Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No.__ 3977

Introduced by Representative Wilton “Tonton” T. Kho

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING THE CONVERGENCE STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE
RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND PROVIDING THE IMPLEMENTING MECHANISMS
THEREFOR

EXPLANATORY NOTE

It is a common knowledge that rural development is one of the most powerful strategies in
reducing poverty and effecting inclusive growth.

The sad reality, however, is that rural development in the Philippines is lagging far behind.
Per available data from the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), the portion of the
poor in rural areas including farmers and fisherfolk has reached twenty-five-point seven percent
(25.7%). In fact, according to PIDS, as of 2021, around two million seven hundred thousand
(2,700,000) farmers and fisherfolk or thirty percent (30%) of their population live below the
national poverty line.

Notably, our government has exerted efforts in addressing the rural development problem
in the country. However, the agencies concerned have been acting mostly within the confines of
their offices and within the area of their expertise. According to a study by the Asian Development
Bank (ADB), the Philippine rural development sector is shaped by a functional and organizational
fragmentation and overlap. There is little coordination among and between agencies, which results
in bureaucratic chaos, limited progress and haphazard outcomes.

To address the lack of confluence among the concerned agencies, in 1999, the government
launched the “National Convergency Initiative” as a mechanism to achieve institutional
coordination in rural development. This effort was reaffirmed in the 2011-2016 PIDS Philippine
Development Plan. However, this effort had limited success. Despite the initiative, structural,
operational and political issues have remained, which naturally affected coordination and cohesion
among and between the concerned agencies.

Thus, this bill seeks to provide a legislative mandate in developing and operationalizing a
‘common framework for equitable, inclusive, and sustainable development though the convergence
of the resources of the principal departments of the National Government concerned with rural
development.

Parenthetically, this initiative seeks to institutionalize the convergence strategy for
sustainable rural development as well as provide the implementing mechanism necessary for its
success.

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



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

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No397 7

Introduced by Representative Wilton “Tonton” T. Kho

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING THE CONVERGENCE STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE
RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND PROVIDING THE IMPLEMENTING
MECHANISMS THEREFOR

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

CHAPTERI

General Provisions and Policies

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "National Convergence
Strategy for Sustainable Rural Development Act.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policies. - It is the policy of the State to promote agricultural
development as a means to ensure food security and alleviate poverty. To this end, the State
shall develop and operationalize a common framework for equitable, inclusive, and sustainable
rural development through the convergence of the resources of the principal departments of the
National Government concerned with rural development, namely, the Department of
Agriculture (DA), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of Environment and
Natural Resources (DENR), and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

This policy framework shall be implemented through a national convergence strategy.


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SEC. 3. Guiding Principles. - The implementation of the National Convergence

Strategy for Sustainable Rural Development (NCS-SRD) is guided by the following principles:

a) The National Convergence Strategy is an institutionalized complementation strategy
among the DA, DAR, DENR, and the DILG. The four (4) rural development
departments shall work with other national line agencies and government-owned and
controlled corporations to promote a holistic strategy with a focus on the ridge-to-reef
approach, a holistic and integrated approach that considers all the environments from
the top of the mountain down to the shoreline and the corals reefs fronting it;

b) The complementation of resources and expertise of the DA, DAR, DENR, and DILG,
and local government units (LGUs) shall be the primordial consideration in the
implementation of the National Convergence Strategy;

©

‘The primacy of the LGUs as the integrating and converging force for sustainable rural
development at the local level shall be emphasized. The NCS-SRD shall aim to
strengthen the LGUs into becoming sustainable economies;

d) The National Convergence Strategy shall have a defined constituency. Intervention
following the ridge-to-reef strategy shall focus on smallholder farmers, both agrarian
reform beneficiaries (ARBs), and non-ARBs, fisherfolk, upland dwellers, and
Indigenous Peoples (IPs);

) The participatory approach shall be adopted in all phases of development: planning and
budgeting, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, reporting and knowledge
sharing; and

f) The National Convergence Strategy shall include relevant measures for an enabling

environment to encourage investment by the private sector, cooperatives, and other

national government organizations (NGOs).


a SEC. 4. Scope. - This Act shall apply to all rural development areas primarily inhabited
2 by targeted beneficiaries, namely, the smallholder farmers, both ARBs and non-ARBs,

3 fisherfolk, upland dwellers, and IPs.

