Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
____________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by HON. GUS S. TAMBUNTING 
AN ACT 
TO STRENGTHEN, MODERNIZE AND PROFESSIONALIZE THE AGRICULTURAL 
SERVICES OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS, AMENDING FOR THIS 
PURPOSE CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE OF 
1991  
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Section 17 of the Local Government Code of 1991 have mandated local government 
units at the provincial, city, municipal and barangay levels to provide basic agricultural 
support services and facilities.  
At present, the weak and fragmented agricultural service delivery operating within the 
Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Local Government Units (LGU) hampers the 
implementation of government agricultural development programs. Therefore, 
agricultural services must be strengthened, modernized and professionalized in 
accordance with the regulations of the practice of agriculturist (Section 75 of R.A. No. 
8435 and PRC Resolution No. 2000-663), agricultural and biosystems engineer (R.A. 
No. 10915) and veterinarian (R.A. No. 9268).  
On behalf of the people of Parañaque City’s Second District, and for the common good 
of the Filipino people, the approval of the said measure is earnestly sought. 
REP. GUS S. TAMBUNTING 
2nd District, Parañaque City 
August 29, 2023
8:18 am
8978


1 
Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
______________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by HON. GUS S. TAMBUNTING 
______________________________________________________________________ 
AN ACT 
TO STRENGTHEN, MODERNIZE AND PROFESSIONALIZE THE AGRICULTURAL 
SERVICES OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS, AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE 
CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE OF 1991  
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Section 443 of Republic Act No. R.A. 7160 is hereby amended to read as 
follows :  
“Section 
443.
Officials
of 
the 
Municipal 
Government. 
- 
(a) There shall be in each municipality a municipal mayor, a municipal vice- mayor,
sangguniang bayan members, a secretary to the sangguniang bayan, a municipal
treasurer, a municipal assessor, a municipal accountant, a municipal budget officer, a
municipal planning and development coordinator, a municipal engineer/building official,
a municipal health officer, [and] a municipal civil registrar; A MUNICIPAL
AGRICULTURIST, AND A MUNICIPAL AGRICULTURAL AND BIOSYSTEMS
ENGINEER IN ALL FIRST CLASS TO THIRD CLASS LGUs. THE APPOINTMENT
OF MUNICIPAL AGRICULTURIST AND MUNICIPAL AGRICULTURAL AND
BIOSYSTEMS ENGINEER IS OPTIONAL IN ALL 4TH CLASS TO 6TH CLASS 
MUNICIPAL LGUs.  
SECTION 2. Section 454 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follow: 
Section 
454.
Officials
of 
the 
City 
Government. 
(a) There shall be in each city a mayor, a vice-mayor, sangguniang panlungsod
members, a secretary to the sangguniang panlungsod, a city treasurer, a city assessor,
a city accountant, a city budget officer, a city planning and development coordinator, a
city engineer, a city health officer, a city civil registrar, a city administrator, a city legal
officer, a city veterinarian, a city social welfare and development officer, [and] a city
general services officer; A CITY AGRICULTURIST AND A CITY AGRICULTURAL
AND BIOSYSTEMS ENGINEER IN ALL FIRST CLASS TO THIRD CLASS LGUs.
THE APPOINTMENT OF CITY AGRICULTURIST AND CITY AGRICULTURAL AND
BIOSYSTEMS ENGINEER ARE OPTIONAL IN ALL 4TH CLASS TO THIRD CLASS
CITY LGUs.
8978


