FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Se~ate Bill No. 143 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill aims to establish a. National Agriculture Education System 
(NAES), which is an approach to stratify institutional goals, upgrade standards 
and increase the school's effectiveness in instruction, research and extension 
within the nation, region or province. Through the NAES, the State commits to 
the exposure of all aspects of agriculture to teachers, students and the 
community to create and maintain an understanding and appreciation of 
agriculture and related industries. It is a great opportunity to promote agriculture 
awareness and an understanding of the importance of agriculture to all members 
of society. 
Soil is one of our most precious resources. Therefore, we have to work on 
changing farm policy to emphasize its proper use. We must get farmers into 
classrooms. We must strive to move student out of the classroom and onto farms 
which model sustainable systems. Together, we can work toward the goal of 
sustainable agricultural systems. 
The bill seeks to improve the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of 
agriculture education programs while preserving the concern for equity or 
democratized access to higher education in the rural areas. It is also a response 
to the call for greater productivity, higher rural incomes and better quality of life 
for the Filipino people. 
In view of the foregoing, early passage of this bill is earnestly requested. 
Senator 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 743 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
RATIONALIZING AGRICULTURE EDUCATION IN THE PHILIPPINES BY 
ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL SYSTEM OF AGRICULTURE EDUCATION 
INSTITUTIONS, PROVIDING FOR MECHANISMS OF IMPLEMENTATION, 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
CHAPTER 1. TITLE AND POLICIES 
SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Agriculture 
Education Act of 2010". 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policies. -
a) The State shall protect and promote the right of all citizens, regardless 
of sex, and creed to quality education at all levels and shall take appropriate 
steps to make such education accessible to all. 
b) The State shall establish, maintain, and support a complete and 
integrated system of agriculture ~ducation relevant to the needs of the economy, 
community and society. 
c) The State shall provid(3 non-formal education and training to farmers, 
farmworkers and out-of-school youths in the rural areas. Agriculture education 
shall be coordinated with agricultural policies of the State and shall be oriented 
particularly towards improvement of the productivity and incomes of small 
farmers and increased self-sufficiency of rural communities. 
CHAPTER II. COVERAGE 
SEC. 3. Scope. - This Act shall apply to and govern both formal and non-
formal continuing agriculture education programs being offered in all public and 
private educational institutions in the country. 
SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. - The following terms shall mean as defined 
herein: 
a) Agriculture - means cultivation of the soil, planting of crops, growing of 
fruit trees, management of forests, raising or catching of livestock or both, poultry 
or fish; including the harvesting and post harvest handling of such products and 


other activities and practices ,Performed by a farmer/fisherman/forester in 
conjunction with such operations ,done by persons whether natural or juridical. 
b) Agriculture and Environmental Education - pertains to organized and 
institutionalized instructions relating to professional, technical and vocational 
skills development, research for technology development, and extension of 
technologies in the various fields disciplines in agriculture and allied sciences 
such as crop science, animal science, agricultural engineering, fisheries, forestry 
and veterinary medicine. Environmental concerns are integrated in each 
discipline. 
CHAPTER III. 
THE NATIONAL AGRICULTURE EDUCATION SYSTEM (NAES) 
SEC. 5. Purpose. - Qualified existing public and private institutions, 
colleges and universities shall be developed into a network of an integrated 
system of agriculture education' to respond effectively to agriculture and rural 
development needs of the country. 
SEC. 6. The National Agriculture Education System (NAES) - The 
network of qualified public and private education institutions shall be formed and 
established into a National Agriculture Education System (NAES), in order for 
agriculture education to have a unified, coordinated and improved system of 
implementation of academic program thrusts geared toward achieving agriculture 
and rural development of the community and country. However, in case there is 
no institution offering agriculture education in the service area which corresponds 
to the provision of Section 7 of this Act, the same shall be created or established 
according to implementing rules and regulations of this Act. 
SEC. 7. Components of the System. - From among the qualified 
agriculture education institutions, regardless of the institution's system of 
governance as authorized by law, the network shall be composed of five (5) 
subsystems, namely: agriculture, agricultural engineering, fisheries, forestry and 
veterinary medicine. However, administrative organization and structures of the 
designated institutions shall be. governed by their respective charters unless 
otherwise provided in this Act. 
a) The Agriculture Education Sub-system shall be composed of one (1) 
designated National College of Agriculture, one (1) designated Regional College 
of Agriculture in each region, and at least one (1) designated/converted/created 
Technical Institute of Agriculture per province as the case may be. 
b) The Agricultural Engineering Education Sub-system shall be composed 
of one (1) designated national College of Agricultu,ral Engineering and a 
designated Regional College of Agricultural Engineering per region to be located 
within the network of the agriculture education sub-system. 
c) The Fisheries Educatipn Sub-system shall be composed of one (1) 
designated Regional College of Fisheries to be located strategically in three (3) 
selected regions and a designated converted/created Regional Institute of 
Fisheries Technology per region. 
d) The Forestry Education Sub-system shall be composed of one (1) 
designated National College of Forestry and a designated Regional College of 
Forestry per region to be located within the agriculture education sub-system, If 
possible. 


