Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO.  1323
Introduced by Representative MARLYN L. PRIMICIAS-AGABAS 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill which seeks to require the payment of insurance by Philippine Crop 
Insurance Corporation between the range of Eighty Percent (80%) to a Hundred Percent 
(100%) of the actual value of the projected harvest of farmers has already been approved by 
the House of Representatives on its 3rd and final reading in the 17th,18th and 19th Congress. 
It is, however, essential to file this bill to protect the interest of farmers against losses brought 
about by natural calamities, crop infestations, and crop diseases. 
Section 5, Article XIII of the 1987Constitution mandates the State to provide support 
to agriculture through appropriate technology and research, and adequate financial, 
production, marketing, and other support services. To this end, the State recognizes its 
responsibility of protecting farmers' interests against natural calamities, crop infestations and 
other crop diseases, hence, the passage of the Revised Charter of the Philippine Crop 
Insurance Commission (PCIC) under Republic Act 8175 amending Presidential Decree No. 
1467 which created the Philippine Crop Insurance Commission on June 11, 1978. 
Agriculture is the backbone of the Philippine economy, contributing significantly to 
employment, food security, and poverty reduction. However, Filipino farmers are among the 
most vulnerable sectors, continually facing risks such as natural calamities, pest outbreaks, 
and market fluctuations that jeopardize their livelihood. The Philippines is a tropical country. 
On average, as further worsened by climate change, our country suffers the force of 20 
typhoons each year. In every typhoon, our farmers suffer most as their return on the 
investment is equated least. Lending institutions most often prey on the vulnerability of our 
farmers for lack of funds. Hence, the insurance benefit accorded by the PCIC to our farmers. 
However, the payment coverage on damaged crops under the PCIC is even more 
unforgiving. Its stringent mode of payment is as intolerant as typhoons themselves. There is 
a need to provide a better payment scheme so as to give justice to the plight of farmers whose 
crops are often devastated by natural calamities, pests and other diseases. 
July 7, 2025
8:05 am


This bill aims to ensure that crop insurance remains a vital safety net for Filipino 
farmers, empowering them to continue farming with confidence and reducing their 
vulnerability to adverse events. Additionally, the proposed changes will increase the overall 
efficiency, sustainability, and accessibility of the insurance services provided by the PCIC. 
Approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
MARLYN L. PRIMICIAS-AGABAS


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO.  1323 
Introduced by Representative MARLYN L. PRIMICIAS-AGABAS 
AN ACT STRENGTHENING THE PHILIPPINE CROP INSURANCE 
CORPORATION (PCIC), REPEALING FOR THE PURPOSE 
PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1467, ENTITLED “CREATING THE 
‘PHILIPPINE CROP INSURANCE CORPORATION’ PRESCRIBING ITS 
POWERS AND ACTIVITIES, PROVIDING FOR ITS CAPITALIZATION 
AND FOR THE REQUIRED GOVERNMENT PREMIUM SUBSIDY, AND 
FOR OTHER PURPOSES,” AS AMENDED BY PRESIDENTIAL DECREE 
NO. 1733 AND REPUBLIC ACT NO. 817 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Revised Charter of the 
Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation”. 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State: 
(a) To ensure food security, intensify food production, promote
agricultural credit, and broaden the coverage of mandatory crop insurance
amidst the recurrence of disasters and calamities, natural or otherwise, such
as floods, typhoons, heavy rains, and drought that destroy crops, especially
palay and other grains and crops necessary for food security.
(b) To alleviate the financial burden of the farmers due to uncompensated
losses arising from destruction of crops wrought by disaster and calamities,
keep farmers away from indebtedness, enhance farmers’ credit standing,
and provide farmers additional government support to increase agricultural
production.
(c) To assist banks and financial institutions by enhancing their
capabilities to extend loans to farmers; and
(d)
To strengthen the organizational capability and to expand the
coverage of the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation jPCIC), a


