Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon Cily

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS.

First Regular Session

3790

House Bill No,

Introduced by Hon, Delphine Gan Lee

EXPLANATORY NOTE,

Research suggests that earlier influences on a person will likely affect his future

career considerations and interests, Studies have likewise estimated that money invested in

quality carly education leads to yields savings of about seven times that amount in education
costs later in the child’s life, This bill seeks to help improve the quality of Philippine
education by providing for additional subjects on agricultural science in elementary and
junior high school.

There is now a waning interest on the part of the youth in taking up farming as a
vocation and this has resulted in the drop of enrollees in agricultural courses, which are
offered primarily in state universities and colleges. Rex Bingabing, the executive director of
the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech), said that
aging Filipino farmers quitting has led to problems in some areas in the country, which could
lead to a food crisis. He was quoted in saying that in many areas, we are already experiencing
the effects of this scenario. In places in Central Luzon, farm owners are already having
difficulty in finding farm workers during the time of planting and harvest,

While the government has yet (o determine how many farmers are quitting because of

old age, the preliminary results of the last Labor Force Survey (IFS) of the National Statistics


in review. This.

Office (NSO) showed 624,000 workers losing their jobs during the period
drop in the country’s overall employment rate is due to the decline in employment in the
agriculture sector, with the number of agricultural workers falling from an estimated 12.468
million in April 2012 to 11.844 million in April 2013, or by about 624,000 workers.

It is the hope of the author that this will renew interest in crops and livestock

cultural science as a

cultivation to ensure the steady stream of students who will pursue agr

college degree, and eventually as a career in their professional life. This will ultimately
strengthen our position as an agricultural country and ensure food stability and the

availability of local experts on farming techniques and innovations.

‘The early approval of this bill is eamestly sought.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS

First Regular Session

House Bill No. 3790

Introduced by Hon, Delphine Gan Lee

AN ACT
INTEGRATING AN AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE SUBJECT IN TH
PHILIPPINE ELEMENTARY AND HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATIONAL SY:

vi

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

SEC

PION 1, Short Title. ~ This Act shall be known as the “Agricultural Science

Early Education Act of 2013."

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. ~ It is the policy of the State to promote the

general welfare of the people. Pursuant to this policy, this Act seeks to create an educational
program to develop the foundation of learning among young children of the different studies

of discipline in agricultural science.

SECTION 3.Definition of Terms. ~

‘or purposes of this Act, the term

(A)“Agricultural science” refers to the study of the science and technology
underlying the principles and practices of agriculture, which is study of cultivating
the soil, producing crops, and raising livestock. It aims to develop knowledge,

skills and attitudes concerning the factors that affect the long-term well-being of

agricultural resources, and places emphasis on the managed use of these


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(B) resources;
(C)“Department” means the Department of Education; and.

(D)“Seeretary” means the Secretary of Education,

SECTION 4, Agricultural Science Subjects. — The Secretary shall require the
inclusion of a primary agricultural science subject in the senior year of elementary and an

advanced agricultural science subject in one year in junior high school

SECTION 5. Program Requirements. ~The Agricultural Science Subjects described
in Section 4 of this Act shall have the following minimum curriculum:

{A)Soils;

(B) The general structure and function of plants;

(C) Farm crops ~ cereal and roots;

(D) Farm erops ~ grasslands;

(E) Structure and function of the animal body;

(F) Common livestock;

(G) Agricultural Marketing practices,

SECTION 6. Duties of the Secretary. — In order to carry out the purpose of this Act,
the Seeretary shall:
(A) Formulate the necessary curriculum in the stated grade levels in consultation with
the Department of Agriculture.
(B) Establish any other policies, procedures, or requirements, with respect to this

educational program

SECTION 7. Separability Clause. — If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or

unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain


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SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. ~ Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive

order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent

with the provisions of this act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.

SR

“TION 9,

fectivity Clause. ~ This Act shall take effi

1 fifteen (15) days after

publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation