FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
7 JUL -2 
,i; 
.L. 
S E N A T E  
Senate Bill No. 371 
I’ 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The continued importation and use of chemical or in organic fertilizers, 
pesticides, weedicides, and other farm inputs has long been - wellspring of protest and 
debate in the agriculture sector. 
The use of these farm inputs has caused environmental degradation. It has 
resulted to the decrease in our soil’s fertility and the destruction of aquatic and semi- 
aquatic life not only in the fields but also in our waters. Moreover, these pungent 
chemicals cause various ailments to farmers and their animals as well as the to 
consumers of agricultural produce. 
The need to explore and adopt alternative measures is evident. Western nations 
have, for the past many years, gone back to bio-organic farming. 
Bio-organic farming is-defined as an agricultural production system which avoids 
the use of chemical or inorganic farm inputs, pesticides, weedicides and feed additives 
and relies on biological means of conditioning and enriching the soil and controlling 
pests. 
While reducing pollution and the destruction of useful organism for the 
agricultural ecosystem, it also helps solve the problem of waste and garbage disposal 
through the use of plant and animal waste and crop residue. It should also be noted that 
bio-farming does not require any importation. 
Many aspects of bio-farming methods, such as vermiculture, the production and 
application of bio-organic fertilizers and other farm inputs, and the technique of 
“integrated pest management” have been developed and applied for some years now in 
the Philippines. However, much more can and should be done. 
It would be to the advantage of our environment, our economy and ultimately our 
people, to adopt this measure providing for the promotion of bio-organic farming in the 
Philippines 
Approval of this bill is earnestly requested. 
ESTRADA 
enator 


r I .- . 
7 JUL -2 
,’- 
FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
First Regular Session 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
S E N A T E  
Senate Bill No. 3 7 3 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
PHILIPPINES 
PROVIDING FOR THE PROMOTION OF BIO-ORGANIC FARMING IN THE 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION I. Declaration offolicy. It is hereby declared policy if the state 
to promote, propagate and assist the farming in the Philippines that will 
cumulatively condition and enrich the fertility of the soil increase farm yields, 
reduce pollution and destruction of the environment, prevent the depletion of 
natural resources, and reduce our dependents on imported farm inputs. Towards 
this end, a comprehensive program for the production and distribution of bio- 
organic fertilizers, undertaken pesticide and other farm inputs shall be 
undertaken in order to meet the country’s requirements in or before the year 
2000. 
SEC. 2. Bio-Organic Farming. For purpose of this Act, ‘bio-organic 
farming’ shall mean an agricultural production system which avoids the use of 
chemical or inorganic farm inputs, pesticides, weedicides and feed additives and 
relies on biological means of conditioning pests, such as but not limited to the 
use of beneficial organisms, the utilization of plant and animals wastes through 
composing, crop rotation, Intercropping, multiple cropping, and the adoption of 
integrated pest management or (IPM) pesticide free community ecology 
approaches to pest management. It also covers areas such as but not limited to, 
soil fertility management varietal breeding and selection under chemical and 
pesticide-free conditions, and other cultural practices that enhance productivity 
without destroying the soil and harming farmers, consumers, and the 
environment. 
SEC. 3. Program. There is hereby established a comprehensive bio- 
organic farming program which shall adopt and develop the propagation, of bio- 
organic cultivation and production methods, the education of more and more 
farmers, there on, and extension of assistance to individuals and groups who are 
practicing and promoting these methods as well as those who are willing to do 
so, other pertinent activities, and documentation and evaluation of the program. 


