconsistent with the provisions of this
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Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
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SEC. 16. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
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publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
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Approved,