government-owned corporation established pursuant to Presidential Decree 
No. 1467 to provide insurance protection to farmers against losses arising 
from natural calamities, fortuitous events, plant and fish diseases, and pest 
infestations. 
Sec. 3. Expanded Purposes and Coverage of the PCIC. - The PC1C, hereinafter 
referred to as the Corporation, shall insure qualified farmers and fisherfolks against 
losses arising from natural calamities, fortuitous events, plant and fish diseases, 
and pest infestations. It shall provide insurance coverage for palay and com crops, 
high-value commercial crops, livestock, aquaculture and fishery product, 
agroforestry crops, and forest plantations; non-crop agricultural assets such as 
machinery, equipment, transport facilities and other related infrastructure; and life 
and accident term insurance coverage for farmers and fisherfolk. Such crop 
insurance shall cover, in every case, the cost of production inputs, the value of the 
farmer’s or fisherfolk’s own labor and members of the household including the 
value of the labor of hired workers and apportion of the projected value of the 
crops. Such insurance protection, however, shall exclude losses arising from 
avoidable risk emanating from or due to the negligence, malfeasance or fraud 
committed by the insured or any member of the immediate farm household or 
employee, or the failure of the insured to follow proven farm practices. 
The corporation shall also insure properties and facilities which are owned 
or used by government agencies involved in Agrifishery-forestry projects or 
activities and government -financed Agri-fishery-forestry project. It shall also 
provide reinsurance coverage to Agri-fishery-forestry properties and facilities 
underwritten by private and government insurance companies, and weather index-
based insurance (WIBI)and reinsurance for palay and com crops, high-value 
commercial crops, livestock, aquaculture and fishery products, agroforestry crops, 
and forest plantation. 
Sec. 4. Powers. - The Corporation shall continue to exercise the following powers 
and functions: 
(a) To prescribe, repeal, and alter its own bylaws; 
(b) To adopt and use a corporate seal; 
(c) To sue and to be sued; 
(d) To have continuous succession until dissolved by law; 
(e) To determine its operating policies and to issue such rules and 
regulations as may be necessary to implement the crop insurance scheme; 
(f) To ensure the crops of farmers and fishpond, seaweed, oyster, or 
mussel farm of fisherfolks against loss, damage and destruction caused by 
natural calamities such as typhoons, floods, drought, earthquakes, volcanic 
eruption, rodents, vermin diseases, insects, and other pests; and to carry on 
any business necessary, related to and expedient for the above purpose; 


(g) To insure in the Philippines or abroad all or any risks of the 
Corporation; 
(j») To purchase or otherwise acquire ownership and manage any and all 
parts of the business, property and liabilities of any person or company 
carrying on any business which the Corporation is authorized to carry on or 
possess; 
(i) To acquire by purchase or otherwise acquire ownership of and to invest 
in, hold, sell, or otherwise dispose of stocks or bonds or any interest in 
either, or any obligation or evidence of indebtedness of any corporation, 
domestic or foreign, or the bonds or other obligations or evidence of 
indebtedness, of any person, firm or corporation; and as owner of such 
stocks, bonds or interest therein, or other obligations or evidence of 
indebtedness, to exercise the rights, powers and privileges of ownership, 
including the right to vote thereon or consent in respect thereto for any and 
all lawful purposes; 
(j) To purchase, or otherwise acquire, sell, lease, convey, mortgage, 
encumber, and otherwise deal with any property, real or personal, or any 
interest therein; extend credit on the security of real estate or movable 
property; exercise easement right or privilege over or in respect to any 
property, real or personal, as may be permitted by law and as may be 
reasonable/necessary to carry out the purposes for which the Corporation is 
formed or as may or hereafter be permitted by law; 
(k) To establish branches whenever it may be expedient and necessary; 
and 
(1) To generate internal funds by floating bond, expanding the 
Corporation's insurance lines to include agricultural guarantee loans, and 
extending coverage to other areas of agriculture, such as livestock, 
aquaculture, fishery, agroforestry, and forest plantations, in order to 
address insurance needs of the target sector and to do and perform acts and 
things and to exercise all the general powers conferred by law upon the 
Corporation as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of the 
objectives of the Corporation. 
Sec. 5. Who Shall Be Insured. - Participation in the insurance for palay and other 
crops essential for food security, as determined by the Department of Agriculture 
(DA), shall be compulsory upon all farmers. For other crops, participation shall be 
compulsory upon all farmers obtaining production loans under the supervised credit 
program, and optional on the part of self-financed farmers provided they agree to 
place themselves under the supervision of agricultural production technicians. 
The term “supervised credit program” as used in this Act shall mean the 
production credit program wherein the farmer who obtained production loans agree 
in writing to apply proven farm practices necessary to conserve the land, improve 


