t ,\!E*m? 
*)r.F’ 
“ .  .. . 
i
_
 
>- ~- i ,r ::f:<:l?:y;,m’ 
~ 
. , ~  
FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
First Regular Session 
. . 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
-? 
~ 
,,!.:> ‘i $1 
, ’ : 
~~ 
. 
Introduced by Senator Villar 
AN ACT 
STRENGTHENING THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR AGRICULTURE, 
FORESTRY, FISHERIES AND VETERINARY MEDICINE EDUCATION, 
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8178, AND FOR 
OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted bv the Senate and the House of Revresentatives of the Philipvines in 
Conpress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Section 8 of Republic Act Number 8178, entitled 
‘An Act 
Replacing Quantitative Import Restrictions on Agricultural products, Except rice, with 
Tarifls, Craeting the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, and For Other 
Purposes” is hereby amended to read as follows: 
“Sec. 8. 
Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund. X x x 
x x x  
The Committees on Agriculture and Food, Appropriations and Finance of both 
the Senate and the House of Representatives shall conduct a period review of the use of 
the Fund. 
The Fund shall have a life of [nine (9)] FIFTEEN years, after which the 
remaining balance shall revert to the General Fund. 
FOR PURPOSES OF THE EXTENSION OF THE UTILIZATIQN PERIOD 
OF THE FUND, THE STRENGTHENING OF THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM 
FOR 
AGRICULTURE, 
FORESTRY, 
FISHERIES AND VETERINARY 
MEDICINE EDUCATION THROUGH THE ALLOTMENT OF ONE BILLION 
PESOS (PHP l,OOO,OooO,OOO.OO) SHALL BE MADE. THE FOLLOWING AREAS 
ARE LIKEWISE ACCORDED PRIORITIES: 
ASSISTANCE TQ FILIPINO 
FARMERS AND FISHERFOLKS, 
COOPERATIVES; 
AND SMALL- AND 
MEDIUM-SCALE ENTERPRISES ENGAGED IN THE AGRICULTURAL, 
PRODUCTION, 
FARMING, FISHERIES, AGRI-BUSINESS AND SIMILAR 
ACTIVITIES.” 
SECTION2. Implementing Rules and Regulations. 
The Department of 
Agriculture (DA) in consultation with all concerned stakeholders shall promulgate within 
thirty (30) days kom the effectivity of this Act the necessary implementing d e s  and 
regulations. 
SECTION3. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete 
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation, 
whichever comes earlier. 
Approved, 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
First Regular Session 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
S E N A T E  
S.B. 
Introduced by Senator Villar 
Exdanatorv Note 
Young Filipinos think that enrolling in agriculture, 
forestry, fisheries and 
veterinary medicine will not usher them to good opportunities in the future. 
In the 
profiling made by the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) covering the last seven 
years, enrolment in the said courses marked a sharp decline by 17.60 %. As compared 
to 94,900 college students studying agriculture-related education in 2000, there are 
78,201 tertiary students majoring in the said courses at present.' 
It is alarming considering that agriculture is considered a lynchpin of the 
Philippine economy. Agriculture accounts for about 20 percent of the country's total 
gross domestic product (GDP). The last decade showed that agriculture contributed an 
average of 42 % of the total employment or about 11.3 million jobs annually? 
Against these backdrop, this legislation is submitted. 
It seeks to strengthen, 
expand and encourage scholarships in agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary 
medicine. This education sector must be supported for the continuous development of 
our people. 
And it should be sourced fiom the Agricultural Competitiveness 
Enhancement Fund (ACEF). 
For the purpose, 
the extension of the utilization period of the ACEF is 
recommended but other than assistance to farming, 
fisheries and creating more 
opportunities to agriculture, scholarships for agriculture-related courses must be made. 
Thus, the availability of the ACEF will thus provide farmers, fisherfolks, agricultural 
workers and families who are opting to provide agricultural education to their children, 
of a vast source of funds for their competitive enhancement activities. 
Early cognizance of this bill is honestly sought. 
Statistics of the Commission on Higher Education, 2007, as published in their wehsite 
I 
* Experts Review of the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA), Center for Research and 
Communications, May 2007