Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

RECEIVED
paté:_15 AUG 2016

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

Introduced by REP. PANTALEON D. ALVAREZ and REP. RUWEL PETER S. GONZAGA
EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Philippines is primarily an agricultural country. Its vast natural resources
propel the economy in terms of livelihood and food security.

One of the major agricultural crops that the country has benefited a lot
from is banana. The banana industry has generated earnings amounted to an
average of USD 720 million a year, provides employment to 240,000 workers and
contributes PHP 830 million in taxes to local government units. On top of that, it
also supports 30,000 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) and small landowners
under various contract-growing arrangements or lease arrangements.

For almost five decades the banana industry has been a significant player
in the socio-economic landscape of Southern Philippines and of the entire
country. According to the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), there are
13 out of 26 provinces in Southern Philippines which are dedicated to banana
production.

However, the industry has suffered from setbacks brought about by a lot
of factors such as the economic embargo of the US over Iran, the El Nino
phenomenon, the devastation of Typhoon Pablo and the recurrence of the
uncontrollable spread of Panama disease. Banana producers and stakeholders
have voiced out their concems regarding the industry's sustainability. There has
been a strong clamor for a specialized banana research center which will
undertake scientific research to further develop the industry and address the
issue of sustainability.

Hence, this bill. It seeks to establish Philippine National Banana Research
Center in Panabo City, Province of Davao del Norte, to be known as Antonio O.
Floirendo, Sr. Banana Research Center in recognition of the valuable
contribution of the industry's prime mover, the late Antonio O. Floirendo, Sr. who
was popularly known as “banana king.”

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

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REP. PANTALEON D. AREZ KL GONZAGA

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 2228

Introduced by Representatives PANTALEON D. ALVAREZ and RUWEL PETER
GONZAGA

AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL BANANA RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT CENTER IN THE CITY OF PANABO, PROVINCE OF DAVAO DEL
NORTE, TO BE KNOWN AS THE ‘ANTONIO O. FLOIRENDO, SR, BANANA
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER’ AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS
THEREFOR,

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

SECTION 1, Title, - This Act shall be known as the “Philippine National Banana

Research and Development Center Act.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. ~ It is hereby declared the policy of the State to

promote indust

lization and full employment based on sound agricultural development and
agearian reform through industries that make full and efficient use of human and natural

resources, and which are competitive in both domestic and foreign markets. Towards this end,

the establishment of a national banana research and development center is necessary in order to

develop a more balanced and integrated national program for the banana industry and to have a
specialized institution which shall undertake research and development programs and provide
relevant, efficient, and strategie approaches to enhance banana productivity in the country and

improve the livelihood of small hold banana farmers.

SECTION 3. Philippine National Banana Research and Development Center. — The
Philippine National Banana Research and Development Center, hereinafter referred to simply as
the ‘Center’, is hereby established in Panabo City, Province of Davao del Norte, under the
Department of Agriculture to provide research and development techniques for crop
improvement, protection, production, post-harvest handling, and the maintenance of germplasm

collection and gene bank that are capable of producing good quality varieties of banana.


The Center shall be known as the “Antonio O, Floirendo, Sr. Banana Research and
Development Center” in recognition of the many great and singular contributions made by

Antonio O, Floirendo, Sr. to the now thri

ing and nationally vital banana industry in the country

SECTION 4. Duties and Funetions. - The Center shall exercise the following duties

and functions:

a) Integrate, collate, and support research and development programs and studies on the

banana industry;

b) Conduct continuing research on developing productive, high yielding, disease~

resistant, and good varieties of banana,

©) Conduct comprehensive studies and research on banana diseases and how to

efficiently and effectively address the same;

d) Undertake research and generate relevant, efficient, cost-effective, and scientifically

viable approaches to achieve greater sustainability in banana farming;

¢) Establish, upgrade and maintain germplasm collection and gene bank for banana and

banana strains;

1) Accelerate the transfer of improved banana technologies to farmers and other
stakeholders through on-farm research; and scale-up best practices to effectively
develop and strengthen the banana supply/value chain.