its fertility and increase its production, and abide by the approve farm plan and 
budget jointly prepared by such farmer and the duly accredited supervised credit 
technician. 
The term “supervision of agricultural production technician “shall mean the 
supervision undertaken by agricultural production technicians who are duly 
accredited by the appropriate government agencies concerned, as required under 
the supervised credit system. 
Sec. 6. Rate of Premium, Sharing, and Amount of Indemnity. - The rate of premium, 
as well as the allocated sharing thereof of farmers, fisherfolks, lending institutions, 
the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (herein called the Government) 
and other parties, shall be determined by the Board of Directors of the Corporation; 
Provided, That the share of the Government in the premium cost in the form of 
premium subsidy shall be limited to subsistence farmers and fisher folks; Provided, 
however, That each of these subsistence farmers cultivating not more than seven 
(7) hectares of farmlands and each fish folk is cultivating not more than five (5) 
hectares of fishpond, seaweed, oyster, or mussel farm by themselves or with the 
help of the labor of the members of their households or hired labor, the premium 
rate and sharing to be determined by the Board of Directors: Provided, further, That 
the premium share of the subsistence farmer or fisherfolk shall be reasonably 
affordable: Provided, furthermore, That the Government shall share in the premium 
cost only in insurance coverage against unforeseen and unavoidable risk such as 
typhoons, droughts, rainfall, outbreaks of pest and diseases: Provided, finally, That 
premium subsidy or insurance benefits shall, upon the accumulation of surplus 
funds, be increase to such amount as may be determined by the Board of Directors, 
taking into consideration that the Corporation has been established not only for 
profit but mainly to help Filipino farmers and fisherfolk. 
The amount of indemnity shall be determined by the Board of Directors, 
which shall take into account the value of the potential harvest for crops at the 
ripening stage of growth; actual cost of production inputs already applied at the 
time of loss per farm plan and budget, subject to limits stipulated in the policy 
contract; pro-rated cost of the harvested crops; the salvage value; if any, and the 
percentage of yield loss. 
Sec. 7. Premium Subsidy. - (a) The required Government premium subsidy, as 
determined by the Board of Directors and approved by the President of the 
Philippines, shall be deemed appropriated from the funds of the National Treasury 
not otherwise appropriated, and shall be drawn, on a month-to-month or other 
periodic basis, depending upon the actual amount of insurance underwritten by the 
Corporation. For this purpose, the Corporation shall bill the Government the sum 
of money corresponding to the computed amount of subsidy. 
(b) Yearly projection of the premium subsidy shall be submitted by the 
Corporation to the President of the Philippines, and upon approval shall be included 
in the Government's budgetary appropriations. 


