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THIRTEENTH CON~RESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
First Regular Session 
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PHILIPPINES 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Reliable and accessible information on the weather is essential for agricultural producers. 
It is an important factor in crop planning and management. The type of crop to be planted is 
mainly dependent on existing weather and climactic conditions. Certain types of crops are 
suitable only for the wet season and will not thrive during the dry season. 
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Accurate weather information is also significant in minimizing the losses caused by 
extreme changes in the weather condition. These weather disturbances usually occur 
unexpectedly. Every ‘year, agricultural crops worth millions of pesos are lost/damaged by such 
unforeseen weather ksturbances. These losses are caused by the lack or inadequacy of weather 
information that will enable agricultural producers to take the necessary precaution against 
natural calamities. 
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This bill seiks the establishment of an Agricultural Weather Office which shall be 
responsible for the collection and distribution of weather information that will address the needs 
of agricultural producers. 
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THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
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OF THE; PHLPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
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S E N A T E  
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BY : 
S. B. NO. 
The 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
Secretsuy of Agriculture shall establish within the Department of Agriculture 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN AGRICULTURE WEATHER OFFICE 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
Information System. 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known tit$ the "National Agriculture Weather 
T.he System shall be comprised of the Office established under this section 
Information Act." 
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SECTION 2. Definition of Terms. - Whenever used in this Act, the term - 
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(1) Secktary - means the Secretary of the Department of Agnculture; 
(2) Dirkctor -means the Director of the Agriculture Weather Office; and 
(3) Office - means the Agricultural Weather Office 
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SECTION 4. Authority. - The Secretary, acting through the Office, may undertake the 
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following activities to :any out the provisions of this Act: 
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(1) Ente! into cooperative projects with the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, 
and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) and other related government agencies 
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in the generation of 
da) support operational weather forecasting and observation useful in 
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we,ather and climatic data usefbl for site-specific agricultural forecasting. 
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agriculture; 
(b) sponsor joint workshops to train agriculturalists about the optimum 
utilization of agricultural weather and climate data; 
(c) jointly develop improved computer models and computing capacity; 
and 


Agricultural Weather 
consulting sector. 
(3) Methods of distribution - Weather and climate information collected under this 
section shall be distributed to agricultural producers through the use of - 
(A) weekly publications containing weather forecasts and other information 
regarding anticipated temperatures and precipitation levels; 
(B) toll-free and local telephone numbers that agricultural producers can call to 
obtain immediate information to assist with specific day-to-day production activities; and 
(C) such other methods as the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of 
Science and T~chnology consider to be appropriate to distribute such weather and climate 
information to agricultural producers in a timely manner. 
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Office and other related agencies, regional agricultural weather 
(4) Report - Not later than one (1) year after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Science and Technology shall jointly submit a 
report to Congress analyzing the effectiveness of the cooperative project required by subsection 
(1) of this Section, in providing relevant weather and climate information to agricultural 
improved farm profita6ility for participating prokucers. 


SECTION 6. Competitive Grants Program. - 
(1) Grkts Authorized.With funds allocated to carry out this Act, the Secretary 
may make grants to, State agricultural experiment stations, public/private colleges and 
universities other reseych institutions and organizations, private organizations and corporations, 
and individuals to car& out research in all aspects of atmosphere sciences and climatology that 
can be shown to be important in a basic and developmental way to understanding, forecasting 
and delivering agricultural weather information. 
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(2) Competitive basis. Grants made under this section shall be made on a 
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competitive basis. 
(3) Pribrity. In selecting among applications for grants under subsection (1) of 
[a) techniques and processes that relate to weather-induced agricultural 
losses, and to improying the advisory information on weather extremes such as drought, floods, 
and storms well in advance of their actual occurrence; 
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this section, the Secredaq shall give priority to proposals Which emphasize - 
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(b) the improvement of site-specific weather data collection and 
forecasting; or 
(c) the impact of weather on economic and environmental costs in 
agricultural production. 
SECTION 7. Nntionnl Advisory Board on Agricultural Weather. - 
(1) Establishment required. The Secretary of Agriculture shall establish an 
Advisory Board on Agricultural Weather (herein after referred to iq this section as the “Board”) 
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to advise the Director of the Agricultural Weather Office with respect to carrying out the 
provisions of this Act. 
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(2) Composition. The Board shall be composed of nine (9) members, to be 
appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture in consultation with the Secretary of Science and 
Technology. Four (4) m embers shall come from the private sector, two (2) of whom shall be 
agricultural producers, and the other two (2), agricultural or atmospheric scientists. 
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(3) Cdairperson. The Board shall elect a chairperson froni among its members, 
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(4) Term. E ach B oard member shall b e appointed for a three-year term, except 
that to ensure that members of the Board serve staggered terms, the Secretary shall appoint three 
(3) of the original members of the Board for a terfn of one (i) year and another three (3) of the 
original members for a term of two (2) years. 
(5) Meetings. The Board shall meet not less than twice annually. 
(6) Compensation. Members of the Board shall serve without compensation, but 
while away from their homes or regular places of business in the performance of services for the 
Board, members of the Board shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem allowance in 
lieu of subsistence, in the same manner as individuals employed in Government service are 
allowed travel expenses. 
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out this Act, the 
twelve (12) regions 
Secretary shall make grants to eligible provinces, each region (refers to the 
of the Philippines and the autonomous regions created by law) to be 


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valid and subsisting. 
(i) collect observational weather data throughout the region and provide 
such data to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration 
and the Agricultural Weather Office; 
(ii) 
develop methods for packaging information received from the 
national system for use by agricultural producers with the PAGASA and the private sector to 
serve as the primary conduit of agricultural weather forecasts and climatic information to 
producers; and 
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(iii) develop programs to educate agricultural producers on how to best 
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use weather and climate information to improve crop planning and management decision; and 
(b) suck other assurances and information as the Secretary may require by rule. 
SECTION 9. Appropriation. - The amount of Twelve Thousand Pesos (P12, 000.00) is 
hereby appropriated to carry out the provisions of this Act. Subsequent appropriations for the 
implementation of this, Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or aniended accordingly. 
SECTION 12.,Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days afier its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved. 
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