NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
s. No. ___ 34
TIM
BILLS * INDEX
Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid
AN ACT
ENHANCING THE RESILIENCY AND ADAPTABILITY OF FARMERS TO 
ADVERSE WEATHER AND CLIMATE EVENTS BY INSTITUTIONALIZING THE 
USE OF CROP CLIMATE CALENDARS, EQUIPPING FARMERS FOR CLIMATE- 
SENSITIVE DECISION-MAKING, AND PROVIDING ACCESS TO LOCALIZED 
WEATHER AND CLIMATE INFORMATION
EXPLANATORY NOTE
With almost an average of 20 typhoons passing through our country every year, 
our countrymen experience the damage and devastation brought about by these 
adverse weather conditions on a regular basis. The rebuilding, restoration and 
rehabilitation after every natural calamity, unfortunately, have become a way of life 
for many Filipinos, especially in disaster-prone areas. Nowhere is this more felt than 
in the farming sector.
Year in and year out, our agricultural sector suffers billions of pesos in damages 
due to typhoon, landslides, and floods. In 2019 alone, Php 16 billion worth of 
agricultural damage was inflicted by typhoons that hit the country, while in 2018 the 
figure is a staggering Php 34.45 billion.1 In 2020, the damage caused by just two 
typhoons, Quinta and Super Typhoon Roily, amounted to Php 4.6 billion.2 In 2021,
1 Karl R. Ocampo, Typhoons-infUcted damage to agriculture in 2019 hit P 16B, Inquirer.net, January 
4, 2020 available at https://business.inQuirer.net/286540/typhoonsHnflicted-damajjejq::aqricu.lturedll: 
2019-hit-p-16b
2 Ralf Rivas, Quinta, Rally wipe out P4.6 billion in agricultural goods, Rappler, November 3, 2020 
available at https://www.rappler.com/business/aQriculture-damaqe-quinta-super-tvphoon-roljy:. 
november-3-2020


the agricultural damage caused by Typhoon Odette has reached Php 11.5 billion. In 
these numbers are the lives and livelihood of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, 
of farmers and their families further plunging deeper into economic hardship and 
poverty.
This is why the government must exert all efforts to make our agricultural 
industry more resilient and adaptive to climate change. Our Department of Agriculture 
must continuously look into innovative ideas and technologies, as well as the best 
practices, and determine which should be implemented to help our local farmers 
withstand the challenges brought about by of climate change and weather 
disturbances.
This proposed measure aims to contribute to this goal of building a climate- 
resilient Philippine agricultural sector.
One of the interventions that this bill seeks to Institutionalize is the creation 
and promotion of crop climate calendars for our farmers. According to an April 2020 
Philippine Institute of Development Studies (PIDS) study, crop climate calendars serve 
to supplement traditional crop calendars by incorporating "phenological states, 
cultivation practices and weather and climate requirements that any crop faces 
throughout a cropping season"3 in addition to planting and harvest schedules.
A crop climate calendar is defined as "a visual tool that presents the phenology 
and cultivation practices of a crop against the timeline of the cropping season, 
containing information on the weather and climate states that occur in the locality and 
the risks faced by the crop per growing stage in relation to these.74
Under this bill, the Department of Agriculture (DA) shall institutionalize the use 
of crop climate calendars throughout the Philippines. In coordination with municipal, 
city and provincial agriculturists, the DA shall equip all farmers and farmer's
3 Sonny N. Domingo, et al., Development of Crop Climate Calendars for High-Value Crops in Atok, 
Benguet: Report from Preliminary Co-Learning and Co-Development Engagements with Agricultural 
Stakeholders in Benguet Province, PIDS Discussion Paper Series No. 2020-09 Abstract Page (2020) 
available at https://www.pids.qov.ph/publications/7004
4 Id. at 1