SEC. 4. Bio-Organic Farming Authority. To carry out the policy and the 
program provided in this Act, there is hereby created a Bio-Organic Farming 
Authority (BOFA) under the Offices of the President. The BOFA shall have 
jurisdiction personality and shall consist of a Board of Members (hereinafter 
referred to as the Board) which shall provide direction and general guidelines for 
the program, with an Executive Directorate which shall implement the program in 
its various aspects in accordance with the direction and guidelines of the Board. 
The various government departments and agencies and the officials thereof 
named in this Act, in collaboration with private individuals and groups also herein 
named, are hereby directed to intensity and coordinate their activities with the 
program of the BOFA. 
The BOFA shall ensure the full participation of people\s organization 
(Po's) non-government organizations (NGOs), the general public through 
mechanism, such as but not limited to, public hearing, meetings, and joint 
projects. 
SEC. 5. The Board. Aside from providing the direction and general 
guidelines for the program, the Board shall supervise its implementation and 
shall exercise all the powers not otherwise conferred on other bodies and 
individuals under this Act. 
SEC. 6. Composition of the Board. The Board shall consist of: 
- 
the Secretary of Agriculture and Food, Chairman; 
- the Secretaries (or representatives) of the Department of Science and 
Technology, Environment and Natural Resources, Education and 
Culture and Sports, and Local Government; 
- the Chairman of the Fertilizer and Pesticides Authority (PFA) 
- two (2) representatives of small farmers; 
- two (2) representatives of non-government organizations involved in 
sustainable agriculture for at least three (3) years; and 
- two (2) representatives of agriculture state and private colleges and 
universities, Members. 
The representatives of small farmers and of NGOs, and of agricultural 
state and private colleges shall be chosen by the Secretaries of Agriculture and 
Food and Science and Technology, respectively, from among nominees 
submitted to the agency concerned by their respective national organizations. 
They shall be conversant with bio-organic farming and committed to the policies 
and program provided under this Act. 
SEC. 7. Organization of the Board. Within sixty (60) working days form the 
effectivity of this Act, the national organizations of small farmer, of NGOs, and 
agricultural colleges and universities shall submit respective nominees the 
Secretary of Science and technology, as the case may be, who shall evaluate 
the qualifications of the nominees and appoint the most qualifies member of the 
Board. 
The Chairman shall call the members of he Board, or a majority thereof in 
not all have designated, a meeting organize themselves and prescribe its rule 
and procedures for the attainment of the objectives of this Act. A majority if al the 
members of the Board shall constitute a quorum. 


They shall also determine its budget, including travel expenses, 
allowances and per diems of its non-governmental members when attending 
official Board meetings or attending to them, and costs of office space, 
equipment and supplies. 
employees, subject to existing Civil Service rules and regulations. 
The Board may appoint full-time assistants, Secretaries, and other 
SEC. 8. €xecutive Directorate. The Executive Directorate, hereinafter 
referred to as the Directorate, shall be headed by a full-time Executive Director 
who shall appointed by the President of the Philippines not later than thirty (30) 
working days organizational meeting and whose compensation shall be fixed by 
the Board. The Executive Director shall be assisted the members of the 
Directorate, who shall be composed of the following officials and public 
representatives of private groups, and who are hereby directed to full support 
and cooperation; 
The Director, Bureau of Soils and Water Management, DAF 
The Director, Bureau of Plant Industry, DAF 
The Director, Agriculture Trading Institute, DAF 
The Director, Bureau Research. DAF 
The Executive Director, Fertilizer Pesticide Authority (FPA) 
A representative, to be designated by the Secretary of the Department 
of Science and Technology; 
A representative, to be designated by the Secretary of the Department 
of Environment Reosurces 
A representative, to be designated by the Secretary of the Department 
of Education. 
A representative, to be designated by the Secretary of the Department 
of Interior and Local Government: 
- The Executive Director, Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and 
Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) 
- A representative from the Farmers Cooperative Sector; 
- Two (2) other NGOs involved in sustainable agriculture or development 
from the past three (3) years be chosen by the Secretary of Agriculture 
and Food from among the nominees of the NGOs sector; 
- 
A representative each of agricultural state and private collages and 
universities, to be chosen from among the nominees of national 
organizations of said colleges universities; and 
- Three (3) representatives of small farmers to be chosen by the 
Secretary of Agriculture and Food from among the nominees of 
national organizations of small farmers; 
All the members or representatives in the Executive Directorate shall 
conversant with bio-organic farming and committed to the policies and program 
provided under this Act. 
agency for assistance in the performance of his tasks. 
The Department of Agriculture and Food and of Science and Technology 
shall jointly provide an office and staff for the Directorate. 
The salary and office expenses of the Executive Director and the 
members and staff of the Directorate well as the traveling expenses, allowances 
The Executive Director is hereby empowered to call upon any government 


