Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

535

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative GERALDINE B. ROMAN

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Rice is staple food in the Philippines, and farming is a major source of
employment in the rural sector. This is especially so in Bataan where, as of 2017,
30,075 hectares, or over 20% of its land area, are harvested for palay and 136,269
metric tons of palay are produced.' Bataan also produces high-value crops in
limited quantities, suggesting room for propagation.

Notwithstanding the Philippine Rice Research Institute’s’(PRRI) efforts to
improve rice production, rice production and the farmgate price of palay have
fallen.* Hence, there is a need to diversity income-generating activities of rice
farmers to ease economic dependence on the sale of rice and promote the sale of
rice-based products to supplement their income.Enabling farmers to produce high-
value crops and derivative products would also augment their income and promote
self-sufficiency which has proven itself important during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Specifically, the State should proactively teach farmers how to develop quality

rice-based products, such as but not limited to rice noodles, egg roll wrappers.

‘See Philippine Statistics Authority, Bataan Quickstat — June 2018.

*seeExecutive Order No. 1061, November 5, 1985, entitled “Establishing the Philippine Rice Research
Institute (PRRD).” as amended by Executive Order No. 60, November 7, 1986

'SeeLouise Maureen Simeon, “Palay production down 5% on Q2,” The Philippine Star, 2019,
https //www philstar.com/business/2019/08/17/1943999/palay-production-down-5-q2 (last visited August 19,
2019)



edible rice paper, rice-flour cakes and dumplings, rice bran oil, rice-alcoholic
beverages, rice vinegar, rice milk, rice syrup (an alternative sweetener), puffed
rice, and rice crackers. The State should also encourage farmers to venture into
producing high-value crops, such asvegetables, fruits, flowers, ornamentals,
condiments and spice, and derivative products.It should develop the
entrepreneurial skills of farmers to enable them to effectively market rice-based
products and high-value crops and derivative products, and facilitate access to
microloans to finance their business. In the last couple of years, the PRRI has
been promoting the production of rice-based products, but only as a sideline to its
principal mandate (to improve rice production) and on a limited scale, i.e., only on
demand, on select municipalities, and for a few rice-based products.

This bill seeks to establish the BataanCrop Research & Development
Centeron the Abucay campus of theBataan Peninsula State University, a widely
recognized institution in the field of agriculture,tohelp farmers augment their
income by proactively promoting and assisting them in the manufacture and
marketing of rice-based products and high-value crops and derivative

products.Immediate passage of this bill is sought.

n/a

GERALDINE B. ROMAN


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
, Metro Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No.__939

Introduced by Representative GERALDINE B. ROMAN

AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE BATAAN CROP RESEARCH &
DEVELOPMENT CENTER ON THE CAMPUS OF THE BATAAN
PENINSULA STATE UNIVERSITY IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF
ABUCAY, PROVINCE OF BATAAN, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS
THEREFOR

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 the “BataanCrop Research &
Development Center Act.”

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. -It is hereby declared the policy of the State to promote
industrialization, rural development, full employment, a rising standard of living, and an
improved quality of life for allfarmers by encouraging entrepreneurship and activities that

add value to agricultural products and provide additionalsources of income.

Sec. 3.Definition of Terms. —As used in this Act, “rice-based products” refer to products
made or derived from rice, such as but not limited to the following: rice noodles, egg roll
wrappers, edible rice paper, rice-flour cakes and dumplings, rice bran oil, rice-aleoholic
beverages, rice vinegar, rice milk, rice syrup (an alternative sweetener), puffed rice, and rice
crackers.

“High-value crops” shall generally refer to non-staple agricultural crops such as
vegetables, fruits, flowers, ornamentals, condiments and spices. Products derived from
high-value crops include vegetable chips, vegetable oil, dried fruits, fruit-based cakes and

desserts, etc


Sec. 4.BataanCrop Research & Development Center. ~ ‘The BataanCrop Research
&Development Center (“Center”) is hereby established on the campus of the Bataan
Peninsula State University (BPSU) in the Municipality of Abucay, Province of Bataan. The
Center shall be under the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Department of
Agriculture (DA).

