Republic of the Philippine 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
19TH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____
__________________________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by Representative Michael L. Romero 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Feeding the growing Philippine population now at 110 million is a primary and 
urgent concern of the national government and the local government units 
LGUs). 'Along this, the country's 9.7 million hectares of agricultural lands for 
agricultural and fisheries production need to be maximized and fully developed 
to produced enough food for the Filipino people and livelihood for the farmers. 
The provision of adequate and responsive agricultural support services is vital 
and necessary for this endeavor. 
Section 17 of the Local Government Code of 1991 have mandated local 
government units at the provincial, city, municipal and barangay levels to basic 
agricultural support services and facilities. To carry-out this task, V of the said 
Code prescribes appointive local officials common to cities, municipalities and 
provinces which include the appointment of Agriculturist as mandatory position 
in the provinces and optional in the cities and municipalities, and Veterinarian 
as mandatory in the provinces and cities, and optional in the municipalities. 
section 17of the Local Government Code mandates of the LGUs were expanded 
with the enactment of R.A. No.8435 (Agricultural and Fisheries Modernization 
Act), and R.A. No. 10601 (Agricultural and Fisheries Mechanization Law) 
which included small scale irrigation, postharvest facilities and farm 
September 6, 2022
5:00 pm
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mechanization. Correspondingly, agricultural Engineering Division are being 
established at the Agriculturist Offices to support its implementation. However, 
these services are still lacking and limited in many LGUs. 
Facedby the challenges on ASEAN integration where our agriculture sector need 
to be competitive, these 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. 17000-663), 
agricultural and biosystems engineer (R.A. No. 10915) and veterenarian (R.A. No. 
9268). 
Earnest approval of this bill is hereby requested. 
MICHAEL L. ROMERO


Republic of the Philippine 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
19TH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _____
___________________________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by Representative Michael L. Romero 
AN ACT 
TO STRENGTHEN, MODERNIZE AND PROFESSIONALIZE 
THEAGRICULTURAL SERVICES OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT 
UNITS, AMENDING PROVISIONS OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT 
CODE OF 1991, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representative of the Philippines in 
Congress Assembled: 
SECTION 1. Section 443 of Republic Act 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; AND A MUNICIPAL AGRICULTURIST,
AND 
A 
MUNICIPAL 
AGRICULTURAL 
AND 
BIOSYSTEMS
ENGINEER IN ALL FIRST CLASS TO THIRD CLASS LGUs. THE
APPOINTMENT 
OF 
MUNICIPAL 
AGRICULTURIST 
AND
4495


MUNICIPAL AGRICULTURAL AND BIOSYSTEMS ENGINEER IS 
OPTIONAL IN ALL 4TH CLASS TO 6TH CLASS MUNICIPAL LGUs. 
SECTION 2. Section 454 of Republic Act 7160 is hereby amended to read as 
follows:  
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] 
city general services officer; AND 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  LGUs. 
SECTION 3. Section 463 of republic Act 7160 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. Section 482 of Article XII of Republic Act 7160 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 local 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. section 489 of Article XIX of Republic Act 7160 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 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 ClTIES 
AND MUNICIPALITIES;  
SECTION 6. Additional Articles and Sections are hereby added to Book 111, 
' Title Five of Republic Act 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 
WUNICIPAL 
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 our 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 
AGROPROCESSING 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 
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 1, R.A. 7160 is Il 
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 Biosystems 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 graded or 
reclassified to various levels of Agriculturist, Agricultural and Biosystems 
Engineer and Veterinarian positions. 
SECTION 9. The Department of Agriculture through its Regional office, 
Bureau of Animal Industry, Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Engineering 
and other concerned offices shall deploy Agriculturists, Agricultural and 
Biosystems Engineers and Veterinarians in all 4th Class to 6th Class LGUs, and 
for this purpose create plantilla positions. 
 
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 323 of the Local 
Government Code is hereby waived. 
 
SECTION 11. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE. - If any part or provision of this 
act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected here 
shall remain in full force and effect. 
SECTION 12. REPEALING CLAUSE. - All laws, decrees, executive orders 
and other administrative issuances or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with 
the provisions of this Act, are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SECTION 13. EFFECTIVITY CLAUSE - This Act shall take effect fifteen 
(15) days following its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) 
newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines. 
Approved,