Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 3075

Introduced by HON. JOHN TRACY F. CAGAS

AN ACT REGULATING THE PRACTICE OF AGRICULTURE IN THE
PHILIPPINES, CREATING THE BOARD FOR PROFESSIONAL
AGRICULTURISTS AND APROPROATING FUNDS THEREFOR,

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Composing almost forty percent (40%) of Filipino workers, the Agriculture sector,
divided into its four sub-sectors: fisheries, farming, livestock and forestry contributes to more
than ten percent (10%) of the Gross Domestic Product.

Despite being a predominantly agricultural country, interest in agriculture has been
constantly dwindling down through the years. When the COVID-19 pandemic came, the
importance of agriculture and food security was highlighted. Knowledge on the technicalities
of agriculture became a commodity.

In accordance with the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1997, the
Professional Regulation Commission created the Board of Agriculture which has since
administered and regulated the practice of agriculture. However, this proves insufficient to be
able to keep up with the changes and innovations in world-class agriculture.

It is for the foregoing reason that the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

JOHN TI

SY F. CAGAS


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

3075

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by HON. JOHN TRACY F. CAGAS

AN ACT REGULATING THE PRACTICE OF AGRICULTURE IN THE
PHILIPPINES, CREATING THE BOARD FOR PROFESSIONAL.
AGRICULTURISTS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

ARTICLE I
GENERAL PROVISIONS

SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Agriculture Profession Act of 2022”.

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — The State recognizes the importance of agriculture in
sustaining the country and its citizens. Thus, it shall nurture qualified and competent world-
class agriculture professionals whose practice shall encourage and steer the Filipinos into a

sustainable, food sufficient country.

SEC. 3. Coverage of this Act. ~ This Act shall cover the following acts of the practice of the
profession:

(a) Examinations, registration and licensure of agriculturists;

(b) Development and updating of the BS Agriculture curriculum, together with the
Commission on Higher Education(CHED);

(c) Modernization and enhancement of the competency of the professionals through
continuing professional development, including international linkages

See. 4. Definition of Terms. ~ As used in this act:
(a) Accredited Professional Organization (APO) refers to a duly accredited and

onal agriculturists, of which there shall only be one
ict and the provisions of RA No. 8981 or the “PRC

recognized organization of profes:
as prescribed by Section 26 of th
Modernization act of 2000".



(b) Agriculture refers to the science of cultivating the soil, growing crops, raising
fisheries and livestock to produce, process and trade including its various by-products.

(c) Board refers to the Professional Regulatory Board of Agriculture

(4) Commission refers to the Professional Regulation Commission

(e) Licensed agriculturist refers to a licensed and registered person who holds a valid
Certificate of Registration and a valid Professional Identification Card as issued by the

Board of Agriculture and the Professional Regulation Commission.

(f) Professional Agriculture Practice refers to all activities, professional services and
undertakings by Licensed Agriculturists as provided for in this Act.

ARTICLE II
PROFESSIONAL REGULATORY BOARD OF AGRICULTURISTS

See. 5. Professional Regulatory Board of Agriculturists- There is hereby created a Professional
Regulatory Board of Agriculture, hereinafter referred to as the Board, which shall be composed
of @ Chairperson and six (6) members, heading each subject under Section 14 of this act and
under the administrative supervision of the Professional Regulation Commission, hereinafter
referred to as the Commission. The Board shall be appointed by the President of the
Philippines, from a list of three (3) recommendees for each position, ranked by the Commission
from a list of five (5) recommendees for each position and submitted by the APO of licensed
agriculturists.

The new Board shall be constituted within six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act.

See. 6. Qualifications of Board Members- Each member of the Board, shall, at the time of
appointment possess the following qualifications:

a. A citizen and resident of the Philippines;

b. Of good moral character and of sound mind and not have been convicted of any crime
involving moral turpitude;

c. A registered and licensed agriculturist with a valid Certificate of Registration and a
valid Personal Identification Card and with at least ten (10) years of relevant experience
in Agriculture;

d. A holder of a Master's Degree in Agriculture or its equivalent;
e. A member in good standing but not an officer or trustee of the APO:

£ Not a member of the faculty or staff of any educational institution offering a course
in Agriculture, or engaged in any center or institution offering review courses in

Agriculture, and does not have any direct or indirect pecuniary interest in such
institutions.