2) Upgrade the skill of development facilitators and banana farmers through training
courses, seminars, and workshops on farming techniques, banana production, and

post-harvest handling and processing;

h) Establish linkages and collaborate with national, regional, and international research

institutions for banana research, development, and production activities, including

germplasm exchanges

i) Coordinate with local government units, non-government organizations, and private

sector groups and interests involved in the development of the banana industry; and


i). Receive and manage grants, aid, donations, or any Kind of assistance or gratuity from

donors, either foreign or domestic, to better achieve the Center’s objectives.

SECTION 5. Executive Director. ~ The Center shall be headed by an Executive
Director who shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines upon the recommendation of
the Secretary for Agriculture. ‘The Executive Director shall be a recognized agriculturist with
extensive experience in banana research and development or a widely acknowledged specialist
banana grower actively involved in banana farming and production technologies.

All other officers and employees of the Center shall be appo'

ted by th
Agriculture upon recommendation of the Executive Director and in accordance with existing

Seoretary for

Civil Service laws, rules, and regulations.

SECTION 6. Duties and Responsibilities. ~ The Executive Director shall exercise the

following duties and responsibilities:

a) Exercise over-all supervision and direction over the implementation of all research
and development programs of the Center and, in general, to supervise and direct its

‘management, operation, and administration;

b) Execute contracts, incur obligations, acquire and dispose of assets, and deliver

documents on behalf of the Center;

©) Approve the organizational structure, operational and staffing pattern, operating and

capital expenditures of the Center;

d) Recommend the appointment of the officers and employees of the Center on the basis
of the highest standards of merit, probity, and fitness for public servants, subject to

Civil Service laws, rules, and regulations;

¢) Implement and enforce policies, decisions, orders, rules, and regulations issued by the

‘Department of Agriculture and the Governing Board; and

£) Exercise such other powers and functions and perform such other duties or tasks as
may be authorized, delegated, or assigned by law or its Governing Board and
competent authority


SECTION 7. Governing Board. — A Governing Board is hereby created, hereinafter
referred to as the ‘Board? which shall be chaired by the DA Secretary, with five (5) regular
members which shall comprise of a member of the academe, a private sector representative from
the banana industry, a representative of farmers’ groups, a representative from a government
agency (either NEDA, or DTI, PCARRD) and a banana expert/scie
of the Center shall be ex-officio member of the Governing Board, serving as Secretary of the
Board.

. The Executive Director

The Board compositions shall be approved by the President of the Republic of the

Philippines, upon recommendation of the Executive Director, and Board members shall serve for

three years, renewable every three years, to be consistent with mid-term and five year
performance reviews of the Center, ‘The Board Chair and members shall be entitled to honoraria

or incentives, covered in and sourced from the annual budget of the Center.

SECTION 8. Duties, Functions, and Responsibi
responsibilities of the Board are:

ies of the Governing Board, - The

4) Provide strategic directions, guidance and policies for the betterment of the banana

industry;

b) Approve its medium term roadmap for the banana industry, and annual budget and
programs; and

c) Undertake mid -term and five-year performance reviews of the Center.

SECTION 9, Annual Report, ~ The Executive Director shall submit to the President of
the Philippines, through the Secretary of Agriculture, an annual report dealing generally with the
activities and operations of the Center, accompanied by the audit report on the relevant accounts,

SECTION 10. Donations and Solicitations. - ‘The Center may solicit and receive

donations or endowments of money, property, or services which shall be exempt from income

taxes, laxes on gifts or gratuities, and all other taxes, charges, or fees imposed by the government

or any political subdivision or instrumentality thereof,

Government and public corporations are hereby authorized to give grants to the Center

from the unimpaired surplus of funds at their discretion,


SECTION 11. Appropriations. — The amount necessary for the implementation of this
Act shall be charged to and sourced from the appropriations for the Department of Agriculture.
Thereafter, such sum as may be necessary for the operation and maintenance of the Center shall

be automatically included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within sixty (60) days from the
effectivity of this Act, the Secretary for Agriculture shall issue the necessary rules and

regulations for the effective implementation of this Act

SECTION 13. Separability Clause. — If any provision or part of this Act is declared
invalid, void, or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall remain in

full force and effect,
SECTION 14, Repealing Clause. ~ All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations, and
other issuances, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent or incompatible with the provisions of

this Act are hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly.

SECTION 15. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of national and general circulation

Approved,