4 SEC. 5. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act:

5 a) Agrarian reform beneficiaries refer to farmers who were granted lands under

6 Presidential Decree No. 27, entitled “Decreeing The Emancipation of Tenants From

7 The Bondage Of The Soil, Transferring To Them The Ownership Of The Land They

8 Till And Providing The Instruments And Mechanism Therefor” and Republic Act

9 (RA) No. 9700, entitled “An Act Strengthening The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform
10 Program (CARP), Extending The Acquisition And Distribution Of All Agricultural
11 Lands, Instituting Necessary Reforms, Amending For The Purpose Certain Provisions
12 Of Republic Act No. 6657, Otherwise Known As The Comprehensive Agrarian
123 Reform Law of 1988, As Amended, And Appropriating Funds Therefor,” regular
14 farm workers who are landless, irrespective of tenurial arrangement, who benefited
1s from the redistribution of lands, regardless of crops or fruits produced, to include the
16 totality of factors and support services designed to lift the economic status of the
17 beneficiaries and all other alternative arrangements to the physical distribution of
18 lands, such as production or profit-sharing, labor, administration, and the distribution
19 of shares of stock which will allow beneficiaries to receive a just share of the fruits
20 of the lands they work.
2 b) Agribusiness refers to agriculture and fishery-based activities that put farmers,
2 processors, distributors, consumers, and other players within a system that produces,
23 processes, transports, markets, and distributes agricultural and fishery products using
24 appropriate technologies and applications.


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©) Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (AFF)-enterprise refers to a business venture,
typically micro-, small-, and medium-scale, that can be undertaken either on- or off

farm or a service that can be used to support other businesses. It operates in a defined

territory, which may be a barangay (village), municipality or group of municipali

4) Capacity development (CD) refers to the process through which individuals,
organization, and societies obtain, strengthen, and enhance competencies to set and
achieve their own development objectives over time.

Civil society organization (CSO) refers to a non-state and non-profit association that
works to improve society and human conditions. Basic types of CSOs include NGOs,

tions (POs), cooperatives, social movements, professional and business

private organi:
groups.

1) Convergence area refers to a physical area where the NCS-SRD is implemented, which
is identified based on a selection criterion, supported by a Convergence Area
Development Plan (CADP), proposed by the LGU, and approved by the NCS-SRD
Executive Board (NEB).

8) Convergence area development plan refers to a comprehensive plan that contains the
strategies, programs, activities, and projects that shall promote holistic and sustainable
management of all resources within the convergence area.

h) Convergence initiative refers to complementation of efforts and resources between and
among the DA, DAR, DENR, DILG, LGUs and relevant stakeholders to promote and
harmonize the delivery of AFF and rural development services towards sustainable
rural development.

i) Ecosystem refers to the community of living organisms interacting with each other and

with their physical environment.


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i) Fisherfolk refer to people directly or personally and physically engaged in taking and/
or culturing and processing fishery and/or aquatic resources.

kK)

Indigenous people (IP) refers to the group of people or homogenous societies identified
by self-ascription and ascription by other, who have continuously lived as organized
community on communally bounded and defined territory, and who have, under claims
of ownership since time immemorial, occupied, possessed customs, tradition and other
distinctive cultural traits, or who have, through resistance to political, social and
cultural inroads of colonization, non-indigenous religions and culture, became
historically differentiated from the majority of Filipinos.

1) Information and Communication Technology (ICT) refers to the totality of electronic
means to access, create, collect, store, process, receive, transmit, present, and
disseminate information.

m) Information, Education, Communication and Motivational (IECM) refers to
approaches to combine information, education, communication, and motivation into
products that could be transmitted over communication channels or multi- media in
order to interest or capture targeted clients.

n) Key production area refers to the priority area, which include among others Agrarian
Reform Areas, whose agro-climatic and market conditions favor the production,
processing, and marketing of specific AFF products.

