Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

‘Quezon City Ti ae

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS \\
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 4607

Introduced by
Representatives Estrellita “Ging” B. Suansing and Magnolia Rosa Antonino-Nadres

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Agriculture is the primary sector that contributes to the revenue in the country. Rice is
the major agricultural crop grown and produced in the country. While crop production is the
primary revenue contributor in the country, livestock and poultry raising serve as supplementary
activity to crop production.

Raising of small ruminants such as goat and sheep is fast becoming popular among
smallholders farmers due to its economical, managerial and biological advantages.

It is economically advantageous since a small initial investment is necessary to begin
raising small ruminants and correspondingly there is a small risk of loss due to individual
deaths. Women and even children can look after them, occupying little housing space, low
feeding requirements and provides both meat and milk in quantities adequate for the immediate
family consumption therefore making raising small ruminants managerially advantageous. Goat
and sheep appear to withstand period of drought better than cattle and cow. They have a short
reproductive cycle that allows them to quickly recover and resume breeding even after bouts of
drought or disease. Hence, they provide the easiest and most accessible source of credit
available to the family to augment their finances.

The development of the small ruminants industry in the country is synonymous to
improved livelihood and general well-being of the people in the rural areas. It will not only
improve the farmers’ income but also enhance the revenue of the agricultural communities in
the countryside.

Pursuant to this noble intention, this measure seeks to establish the Philippine Small
Ruminants Center that will enhance and accelerate the development of the small ruminants
sector making it a sunshine industry that will lead to increased meat and milk production for the
country, better income to farmers, employment opportunities for rural folks, establishment of

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agro-enterprises, and ultimately improved living conditions in our farming communities
especially in the Province of Nueva Ecija. Likewise, it will further boost the stature of Central
Luzon State University (CLSU) as a leading and model institution of higher education dedicated
to the advancement of the agriculture sector of our country.

The creation of the center for small ruminants’ research and development not only brings
hope to alleviate living conditions in local communities but also contribute much needed income
to our nation’s revenue.

In view of the foregoing, approval of this measure is earnestly sought.

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Abauavar ‘Prize N

ESTRELLITA “GING” B. SUANSING MAGNOLIA ROSA ANTONINO-NADRES
1" District, Nueva Ecija 4" District, Nueva Ecija

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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

‘SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bil No. 4807

Introduced by
Representatives Estrellita “Ging” B, Suansing and Magnolia Rosa Antonino-Nadres

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the “Philippine Small Ruminants
Act of 2014",

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. \t is hereby declared to be the policy of the State to:

a. Conserve, improve and develop the Philippine goat, sheep and other small
ruminants as source of animal milk, meat and fiber;

b, Enable the farmers, particularly smallholder farmers, to avail themselves of good
quality goat and sheep stocks at all times, and at reasonable prices through an
organized program of breeding and development;

c. Increase the local supply of meat, milk and fiber from goats, sheep and other small
ruminants;

d. Encourage backyard goat, sheep and other small ruminants development in rural

areas by raising goat and sheep which are good milk and meat producers so as to
reduce importation of milk and milk by-products.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. As used in this Act, the following terms shall be
construed to mean as follows:

a. Center - refers to the Philippine Small Ruminant Center that is based in the Central
Luzon State University located in Nueva Ecija;

b. Crossbred ~ refers to the offspring of two (2) purebred animals;

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c. Performance Testing — refers to the systematic selection of the best animal from a
population raised under the same environment. The basic consideration is its genetic
Center based in the Central Luzon State University;

d. Research Network - refers to the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, Forestry
and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD), Department of
Agriculture (DA) and private organization conducting researches geared towards
developing technology that will increase productivity of smallholder farmers;

e. Smallholder Farmers - are basically farmers owning below twenty (20) heads of
goats and sheep;

f, Small Ruminants - refers to any hoofed animal belonging to the division of
Artiodactyla having four stomachs, such as but not limited to goat and sheep; and

g. Upgraded ~ refers to the offspring of a crossbred between a native stock and an
exotic breed of animal.

SECTION 4. Creation of the Philippine Small Ruminant Center. The Philippine Small
Ruminant Center is hereby created with the National Center based in the Central Luzon State
University and with the satellite centers in the other goat and sheep centers in Luzon, Visayas
and Mindanao. The center in Visayas shalll be the Visayas State University (VSU) in Leyte while
the center in Mindanao shall be the DA-Bagalupa Stock Farm in Zamboanga del Sur.

Other Satellite centers in any region of the country may also be organized and
‘operationalized whenever there are state colleges and universities (SUCs) in agriculture in such
areas.