See. 7. Term of Office- The Chairperson and the Members of the Board shall hold office for a
term of two (2) years from the date of their appointment, They may be reappointed for another
term of two (2) years immediately after the expiry of their terms, Provided, that the holding of
such position shall not be for more than four (4) years or two (2) terms, Provided further, that
the First Board under this Act shall hold office for a term of three (3) years, Provided
furthermore, that any appointee to a vacancy due to an unexpired term shall only serve such
period.

The Chairperson and Members of the Board shall take their oath of office before discharging
the powers and functions of their positions.

See. 8. Power, Duties and Responsibilities of the Board- The Board shall have the following
specific power, duties and responsibilities:

a. Prescribe and adopt the necessary internal rules and regulations to carry out the
provisions of this Act;

b. Adopt an official seal of the Board;

c. Prepare the contents of the licensure examination, rate the examination papers and
submit such to the Commission;

d. Supervise the registration, licensure and practice of Agriculture in the Philippines;

e. Issue, suspend, revoke or reinstate the Certificate of Registration for the practice of
Agriculture;

£, Administer oaths in connection with the implementation of this Act;
g. Assist the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to ensure that the instruction,
standards and facilities of educational institutions offering the Agriculture program
meets the qualifications as mandated by the CHED;

h. With the supervision of the Commission, shall act on complaints of administrative
cases filed before the Board and promulgate decisions on such administrative cases;

i, Perform other functions that may affect the ethical, professional and technological
standards of the Agriculture profession;

See. 9. Compensation of the Board- The Chairperson and Members of the Board shall receive
compensation and renumeration similar to the other Chairperson and Members of the existing
Board of other professions under the Commission as provided for in the annual General
Appropriations Act.

See. 10. Administrative Supervision of the Board, Custodian of its Records, Secretariat- The
Board shall be under the supervision and administration of the Commission. The Commission
shall designate a Secretary of the Board and provide secretariat and other administrative
services. The records of the Board, including the applications for examinations, complaints,
administrative investigations and hearings shall be under the custody of the Commission.


See. 11. Grounds for Disciplinary Action of the Members of the Board- he Chairperson and
Members of the Board, after due process and hearing, upon recommendation of the
Commission and approval of the President of the Philippines, may be suspended or dismissed
based on the following grounds:

a, Gross or habitual negligence, serious misconduct, incompetence or dishonesty in the
performance of one’s duty;

b. Commission of any of the prohibited acts under Republic Act No. 3019, otherwise
known as the “Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act”, and any other laws;

c. Tampering, influencing and rigging the licensure examinations questions and its
results; and

d. Unlawful disclosure of any confidential information relating to the conduct of the
licensure examinations prior to its conduct thereof.

Sec. 12. Annual Report- The Board, shall, at the end of each calendar year, submit a written
annual report to the Commission detailing its activities and undertakings during the year and
shall include recommendations to promote the policies and objectives of this Act

ARTICLE HL
EXAMINATION AND REGISTRATION

See. 13. Examination Required- Unless otherwise provided for in this Act, all applicants shall
be required to pass the professional licensure examination which shall be administered by the
Board at least once every year in such places and dates as the Commission may designate
pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No. 8981 or the “PRC Modernization Act of 2000”.

See. 14, Subjects of Examination- The licensure examination for agriculturists shall include the
following:

a. Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Management

b. Agricultural Extension

c. Agricultural Biotechnology

d. Soil Science

e. Crop Science

f. Animal Science
These subjects and syllabi shall include sub-topics and topics determined by the Board upon
consultation with the academe and the APO. Such subjects may be revised when deemed

necessary to accommodate and keep up with innovations brought about by trends in the
agriculture practice.



See. 15. Rating in the Licensure Examination- An examinee shall pass the licensure
examination after obtaining a weighted average of not less than seventy per centum (70%) and
a rating of not less than fifty per centum (50%) in each examination subject.