e) The Veterinary Education Sub-system shall be composed of one (1) 
designated National College of Veterinary Medicine and four (4) designated 
regional College of Veterinary Medicine to be located strategically in four (4) 
selected regions within the agriculture education sub-system . 
. CHAPTER IV. 
ROLES AND FUNCTIONS OF INSTITUTIONS 
IN EACH LEVEL OF THE NETWORK 
SEC. 8. The National Colleges (NCs) shall: 
a) Concentrate on the post-graduate programs and curricular models in 
the tertiary level; 
b) Be responsible for the conduct of basic and applied researches and 
other scientific innovations; 
c) Assist the Regional Colleges and institutions in their development 
efforts towards excellence, effectiveness and relevance in instruction, research 
and extension or technology transfer; 
c) Link up with national and international agencies to keep abreast of local 
needs and scientific advances; and 
d) Share its expertise and facilities with the Government and the private 
sector as far as policy recommeodations, program planning and evaluation, and 
staff training are concerned. 
SEC. 9. The Regional Colleges (RCs) shall: 
a) Concentrate on Bachelor of Science degrees with reasonable 
involvement in the post-graduate and model technology courses; 
b) Focus on adaptive researches needed in the region with reasonable 
involvement in basic and applied researches and verification projects; 
c) Assist technical instituteS in strengthening their institutional capabilities 
towards relevance, effectiveness and excellence in instruction, action research 
and technology transfer; and 
d) Link up with, and assist government regional offices in planning and 
evaluating their programs and in training their staff for agriculture activities. 
SEC. 10 . The Regional Institutes of Fisheries Technology (RIFT) 
shall: 
a) Concentrate on the Diploma in Fisheries Technology designed for the 
training of fisheries technicians on technical skills required of the fisheries 
industry; 
. 
b) Conduct verification tests of new techniques developed by research 
institutions and transfer positive results to field technicians, fishermen and 
fishfarmers; 


c) Assist the Fisherman's Training Center of the Bureau of Fisheries and 
Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in planning, implementing and evaluating their 
programs and training; 
d) Assist high schools . .with fishery practical arts subjects in the 
development of their instructional. materials. 
SEC. 11. The Provincial Technical Institutes (PTls) shall: 
a) Concentrate their curricular programs on technical and technology 
courses designed for farming and extension work with reasonable involvement in 
selected degree and non-degree, post-secondary advanced technology-related 
courses in agriculture; 
b) Conduct pilot/action researches and verification trials to demonstrate 
advances in agricultural technology and transfer the same to technicians and 
farmers through fields days, short courses and training programs; 
c) Serve as a learning and technology resource for development agencies 
in the province in planning and evaluating programs and in training technicians, 
small farmers, agricultural producers and entrepreneurs; and 
d) Extend improved appropriate agricultural technologies to secondary 
and vocational high schools. 
. 
SEC. 12. Other Roles and Functions of the institutions. - In addition to 
their regular roles and functions, all the member institutions mentioned above 
shall also serve as the agricultural training centers in their respective areas and 
offer continuing 
and 
adult education courses for related 
line agency 
staff/farmers/fisherfolk and community leaders to hasten technology transfer, 
improve attitudes towards farmirig, and inculcate the importance of agriculture in 
nation building in support to the Magna Carta for Small Farmers. It shall also be 
the function of the institutions to provide assistance to students in conducting 
their income-generating projects ,as well as placement of their graduates. 
CHAPTER V. 
IMPLEMENTING AND COORDINATING MECHANISMS 
SEC. 13. Agricultural Education Development Council (AEDEC). - The 
existing Technical Panel for Agricultural Education (TPAE) is hereby transformed 
into the Agricultural Education Development Council (AEDEC) as the governing 
advisory policy body which is autonomous and attached to the Department of 
Education (DepEd) with the following composition and functions: 
a) composition. - The AEDEC shall be composed of the following 
members to be appointed by the Secretary of Education as its Ex-Officio 
Chairman: 
. 
1) One (1) outstanding scientist, educator or practitioner from each of the 
fields of Crop Science, Animal Science, Agricultural Engineering, Fisheries, 
Forestry, Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture Teacher Education, who shall be 
nominated by heads of faculties, scientific or professional groups for a term of 
three (3) years, and from among them a Vice-chairman shall be chosen; 
2) One (1) representative each from the Department of Agriculture, 
Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Agrarian 