See. 5. Purposes and Objectives. — The Center shall collaborate and coordinate with
theDepartment of Trade and Industry (DTI),Department of Science and Technology
(DOST), and BPSU to develop and implement a course or program that would teach and
train students and farmers how to develop rice-based products, produce high-value crops and
derivative products, and manage all aspects of business relating to the marketing of such
products, including obtaining necessary financing, technology, and equipment.

See. 6.Powers and Functions. - The Center shall exercise the following powers and
functions:

a) Integrate, collate, and support research, programs, and studies on rice-based
product development and marketing:

b) Conduct continuing research on rice-based product development and marketing:

c) Undertake research and generate relevant, efficient, cost-effective and
scientifically viable approaches to achieve greater sustainability in rice-based
product development and marketing:

d) Impart technical knowledge and train students and rice farmers on rice-based
product development and marketing:

€) Upgrade the entrepreneurial skills of rice farmers through training courses,
seminars, and workshops;

1) Collaborate with national, regional, and international research institutions with
knowledge and expertise on rice-based product development and marketing:

g) Coordinate with local government units, non-governmental organizations, and
private sector groups and interests involved in rice-based product research,
development, and marketing;

h) Facilitate access to loans to establish and operate a business relating to the
development and marketing of rice-based products;

i) Encourage the creation of farmer cooperatives to achieve efficiencies in rice-
based product development, business financing, and marketing:

j) Develop an income-generating business model to help defray expenses and

sustain its programs; and


k) Receive and manage grants, aid, donations, or any kind of assistance or gratuity
from donors, foreign or domestic, to better achieve the Center's objectives.

See. 7.Executive Director, - The Center shall be headed by an Executive Director who shall
be appointed by the President of the Philippines upon the joint recommendation of the
CHED Chairperson and Secretary of Agriculture. The Executive Director shall be a
recognized agriculturalist with extensive experience in rice-based product research and
development or a highly regarded entrepreneur in the field. Preference shall be given to
BPSU faculty members.

Alll other officers and employees of the Center shall be jointly appointed by the
CHED Chairperson and Secretary of Agriculture upon the recommendation of the Executive

Director and in accordance with existing Civil Service laws, rules, and regulations. A

representative from the DTI, a representative from theDOST, and a BPSU faculty member
with relevant expertiseshall form part of the Center's staff.

Sec. 8. Duties and Responsibilities of the Executive Director. — 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 and training 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;

c) Approve the organizational structure, operational and staffing pattern, operating
and capital expenditure 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;

e) Implement policies, decisions, orders, rules, and regulations issued by the CHED
and DA; and

f) Exercise such other powers, functions, duties, or tasks as may be authorized,
delegated, or assigned by law and competent authority.

ecutive Director shall submit to the President of the

Sec. 9.Annual Report. ~The
Philippines, through the CHED Chairperson and Secretary of Agriculture, an annual report
dealing generally with the activities and operations of the Center, accompanied by an audit
report of the relevant accounts.

Sec.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,


taxes 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.
See. 11. Appropriations. — The amount necessary for the initial implementation of this Act
shall be charged against the appropriations for the CHED and DA. Thereafier, the required
budget for continued implementation of this Act shall be submitted to the Department of
Budget and Management for inclusion in the General Appropriations Act.
Sec. 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations, ~ Within sixty (60) days from the effectivity
of this Act, the CHED Chairperson and Secretary of Agriculture shall jointly issue the
necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.
See. 13.Repealing Clause. — All laws, presidential decrees or issuances, executive orders,
letters of instruction, administrative orders, rules or regulation inconsistent with the
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
See. 14. Separability Clause. — \f any provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional, the
remainder of this Act or any provision not affected thereby shall remain in full force and
effect.
See. 15. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after the publication in the
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation

Approved,