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

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

House Bill No.8934

Introduced by DIWA Party-list Representative Pepito M. Pico

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Hybrid rice -- a type which has been bred from two different parents and can out-yield other
rice varieties -- is a key technology for the country's rice producers to meet the demand for the
staple food locally and abroad. Hybrid rice closes yield gaps evident in many areas, and raises
yield potential, which means that farmers can earn higher incomes and consumers may see
more affordable rice products in the market.

But for this to happen, greater support must be given to the seed research and production that
can create better products such as these hybrid seeds. Despite the passage of Republic Act No.
3708 otherwise known as the “Seeds Industry Development Act of 1992", there is still a need
to promote comprehensive quality seed production to farmers and farmer organizations by
developing and propagating quality seeds for them.

This bill — a re-filing of House Bill No. 4177 filed by former DIWA Party-list Representative
Emmeline Villar and a counterpart of Senate Bill No. 322 of Senator Cynthia Villar -- will
require the National Government to undertake a comprehensive program focused on the
production of hybrid and other quality seeds at a subsidized cost, as well as encouraging
farmers to intensify their efforts in increasing farm productivity.

PEPITO M. PICO
Representative, DIWA Party-list

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

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

House Bill No8934

Introduced by DIWA Party-list Representative Pepito M. Pico

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A CONTINUING NATIONAL PROGRAM FOR HYBRID AND
OTHER QUALITY SEEDS PRODUCTION, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES:

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

SECTION 1. Title - This Act shall be known as "The National Seeds Production Act.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to optimize
farm productivity through a systematic production of hybrid and other quality seeds which are
readily available and affordable to farmers. Towards this end, the government shall formulate
a system that will ensure the production of hybrid and other quality seeds sufficient to address
the requirements of the farmers and whereby the farmers may buy sceds from various
accessible centers at a subsidized price.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms - For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall be
defined as follows:

a) Seed shall mean a plant material used for the production of food, forage, fibers, industrial
crops, oil, flowers, grasses, herbs, and aquatic plants, including but not limited to, meristem
and clonal propagules such tubers, corms, cuttings, seedlings, and micro-propagated plantlets;

b) Hybrid seeds shall mean improved seeds certified by the National Seed Quality Control
Services under the Bureau of Plant Industry with proven capacity for high yield: Hybrids result
from the deliberate crossing of two different parent varieties from the same species.

¢) Continuing Program shall mean an all year round program of production based on a pre-
determined volume of requirement that should be carried out on a regular basis;

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4) Local Levels shall mean the regional offices of the Department of Agriculture, provincial
agriculture offices and the municipal agriculture offices;

) Subsidized Price shall mean the value of the seeds which is half of its acquisition and/or
production cost as determined by the Department of Agriculture, through the Bureau of Plant
Industry:

SECTION 4. Coverage - The National Government shall undertake a comprehensive program
on the production of hybrid and other quality seeds, including the following activities:

a) Policy formulation on regulation and distribution of hybrid and other quality seeds to the
farmers at a subsidized cost;

b) Promotion and encouragement to the farmers of the use of hybrid and other quality seeds in
their effort to increase farm productivity;

©) The conduct of information dissemination, seminars and other support services to the
farmers;

d) Research and development pertaining to hybrid and other quality seeds, in coordination with
the Philippine Rice Institute and other specialized agencies.

SECTION 5. Implementing Mechanism - The Department of Agriculture, through the
Bureau of Plant Industry is hereby designated as the implementing Agency of this program and
shall initiate, supervise, coordinate, monitor its implementation at the national and local levels.
It shall ensure the following:

a) The active participation of the private sectors in the mass production of hybrid and other
quality seeds in sufficient quantity;

b) The seeds that shall be mass produced in sufficient quantity should only be those hybrid and
other quality seeds that are certified by the National Seed Quality Control Services, created
under Republic Act 7308;

) The establishments of areas devoted to the production of hybrid and other quality seeds in
each region and province, as may be deemed necessary, to augment any deficiency of
production from the private sector.

e) The establishments of buying/distribution centers in each municipality, through the
municipal agriculture office.

SECTION 6. Appropriations - The sum of Five Hundred Million pesos (Php500.000,000.00)
shall be appropriated for the initial implementation of this Act which shall be incorporated in
the Annual Budget of the Department of Agriculture, and thereafter the amount necessary to
carry out the program implementation shall be incorporated in the General Appropriations Act.

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SECTION 7 Annual Report - The Department of Agriculture shall render an annual report to
Congress on the accomplishment of the program. A review on the viability of the program shall
be made by the concerned agencies after three (3) years of its implementation.

SECTION 8 Implementing Rules and Regul: s - The Department of Agriculture shall
issue rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act within ninety (90) days from
the effectivity of this Act.

SECTION 9, Penal Provisions - Any person, firm or association who shall obstruct, impedes
or in any manner defeats the purpose of this act, shall, upon conviction, be punished with a fine
of not more than One Hundred Thousand pesos (Php 100,000.00) or imprisonment of not more
than five (5) years, or both, in the discretion of the court. Provided, that in case of a firm or
association, the penalty of imprisonment shall be imposed upon the officer(s) who knowingly
participated, abetted, or consented to the commission of such punishable acts.

SECTION 10. Separability Clause - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid or
unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 11. Repealing Clause - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders,
presidential proclamations, rules and regulations or parts thereof contrary to or inconsistent
with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 12. Effectivity - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,

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