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Republic of the Philippines

House of Representativ
Quezon City, Metro Manila

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Eighteenth Congress
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. _7242

Introduced by Representative Deogracias Victor “DV” B. Savellano

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Section 5, Article XIII of the Constitution states, that “the State shall
provide support to agriculture through appropriate technology and research,
and adequate financial, production, marketing, and other support services.”

Paragraph (b), Section 17 of Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as
the “Local Government Code of 1991,” also provides the basic services and
facilities for barangays, municipalities, provinces and cities which include
agricultural and fisheries support in order for farmers and fisherfolk in these
local government units to be self-reliant and productive.

Notwithstanding these constitutional and statutory provisions, poverty still
proliferates in the countryside. One of the long-standing challenges in the
agriculture and fisheries sector which continues to hamper productivity is the
weak extension service which slows down the diffusion and adoption of farm
practices and technologies that are applicable to a specific area and responsive
to the needs of farmers and fisherfolk. Inefficiencies in the delivery of
extension services can be attributed to inadequate funds and programs for the
agricultural and fisheries development and lack of human resources of LGUs to
effectively implement and monitor the program.

The strategy of delegating powers and responsibilities to LGUs provides
opportunities for responsive and high-quality services, as well as the possibility
of strengthened accountability and broad public participation in the delivery of
extension services. In order to have an efficient and successful planning,
budgeting and implementation of programs and projects in agriculture and
fisheries, it is essential to mandate all provinces, cities and municipalities that

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rely mainly in agriculture and fisheries to prepare a detailed Agricultural
Development Plans and Programs to enhance the capacity of small farmers and
fisherfolk to adopt better agricultural and fishery technologies.

Hence, this bill seeks to mandate all provinces, cities and municipalities
that rely mainly on agriculture or fisheries to set aside ten percent (10%) of its
annual budget for development projects on programs, activities and services for
agriculture and fisheries development. These projects aim to improve the
economic and social well-being of farmers and fisherfolk, enhance food
security, increase rural employment, and promote sustainable development in
the countryside.

In view of the foregoing, the passage of this measure is earneStly sought.

DEOGRACIAS VICPOR “DV” B. SAVELLANO


Republic of the Philippines

House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Eighteenth Congress
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. _7242_

Introduced by Representative Deogracias Victor “DV” B. Savellano

AN ACT
MANDATING ALL PROVINCES, CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES THAT
RELY MAINLY ON AGRICULTURE OR FISHERIES TO SET ASIDE TEN
PERCENT (10%) OF ITS ANNUAL BUDGET FOR DEVELOPMENT
PROJECTS ON PROGRAMS, ACTIVITIES AND SERVICES FOR
AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT

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 “Agriculture
and Fisheries Development Act.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. —\t is hereby declared the policy of the
State to promote and accelerate the development and modernization of
agriculture and fisheries to enhance the economic and social well-being of
farmers and fisherfolks. The State, with the active participation of local
government units (LGUs), shall institute policies that improve food security,
increase farmers and fisherfolk income, increase rural employment, and

promote sustainable development in the countryside.


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The State also acknowledges that a healthy and dynamic agricultural sector
is an important foundation of rural development which generates strong
linkages to other economic sectors. Towards this end, the State shall develop a
comprehensive program on agriculture and fisheries development in all
provinces, cities and municipalities that rely mainly on agriculture and fisheries.

SEC. 3. Coverage. — This Act applies to all provinces, cities and
municipalities that rely mainly on agriculture or fisheries excluding Metro
Manila and highly urbanized cities and independent component cities in the
provinces except when a highly urbanized city or independent component city
of a province voluntarily opts to be covered under this Act. The Department of
Agriculture (DA) shall, in coordination with the Department of Environment
and Natural Resources, issue the necessary guidelines in the determination of
provinces, cities and municipalities covered by this Act.

For purposes of this Act, a province, city or municipality is considered to
rely mainly on agriculture or fisheries unit if at least fifty percent (50%) of its
land area is being utilized for agricultural or fisheries purposes.

SEC. 4. Agricultural Development Plans and Programs. — a) Each
province, city or municipality that rely mainly on agriculture or fisheries shall
prepare their agricultural development plans and programs (ADPP) identifying
the total land area devoted to agriculture, political subdivision, population,

topography, climate, geological landforms, irrigation systems, existing general


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land use, trade and commerce, agricultural facilities, major crops grown,
livestock and poultry, and fisheries.

b) The ADPP must also identify factors challenging productivity like
rapid urbanization, land conversion from agricultural to industrial or
commercial purposes, stiff competition of similar products coming from nearby
provinces, inadequate institutional support and technical assistance to local
farmers, limited access to affordable credit or program financing, difficulty of
farmers to obtain agricultural inputs, absence of all-weather farm to market
roads in hinterland farming communities hampering the movement of people
and goods, adverse climate effects like the inability of the province, city or
municipality to absorb heavy flooding, landslides or soil erosion, and drought.

c) The ADPP must also include strategies to increase agricultural
productivity such as adopting soil restoration and anti-soil erosion practices in
farming activities, promotion of agricultural technologies that are
environmentally friendly, promotion of organic agricultural practices and
technologies, strict implementation of pertinent laws governing the conversion
of agricultural lands to non-agricultural uses, construction of new farm-to-
market roads (FMRs) and improvement of existing ones to encourage land
owners to cultivate idle lands, construction of post-harvest facilities and
common service facilities, construction or rehabilitation and upgrading of

existing irrigation systems, promotion of value-adding technologies to selected


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agricultural commodities where applicable, establishment of reservoirs for deep
well irrigation systems, and improvement of the entrepreneurial skills of
farmers.

d) The ADPP must likewise include activities for the enhancement
and production of disease-free planting materials, support for crops, livestock
and poultry, and fishery production, upgrade of strategically located plant
nurseries to supply location-specific crop varieties, promote vegetable
production through clustering, and create alternative agriculture-based
livelihood projects.

e) The ADPP is divided into short-term and long-term programs. The
short-term program includes projects that are immediately provided to farmers
such as distribution of seeds, fingerlings, planting materials, plant nurseries,
farm tools and equipment, small or medium-sized storage facilities, small or
medium sized “bagsakan ng gulay” facilities, and other assistance necessary in
the day-to-day activities of the farmers and fisherfolk.