and per diem private representatives in the Directorate attending official 
Directorate meetings and performing other tasks assigned to them, shall be 
taken from the appropriations provided under this Act. 
SEC. 9. Appointment of Task. The Executive Director shall apportion and 
coordinate the tasks embraced by the program provided in this Act among the 
various members of the Directorate according to their field(s) of specialization. 
Such shall include, but are not limited to education, research, extention, training 
of farmers, training of trainors including the giving or acquisition scholarships and 
observation grants of here and abroad, pesticide-free IPM, small scale and 
commercial production of organic farm inputs, an accreditation system to insure 
sustained their quality, and sustained promotional campaigns. The members the 
Directorate shall at all times observe cooperation with one another, complement 
and/or supplement offices and/or organizations in the accomplishment of such 
tasks. 
SEC. I O .  Bio-organic Farming and Protection of the Environment. Within 
sixty (60) working days after assuming office and after the first organizational 
meeting of Directorate, the Executive Director shall and after the first 
organizational meeting of Directorate, the Executive Director shall submit top the 
office of the President for approval. 
(a) A report on the setting-up and organization of the Directorate and staff; 
(b) A scheme of distribution and complementation of functions among the 
members Directorate; 
(c) A plan of bringing the program down to the grassroots, utilizing 
available personnel and facilities on the local level and those of local 
government units; 
(d) A pattern of cooperation and mutual assistance with local Government 
units, POS and NGOs, which will maximize people empowering and 
participatory approaches to program formulation, implementation and 
monitoring; and 
(e) A schedule pf short-term, medium-term, and long-term targets. 
SEC. 1 I. 
Bio-organic Farming and Protection of the Environment. The 
BOFA shall constantly devise implement ways and means not only producing 
bio-organic of fertilizers other farm inputs and needs on and off the farm but also 
of helping alleviate to the problems of industrial waste and community garbage 
disposal through appropriate methods of sorting, collecting, and composting. 
set-up Bio-organic demonstration farms in various schools nationwide. 
among the people and officials as Pos and NGOs, in order to advise local, 
governments, from the Barangay to the Provincial level, on collection and 
disposal of garbage and waste in such a way as to provide for the production of 
organic fertilizer and other farm inputs. 
Likewise, the BOFA in coordination with the Department of Education shall 
The Executive Director shall conduct continuing studies, with consultations 
SEC. 12. Incentives. The Government shall extend incentives for 
manufacture and propagation of bio-organic farm inputs by maximizing their use 
in all government-supported agricultural production, research and programs. The 
Department of Agriculture (DAF), Department of Science and Technology 


(DOST), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Interior and Local 
Government (DILG), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Land Band and 
other government lending non-leading institutions shall assist organic input 
procedures through marketing and other services and resources. 
SEC. 13. Appropriations. The sum of fifty million pesos (P50,000,000.00) 
for the effective implementation this Act is hereby appropriated out of any funds 
in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated. Thereafter, such amount as 
maybe necessary for the continuous implementation of the program shall be 
included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
At least seventy-five percent (75%) of the BOFAs percent budget shall be 
allotted holistic and integrated scientific research, information, and training of 
farmers and demonstrations on the farm level, including the provisions of full-time 
bio-farming extention workers who will work with farmers’ associations and 
cooperatives, Pos, NGOs, barangay assemblies, rural communities, and other 
groups. 
SEC 14. Separability Clause. If any provision of this Act or the application 
of such provision to any person or circumstance is held invalid for any reason, 
the other provisions or their application to other persons or circumstances and 
effect. 
SEC 15. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, orders, rules, regulations 
and issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or 
amended accordingly. 
SEC. 16. Bfecfivity. This shall take effect upon its approval. 
Approved,