Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

Ld
HOUSE BILL NO. 4162

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Introduced by Representative Eric D. Singson

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) is a government-owned and
controlled corporation primarily responsible for irrigation development and management.
Under its Charter, The NIA is allowed to charge irrigation services fees (ISFs) in
exchange for providing irrigation to farmers, depending on the size of their farmlands.
These fees were abolished by then President Joseph Estrada in 1998 but were reinstated
and suspended by NIA intermittently especially in times of calamities or when it was.
unreasonable to impose additional fees on farmers.

CTION 5, Article XIII of the 1987 Constitution also provides: “The State shall
recognize the right of farmers, farmworkers, and landowners, as well as cooperatives, and
other independent farmers’ organizations to participate in the planning, organization, and
management of the program, and shall provide support to agriculture through appropriate
technology and lesa and adequate financial, production, marketing, and other
support

It is therefore the responsibility of the State to support its farmers and it is just
logical and reasonable to provide farmers free irrigation as this can very easily be
shouldered by the State. President Rodrigo Duterte said in his 10-point agenda in
agriculture that “irrigation services must be considered a vital government obligation to
support the growth of Philippine economy, just like the network of roads being used for

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free. The country's rice farmers should be supported by providing them free irrigation
water. ....without being obliged to pay for the irrigation fet

Therefore, in support of the new administration’s agenda, and for the good of the
farmers and our country, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNO,__ 4162

Introduced by Representative Eric D, Singson

REVOKING IRRIG AND OTHER RELATED F
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 3601, PRESIDE!
DECREE NO, 552 AND PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1702

Sy
TIAL

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

SECTION 1 This Act shall be known as the “Free Irrigation Services Act of
2016.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is the policy of the state to pursue a genuine
agricultural development strategy by providing support services to the small farmers to
increase their productivity and improve their market access

It is also the policy of the state to promote and institutionalize irrigation systems.
that are free, effective, suitable, applicable and efficient as a key strategy to achieve

genuine agricultural development

. 3. Full Implementation of Free Irrigation Service Po

+ Irrigation
service fees (ISFs) and all other similar or related fees shall now be free of charge to all
farmer beneficiaries, upon enactment of this Act.

Penalties and back accounts incurred by farmers and irrigators association by non-
payment of ISFs or loans acquired for establishing communal irrigation system shall be
deemed immediately cancelled with the enactment of this Act.

With the passage of this Act, the State shall also provide the necessary funds in the
General Appropriations Act (GAA) and the mechanisms for the effective management of
farmers’ groups and irrigators’ associations of irrigation systems at the farm level.

Pursuant to National Economic and Development Authority Resolution No. 20,
series of 1978, it is a national policy that the government shall bear the cost of interest on

all indebtedness for the construction of irrigation proj

ts in order not to discourage the


participation of farmer-beneficiaries in the development and operation of irrigation

facilities.

SEC. 4, Personnel Services, Construction, Repair and Maintenance and other
Operating Expenses of National Irrigation System — Payment of personnel services and
for the purpose of ensuring the necessary construction, repair, and maintenance of
irrigation systems administered by the NIA and other related agencies that provide
irrigation services; the required amounts shall be included in the annual General

Appropriations Act (GAA).

SE!

5. Repealing Clause,
-Section 2, Paragraph (c) of Republic Act No. 3601 entitled “An Act Creating the
National Irrigation Administration”;
-Section I, Paragraph (b) of Presidential Decree No, 552;
-Section I, Paragraph (b) of Presidential Decree No, 1702 and;
-Section 35 of Republic Act No, 8435, otherwise known as the Agricultural and
Fisheries Modernization Law.
All other laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations, and other
issuances or parts there of which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are

hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SEC. 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations ~ Within ninety (90) days from the
effectivity of this Act, the Department of Agriculture with the support of NIA and other
related agencies shall formulate and promulgate the rules and regulations necessary for

the implementation of this Act.
SEC. 7. Separability Clause - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision thereof shall_remail valid and

effective,

SEC. 8. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication

in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,