See. 16. Qualifications for Taking the Examination- Any person applying to take the licensure
examination shall prove to the satisfaction of the Board, that one has the following
qualifications:

a. A citizen and resident of the Philippines or a foreign citizen whose country or State
has a policy on professional reciprocity in the practice of profession;

b. A holder of any of the following degrees from educational institutions of higher
education:

1. A graduate of Bachelor of Science in agriculture or any of its equivalent with
at least one (1) year on-the-job training;

2. A Post-Graduate Diploma in Agriculture or any of its branches with at least
one (1) year on-the-job training or a published thesis;

3. Incumbent holders of agriculture positions in the national, regional or local
government offices or agencies, as accepted by the Board, provided, that they
are holders of second-level civil service eligibility and have undergone at least
eighty (80) hours of relevant training and has finished a minimum of twenty-
four (24) units of agricultural subjects.

Sec. 17. Issuance of Certificate of Registration and Professional Identification Card- A
Certificate of Registration (COR) shall be issued to those who are registered after payment of
fees as prescribed by the Commission. The COR shall bear the signatures of the Chairperson
of the Commission and the Chairperson of the Board, stamped with the official seal of the
Commission and the Board, certifying that the person named therein is entitled to practice the
profession. Until revoked, suspended, or withdrawn, the COR shall remain in full force and
effect.

‘The Professional Identification Card bearing the registration number, its validity and expiry
dates duly signed by the Chairperson of the Commission shall likewise be issued to every
registrant who has paid the prescribed fees and have obtained a Certificate of Good Standing
from the APO. The PIC shall be valid for a period of three (3) years as provided for in Republic
Act No. 8981 or the PRC Modemization Act. It shall be renewable upon mandatory proof of
compliance of the requirements provided by the Commission and the Board.

Sec. 18, Refusal to Register- The Board, in writing, shall refuse to register any person, with or
without the licensure examination, who has been:

a. convicted of any crime or offense involving moral turpitude;
b. declared immoral and guilty of dishonorable conduct; and

c. declared of unsound mind.



Such refusal to register by the Board, shall form and be part of the records of the Board and the
Commission.

See. 19. Revocation or Suspension of the Registration and Cancellation of the Permit- The
Board, after approval of the Commission, shall have the power to revoke and suspend, after
due notice and hearing, the COR of a licensed agriculturist or the temporary special permit of
a foreign agriculturist for the grounds provided for in Section 18 of this Act, and any of the
following grounds:

a. Any violation of this Act, its Implementing Rules and Regulations, Code of Ethics
and any of the policies and regulations set forth by the Board and the Commission;

b. Gross or habitual negligence, incompetence and ignorance in the conduct of the
practice of the profession;

¢c. Refusal to join or be a member in good standing of the APO without just cause;
4. Unjust refusal to settle the mandated annual fees for five (5) consecutive years;
e. Non-renewal of the PIC after the lapse of nine (9) consecutive years; and

f Illegal practice of profession when one is temporarily suspended.

The Board shall evaluate the aforementioned grounds every three (3) years to revise or add
new ones, subject to the approval of the Commission.

See. 20. Filing of Charges- Any person, organization, firm or association may file charges
against any licensed agriculturist in accordance with the provisions of Section 18 and 19 of this
‘Act. A complaint shall be filed directly, together with affidavits of witnesses and other pieces
of evidence with the Board through the Legal and Investigation Office of the Commission. The
action to conduct an investigation shall be issued by the Board and signed by at least the
majority of its members. The rules on investigation shall be promulgated and issued by the
Commission, subject to its existing laws and the Rules of Court.

Sec, 21. Reissuance of Revoked or Lost Certificate of Registration and Professional
Identification Card- Upon the petition of the licensed agriculturist, the Board may reinstate or
reissue a revoked COR after two (2) years from the date of revocation. The Board shall not
require the professional to take another licensure examination, notwithstanding, such
professional shall be required to prove to the Board the valid reasons to resume one’s practice
of profession. The grant or denial of the Board shall be set forth in a Board Resolution and
approved by the Commission.

In case of loss of the COR or the PIC of any registrant, the circumstances leading to the loss
shall be duly proven.

