Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
19TH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by Honorable Michael L. Romero 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
For purposes of this Act, this Program is the consolidation of small farms 
including farms of agrarian reform beneficiaries, as one larger farm, with a 
minimum area of thirty (30) hectares within a two-kilometer radius, to take 
advantage of the economies of scale in the production of sugarcane, such that 
the activities in the small farms are aligned and implemented to ensure the 
efficient use of farm machineries and equipment, deployment of workers, volume 
purchase of inputs, financing, and other operational advantages, as well as 
recognition by sugar mills, government financial institutions, private investors, 
but the ownership of each small farm remains with the landowners. 
The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), the Department of Agriculture (DA), 
the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and other concerned government 
agencies shall provide common service facilities, such as farm machineries and 
implements, grants or start-up funding for the needed production inputs, 
technology adoption, livelihood and skills training and other development 
activities for the block farm and its members, and other support activities that 
may be identified. 
Thus, the early passage of this bill is earnestly requested. 
MICHAEL L. ROMERO Ph.D.  
July 1, 2022 
11:18 am
835


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
19TH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by Honorable Michael L. Romero 
AN ACT 
STRENGTHENING THE SUGARCANE INDUSTRY, INCREASING ITS 
ANNUAL SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET, AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
SECTION 1. DECLARATION OF POLICY — The Department of Budget 
and Management (DBM) is hereby mandated to include annually, starting the 
year 2022, an initial aggregate amount of Five billion pesos (P5,000,000,000.00) 
in the President's program of expenditures for submission to Congress and 
allocated, as follows: 
(a) Fifteen percent (15%) for grants to block farms under the Block
Farm Program;
(b) Fifteen percent (15%) for socialized credit under the Farm
Support and Farm Mechanization Programs;
(c) Fifteen percent (15%) for research and development, capability
building and technology transfer activities under Research and
835


Development, Extension Services, Human Resources Development, 
and Farm Support Programs; 
(d) Five percent (5%) for scholarship grants to be provided under 
paragraph (b) of Section 6 of RA10659 otherwise known as the 
"Sugarcane Industry Development Act of 2015”, Human 
Resources Development; and 
(e) Fifty percent (50%) for infrastructure support programs. 
In the identification and prioritization of specific programs and 
projects, the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) shall conduct 
prior consultation with representatives of block farms, sugarcane 
farmers and workers, sugar millers, refiners, bioenergy producers, 
and producers of other products derived from sugarcane and its 
byproducts. The Department shall issue the necessary guidelines for 
this purpose. 
For the current year, the DBM shall include in a supplemental 
budget, that may be formulated, the amount of Five billion Pesos 
(P5,OOO,OOO,OOO.OO) and following the allocation prescribed in 
this section. 
SECTION 2. NON-EXEMPTION FROM COMPREHENSIVE AGRARIAN 
REFORM PROGRAM (CARP) COVERAGE — Nothing in this Act shall exempt 
any landholding from CARP Coverage. 
SECTION 3. IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS — The 
Department of Agriculture (DA), in consultation with concerned government 
agencies and sugarcane industry stakeholders, shall issue the implementing 
rules and regulations of this Act within ninety (90) days starting from the 
effectivity of this Act. 


SECTION 4. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE. — If any provision of this Act is 
declared unconstitutional, the validity of the remaining provisions hereof shall 
remain in full force and effect. 
SECTION 5. REPEALING CLAUSE. —All laws, decrees, executive orders 
and rules and regulations or pert or parts thereof inconsistent with any provision 
of this Act are hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 6. EFFECTIVITY CLAUSE. — This Act shall take effect after fifteen 
(15) days from its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) 
newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,