The long-term program includes agricultural infrastructure projects like
construction of farm-to-market roads, irrigation systems, large-sized post-
harvest facilities and such other infrastructure projects exceeding Ten million
pesos (P10,000,000.00) that are devoted to agriculture and fisheries. Long-term
programs and projects shall be submitted to the national government for

evaluation and eventual funding.


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SEC. 5. Allocation for Agriculture and Fisheries Development. — All
provinces, cities and municipalities embraced under Section 3 of this Act shall
set aside ten percent (10%) of its annual budget for development projects on
programs, activities, and services for agriculture and fisheries development to
fund short-term programs and projects identified in their ADPP.

SEC. 6. City or Municipal Agriculturists. — The sangguniang panglungsod
or sangguniang bayan of a city or municipality considered to rely mainly on
agriculture or fisheries shall appoint a city or municipal agriculturist, establish
an office, create and hire personnel therefor, and strengthen the capacities of its
personnel for the effective implementation of their ADPP.

SEC. 7. Responsibility of the Department of Agriculture (DA). — The DA
shall be responsible for the promotion of agricultural and fisheries development
by providing the policy framework, public investments, and support services
including infrastructure support, research, development and extension, including
agri-business and market development services, regulation and policy planning.

SEC. 8. Regional Agricultural Development Council (RADC). — There is
hereby created, in every region, a regional agricultural development council,
composed of the following:

a) Regional director of the DA, as chairperson;

b) Regional director or a representative from the Regional Integrated

Agriculture Research Center, as vice-chairperson;


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c) Regional director or a representative from the Regional Fisheries
Research Center;

d) Regional director or a representative from the Agricultural
Training Institute; and

e) _ All provincial governors, component city mayors, and presidents of
provincial mayors’ league; as members.

SEC. 9. Functions. — The RADC of each region shall assist in the
preparation, monitoring and evaluation of the ADPP of all provinces, cities, and
municipalities under their jurisdiction.

The offices of the various regional agencies of the government shall, upon
request by the RADC, provide such technical support as may be required in the
discharge of their functions. The RADC shall meet as often as necessary but
not less than once a semester.

The regional field office of the DA shall act as the secretariat of the
RADC. Funds necessary for the RADC operations, project monitoring and
evaluation, and implementation of special projects shall be included in the
General Appropriations Act of the DA, subject to the usual auditing and
accounting rules and regulations.

SEC. 10. Provincial Agricultural Development Council (PADC). — There
is hereby created, in every province, a provincial agricultural development

council (PADC) composed of the following:


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a) Governor, as chairperson;

b) Vice-governor, as vice-chairperson;
c) Members of the sangguniang panlalawigan; and
d) All city or municipal mayors within the province; as members.

The PADC shall monitor the formulation, development, and
implementation of the ADPP of the province and the ADPP of all cities and
municipalities within the province. The PADC shall submit an annual report to
the RADC on or before June 30 of each year containing the accomplishment of
the province and the consolidated accomplishment of all cities and
municipalities within the province.

The office of the provincial agriculturist shall act as the secretariat of the
PADC and all funds necessary for its operations shall be included in the annual
budget of the province.

SEC. 11. City or Municipal Agricultural Development Council (CADC
or MADC). — There is hereby created in every city or municipality covered by
this Act, a city or municipal agricultural development council (CADC or

MADC), composed of the following:

a) City or municipal mayor, as chairperson;
b) City or municipal vice-mayor, vice-chairperson;
c) Members of the sangguniang panlungsod or sangguniang bayan;

and


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d) All barangay chairpersons within the city or municipality; as
members.

The CADC or MADC shall formulate and implement their ADPP with
measurable and time bounded annual goals, programs, activities and projects.
The city or municipal mayor shall see the timeliness, transparency and
accountability in the delivery of technical know-how, goods, and services to
farmers and fisherfolks. The ADPP of each city or municipality shall be
submitted to the PADC. An annual report containing accomplishment and
impact of the programs shall be submitted to the PADC on or before March 31,
of the succeeding year.

The office of the city or municipal agriculturist shall act as the secretariat
of the CADC or MADC and all funds necessary for its operations shall be
included in the annual budget of the city or municipality concerned.

SEC. 12. Funding. — The amount necessary for the initial implementation
of this Act shall be charged against the current appropriation of the province,
city or municipality concerned. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for
the continued implementation of this Act shall be funded from the allocated ten
percent (10%) of the annual budget for development projects on programs,
activities, and services for agriculture and fisheries development of each
province, city or municipality concerned.

SEC. 14. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within ninety (90)


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days from the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall, in
coordination with the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government,
formulate the implementing rules and regulations of this Act.

SEC. 15. Repealing Clause. — Sections 443(b) and 454(b) of Republic Act
No. 7160, also known as the “Local Government Code of 1991” are hereby
amended insofar as the appointment of municipal and city agriculturist for cities
and municipalities is concerned. All other laws, presidential decrees, executive
orders, ordinances, rules and regulations, and other issuances or parts thereof
inconsistent with this Act, are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

SEC. 16. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,

ee