0) Knowledge management (KM) refers to a range of strategies and practices used so that

pertinent data and information is gathered, processed, disseminated, shared, and

utilized to enable adoption of insights and experiences and to ensure that NCS-SRD.

Programs, activities, and projects are designed, implemented, and monitored in an

efficient and effective manner.


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P) Results-Based Monitoring and Evaluation (RBME) system refers to the management
tool that aims to keep track of the progress and end result of the project implementation
within the convergence areas.

) Ridge-to-Reef approach refers to holistic, collaborative, and integrated approach that
considers all ecosystems from upland to marine/coastal areas and the sustainable
management of its resources within the watershed.

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Rural development refers to a strategy to enable a specific group of people, poor rural
women and men, to gain for themselves and their children more of what they want and
need. It involves helping the poorest among those who seek a livelihood in the rural
areas to demand and control more of the benefits of rural development. The group
includes smallholder farmers, small fisherfolk, tenants, and the landless.

3)

Smaltholder farmers refer to marginal and sub-marginal farm households that own
and/or cultivate not more than 3.0 hectares of land.

1) Sustainable rural development (SRD) refers to improving the quality of life for the rural
poor by developing capacities that promote community participation, health and
education, food security, environmental protection, and sustainable economic growth,
thereby enabling community members to leave the cycle of poverty and achieve their
full potential for the present and future generations.

u) Watershed refers to the land area drained by a stream or fixed body of water and its

tributaries having a common outlet for surface run-off.

CHAPTER II
Physical Framework
SEC. 6. Guiding Framework. - The NCS-SRD is a government strategy to address

the fragmented delivery of rural development services. Adopting the ‘ridge-to-reef” approach
as the intervention framework in the convergence areas, the NCS-SRD strategy shall be

operationalized in the identified convergence areas, where complementation of efforts and
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concerted and coordinated interventions from NCS-SRD agencies and other relevant
stakeholders interplay to achieve optimum results.

SEC. 7. Criteria for Selection of Convergence Areas. - There shall be an established

set of mandatory and prioritization criteria that shall guide the identification and selection of a
convergence area.
A. Must Criteria

1) Completeness of ecosystem zones. The convergence areas should cut across the
various ecosystems or shall be a combination of at least two (2) ecosystems.

2) Passer of Good Financial Housekeeping. This is a proof that the LGU has good
governance performance in internal housekeeping, particularly in sound fiscal
management.

B. Prioritization Criteria

1) Presence of key production areas for increased productivity and income. The
convergence areas should have tracts of land identified for agro-forestry and
fisheries development for major production or with potential for expansion/scaling
up and/or connection to allied industries/services for backward and forward
integration.

2) Combination of areas across major poverty groups. The convergence areas shall
cover a significant number of smallholder farmers/agricultural workers including
actual and potential ARBs, fisherfolk, IPs, upland dwellers, and rural women.

3) Involvement of local government leaders of LGUs/LGU alliances. The
convergence area should have LGUs/LGU alliances whose Local Chief Executives

and Sanggunian are willing to support the Convergence Initiative.


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4) Presence of relevant stakeholders/CSOs. The convergence areas shall have active
CSOs that are willing to support the Convergence Initiative and be a conduit of
interventions in the convergence area.

5) Presence of private/business and academic/research institutions that are willing to
partner within the convergence areas should be an advantage.

6) Presence of traditional AFF ecosystems and local/indigenous knowledge systems
and traditional practices. The convergence areas should have conventional,
traditional practices in its AFF ecosystem.

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Performs as a buffer zone of a protected area. The convergence areas may be
adjacent to a protected area and serves as a buffer zone to provide an added layer of
protection to the protected area.

8)

Availability of a Local Climate Change Action Plan. The LGU in the convergence
area has an existing plan to address climate change stressors and there may be an
organization present that lead in implementing strategies to reduce vulnerability to
climate change impacts.

