RECEIVED

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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES} a7E: 26 JUL 2018
Quezon City awe 7
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS |
First Regular Session ey:

HOUSE BILL NO.
RECSTRATION UNIT
TERE mtn nr BILLS ANA) NiEx SEQVICE
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES
CONRADO M. ESTRELLA and VINI NOLA A. ORTEGA

AN ACT
ABOLISHING IRRIGATION SERVICE FEES AND OTHER RELATED FEES,
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 3601,
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8435, PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 552 AND,
PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1702

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The viability and vibrancy of the agriculture industry is an absolute necessity for
national development and real economic growth.

Therefore, the development of the agriculture sector should be appreciated as the real
impetus in nation building. No country has ever developed, without first developing its
agriculture sector to produce staples and the necessary raw materials, beyond what the
country needs.

Public investments and governmental support on the needs of the farmers and other
agricultural producers at every stage of the supply chain must dramatically increase.

Farmer organizations and irrigators association affiliated with the Samahang Industriya
ng Agrikultura or SINAG and other farmer federations have long demanded previous
governments to abolish irrigation service fees as among the measures that will help
small farmers.

Candidates running for elective positions during the May 2016 elections were
unanimous in voicing their support to the calls of farmers to abolish irrigation service
fees.

Rice farmers have to pay an equivalent of five cavans of palay per hectare for irrigation
service fees during dry season cropping, and three cavans per hectare during wet season
cropping. Farmers pay an average of P2,400 per hectare during the dry season and
P1,700 per hectare during the wet season.

Other farmers covered by communal irrigation systems pay according to the loans they
acquired for establishing the systems, and for maintenance of the said systems.

It is hoped that with the approval of this proposed bill, the amount being paid by

farmers to irrigation services fees will instead provide them additional cash to augment
other family sapenaigin ie farm or intheir respective households.

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HON. CON! M. ESTRELLA II HON. VINI NOLA Al ORTEGA



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Quezon City
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

First Regular Sessi
HOUSE BILLNO. 1887

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES
CONRADO M. ESTRELLA and VINI NOLA A. ORTEGA

AN ACT
ABOLISHING IRRIGATION SERVICE FEES AND OTHER RELATED FEES,
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 3601, PRESIDENTIAL
DECREE NO. 552 AND PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1702

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 “Free Irrigation Services for
Farmers Act of 2016.”

Section 2. Declaration of Policy. —

The current Duterte government has declared to pursue a genuine agricultural
development strategy by providing support services to the small farmers to
increase their productivity and improve their market access.

The promotion and institutionalization of irrigation systems that are free,
effective, suitable, applicable and efficient is a key strategy to achieve genuine
agricultural development.

Section 3. Full Implementation of Free Irrigation Service Policy

Irrigation service fees (ISFs) and all other similar or related fees shall now be free
of charge to all farmer beneficiaries, upon the enactment of this Act.

Penalties and back accounts incurred by farmers and irrigators association by
non-payment of ISFs or loans acquired for establishing communal irrigation
system shall be deemed immediately cancelled with the enactment of this Act.

With the passage of this Act, the State shall also provide the necessary funds in
the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA) and the mechanisms for the
effective management of farmers’ groups and irrigators’ associations of irrigation
systems at the farm level.

Pursuant to National Economic and Development Authority Resolution No. 20, series of
1978, it is a national policy that the government shall bear the cost of interests on all
indebtedness for the construction of irrigation projects in order not to discourage the
participation of farmer-beneficiaries in the development and operation of irrigation
facilities.

Section 4. Personnel Services, Construction, Repair and Maintenance
and other Operating Expenses of National Irrigation Systems —



Payment of personnel services and for the purpose of ensuring the necessary
construction, repair and maintenance of irrigation systems administered by the
NIA and other related agencies that provide irrigation services; the required
amounts shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA).

Section 5. Repealing Clause

Section 2, Paragraph (c) of Republic Act No. 3601 entitled “An Act Creating the
National Irrigation Administration”;

Section 1, Paragraph (b) of Presidential Decree (PD) No. 552;

Section 1, Paragraph (b) of Presidential Decree No. 1702 and;

Section 35 of Republic Act No. 8435, otherwise known as the Agricultural and
Fisheries Modernization Law

All other laws, PDs, EOs, rules and regulations, or parts thereof inconsistent or
contrary with the provisions of this Act, are hereby repealed accordingly

Section 6. Implementing Rules and Regulation

Within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act, the Department of
Agriculture with the support of NIA and other related agencies shall formulate
and promulgate the rules and regulations necessary for the implementation of
this Act

Section 7 Separability Clause

If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder
of the law or the provision thereof shall remain valid and effective

Section 8 Effectivity

This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official
Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved