HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Sixteenth Congress
irst Regular Session

House BiLLNO._1999

Introduced by Representative Sharon S. Garin

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Touted as the national fruit of the country, the Philippine mango has rose to
international prominence due to its superior quality and taste than other varieties, It is one
of the more important fruit crops in the Philippines based on export volume and value. But
although its popularity has not waned, its production and development have dwindled over
the years, necessitating policy intervention from the government.

Although the trend on area planted has consistently increased, reaching 188,139
hectares in 2009, the value and volume of production have fluctuated through the years.
After breaching the 1,000,000 metric ton level in 2003, it went up and down year on year
reaching 771,441 metric tons in 2009 and rising slightly to 790,000 metric tons as of
September 2010. As for the value of production, mango has been posting negative growth
rates (using current prices) due to its decreasing value from P18.8 billion in 2008 to P17.2
billion in 2009 to P16.9 billion as of September 2010. The declining performance of the
industry affect the livelihood of the 2.5 million farmers dependent on the industry who are
mostly small farmers engaged in backyard gardening.

There is no contest as to the gleaming opportunities for mangoes. It can be produced
all-year round in most parts of the country. It also has a high domestic and international
demand and ready and expanding export markets. However, its competitive edge is blunted
by other varieties from mango-producing countries such as Mexico, Australia, Thailand, and
Vietnam due to a number of obstacles to production.

‘One of the challenges faced by the industry is the predominance of backyard farms
which accordingly poses problems to quality control. Of the total area planted, 73% is
owned by small farmers. Furthermore, the industry is saddled by erratic and relatively low


yield, susceptibility to insect pests, diseases and disorders, short storage life, high freight
cost, disaggregate sector, and multi-layered marketing.

It is, thus, of great consequence, that we enact policies that would refresh and
bolster the competitiveness of the Philippine mango through lower production costs,
improved phytosanitary measures and quarantine protocols in line with Good Agricultural
Practices (GAP), decreased post-harvest losses, modernized techniques and technologies,
comprehensive research and development, and effective and concerted local and
international marketing strategies.

While we still can, we must prune all the obstacles and challenges which threaten to
rot the mango industry unto its eventual downfall. The government must institute far-
reaching policies that would genuinely develop the national fruit’s productivity,
marketability, and viability.

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

ATTY. S. GARIN


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

Sixteenth Congress
First Regular Session

nouse sitno.__1999

Introduced by Representative Sharon S. Garin

AN ACT

TO PROMOTE THE PRODUCTION, PROCESSING, MARKETING AND.
DISTRIBUTION OF PHILIPPINE MANGO, MANDATING THE CREATION OF A FRAMEWORK
FOR DEVELOPMENT PLAN, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

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

Section 1. Title. This Act shall be known as the “Philippine Mango Development Act of
2013."

Section 2. Declaration of Policy. It is hereby declared the policy of the State to develop and
promote a globally competitive mango industry with the objective of increasing production
of safe and healthful quality mango fruits, with lower cost of production and marketing,
generating higher income for mango growers and traders, instituting comprehensive
research and development, modernizing post-harvest techniques, and implementing
effective marketing strategies.

Section 3. Site Identification. The Department of Agriculture, in coordination with the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Agrarian Reform and
Department of Science and Technology, and the municipal, city and provincial governments
concerned, shall identify the broad areas suitable for planting and propagation of Philippine
Mango, within six (6) months after the effectivity of this Act: Provided, that such site
identification shall be reviewed at appropriate intervals to ensure consistency with the
agrarian reform program and the national land use policy.