SECTION 5. Scope. The activities of the Center encompass all research and
development efforts in all disciplines that lead to the improvement of the overall productivity of
the Philippine goat and sheep. In addition, research efforts to increase the annual population
growth of small ruminants to meet existing and future demand shall be pursued.

SECTION 6. Priorities. The following shall be the priority areas of the Center and such
as programs that the Board shall formulate:

a. Research and development efforts in areas of biotechnology, breeding, nutrition,
reproduction, animal health and product development utilization, socio-economics,
technology promotion and environmental impact shall take priority. Research
activities geared towards development of appropriate technologies shall be the
primary concern. These technologies are those that would increase productivity of
the goat and sheep in a simple, cost-effective and practical manner. Socio-economic
researches shall be undertaken hand in hand with the development of the
technologies to ensure economic appropriateness and acceptance of the technology
by farmers;

b. Development of goat and sheep with improved performance as milk-meat shall be
the main focus in breeding;

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c. Development of feeding systems for backyard and semi-commercial production,
nutrition, improving reproductive efficiency, physiology and schemes to reduce
losses by parasites and diseases shall likewise receive priority, Emphasis shall be
put on technology transfer on the developed appropriate technologies; and

d, Development for dairy meat, fiber and hide production for domestic and/or export
market.

SECTION 7. Philippine Small Ruminant Center Board. The Board shall formulate
policies and oversee the implementation ‘of the Center, in consonance with the National
Research and Development policies. The Philippine Small Ruminant Center Board shall be
composed of the following:

a, The President of the Central Luzon State University (CLSU);

b. Director of the Department of Agriculture - Bureau of Animal Industry/Bureau of
Agricultural Research (DA-BAI/BAR);

c. Executive Director of the Livestock Development Council;

d. Executive Director of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural
Resources Research and Development (PCARRD);

e. Farmers’ representative; and

f. Executive Director of the Philippine Small Ruminant Center.

The Central Luzon State University (CLSU) President shall be the Chairperson, the
Director of Bureau of Animal Industry/Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAV/BAR) shall be
the Vice Chairperson, while the Executive Director of the Philippine Small Ruminant Center
shall serve as the Ex-Officio Secretary.

SECTION 8. Implementation and Coordination of the Program of the CLSU. - The
Philippine Small Ruminant Center Board shall be tasked to coordinate and monitor the
implementation of all programs relative to small ruminants. It shall identify, through the
Department of Agriculture, the Director of the Philippine Small Ruminant Center and Project
Leaders from various implementing stations of the research and development projects in the
areas of breeding, nutrition, animal health, reproductive physiology, socio-economics, techno-
transfer, product development and utilization and environmental impact assessment. It shall
formulate strategies concerning performance-testing of bucks and rams, multiplication and
distribution of elite germplasm purebreds, crossbreds and native bucks and rams.

The Central Luzon State University (CLSU) in Nueva Ecija shall be the Philippine Small
Ruminant Center which specializes in the Development of breeding system of the goat, sheep
and other small ruminants of smallholder farmers with exotic breeds, and shall specialize in the
breeding of purebred small ruminants and its crossbreds and generation of technology on goat-
dairying and sheep fiber. Furthermore, the center shall specialize in the development of

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technology on nutrition, reproductive physiology animal health, product development and
utilization, socio-economic and technology transfer.

The other centers shall take responsibility of the regional research needs and spearhead
implementation of development activities in their respective geographical area of responsibility.
It shall include field testing and verification of technologies developed by the national center.

SECTION 9. Farmers Participation. - The farmer cooperators shall be encouraged to
strengthen existing farmer's cooperatives or establish strong farmers association to serve as
focal point for government assistance, production and multiplication of upgraded small
ruminants and on the dissemination of new knowledge on goat dairying and fiber production
from sheep.

SECTION 10. Funding. ~ To fund the Philippine Small Ruminant Center, the amount of
‘Twenty Million Pesos (Php 20,000,000.00) shall be appropriated by the Department of Budget
and Management (DBM) from the unexpended balance of the National Treasury and thereafter,
shall be included in the General Appropriations Act. The salaries of permanent staff and
maintenance and operating budget shall be appropriated and released directly to the various
agencies of the Philippine Small Ruminant Center Network, in accordance with the approved
program of activities

‘Any income derived from the sale of goat, sheep and other small ruminants shall be
placed in a revolving fund to be used in the propagation and distribution of goats, sheep and
other small ruminants.

SECTION 11. Separability Clause. !f any provision of this Act shall be declared
unconstitutional, or invalid, the other parts thereof, which are not affected thereby, shall continue
to be in full force effect.

SECTION 12. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, letters of instructions, resolutions,
orders, ordinances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are
hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.

SECTION 13. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in any two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,

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