(c) Calamity funds earmarked by the Government shall include a certain 
percentage for crop insurance and shall be released to and administered by the 
Corporation. 
(d) Ten percent (10%) of the net earnings of the Philippine Charity 
Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) from its lotto operation shall be earmarked for the 
Crop Insurance Program and said amount shall be directly remitted by the PCSO 
to the Corporation every six (6) months until the amount of government 
subscription is fully paid. 
Sec. 8. Capital Stock. - (a) The authorized capital stock of the Corporation is ten 
billion pesos (PI 0,000,000,000.00) divided into seventy-five million 
(P75,000,000.00) common shares with par value of one hundred pesos (PI00.00) 
each share, which shall be fully subscribed by the Government and twenty-five 
million (P25,000,000.00) preferred shares with a par value of one hundred pesos 
(PI 00.00). 
(b) The common capital stock of one billion five hundred million pesos 
(PI, 500,000,000.00) having been fully paid to the Corporation, the balance of six 
billion pesos (P6,000,000.00) subscribed by the Government shall be appropriated 
annually by Congress unless otherwise provided by existing laws. 
(c) The preferred shares shall be entitled to a preference over common 
shares in any declaration of dividends. They shall also be given priority in the 
distribution of assets in the event of the liquidation of the Corporation. They shall 
have the following specific features: 
(1) Preferred as to dividends at a minimum of one and one- half percent 
(1.5%) or the prevailing three hundred sixty (360)-day Treasury bill rate at 
the time of declaration of dividends, whichever is higher; 
(2) Cumulative; 
(3) Nonparticipating; 
(4) Nonvoting; 
(5) Dividends thereon shall be exempt from income tax; 
(6) Redeemable at the option of the Corporation at the prevailing book 
value but in no case less than par after five (5) years from issuance thereof; 
and 
(7) Transferable. 
(d) At least five hundred million pesos (P500,000,000.00) of preferred 
shares shall be subscribed and paid for by the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP). 
The balance of the preferred shares may be available for sale or subscription by the 
general public. 
Sec. 9. Reserve Fund for Catastrophic Losses. - A state reserve fund for 


catastrophic losses in the amount of five hundred million pesos (P500, 000,000.00) 
shall be created exclusively to answer for the proportion of all losses in excess of 
risk (pure)premium under the Corporation’s Crop Insurance Program for small 
farmers and fisherfolks. The fund may be increased subject to the approval of the 
President of the Philippines. The fund shall be administered by the government 
financial institution to be designated by the Corporation’s Board of Directors. Such 
a sum as may be necessary for the purpose shall be funded by the National 
Government through the annual General Appropriations Act. The mechanics of 
claims against the fund and to what extent the fun shall be liable shall be 
determined jointly with the financial institution administering the Fund, subject to 
the approval by the President of the Philippines. 
Sec. 10. Reinsurance. 
- in order 
to spread 
the risk of the 
Corporation, the PCIC is hereby authorized to seek reinsurance protection 
whenever it may be available. 
Sec. 11. Board of Directors. - (a) The powers ofthe Corporation shall be vested in and 
exercised by Board of Directors, hereinafter referred to as the Board, composed of seven 
(7) members and made up of the following: the President of the LBP, the President of 
the Corporation, the DA Secretary, a representative from the private insurance industry 
to be nominated by the 
Secretary of Financeand Three(3) representative from the 
subsistence 
farmers’ 
sector, 
preferably 
representing 
agrarian 
reform 
beneficiaries/cooperatives/associations coming from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, 
who shall be selected and nominated by the different farmers’ organization or 
cooperatives. The respective nominees of the private insurance industry and the 
farmers’ sector shall be submitted to and appointed by the President of the Philippines. 
The chairman of the Board shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines from 
among the members of the Board. The President of the Corporation shall also be 
appointed by the President of the Philippines and shall be ex officio Vice Chairman who 
shall assist the Chairman and act in his stead in case of absence or incapacity. In case 
of absence or incapacity of both the Chairman and the Vice Chairman, the Board shall 
designate a temporary chairman from among its members. Except for the President of 
the LBP and the DA Secretary, all members of the Board, including the President of the 
Corporation, shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines within a reasonable 
period of time after the approval of this Act. 
 
(b) The members of the Board shall have their respective alternates who 
shall attend the meeting, and act as members of the Board in the absence or 
incapacity of the regular members. 
(c) The Board shall meet regularly at least twice a month and as often as the 
exigencies of the Corporation’s affairs demand. The presence of at least five (5) 
members shall constitute a quorum which shall be necessary for the transaction of 
any business. The Board may be convened either by the Chairman or, in his 
absence, by the Vice Chairman. 
(d) The Chairman and the members of the Board shall each receive per 