The duplicate of a lost or revoked Certificate of Registration or Professional Identification Card
shall be issued in accordance with the existing rules subject to the payment of the necessary
and mandated dues.


ARTICLE IV
PRACTICE OF THE AGRICULTURE PROFESSION

Sec. 22. Vested Rights- All licensed agriculturists duly registered with the Board under PRC
Board Resolution No. 2000-663, and holders of valid Professional Identification Cards and are
members of good standing, shall be deemed automatically registered under this Act.

See. 23. Acts Constituting the Practice of Agriculture Profession- The Agriculture profession
involves crops and animal production, processing of by-products, distribution and agricultural
research and extension. Any activity that may require the application of techni

skills, training and experience in the field of agriculture is considered a part of

Sec. 24, Consulting Firms Engaged in the Practice of the Agriculture Profession- A consulting
firm, association or organization may engage in the practice of the agriculture profession in the
Philippines, Provided, that it complies with the following requirements:

a. That majority of the officers and board members of the firm, association or
organization are registered and licensed agriculturists;

», That the practice of the consulting firm shall be carried out by licensed and registered
agriculturists.

Sec. 28. Foreign Reciprocity- A foreign Professional Agriculturist shall be allowed to take the
examination and be given the COR or PIC and shall be allowed to practice and be admitted to
the Philippine Agriculturist Board according to the provisions of this Act, Provided, that the
country where such foreign professional is a citizen, likewise, specifically provides for the
authority of Licensed Filipino Agriculturists to practice within its territorial limits and
jurisdiction.

Sec. 26. Hiring of Agriculturists in the Government Sector- Existing plantilla items in national
and local government offices centered on agriculture shall ensure that the positions shall be
occupied by licensed agriculturists.

‘The Provincial, City and Municipal Agriculture Officer and all technical positions shall be held
by licensed agriculturists.

Sec. 26. Accredited Professional Organization of Agriculturists - There is hereby established
one (1) accredited professional organization (APO) of all duly-registered and licensed
professional agriculturists that shall be registered with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC). Subject to the approval of the Commission, the Board shall accredit the
APO. All agriculturists whose names appear in the Registry Book of Agriculturists shall
automatically be members of the organization upon the payment of membership fees. Regional
and local chapters of the accredited professional organization shall not be barred.

ARTICLE V
FINAL AND PENAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 27. Enforcement by Government Officials — It is the duty of the all government officials
and officers of the concerned national and local offices to assist the Commission and the Board.
in enforcing the provisions of this Act.


Sec. 28. Appropriations The Chairperson of the Commission shall immediately include the
funding for the implementation of this Act in the annual General Appropriations Act and
thereafter.

Sec. 29. Transitory Provisions — The incumbent Chairperson and Members of the Board shall,
in an interim capacity, continue to carry out their functions and duties until the first Board
under this Act shall have been constituted.

Sec. 30. Penal Provisions- Any person committing any of the following unlawful acts shall,
upon conviction, be sentenced by imprisonment of not less than three (3) months nor more than
three (3) years or a fine of not less than One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) nor more
than Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00), at the discretion of the court:

a. Attempting to use as his/her own, the Certificate of Registration and Professional
Identification Card of another registered and licensed agriculturist, or impersonating
any such person;

b. Giving any tampered, false or forged evidence to the Board to take the licensure
examination;

c. Using a revoked or suspended Certificate of Registration or an expired Professional
Identification Card or Temporary/Special Permit:

d. Violating any provisions of this Act and the rules and regulations thereof.

In case the offender is a firm, association or organization, the penalty of imprisonment shall be
imposed jointly and solidarily with the responsible professionals, the supervisors responsible
for permitting the violation and the licensed agriculturist in-charge of the firm.

See. 31, Implementing Rules and Regulations ~ Within thirty (30) days from the effectivity of
this act, the Commission, with the aid of the Board, shall formulate, promulgate and issue the
implementing rules and regulations necessary for the implementation of this Act. Such rules
and regulations shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following its publication in a newspaper
of general publication.

See. 32. 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 and effect.

See. 33. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders, proclamations, rules and
regulations, and other issuances, or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of
this Act, are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Sec. 34, Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,