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SECTION 3. Section 43 of the same Code is hereby amended to read as follows:  
Section 
463. 
Officials 
of 
the 
Provincial 
Government. 
(a) There shall be in each province a governor, a vice-governor, members of the 
sangguniang panlalawigan, a secretary to the sangguniang panlalawigan, a provincial 
treasurer, a provincial assessor, a provincial accountant, a provincial engineer, a 
provincial budget officer, a provincial planning and development coordinator, a 
provincial legal officer, a provincial administrator, a provincial health officer, a provincial 
social welfare and development officer, a provincial general services officer, a provincial 
agriculturist, [and] a provincial veterinarian; AND A PROVINCIAL AGRICULTURAL 
AND BIOYSTEMS ENGINEER. 
SECTION 4. Article Twelve and Section 482 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as 
follows :  
“ARTICLE TWELVE  
The Agriculturist 
Sec. 482. Qualifications, Powers, and Duties - (a) No person shall be appointed 
agriculturist unless he is a citizen of the Philippines, a resident of the local government 
unit concerned, of good moral character, a holder of a college degree in agriculture or 
any related course from a recognized college or university, and a [first grade civil 
service eligible or its equivalent. He must have practiced his profession [in agriculture 
or acquired experience in related field for at least five (5) years in the case of the 
provincial or city agriculturist, and three (3) years in the case of the municipal 
agriculturist.  
The position of an agriculturist shall be mandatory for the provincial AND CITY 
governments AND IN ALL FIRST CLASS TO THIRD CLASS MUNICIPAL 
GOVERNMENTS, and optional for the 4TH CLASS TO 6TH CLASS MUNICIPAL 
GOVERNMENTS AND IN HIGHLY URBANIZED CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES.  
(b) The agriculturist shall take charge of the office for agricultural services and shall : 
XXX  
(6) IN CASE OF PROVINCIAL AGRICULTURIST, EXERCISE TECHNICAL 
SUPERVISION OVER-ALL AGRICULTURAL OFFICES OF COMPONENT 
CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES.  
SECTION 5. Article Nineteen and Section 482 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as 
follows :  
“ARTICLE NINETEEN  
The Veterinarian 
Section 
489. 
Qualifications, 
Powers 
and 
Duties. 
(a) No person shall be appointed veterinarian unless he is a citizen of the Philippines, 
a resident of the local government unit concerned, of good moral character, a licensed 
doctor of veterinary medicine. He must have practiced his profession for at least three 
(3) years in the case of provincial or city veterinarian and at least one (1) year in the 


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case 
of 
the 
municipal 
veterinarian. 
The appointment of a veterinarian is mandatory for the provincial, [and] city AND IN 
ALL FIRST CLASS TO THIRD CLASS MUNICIPAL governments, AND OPTIONAL 
IN 
ALL 
FOURTH 
CLASS 
TO 
SIXTH 
CLASS 
CITY 
AND 
MUNICIPAL 
GOVERNMENTS. 
(b) The veterinarian shall take charge of the office for veterinary services and shall: 
XXX  
(6) IN CASE OF PROVINCIAL VETERINARIAN, EXERCISE TECHNICAL 
SUPERVISION OVER-ALL VETERINARY OFFICES OF COMPONENT 
CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES;  
SECTION 6. Additional Articles and Sections are hereby added to Book 111, Title Five of R.A. 
7160 to read as follows :  
“ARTICLE TWENTY ONE 
THE AGRICULTURAL AND BIOSYSTEMS ENGINEER  
SEC. 491. QUALIFICATIONS, POWERS, AND DUTIES - (a) NO PERSON SHALL BE 
APPOINTED AGRICULTURAL AND BIOSYSTEM ENGINEER UNLESS HE IS A 
CITIZEN OF THE PHILIPPINES, OF GOOD MORAL CHARACTER AND A 
REGISTERED AND LICENSED AGRICULTURAL AND BIOSYSTEMS ENGINEER. 
HE MUST HAVE PRACTICED HIS PROFESSION FOR AT THREE (3) YEARS IN 
THE CASE OF THE PROVINCIAL AGRICULTURAL AND BIOSYSTEMS 
ENGINEER, AND ONE (1) YEAR IN THE CASE OF THE CITY AND MUNICIPAL 
AGRICULTURAL AND BIOSYSTEMS ENGINEERS.  
THE POSITION OF AN AGRICULTURAL AND BIOSYSTEMS ENGINEER SHALL 
BE 
MANDATORY 
FOR 
THE 
PROVINCIAL 
GOVERNMENTS 
AND 
CITY 
GOVERNMENTS AND OPTIONAL IN 4TH CLASS TO 6TH CLASS CITY AND 
MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS.  
(b) THE AGRICULTURAL AND BIOSYSTEMS ENGINEER SHALL TAKE CHARGE 
OF THE OFFICE FOR AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING SERVICES AND SHALL :  
(1) FORMULATE MEASURES FOR APPROVAL OF THE SANGUNIAN AND 
PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT TO THE GOVERNOR 
OR MAYOR AS THE CASE MAYBE IN CARRYING OUT SAID MEASURES 
TO ENSURE THE DELIVERY OF BASIC SERVICES AND PROVISION OF 
ADEQUATE 
FACILITIES 
ON 
IRRIGATION, 
SOIL 
AND 
WATER 
CONSERVATION AND UTILIZATION, AGRICULTURAL, FISHERY AND 
BIOSYSTEMS 
MECHANIZATION, 
POST 
HARVEST 
AND 
AGRO-
PROCESSING FACILITIES AND OTHER AGRICULTURAL AND BIOYSTEMS 
ENGINEERING PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS;  
(2) DEVELOP PLANS AND STRATEGIES AND UPON APPROVAL THEREOF 
BY THE GOVERNOR OR MAYOR, AS THE CASE MAY BE, IMPLEMENT THE 
SAME, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHICH HAVE TO DO WITH PROGRAMS 
AND PROJECTS ON IRRIGATION, SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION 