CHAPTER IIL
NCS-SRD COMPONENT WORKING GROUPS (CWGs)

SEC. 8. Components of the NCS-SRD. - The components of the functions of the four
(4) CWGs are as follows:

a) Policy and Advocacy (PA). This CWG shall be responsible for the review and audit of
conflicting and overlapping policies that hamper the implementation of PAs of the
NCS-SRD agencies across all ecosystems. It shall recommend and draft relevant policy
instruments that shall harmonize or improve existing policies. It shall also identify
issues that require legislation and coordinate with the appropriate offices, agencies, and

stakeholder groups involved in advocating for the respective legislation.


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b) Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Enterprise Cluster and Business Development
(AFFECBD). This CWG shall be responsible for the development, implementation,
monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of AFF enterprise clusters and businesses within the
convergence areas, which shall cover all ecosystems.

©) Capacity Development. This CWG shall be responsible for the development,
implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of the NCS-SRD national capacity
development plan. It shall organize and manage all NCS-SRD leaming and
development activities, including regular orientation and assessment activities.

d) Knowledge Management. This CWG shall be responsible for the development and
management of an information system for the NCS-SRD. The three (3) areas of concern
are the ICT, RBME, and IECM materials.

CHAPTER IV
Implementing Structure and Mechanism
Article One
National Policy Administration

SEC. 9. NCS-SRD Executive Board . - The NEB, hereinafter referred to as the Board, shall

act as the policy-making body of the NCS-SRD. The Board shall be composed of the following
or their duly designated permanent alternates with a rank of an Undersecretary, whose acts
shall be considered as the acts of their principals.
a) Lead Convenor: DA Secretary
b) Co-Convenors : DAR Secretary
DENR Secretary
DILG Secretary
©) Advisory Body: National Focal Person (NFP) (Assistant Secretary)

Deputy National Focal Person (DNFP) (Director)


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The Department Secretaries may appoint their respective permanent alternate
representatives whose rank shall not be lower than Undersecretary.
SEC 10. Powers and Functions. - The Board shall exercise the following powers and
functions:
a) Provide overall policydirections for the implementation of programs/activities/projects
(PAPs) under the NCS-SRD;
b) Review the fulfillment of commitments of the respective agencies relative to the
implementation of the NCS-SRD;

©)

Appoint or designate the NFP with a rank of Assistant Secretary, a DNFP with a rank
of Director IV as the permanent alternate representative of the NFP, and a Head
National Secretariat with a rank of a Division Chief. The NFP, DNFP, and Head
National Secretariat shall come from the DA as the lead agency, for efficiency
Purposes;

d

Approve the implementation and coordination structure of the NCS-SRD, including the
membership to the NCS-SRD Technical Working Group (NTWG) and the four (4)
CWGs through the issuance of a Special Order; and

©)

Approve/ratify policy instruments and PAPs pertaining to the operation of the NCS-
SRD; and allocate and approve resources to carry out the PAPs of the NCS-SRD,
including third party impact assessment of the convergence areas.

SEC. 11. Meetings of the Board. - The Board shall meet on a quarterly basis and may
hold special meetings as deemed necessary. The meetings may be held in rotation amongst the
four (4) departments of the convenors. In the absence of the Lead Convenor or Co-Convenor
of the host department, the principal members present may decide or choose among themselves

who shall chair the meeting.

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‘SEC. 12. National Focal Person and Deputy National Focal Person. - The NFP shall
have a rank of Assistant Secretary and the DNFP as the designated permanent alternate
representative of the NFP, shall have a rank of Director IV. The NFP shall directly supervise
the National Secretariat which shall have a Head and Deputy Head Secretariat. The NFP shall
convene the members of the NTWG to discuss the status of the NCS-SRD PAPs before the
conduct of Board meetings.