organizations in the formulation, use and interpretation of crop climate calendars that 
are tailor-made for each specific locality or community. These crop climate calendars 
shall be distributed free-of-charge to all farmers and farmer's organizations as well as 
be made available online, including in social media and similar sites accessible to our 
farmers on demand.
This bill also mandates the training and capacity-building of farmers and 
farmers' organizations in climate-sensitive decision-making and the use of relevant 
tools and applications. These will be done through the Agricultural Training Institute 
(ATI) of the DA. The formulation of clear, concise and easily understandable charts, 
tables, diagrams, briefers, and similar documents on climate-sensitive decision-making 
for distribution to farmers and farmers' organizations is likewise envisioned.
Lastly, the PIDS noted that one of barriers faced by farmers in relation to 
making the right decisions in "crop choice, crop variety and harvesting" is the "lack of 
localized weather and climate information that is tailored to the conditions of their 
locality."5
This bill mandates the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical 
Services Administration (PAGASA) to provide regular and up-to-date localized weather 
and climate information, in clear, understandable and simple English, Filipino and 
other regional language or dialect, to city, municipal and provincial agriculturist's 
offices and directly to the farmers themselves through all available means of 
communication and information dissemination, such as the internet, social media, 
television and radio. Localized information in this sense is information that is 
particularized down to the city or municipal level.
Although currently, the PAGASA reports Climate Information for Agriculture in 
its website6, the same is only presented down to the regional or provincial level with 
minimal mention of weather information for some cities or municipalities. Moreover,
5 Sonny N. Domingo, et al., Barriers to application of weather and climate information in smallholder 
vegetable farming in Benguet, PIDS Discussion Paper Series No. 2020-14 21 (2020) available at 
https://www.pids.qov.ph/publications/7021
6 http://bagong.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/agri-weather#farm-weather-forecast


the information is not presented in an easily digestible form and without translation, 
aside from Filipino) to other regional and local dialects.
In view of this, early passage of this bill is sought.
M/fiiuEL^Ln
LITO" M. LAPID
Senator


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
bills & INDEX
S. No.
Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid
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AN ACT
ENHANCING THE RESILIENCY AND ADAPTABILITY OF FARMERS TO 
ADVERSE WEATHER AND CLIMATE EVENTS BY INSTITUTIONALIZING THE 
USE OF CROP CLIMATE CALENDARS, EQUIPPING FARMERS FOR CLIMATE- 
SENSITIVE DECISION-MAKING, AND PROVIDING ACCESS TO LOCALIZED 
WEATHER AND CLIMATE INFORMATION
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 "Climate-Resilient 
Agriculture Act."
Section 2. Declaration of Policy. - In recognition of the importance of 
agriculture In the country's economic development, the State shall enhance the 
resiliency and adaptability of the sector against the adverse effects of weather 
disturbances and climate change that endanger productivity levels and harvest yield. 
Climate resiliency shall be a priority government intervention for the agriculture sector.
Section 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the following terms shall 
be defined as follows:
a. Crop climate calendar - a visual tool that presents the phenology and 
cultivation practices of a crop against the timeline of the cropping 
season, containing information on the weather and climate states that 
occur in the locality and the risks faced by the crop per growing stage in
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relation to these;
b. Climate-sensitive decision - decisions that hinge on weather and climate 
states, with final outcomes and even decision alternatives which are 
varying depending on the prevailing weather phenomena; and
c. Localized weather and climate information - these are information on 
weather and climate phenomena that are particularized down to the city 
or municipal level.
Section 4. Crop Climate Calendars. - The Department of Agriculture (DA) shall 
establish and promote the use of crop climate calendars throughout the Philippines. 
In coordination with municipal, city and provincial agriculturists, the DA shall 
implement a continuing program for all farmers and farmer's organizations to 
formulate, use, and interpret crop climate calendars that are tailor-made for each 
specific locality or community. These crop climate calendars shall be distributed free- 
of-charge to all farmers and farmer's organizations and be made available online.
Section 5. Climate-Sensitive Decision-Making. - The DA, through the 
Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), shall provide regular appropriate training and 
capacity-building for farmers and farmer's organizations in the practice of climate- 
sensitive decision-making and the use of relevant tools and applications. The ATI shall 
formulate and develop clear, concise and easily understandable charts, tables, 
diagrams, briefers, and similar documents on climate-sensitive decision-making for 
distribution to farmers and farmers' organizations.
Section 6. Localized Weather and Climate Information. - The Philippine 
Atmospheric, Geophysical and. Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) shall 
provide regular and up-to-date localized weather and climate information to city, 
municipal and provincial agriculturist's offices and directly to the farmers themselves 
through all available means of communication and information dissemination including 
internet, social media, television and radio. This Information shall be written in simple 
English, Filipino and other regional language or dialect as necessary and must be 
presented in a clear, concise and easily understandable form.
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Section 7. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the implementation of 
this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations for the year following 
its enactment into law and thereafter.
Section 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days from 
the effectivity of this Act, the DA and PAGASA, in coordination with other relevant 
government agencies, farmers' organizations and stakeholders, shall issue the 
necessary rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act.
Section 9. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, 
proclamations, rules and regulations, or any part thereof, which are inconsistent with 
the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
Section 10. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part of this Act, or the 
application thereof to any person or circumstance, is held unconstitutional or invalid, 
the remainder of this Act shall not be affected thereby.
Section 11. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from 
its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general 
circulation.
Approved,