SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session
House Bil No. 9075 .

Introduced by Representative NICANOR M. BRIONES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Section 5Article XIII of the 1987 Philippine Constitution states, among
others, that the State shall provide support to agriculture through appropriate
technology and research, and adequate financial, production, marketing and
other support services. Thus, the role of the government to further extend the
Funds supporting post-harvest facilities of the farmers is an essential
assistance to them.

Republic Act NO. 8178 creating the Agricultural Competitiveness
Enhancement Fund (ACEF) and the tariffication of agricultural products was
enacted on 1996. This was amended by Republic Act No. 9496 that extended
the ACEF up to 2015.

The extension of ACEF is about to end this coming 2015. Hence, this bill
seeks to further extend it up to 2025.

This bill further seeks to remove irrigation and farm-to-market roads
among the projects in which the funds will be spent out. Only post-harvest
facilities, equipment and mechanism will be supported by ACEF once
earmarked.

Further, this measure aims to genuinely support the farmers by
removing the credit as one of the means of supporting them. This
representation believes that if the government truly desire to uplift the lives of
our farmers, credit must be replaced by grant. This means that once qualified,
a farmer could avail of the grant for the post-harvest facilities and equipment.

Approval of this bill is earnestly sought.



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Republic of te Philippines
House of Representatines
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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session
House Bil No. 9075

Introduced by Representative Nicanor M. Briones

AN ACT FURTHER EXTENDING THE UTILIZATION PERIOD OF THE
AGRICULTURAL COMPETITIVENESS ENHANCEMENT FUND, AMENDING
REPUBLICT ACT NO. 8178, ENTITLED “AN ACT REPLACING
QUANTITATIVE IMPORT RESTRICTIONS ON AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS,
EXCEPT RICE, WITH TARIFFS, CREATING THE AGRICULTURAL
COMPETITIVENESS ENHANCEMENT FUND, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES”

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

SECTION 1. Section 8 of Republic Act No. 8187, entitled “An Act
Replacing Quantitative Import Restrictions on Agricultural Products, Except
Rice, With Tariffs, Creating the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement
Fund, and for other Purposes” is hereby amended, to read as follows:

“SEC, 8. Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund. - To
implement the policy enunciated in this Act, there is hereby
created the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund,
hereinafter referred to as the Fund. This Fund shall consist of all
duties collected from the importation of agricultural products
under the minimum access volume (MAV) mechanism, including
unused balances and collections from repayments from loan
beneficiaries including interest, if any, The Fund shall be
automatically credited to Special Account 183 in the General Fund
of the National Treasury: Provided, That fund releases shall not be
subject to any ceiling by the Department of Budget and
Management (DBM).

The Fund shall continue to be set aside up to the year
20[1]25, after which the collection of duties from the MAV
mechanism and the setting aside of the amount collected for the
purpose shall terminate. However, any remaining balance(s) at the
date of expiration of the Fund shall not revert to the General Fund
but shall continue to be used for the purpose for which it was
collected and set aside.


‘The Fund shall be set aside and earmarked by Congress: (a)
for the protection of farmers against unfair trade practices such as
smuggling, dumping of agricultural products or other similar acts
of unfair trade practices; and (b) for the increased productivity of
farmers by providing the necessary support services such as, [but
not limited to, irrigation, farm-to-market roads], post-harvest
equipment and facilities, [credit], research and development, other
marketing structure, provision of market information, retraining,
extension services, micro, small and medium scale enterprises
(MSMSE) in agriculture, fisheries and related courses; agriculture
and fishery cooperatives, corporations and other entrepreneurs
engaged in economic enterprises related to agriculture and
fisheries and assistance and support to agricultural activities
including, but not limited to, the reduction of input cost, quality
improvement, supply chain efficiency and other infrastructure
including access as well as an established transportation
mechanism towards speedy delivery products: Provided, That: x xx”

Sec. 2. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The Department of

Agriculture shall promulgate such rules and regulations as are necessary

to implement the provisions of this Act.

Sec. 3. Repealing Clause. Any provisions of law, presidential

decree, executive orders, rules and regulations contrary to the provisions

of this Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Sec. 4. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from

its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspaper of

general circulation.

Approved.