Reform, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Budget and 
Management and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA); 
3) One (1) representative from the Commission on Higher Education; 
4) One (1) representative from the Professional Regulation Commission; 
6) One (1) representative from the Philippine Federation of Professional 
Associations; 
, 
6) One (1) representative from the Federation or Association of Colleges 
of Agriculture in the Philippines; C)nd 
7) One (1) representative from the Fund for Assistance to Private 
Education. 
b) Functions, - The AEDEC shall have the following duties and functions: 
1) To study and review the overall philosophy and goals of agriculture and 
environment education in relation to the regional, national and international 
developments in agriculture and industry and formulate alternative directions and 
plans; 
" 
2) To assess and identify the agriculture and environmental education, 
training and employment needs of the country in conSUltation with the NEDA and 
other concerned agencies; 
" 
3) To undertake policy, educational and evaluation research and 
recommend measures to improve agriculture and environmental education; 
4) To formulate and recommend guidelines and minimum educational 
standards with respect to curricula, faculty, equipment and facilities, library 
resources, student services, quality of output and other related criteria which 
shall be applicable to all NAES member-institutions; 
6) To develop and implement coordinative and collaborative mechanisms 
of monitoring and evaluation of activities of NAES; 
6) To establish and operate a Management Information System (MIS) for 
the NAES; 
7) To provide technical assistance to educational institutions in the 
planning, development and implementation of agriculture and environmental 
education programs in cooperation with appropriate agencies; 
8) To receive or recommend grants or both for the funding of educational 
research and development following the existing accounting and auditing manual 
for research operations; 
9) To appoint AEDEC staff and employees upon the recommendation and 
endorsement of the Executive Director; and 
10) To formulate implementing rules and regulations of this Act and 
recommend the same to the Commission on Higher Education within six (6) 
months after the effectivity of this Act; and 
11) To perform such other functions as may be deemed necessary, 