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AND UTILIZATION, AGRICULTURAL AND BIOYSTEMS MECHANIZATION, 
POST HARVEST FACILITIES, AGRO- PROCESSING AND OTHER 
AGRICULTURAL AND BIOYSTEMS ENGINEERING ENDEAVORS WHICH 
THE GOVERNOR OR MAYOR IS EMPOWERED TO IMPLEMENT AND 
WHICH THE SANGUNIAN IS EMPOWERED TO PROVIDE UNDER THE 
LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE;  
(3) THE FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE AGRICULTURAL 
ENGINEERING DIVISION/SECTION OF THE OFFICE OF THE PROVINCIAL, 
CITY AND MUNICIPAL AGRICULTURIST PRESCRIBED UNDER SECTION 
29 OF R.A. NO. 10601 SHALL BE TRANSFERRED AND ASSUMED BY THE 
PROVINCIAL, CITY AND MUNICIPAL AGRICULTURAL AND BIOYSTEMS 
ENGINEERS.  
(4) IN ADDITION TO THE FOREGOING DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS, THE 
AGRICULTURAL 
AND 
BIOYSTEMS 
ENGINEER 
SHALL 
PROVIDE 
SERVICES 
AND 
RESPONSIBLE 
IN 
THE 
PLANNING 
AND 
IMPLEMENTATION 
OF 
LGU 
PROGRAMS 
AND 
PROJECTS 
ON 
COMPOSTING, 
FARM 
DEVELOPMENT 
PLANNING 
AND 
OTHER 
AGRICULTURAL AND BIOYSTEMS ENGINEERING PROGRAMS AND 
PROJECTS.  
(5) IN CASE OF PROVINCIAL AGRICULTURAL AND BIOYSTEMS 
ENGINEER, 
EXERCISE 
TECHNICAL 
SUPERVISION 
OVER-ALL 
AGRICULTURAL AND BIOYSTEMS ENGINEERS OF COMPONENT CITIES 
AND MUNICIPALITIES;  
SECTION 7. Sec. 491 of Book 111, Title Six, Article l , R.A. 7160 is hereby renumbered Section 
493 and all other succeeding sections (Section 492 to 536) are renumbered accordingly.  
SECTION 8. Career Progression- There shall be instituted a Career Progression System in 
the Agriculturist, Agricultural and Bioystems Engineer and Veterinarian Office at the provincial, 
city and municipal levels. For this purpose, various level of Agriculturist, Agricultural and 
Biosystems Engineer and Veterinarian positions shall be created. Moreover, the existing 
Agricultural Technologist positions shall be upgraded or reclassified to various levels of 
Agriculturist, Agricultural and Biosystems Engineer and Veterinarian positions.  
SECTION 9. The Department of Agriculture through its Regional Offices, Bureau of Animal 
Industry, Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Engineering and other concerned offices shall 
provide and augment the agricultural and fishery services and facilities of 4th Class to 6th 
Class LGUs.  
SECTION 10. Funding – The funding necessary for the implementation of this Act shall be 
incorporated in the annual appropriations of the LGUs. For this purpose, the personnel 
services limitation imposed under Section 325 of the Local Government Code is hereby 
waived.  
SECTION 11. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act shall be held unconstitutional 
or invalid, the other provisions not otherwise affected shall remain in full force effect.  


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SECTION 12. Repealing Clause. – All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, 
ordinances, rules and regulations, and other issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent 
with this Act, are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.  
SECTION 13. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the 
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.  
 
Approved,