SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. _--,3,,-=1.=1,-
Introduced by Senator Cynthia A. Villar 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
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JUL -2 Ii 9 :'j5 
This Bill aims to promote science and technology, which are essential for national 
development and progress as provided in Section 10 of Article XIV of the Constitution. 
The onion industry is perhaps, one are of economic activity whose encouraging 
potentials remain untapped. For many years, the onion industry has been neglected 
despite its remarkable contributions to the country's wealth and income. The Philippines 
presently provides for almost three-fourths (3/4) of the onion needs in Asia and yet, 
ironically, the government continues to import from Thailand and other neighboring 
countries onion seeds or sets of bulb that are needed for growth and production. 
The problem mainly lies in the lack any comprehensive plan or program to 
develop the onion industry. The Department of Agriculture, for instance, has yet to show 
a determined effort to help improve the industry, especially in regard introducing 
technology and scientific methods to ensure better yield. This lack of focus and direction 
results in high cost of production, unstable prices and poor utilization of built-in 
advantages. 
This measure seeks to create the Philippine Onion Research Institute to be 
established in the municipality of Bongabon, Province of Nueva ECija, which shall be 
tasked to promote and advance the scientific and technological expertise of the Filipinos 
regarding onion production in order to realize the optimal potential of this natural 
resource to, consequently, fully contribute to the country's economic progress and 
development. 
The early approval of this bill is, therefore, earnestly sought. 
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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No, 311 
Introduced by Senator Cynthia A. Villar 
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AN ACT 
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,llJL -2 A 9 :55 
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CREATING THE PHILIPPINE ONION RESEARCH INSTITUTE, 
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PRESCRIBING ITS POWERS, FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES AND PROVIDING 
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FOR THE NECESSARY FUNDS FOR ITS OPERATION 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
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Congress assembled: 
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CHAPTER I 
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ESTABLISHMENT AND OBJECTIVES 
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SECTION 1. Name, Duration and Domicile. - There is hereby the "Philippine 
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Onion Research Institute" hereinafter called "PHILORIN" which shall be organized 
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within sixty (60) days after the approval of this Act and shall have its main office in the 
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Municipality of Bongabon, Province of Nueva Ecija. This Corporation shall be under the 
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supervision of the Department of Agriculture. 
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SECTION 2. Purposes and Objectives. - The PHILORIN shall have the following 
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purposes and objectives. 
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(a) To conduct research work for the onion industry in all its phases, for the 
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purposes of introducing such practices or processes that will reduce the cost of 
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production, increase and improve productivity and achieve greater efficiency in the 
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industry; 
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b) To improve existing methods of raising onions and onion production; 
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c) To ensure a permanent, sufficient and balanced production of onions for local 
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consumption and exportation; 
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d) To establish and maintain a sustainable and balanced relation between 
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production and consumption of onions, and such marketing conditions therefore, as will 
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ensure stabilized prices at a level sufficient to cover the cost of production plus a 
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reasonable profit; and 
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e) To promote the effective merchandizing of onions in the domestic and foreign 
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markets so that those engaged in the onion industry will be placed on a more economic 
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stability and security. 
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CHAPTER \I 
POWERS 


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SECTION 3. Specific and General Powers. - To carry out the purposes 
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mentioned in the preceding Section, the PHILORIN shall have the following powers: 
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(a) To establish, keep, maintain and operate one central experiment station to 
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undertake extensive research in onion culture and production, including studies as the 
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feasibility of merchandizing onion farms. The control and eradication of pests, the 
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selection of high yielding varieties of onions suited to the country's climatic conditions; 
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(b) To acquire, obtain and purchase such machinery, materials, equipment and 
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supplies as may be necessary to execute such researches and experiment work 
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successfully; 
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(c) To buy, sell, assign, operate, rent or lease any other eqUipment and materials 
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for the production, manufacture, handling, transportation and warehousing of onions; 
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(d) To grant loans, on reasonable terms to planters when it deems such loans 
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advisable; and 
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(e) Generally, to exercise all powers necessary to carry out the purposes for 
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which it is created, in accordance with existing laws, rules and regulations. 