SEC. 13. NCS-SRD National Technical Working Group. - The NCS-SRD NTWG
shall serve as the advisory and recommendatory body to the Board on matters related to the
implementation of the NCS-SRD. It shall be composed of the following or their designated
permanent alternate representative/s:

Chairperson : NFP or DNFP
Core Members: Chairperson, PA CWG
Chairperson, AFFECBD CWG

Chairperson, CD CWG

Chairperson, KM CWG
Secretariat: National Secretariat

SEC. 14. Component Working Groups. - The planning, budgeting, implementation,
and monitoring and evaluation of the NCS-SRD shall be done through the CWGs. These four
(4) CWGs are: PA; AFFECBD, CD, and KM. They shall serve as the horizontal or cross-
cutting components on issues related to all ecosystems using the ridge-to-reef approach.

Each CWG shall have a Chairperson who shall serve on a rotation basis among the DA-
DAR-DENR-DILG for a term of three (3) years.

SEC. 15. NCS-SRD National Secretariat Office. - The NCS-SRD Secretariat shall be
created at the national level, which shall be composed of seven (7) plantilla positions for its
technical and administrative functions. It shall serve as the main coordinating body of the NCS-

‘SRD. It shall likewise provide technical and administrative support to the NEB and the NTWG.

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It shall be lodged at the DA as the Lead Convenor of the NCS-SRD and shall be headed bya

Head Secretariat, followed by the Deputy Head Secretariat, Managers for each of the four (4)

CWGs and an administrative officer.

SEC. 16. Functions of the NCS-SRD National Secretariat. - The NCS-SRD National

Secretariat shall have the following functions:

a)

b)

°)

d)

©)

8)

h)

Coordinate and facilitate the conduct of the NEB and NTWG meetings, workshops,
writeshops, seminars, fora, and consultations;

Document, prepare, and disseminate minutes/proceedings/reports of the NEB,
NTWG meetings and activities;

Coordinate and facilitate the appropriate actions taken on agreements reached
during the NEB and NTWG meetings and activities;

Submit monitoring/progress reports to the NEB, NTWG and other oversight bodies;
Provide administrative support to the NEB and NTWG;

Coordinate and facilitate activities conducted by the four (4) CWGs to ensure the

timeliness of the activities;

Coordinate with the Regional Convergence Strategy (RCS) TWG and its Secretariat
on the status of PAPs in relation to the NCS-SRD;

Prepare and consolidate operational budget of the NEB, NTWG, CWGs, and the
NCS-SRD National Secretariat; and

Perform other functions as the NEB and NTWG may direct.

Article Two
Sub-National Level Administration

SEC. 17. Regional Convergence Strategy -Technical Working Group. - Parallel to

the NCS-SRD TWG, the RCS-TWG shall manage and supervise the programs, projects, and

other related activities at the regional level. It shall act as the regional, provincial, and

municipal/city arm of the NTWG and shall mirror the aims of NCS-SRD in the grassroots.
ity

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SEC. 18. Duties and Responsibilities. - The duties and responsibilities of the RCS

TWG are as follows:

a)

b)

°)

d

°)

8)
h)

Provide technical assistance in the development of the CADPs proposed by the LGUs;
Conduct technical review and validation of the CADPs proposed by the LGUs and
endorse CADPs to the NTWG;

Supervise the implementation of the PAPs under the approved CADP and the NCS-
SRD, as may be applicable;

Monitor and evaluate the progress and result of implementation of the CADP and other
PAPs of the NCS-SRD within the region;

Facilitate the resolution of issues and concerns relating to the NCS-SRD operations in
the region;

Elevate issues on conflicting and overlapping policies relating to the NCS-SRD to the
NTWG;

Prepare project proposals to support proposed funding of NCS-SRD-telated PAPs; and
Allocate and approve resources to fund for the NCS-SRD PAPs.

SEC. 19. Composition of the RCS-TWG.- The RCS-TWG shall be composed of the

following:

Chairperson: Regional Executive Director, DA Regional Field Office (RFO)
Core Members: Regional Director, DAR

Regional Executive Director, DENR

Regional Director, DILG Designated Regional Focal Person

The DA RFO Regional Executive Director shall designate the Regional Focal Person,

who shall also come from the DA RFO. The membership of the RCS TWG shall be expanded

to include graduates of the NCS-SRD Masters in Public Management Major in Rural

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1 Development Scholarship Program and representatives from the provincial LGUs and other

2 relevant stakeholders, as deemed necessary.