SEC. 14. Secretariat. - The AEDEC shall be assisted by technical and 
administrative staff with appointment on permanent status to be headed by an 
Executive Director. The Secretariat's office shall be at the University where the 
National College of Agriculture is located. The services of a pool of 
experts/consultants/resource persons on full-time or part-time status shall be 
provided on special detail or secondment subject to the guidelines approved by 
AEDEC. 
SEC. 15. Budgetary Scheme shall be as follows: 
a) The current appropriations or budgets of the public educational 
institutions in the NAES designated as the national colleges and regional 
colleges shall continue and shall be modified or adjusted in succeeding years in 
order to meet the standards of the rationalized programs of the institutions as 
approved by the Department of Budget and Management and shall be included 
in the Annual General Appropriations Act. 
b) The PTlslRIFTs in the NAES which are designated or newly created 
under this Act shall likewise be provided budgetary support based on their 
programs and new staffing pattern as approved by the Department of Budget and 
Management and shall be included in the Annual General Appropriations Act. 
Additional institutes that may be established in the province shall solely be 
supported by provincial government funds. 
c) This Act shall hereby allocate an endowment lumpsum amount of Five 
Million Pesos (P5,000,000.00) per annum for the next ten (10) years and shall be 
included in the General Appropriations Act starting calendar year 2008. This fund 
shall be called as the Agriculture Education Program Development Fund to 
support the development, improvement and implementation of priority agriculture 
education and farmers' entrepreneurial training programs of NAES member 
institutions: Provided, further, That such fund shall be invested in government 
bonds and securities and managed by AEDEC using only the interest earnings of 
the said fund. 
d) The operations of the AEDEC shall be funded initially from the CHED 
budget allocation for the Technical Panel for Agricultural Education (TPAE). 
Upon the effectivity of this Act, TPAE shall be replaced by the AEDEC and all 
equipment, qualified personnel and projects of the TPAE shall be transferred to 
AEDEC. Subsequently, the initial amount of at least Three million pesos 
(P3,000,000.00) shall be allocated for the AEDEC in the Annual General 
Appropriations Act. 
SEC. 16. Fiduciary, Endowment and Revolving Funds. -The Fiduciary 
and Revolving Funds centralized under P.D. 711 are hereby authorized and 
reallocated to the institutions in NAES to encourage them to demonstrate the 
technologies that they develop in their laboratories, experimental farms and 
income-generating projects, furthermore endowment funds shall be authorized to 
be accumulated in the institutions, out of any funds generated from unallocated 
savings, earnings or from any other external sources to be used as incentives for 
professorial chairs, teachers/employees incentives award systems, faculty 
fellowship programs and the like. Such funds shall be disbursed in accordance 
with law and guidelines set by AEDEC and the Commission on Audit. 
CHAPTER VI. 
INCENTIVES, PRIVILEGES AND BENEFITS 


SEC. 17. Incentives for Private Institutions. - Private colleges or 
universities that may be designated to perform any role in the system shall 
basically be supported out of their private funds raised and solicited for its 
operations. They shall be supported through the Fund for Assistance to Private 
Education (FAPE), national grants, educational development subsidies, and 
other forms of incentives such as deregulation of tuition and other fees and tax 
exemptions especially on importation of books and equipment. 
SEC. 18. Incentives for Agriculture Education Graduates. -
The 
following incentives are hereby provided to graduates to facilitate and maximize 
their contributions to agriculture and national government: 
a) Agriculture Education Entrepreneurial Loan. - Graduates desiring to 
establish agribusiness enterprises shall be provided with a loan not exceeding 
One 
hundred 
thousand 
pesos (P100,000.00) 
upon 
submission 
of an 
authenticated diploma, a good .feasibility study and is secured by a chattel 
mortgage of assets acquired from the loan. Mechanisms to operationalize said 
loan shall be provided by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas through the Land Bank 
of the Philippines and other interested commercial or cooperative banks with the 
assistance of the AEDEC. 
b) Tax Incentives. -
Graduates venturing into priority agribusiness 
processing and manufacturing industries may avail of tax incentives under the 
Board of Investments priority plan as provided by law and the Kalakalan 20 under 
R.A. No. 1648. 
CHAPTER VII. SPECIAL PROVISIONS 
SEC. 19. By virtue of this Act, the non-chartered CHED managed colleges 
that may be designated to perform the role of a regional college in the NAES 
shall follow the structure of a state college as provided for in the guidelines of the 
Department of Budget and Management starting at level four. 
SEC. 20. Provincial Technical Institutes. - This Act shall hereby 
authorize the Chairman of CHED upon endorsement of the AEDEC through the 
recommendations of the provincial government or the regional development 
councils as the case may be in the designations and/orchange of status of 
potential institutions into Technical Institutes of Agriculture in each province and 
Institutes of Fisheries Technology in each region within the NAES: Provided, 
however, That such designations including the institutions identified within the 
NAES be published in the Gove'rnment's official gazette: Provided, fwther, That 
such institutes shall be headed by a Director and shall be allowed to adopt the 
existing titles and academic ranks accorded to a college faculty: Provided, 
furthermore, That such institutes, which are attached to mother units shall have a 
Director by designation whereas those independent institutes shall have a 
Director with a plantilla position. 
SEC. 21. Repealing Clause. - All existing laws, rules, and regulations or 
parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, 
superseded, or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 22. Separability Clause. - If any part, section or provision of this Act 
shall be held invalid or unconstitutional, no other part, section or provision hereof 
shall be affected thereby. 
. 


• 
SEC. 23. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,