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CHAPTER III 
GOVERNING BODY 
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SECTION 4. Composition and Appointment. -All corporate powers of the 
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PHILORIN shall be vested in, and exercised by, a Board of Directors consisting of five 
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(5) members to be appointed by the President of the Philippines: Provided, however, 
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that three (3) members of said board shall be appOinted upon the recommendation of 
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the National Federation of Onion Planters. That the Chairman of the Board shall be 
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elected by the members from among themselves. 
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SECTION 5. Tenure and Compensation. - The members of the Board shall serve 
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as designated by the President of the Philippines in their respective appointments for 
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terms of two, four and six years, respectively, from the date they qualify, and assume 
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office. Compensation of the members shall be determined in accordance with existing 
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laws. 
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SECTION 6. Powers and Duties of the Board of Directors - The Board shall have 
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the following powers and duties: 
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(a) To prescribe rules and regulations governing the manners in which the 
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general business of the corporation may be exercised; 
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(b) To appoint and fix compensation of the General Manager, other officers of the 
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corporation, with the approval of the Secretary of Agriculture. The Board, by a vote of 
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majority of all members, may, for just cause, suspend and remove the General Manager 
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and other officers of the corporation; 
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(c) To approve the annual, and/or such supplemental budgets of the corporations 
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which may be submitted to it by the General Manager from time to time; and 
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(d) To perform such other duties as may be assigned to it by the President of the 
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Republic of the Philippines or by the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture. 
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SECTION 7. Suspension and Removal of Directors. -Any Member of the Board 
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of Directors may, for cause, be suspended or removed by the President of the 
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Philippines solely or upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Agriculture. 
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SECTION 8. Prohibition for Board Members. - No chairman or member of the 
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Board of Directors of ttiis corporation shall at the same time serve in other corporation 
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or agency in any capacity whatsoever, unless authorized by existing laws. 
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CHAPTER IV 
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MANAGEMENT 
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SECTION 9. The General Manager. - The management of the corporation shall 
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be vested in the General Manager. 
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SECTION 10. Powers and Duties of the General Manager. -
The General 
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Manager shall have the following powers and duties: 
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(a) To direct and manage the affairs of and business of the corporation, on behalf 
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of the Board of Directors, and subject to its control and supervision; 
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(b) To sit in all meetings of the Board and participate in the deliberations thereon, 
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but without the right to vote; 
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(c) To submit within six (6) days after the close of each fiscal year an annual 
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report, through the Board of Directors, to the Secretary of Agriculture; 
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(d) To perform such other duties as may be aSSigned to him by the Board of 
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Directors from time to time. 
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CHAPTER V 
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CIVIL SERVICE LAW APPLICATION 
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SECTION 11. Application of Civil Service Law and Regulation. All officers and 
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employees of the corporation shall be subject to the Civil Service Law, rules and 
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regulations, except those whose position may, upon recommendation of the Board, be 
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declared by the President of the Philippines as policy-determining, primarily confidential 
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or highly-technical in nature. 
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SECTION 12. The financial transactions of the PHILORIN shall be audited in 
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accordance with existing laws and administrative regulations. A report of audit for each 
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fiscal year by the Auditor, through the Commission on Audit, to the Board of Directors, 
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and copies thereof, shall be furnished the Secretary of Agriculture. 
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CHAPTER VI 
FUNDING 
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SECTION 13. Funding. - To raise the necessary funds to carry out the provisions 
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of this Act, an initial fund of FIFTY MILLION (P50,OOO,OOO.OO) PESOS is hereby 
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appropriated, to be charged against the appropriations intended for the Department of 
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Agriculture under the current General Appropriations Act. 
Revolving funds shall be 
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derived from the contributions of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, 
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Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and from sources of foreign origin. 
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CHAPTER VII 
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LIQUIDATION 
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SECTION 14. Liquidation. - When its term or period of existence has expired in 
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accordance with the provisions of this Act, it shall be liquidated in accordance with 
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existing laws, rules and regulations thereof. 
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SECTION 15. Reversion to General Funds. - All hinds resulting from dissolution 
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and liquidation of the corporation as herein provided shall ipso jure revert to the General 
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Fund of the National Government. 
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SECTION 16. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason or reasons, any part or 
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provision of this Act shall be held to be unconstitutional or invalid, other parts or 
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provisions hereof which are not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and 
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effect. 
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SECTION 17. Effectivity.- This Act shall take effect immediately upon its 
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approval. 
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Approved, 
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