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SEC. 20. RCS-TWG Secretariat. - The RCS TWG Secretariat shall act as the regional

4 arm of the National Secretariat. It shall have the following functions:

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a) Coordinate and facilitate the conduct of the RCS TWG meetings, workshops,
writeshops, seminars, fora and consultations;

b) Document, prepare, and disseminate the highlights of the minutes/proceedings/reports
of the RCS TWG meetings and activities;

©) Coordinate and facilitate the implementation of appropriate actions taken on
agreements reached during the RCS TWG meetings and activities;

4) Directly liaise with the National Secretariat on the status of PAPs in relation to the
NCS-SRD;

°)

Submit and report accomplishment, monitoring/progress reports of the convergence
areas and NCS-SRD-related PAPs to the National Secretariat;

) Prepare annual workplan and budget of the RCS TWG;

2) Provide administrative support to the RCS TWG;

bh)

Attend and participate in the NCS-SRD activities at the national, regional, and local
levels; and
i) Perform other functions as the RCS TWG may direct.

The RCS TWG Secretariat shall be composed of the following or their designated

permanent alternate representative/s:
Head Secretariat: Designated Regional Focal Person

Core Members :

DA, Field Operations Division (FOD)/

Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Division/

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Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Information Section/
Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division
DAR, Regional Program Beneficiaries Development Division/
FOD/
Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Development Sustainability and Program
Division
DENR, Office of the Assistant Regional Director for Technical Services/
Planning and Management Division
DILG, Local Capacity Development Division/
Local Government Monitoring and Evaluation Division/
Municipal/City Local Government Operations Office (M/CLGOO)
SEC. 21. Provincial Convergence Strategy Technical Working Group (PCS- TWG).
~ The PCS TWG shall be created when a convergence area covering at least two (2)
municipalities within one (1) province is proposed by the provincial local government units. It
shall have the following functions:
a) Propose and/or endorse convergence area/s to the RCS TWG based on the selection
criteria stipulated in Section 7;

b) Develop, formulate, write, package, and finalize the CADP of the approved
convergence area/s, in collaboration with the Municipal Convergence Strategy/City
Convergence Strategy (MCS/CCS) TWG and RCS TWG;

¢) Implement PAPs under the approved CADP and the NCS-SRD within the province, in
collaboration with the RCS TWG;

4) Monitor and evaluate the progress and result of implementation of the CADPs and
other PAPs of the NCS-SRD within the province; and

©) Update the CADP from time to time, as may be necessary.

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1 The PCS TWG shall be composed of the following or their designated permanent
2 alternate representative/s:
3 Chairperson: Provincial Governor

4 Core Members : DA, Agriculture Provincial Coordinating Officer (APCO)

5 DAR, Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer (PARPO)
6 DENR, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer
7 DILG, Provincial Director
8 LGU, Provincial Agriculturist
9 LGU, Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator
10 LGU, Provincial Environment Management Officer
uu LGU, Municipal Agriculture Officer (MAO)
2 The Provincial Governor shall designate a Secretariat of the PCS TWG. In case there

13 _ isan existing LGU alliance in the area, the head of the LGU alliance shall be a member of the
14 PCS TWG. The Provincial Governor shall also designate other members of the PCS TWG from
15 other relevant government agencies as well as NGOs, CSOs, and private sector, as may be
16 necessary.

7 SEC. 22. Municipal/City Convergence Strategy Technical Working Group. ~ The
18 MCS/CCS TWG shall be created when a convergence area within a municipality/city is

19 proposed by the M/CLGU. It shall have the following functions:

20 a) Propose and/or endorse convergence area/s to the RCS TWG based on the selection
21 criteria stipulated in Section 7;

2 b) Develop the CADP of the approved convergence area/s, in collaboration with the RCS
23 TWG;

24 ©) Implement PAPs under the approved CADP and the NCS-SRD within the

25 municipality/city, in collaboration with the RCS TWG;

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1 d) Monitor, evaluate the progress and result of implementation of the CADPs and other
2 PAPs of the NCS-SRD within the municipality/city; and

3 e) Update the CADP from time to time as may be necessary.