diem pursuant to existing law for each meeting of the Board personally attended: 
Provided, however, That in case of the representatives of subsistence farmers’ 
sector, the Board is authorized to determine reasonable traveling and, if necessary, 
subsistence expenses in going to and returning from said Board meeting to be 
disbursed to them in addition to their per diem. 
SEC. 12. Powers and Functions of the Board of Directors. - The Board shall have 
the following powers and functions: 
(a) To implement the provision and purpose of this Act; 
(b) To formulate and adopt policies and plans, and to promulgate rules and 
regulations for the management, operation and conduct of the affairs and business 
of the Corporation and, for this purpose, may limit or refuse insurance in any area 
or on any farmer because of the risk involved or may expand the subject of 
insurance coverage to crops other than palay: Provided, That such coverage on 
other crops shall be approved by the President of the Philippines; 
(c) To borrow funds from local and international financing sources or 
institutions and issue bonds up to five (5) times the value of its authorized capital 
stock for the purpose of financing the programs and projects deemed vital for the 
attainment of the Corporation’s goals and objectives; 
(d) To enter into, make, and execute contracts of any kind or nature as may 
be necessary, or incidental to the accomplishment of the purpose of the 
Corporation; 
(e) To approve the budget of the Corporation and to fix the reasonable 
compensation of its personnel: Provided, That the Board shall have exclusive and 
final authority to promote, transfer, assign or reassign personnel of these 
Corporation and these personnel actions are deemed made in the interest of the 
service and not disciplinary, any provision of existing law to the contrary 
notwithstanding; 
(f) To establish and guidelines for employment on the basis of merit, 
technical competence and moral character, and approve a staffing pattern of 
defining their powers and duties: and 
(g) To exercise the general powers mentioned in the Corporation Law 
insofar as these are not inconsistent or incompatible with provisions of this Act. 
SEC. 13. Management. - The management of the Corporation shall be vested in 
the President of the Corporation who shall be a person of known integrity, 
competence in technical and executive fields related to the purposes of this Act. 
The president of the Corporation shall be appointed by the Board and shall not be 
removed except for cause. There shall also be Vice President of the Corporation 
shall have following powers and duties: 
(a) To execute and administer the policies, plans and programs and rules 


and regulations approved or promulgated by the Board; 
(b) To submit for the consideration of the Board such policies, plans and 
programs deemed necessary to carry out the provisions and purposes of this Act; 
(c) To direct and supervise the operations and internal administration of 
the Corporation and, for this purpose, to delegate some or any powers and duties 
to subordinate officials; 
(d) To recommend to the Board the appointment, promotions, transfer, 
assignment, reassignment, demotion, dismissal and compensation of personnel; 
and 
(e) To exercise such other powers and perform such other duties as may 
be directed by the Board. 
SEC. 14. Settlement of Claims-(a) Claims for indemnity against the corporation 
shall be settled by the Corporation’s regional manager concerned or the appropriate 
officer to whom the function is delegated. However, if in the opinion of the regional 
manager the claim is novel, difficult, or controversial, the matter may be elevated 
by the regional manager to the president of the Corporation for decision. 
(b) The claimant aggrieved by the decision of the regional manager may, 
within thirty (30) days from receipt of the decision, request for reconsideration 
thereof and if not satisfied therewith, may elevate the matter to the President of the 
Corporation. 
(c) Any party aggrieved by a decision, order or ruling of the President of 
the Corporation may appeal said decision, order or ruling to the Corporation’s 
Board. 
(d) Any claim not acted upon within sixty (60) days from submission of 
complete claims documents to the Corporation shall be considered approved. 
SEC. 15. No Claim Benefits. - Any insured farmer or fisherfolk who has not filed 
any claims during the immediately preceding three (3) crop seasons, or any insured 
fishpond or fish cage operator who has not filed any claim during the immediately 
preceding three (3) harvest seasons shall be entitled to a no-claim benefits of least 
ten percent (10%) of premium share paid for said crop seasons to be deposited in a 
trust fund and to be managed by the Corporation. Such trust fund may be used to 
finance premium rebate or premium credit applicable to the immediately following 
crop seasons as determined by the Board of the Corporation. 
SEC. 16. Commission on Audit. - The commission on Audit shall be the ex officio 
auditor of the Corporation. 
SEC. 17. Legal Counsel - The Corporation shall have its own Legal Department, 
the Chief and members of which shall be appointed by the Board. 
SEC. 18. Interagency Linkages. -(a)To support and promote the operation of the 