Section 4. Philippine Mango Framework for Development. The Department of Agriculture,
in consultation with the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Environment and
Natural Resources, Department of Science and Technology, mango growers’ cooperatives
and organizations, local government units, and the private sector, shall formulate a five-year
Framework for Development, to be validated and updated annually. Such Framework shall
serve as guide to the formulation and implementation of plans, programs and projects for
the production, marketing, processing and distribution of Philippine mango for food and

3


‘commercial needs, as envisioned in this Act. The Framework shall likewise provide for the
following:

a. Investment Promotion and Facilitation - The Department of Agriculture and
Department of Trade and Industry shall develop programs establishing links
between stakeholders in the mango industry and Government Financial
Institutions (GFls) and other financial cooperatives. The Department of
Agriculture and Department of Trade and Industry shall likewise develop and
implement programs that would establish reasonable and innovative
investment incentives to attract more players in the mango Indust

b. Production Support and Extension - The Department of Agriculture,
Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Science and Technology,
Cooperative Development Authority, state universities and colleges and other
relevant government agencies shall establish programs which promote and
provide adequate training on adapting technologies to individuals engaged in
production, marketing, processing and distribution of Philippine mangoes,
strengthen growers’ cooperatives and organizations involved in the
sustainable and viable development of Philippine mangoes, and afford
opportunities for participation in international conventions, workshops and
fora. The Department of Agriculture, in coordination with the state
universities and colleges, the Department of Trade and Industry, shall
likewise make good seeds and materials readily available to mango
growers/cooperatives to ensure high yield and good quality of Philippine
mango;

¢. Research and Development — The Department of Agriculture and the
Department of Science and Technology shall establish sites and/or pilot farms
for the cultivation and propagation of Philippine mangoes. The same also
covers the transfer and improvement of appropriate technology and
‘techniques, which will be utilized in every phase of mango production,
marketing, processing and distribution. Particular emphasis shall be made on
adoption and upgrading of post-harvest technology;

d. Market Promotion and Development — The Department of Agriculture and
Department of Trade and Industry shall link-up agribusiness cooperatives and
organizations directly with consumers’ cooperatives and organizations. This
also includes exploring national and international markets and facilitating the
participation of local growers and producers in local and international
conferences, trade fairs, and exhibits;

e. Quality Assurance - To ensure health and proper trading, the Department
of Agriculture shall establish and enforce standards in grading, sampling and
inspection, tests and analysis, specifications, nomenclature, units of
measurement, packaging, preservation, conservation and transportation of
ine mangoes;

f. Infrastructure Development — Access to post harvest facilities, storage and
distribution/transport facilities of existing government agencies shall be


facilitated by the Department of Agriculture. Assistance shall be given to
qualified and viable growers/cooperatives in the availment of soft loans or
grants for the construction of post-harvest, processing and storage facilities;
and

g. The Department of Agriculture and DOST-Philippine Council for Agriculture,
Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development shall establish a
Philippine Mango Information Center in areas identified pursuant to Section 3
of this Act.

Section 5. Philippine Mango Development Fund (PMDF). To provide for the funding
requirements for the production, marketing, processing and distribution of Philippine
mango, there is hereby created a Philippine Mango Development Fund (PMDF), with an
amount of five hundred million pesos (P500,000,000.00) to be taken from the existing
budget of the Department of Agriculture. Thereafter, the PMDF shall be sourced from the
amounts be appropriated in the General Appropriations Act in the year following its
enactment into law. Other sources of funds, including but not limited to borrowings from
local and international financial institutions, shall also be considered to further support the
Fund.

Section 6. Inter-Agency Committee. A Committee, composed of a representative from the
Department of Agriculture, the Department of Agrarian Reform, the Department of Finance,
the Land Bank of the Philippines, the Development Bank of the Philippines, the Cooperative
Development Authority, the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of
Trade and Industry, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the
Department of the Interior and Local Government and one (1) each from the mango
growers and commercial producers’ sectors to be designated by the Secretary of
Agriculture, shall formulate and prescribe, after public hearing and publication as required
by law, the implementing rules and regulations in order to carry out the provisions of this
Act. The representatives from the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Trade
and Industry shall be the chairman and the vice-chairman, respectively, of the Committee.

The Secretary of the Department of Agriculture shall report to both Houses of Congress on
the status of the implementation of this Act bi-annually.

Section 7. Repealing Clause. All laws or parts thereof, decrees, orders, rules and regulations
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly:
Provided, however, that nothing in this Act shall be construed or applied as amending the
CARL and other laws on agrarian reform.

Section 8. Separability Clause. If any of the provisions of this Act is declare invalid, the other
provisions not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 9. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect immediately following its publication
in a newspaper of general circulation or in the Official Gazette, whichever comes first.

Approved,