4 The MCS/CCS TWG shall be composed of the following or their designated permanent
5 alternate representative/s:

6 Chairperson: Municipal/City Mayor

7 Core Members : DA, Designated DA RFO representative/APCO

8 DAR, Designated PARPO/Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer
9 representative

10 DENR, Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer

1 DILG, Municipal DILG Officer/M/CLGOO

2 LGU, Municipal Agriculturis MAO

13 LGU, Municipal/City Planning and Development Coordinator

4 LGU, Municipal/City Environment and Natural Resources Officer

15 . as may be applicable

16 LGU, Provincial Agriculturist

v7 ‘The Municipal/City Mayor shall designate a Secretariat of the MCS/CCS TWG. They

18 shall also designate other members of the MCS/CCS TWG from other relevant government

19 agencies as well as NGOs, CSOs, and private sector, as may be necessary.

20 Article Three
21 Monitoring and Evaluation
22 SEC. 23. Monitoring and Evaluation. - A RBME system, based on indicators of

23 performance aligned with the Philippine Development Plan Results Matrix shall be
24 implemented. The monitoring and evaluation report must identify and describe the gaps and

25 _ issues experienced during the implementation of the NCS, the learnings on convergence as an

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approach to sustainable rural development, and the proposed policy recommendations. This
shall be reported to the DA as the lead department,
CHAPTER V
Final Provisions

SEC. 24. Convening of NCS-SRD National Secretariat Office. - Within sixty (60)
days from the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall convene the NCS-SRD
National Secretariat Office. The current head of the NCS-SRD National Secretariat shall sit
temporarily as Officer-in-Charge of the NCS-SRD National Secretariat Office until such time
that a Head Secretariat is appointed.

SEC. 25. Structure and Staffing Pattern. - Within sixty (60) days from the effectivity
of this Act, the NCS Executive Board shall formulate and submit the NCS-SRD National
Secretariat Office's proposed organizational structure and staffing pattern for final approval to
the Department of Budget and Management .

The DA shall assist in the preparation of the Organizational Structure and Staffing
Pattern to ensure that the NCS-SRD National Secretariat may effectively carry out its mandated
functions under this Act.

SEC. 26. Appropriations. - The funds necessary to carry out the implementation of the
NCS-SRD shall be taken from the available funds of the rural development departments under
the current General Appropriations Act. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the full
operation of the NCS-SRD National Secretariat Office and the staggered implementation of
NCS plans and programs shall be included in the respective annual budget of the rural
development departments in the annual General Appropriations Act.

Other sources of funds such as grants, donations, and other forms of assistance from
donor agencies and other public or private entities may be tapped and facilitated by the NCS-

SRD Executive Board to support the program, subject to the regular auditing guidelines and

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procedures. Cost-sharing or counter parting schemes among national government and LGUs
are also encouraged to support the implementation of the NCS-SRD.

SEC. 27. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days from the
effectivity of this Act, the DA shall, in coordination with the DAR, DENR, and the DILG,
promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the proper implementation of this Act.

SEC. 28. Non-Impairment Clause. - Nothing in this Act shall be construed to diminish,
impair, or repeal rights recognized, granted, or available to marginalized or basic sectors under
existing laws including RA 6657, as amended, otherwise known as the “Comprehensive
Agrarian Reform Law of 1988,” RA 8371, otherwise known as "The Indigenous Peoples Rights
Act of 1997," and RA 8550, as amended, otherwise known as “The Philippine Fisheries Code
of 1998."

SEC. 29. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act shall be declared
unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain in full force
and effect.

SEC. 30. Repealing Clause. — All laws, rules, regulations, executive orders,
presidential decrees and other issuances inconsistent with any of the provisions of this Act are
hereby deemed repealed or amended accordingly.

SEC. 31. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,

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