Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
19TH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ___ 
Introduced by Representative Michael L. Romero 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Agriculture in the Philippines employs 30% of the Filipino workforce as of 2013, 
according to World Bank statistics. Agriculture accounts for 12% of Filipino GDP 
as of 2013, according to the World Bank.  
Agricultural Products: 
Rice: 
Rice production in the Philippines 
The Philippines is the 8th largest rice producer in the world, accounting for 2.8% 
of global rice production. The Philippines was also the world's largest rice 
importer in 2010. In 2010, nearly 15.7 million metric tons of palay (pre-husked 
rice) were produced. In 2010, palay accounted for 21.86% percent of gross value 
added in agriculture and 2.37% of GNP. Self-sufficiency in rice reached 88.93% 
in 2015. 
Rice production in the Philippines has grown significantly since the 1950s. 
Improved varieties of rice developed during the Green Revolution, including at 
the International Rice Research Institute based in the Philippines have improved 
crop yields. Crop yields have also improved due to increased use of fertilizers. 
Average productivity increased from 1.23 metric tons per hectare in 1961 to 3.59 
metric tons per hectare in 2009. 
Harvest Yields have increased significantly by using foliar fertilizer (Rc62 -> 27% 
increase, Rc80 -> 40% increase, Rc64 -> 86% increase) based on PhilRice 
National Averages. 
Sugar: 
Sugar industry of the Philippines 
July 1, 2022 
11:31 am
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Raw Sugar produced in a mill in the country. 
There are at least 19 provinces and 11 regions that produce sugarcane in the 
Philippines. A range from 360,000 to 390,000 hectares are devoted to sugarcane 
production. The largest sugarcane areas are found in Negros which accounts for 
51% of sugarcane areas planted. This is followed by Mindanao which accounts 
for 20%; Luzon, 17%; Panay islands, 7% and Eastern Visayas, 4%. It is estimated 
that as of 2012, the industry provides direct employment to 700,000 sugarcane 
workers spread across 19 sugar producing provinces. 
Sugar growing in the Philippines pre-dates Spanish contact. Sugar became the 
most important agricultural export of the Philippines between the late eighteenth 
century and the mid-1970s. During the 1950s and 60s, more than 20 percent 
income of Philippine exports came from the sugar industry. Between 1913 and 
1974, the Philippines sugar industry enjoyed favoured terms of trade with the 
US, with special access to the protected and subsidized U.S. sugar market. 
Coconuts: 
Coconut production in the Philippines 
Coconuts play an important role in the national economy of the Philippines. 
According to figures published in December 2009 by the Food and Agriculture 
Organization of the United Nations, it is the world's largest producer of coconuts, 
producing 19,500,000 tonnes in 2009. Production in the Philippines is generally 
concentrated in medium-sized farms. There are 3.5 million hectares dedicated 
to coconut production in the Philippines, which accounts for 25% of total 
agricultural land in the country. In 1989, it was estimated that between 25% 
and 33% of the population was at least partly dependent on coconuts for their 
livelihood. Historically, the Southern Tagalog and Bicol regions of Luzon and the 
Eastern Visayas were the centers of coconut production. In the 1980s, Western 
Mindanao and Southern Mindanao also became important coconut-growing 
regions. 
Abaca: 
According to the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority, the 
Philippines provided 87.4% of the world's abaca in 2014, earning the Philippines 
US$111.33 million. The demand is still greater than the supply. The remainder 
came from Ecuador (12.5%) and Costa Rica (0.1%). The Bicol region in the 
Philippines produced 27,885 metric tons of abaca in 2014, the largest of 
any Philippine region. The Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP) and 
the Department of Agriculture reported that in 2009-2013, Bicol Region had 39% 
share of Philippine abaca production while the overwhelming 92% comes 
from the Catanduanes Island. Eastern Visayas, the second largest producer had 
24% and the Davao Region, the third largest producer had 11% of the total 
production. Around 42 percent of the total abaca fiber shipments from the 


Philippines went to the United Kingdom in 2014, making it the top 
importer. Germany imported 37.1 percent abaca pulp from the Philippines, 
importing around 7,755 metric tons (MT). Sales of abaca cordage surged 20 
percent in 2014 to a total of 5,093 MT from 4,240 MT, with the United States 
holding around 68 percent of the market.  
 
Fruit: 
The Philippines is the world's third largest producer of pineapples, producing 
more than 2.4 million of tonnes in 2013. The Philippines was in the top 
three banana producing countries in 2010, including India and China. Davao 
and Mindanao contribute heavily to the total national banana crop. Mangoes are 
the third most important fruit crop of the country based on export volume and 
value next to bananas and pineapples.  
 
Corn: 
Corn is the second most important crop in the Philippines. 600,000 farm 
households are employed in different businesses in the corn value chain. As of 
2012, around 2.594 Million ha of land is under corn cultivation and the total 
production is 7.408 million metric ton (MMT).  
 
Rubber: 
There are an estimated 38,000 families dependent upon the cultivation of rubber 
trees. Rubber is mainly planted in Mindanao, with some plantings in Luzon and 
the Visayas. As of 2013, the total rubber production is 111,204 tons.  
 
This House Bill seeks to provide the Department of Agriculture (DA) with 
additional funding and allotments to further improve and perform its mandate.  
 
Earnest approval of this bill is hereby requested. 
 
 
 
MICHAEL L. ROMERO Ph.D.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
 
 
 
     
 
 


  Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
19TH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ___ 
Introduced by Representative Michael L. Romero 
     AN ACT 
PROVIDING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (DA) WITH 
ADDITIONAL FUNDING, INCREASING ITS YEARLY ALLOTMENT, 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in Congress 
Assembled: 
SECTION 1. DECLARATION OF POLICY – The Department of Agriculture 
(DA) 
shall 
hereby 
be 
provided 
an 
additional 
Twenty 
billion 
pesos 
(₱20,000,000,000.00) to promote all related measures to modernize and 
improve the agriculture and fisheries sector. 
The Department is hereby authorized to re-align its appropriations, in the 
current year of the date of the effectivity of this Act to conform with its mandate. 
SECTION 2. CONTINUING APPROPRIATION. - The Department of 
Budget and Management (DBM) is hereby mandated to include annually in the 
next three (3) years, in the President's Program of expenditures for submission 
to Congress, and release, an additional amount of Twenty billion pesos 
(₱20,000,000,000.00) for the implementation of this Act. 
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SECTION 3. PERIODIC REPORTS - The Oversight Committee shall 
submit periodic reports on its findings and make recommendations on actions 
to be taken by Congress and Senate and the appropriate department, and in 
order to carry out the objectives and mandates of this Act, an additional amount 
of Twenty billion pesos (₱20,000,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated. 
SECTION 4. AUTOMATIC REVIEW - Every three (3) years after the 
effectivity of this Act, an independent review committee composed of Subject 
Matter Experts (SMEs) to be appointed by the President shall review the policies 
and programs of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and shall hereinafter make 
recommendations, based on its findings, to the President and to both Houses of 
Congress. 
 SECTION 5. REPEALING CLAUSE. All laws, executive orders, issuances, 
rules and regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby amended, repealed 
or modified accordingly. 
 SECTION 6. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE.  If, for any reason or reasons, any 
portion or provision of this Act shall be held unconstitutional or invalid, the 
remaining provisions not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and 
effect. 
 SECTION 7. EFFECTIVITY CLAUSE. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) 
days after its publication in any newspaper of general circulation.  
 
 
Approved,