Corporation, all government departments, bureaus offices, agencies and 
instrumentalities, national or local all lending institutions, government or private, 
now or hereafter engaged in the supervised credit program to farmers and fisherfolk 
and such other public or private entities as may be called upon by the Corporation, 
shall act as cooperating agencies to the corporation and, for this purpose, are hereby 
directed to design their policies, programs, rules and regulations so as attune and 
synchronize them with the objective of the Corporation. 
(b) All lending institutions granting production loans for palay, corn and 
other crops under the supervised credit program of the government shall 
automatically act as underwriters for and on behalf of the Corporation. As such 
they shall receive and process applications for insurance coverage; approve those 
found in order and collect premiums therefore, premiums so collected, together 
with the premiums payable by the lending institution itself, shall be remitted to the 
Corporation in the manner and within such period as may be prescribed by the 
Corporation. 
SEC. 19. Utilization of Profits - the profits of the Corporation shall be determined 
on a calendar year basis and the manner of its distribution shall be determined by 
law. 
SEC. 20. Exemption from taxes - In furtherance of the effective achievement of the 
purposes of this Act, the Corporation shall continue to be exempted to the extent 
allowed by national policy from all national, provincial municipal and city taxes 
and assessments now enforced: Provided, that said exemption shall apply only to 
such taxes and assessments for which the Corporation itself would otherwise be 
liable and shall not apply to taxes and assessments payable by persons or other 
entities doing business with the Corporation. 
SEC. 21. Penal provisions. - (a) Any person who through malfeasance misfeasance 
or nonfeasance allows a spurious claim to be paid, including the claimant himself, 
shall upon final conviction be punished by imprisonment of not less than three (3) 
years but not more than eight (8) years or a fine of not less than one hundred 
thousand pesos{Pl00,000.00) but not more than six hundred thousand pesos 
(600,000.00), or both imprisonment and fine at the discretion of the court. The 
PCIC personnel who allowed the commission of the offense shall, in addition, be 
dismissed from office, and forfeit all privileges and benefits which may accrue to 
such personnel. 
(b) any person or entity granting production loan for palay under the 
supervised credit program of the Government without requiring crop insurance 
therefor or having collected premiums from farmers, would fail to remit the same 
within the time and place specified in the rules and regulations of the Corporation 
shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine not exceeding ten thousand pesos 
(P10,000.00) or imprisonment of not exceeding six (6) months, or both, at the 
discretion of the court. 
(c) Any person or entity who shall violate any provision of this Act or any 


rule or regulation issued for its implementation, for which no penalty is provided, 
shall be deemed guilty of a penal offense and, upon conviction, be punished by a 
fine not exceeding five thousand pesos (5,000.00) or imprisonment of two (2) 
months, or both at the discretion of the court. 
Whenever any violation of the provisions of this section is committed by a 
corporation or association, or by a government office or entity, the executive officer 
or officers of said corporation, association, or government office or entity who shall 
have knowingly permitted or failed to prevent, said violation shall be held liable as 
principal. 
SEC. 22. Applicability of Presidential Decree No. 612, as Amended. -The 
provisions of the Insurance Code insofar as they are not in conflict or inconsistent 
with or repugnant to the provisions of this Act shall apply to the Corporation. 
 
SEC. 23. Term of Existence and Periodic Review. - The Corporation's term of legal 
existence, which was set to last for fifty (50) years starting from the date of approval 
of Presidential Decree No. 1467 on June 11,1978, shall continue and is hereby 
affirmed. To ensure the Corporation’s continuing relevance, the PCIC Board shall 
undertake periodic review of the Corporation’s activities and shall submit to both 
House of Congress at least once a year a report which shall include, among others, 
a recommendation for improving services to the target sectors and the financial 
viability of the Corporation. 
SEC. 24. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof is held 
unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not affected shall remain in force 
and effect. 
SEC. 25 .Repealing Clause. - Presidential Decree No. 1467, Presidential Decree 
No. 1733, Republic Act No. 8175, and all other laws, executive orders, and other 
issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified 
accordingly. 
SEC. 26. Effectivity. -This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication 
in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved,