Republic of the Philippines

Bouse of Representative:
Queson City, Metro Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. _ 184

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE AURELIO "DONG" D. GONZALES, JR.

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE CONSOLIDATION OF AGRICULTURAL.
LANDS, TITLING OF UNTITLED AGRICULTURAL LANDS, PROVIDING FOR POST-
HARVEST FACILITIES TO RICE FARMERS, ESTABLISHING IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM TO
LAND OWNER/FARMER AND AGRICULTURAL TENANTS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Agriculture plays a significant role in the Philippine economy. This is measured by the valuation
of the output of the agricultural sector as percent in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). About
40% of Filipino workers are involved in agriculture, and that sector contributes an average of 20%
to our GDP. The country's main‘agricultural crops are rice, com, coconut, sugarcane, banana,
and abaca.

The Philippine Government has recognized the dismal performance of the agricultural sector
despite its contribution to the country’s GDP, which was attributed to extemal factors, such as
extreme weather conditions and poor adoption of technological advancement in the agricultural
sector. Other long-standing issues such as limited access to credit, lack of sufficient research and
development, insufficient governmental subsidy, and inadequate post-harvest facilities also
impede Philippine agricultural development.

The proposed Bill intends to address problems of the agricultural sector by consolidating all
agricultural lands in the: Philippines on a per province basis, for ease of profiling; initiate a
comprehensive land titling of agricultural areas; and strengthen post-harvest facility for agricultural
development.

Under this bill, the Department of Agriculture, in collaboration with the Department of Environment
and Natural Resources-Land Management Bureau, shall be tasked to consolidate agricultural
lands within the Philippines and initiate titling of such lands.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of the bill is earnestly sought.

REP. 4@QNG” D. GONZALES, JR.
3" District, Pampanga


CONGRESS OF THE PHILIPPINES
NINETEENTH CONGRESS,
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. _ 184

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE AURELIO "DONG" D. GONZALES, JR.

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE CONSOLIDATION OF
AGRICULTURAL LANDS, TITLING OF UNTITLED AGRICULTURAL LANDS,
PROVIDING FOR POST-HARVEST-FACILITIES TO RICE FARMERS,
ESTABLISHING IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM TO LAND OWNER/FARMER AND
AGRICULTURAL TENANTS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Agricultural Support Act of 2022.”
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared as national policy to:

a) Promote agricultural and rural development through the comprehensive
consolidation of agricultural lands in the country which would help the Department
@f Agriculture in basic profiling of land owners and tenants,

b) Increase agricultural output and production by providing an efficient post-harvest
facility, equipment, implements, and machinery to rice farmers; and

c) Advance the development of the agricultural sector and provide a systematic
approach in communal farming to sustain the country's food security and stability.

SEC. 3. Objective and Mandate. - The Department of Environment and Natural
Resources-Land Management Bureau, hereinafter referred to as the Bureau, shall
undertake a ten (10)-year program for the purpose of mapping, surveying, consolidating,
and titling of all untitled agricultural land in the entire Philippines on a per province
undertaking. The Bureau shall:

a) Serve as the technical and administrative secretariat of the program;

b) Undertake research, development and extension of appropriate and cost-efficient
system in the mapping, surveying, and consolidating of all agricultural lands in the
Philippines;

©) Formulate and implement a comprehensive national tiling program for agricultural
lands; and

d) Prepare a comprehensive work program for the consolidation and titling of all
agricuttural lands.

SEC. 4. Accelerated Titling of Agricultural Land. — The Bureau shall have the following
priorities and guidelines in the conduct of mapping, surveying, consolidation, and titling of
agricultural lands:

a)

Conduct an inventory of all agricultural lands in the Philippines, whether titled or
untitled;

List the priority of proposed pilot provinces that can be used as a benchmark for
comprehensive mapping, surveying, consolidation and titling;

Implement such program in pilot provinces to determine the Bureau's capability in
undertaking the program for the entire country; and

d) Draw-up a work program that is realistic, achievable, and annually target specific
regions that can be subjected to the program.

b)

SEC. 5. Selection of Qualified Beneficiaries. — On a nationwide basis, the Department
of Agriculture shall select qualified beneficiaries of the program using a standardized
targeting system. It shall conduct a regular revalidation of beneficiary targeting every three
(3) years. The Department of Agriculture shall provide such programs, technical support,
including capacity building and monitoring in the implementation of this Act.


SEC. 6. Establishment of Post Harvest Facility, Equipment, and Machineries. - The
Department of Public Works and Highways, in collaboration with the Department of
Agriculture and farmer cooperatives shall establish state-of-the-art rice milling facilities
and palay drying equipment in every province. Also, the Department of Trade and Industry
in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture and farmer cooperatives shall provide
state-of-the-art agricultural equipment and machineries to aid local farmers in producing
a high variety of rice.

SEC. 7. The-Land Owner / Farmer and Agricultaral Tenant Identification System. ~
The identification system herein referred to as the Agricultural Identification System is
hereby established as an economic tool towards the effective implementation of the
profiling system in the agricultural sector.

SEC. 8. The Land Owner / Farmer and Agricultural Tenant Identification Card. ~
Every Land Owner of Agricultural Land and Agricultural Tenant is mandated to have a
non-transferable Identification Card to be named and known as “Agri ID ° that shall have
a validity of Five (5) years. The Agri ID shall be made of tamper proof security material.
It shall have on its face the imprinted photograph, name, birthdate, date of issue, signature
of the holder, a corresponding serial number and such other necessary data as may be
deemed necessary.

SEC. 9. Registration. - Every Land Owner / Farmer and Agricultural Tenant shall within
One (1) year after the promulgation of the Implementing Rules and Regulations
subsequent to the approval of this Act, is mandated to apply for registration and issuance
of the Agri ID at the offices of Department of Agriculture nationwide.

SEC. 10. Functional Uses of the Agri ID. - The Agri ID shall be presented and honored
in transactions requiring the identity, status, and other personal circumstances such as
but not limited to the following:

1) All transactions with the government

2) Banking transactions with Land Bank of the Philippines

3) Availment of benefits or privileges given by the govemment to Jandowner/farmer
and agricuttural tenant

Filing of applications for services and benefits offered by agencies of the
government pertaining to the agricultural sector

5) Proof of Identity

SEC. 11. Appropriations. - Accelerated Titling of Agricultural Land Fund, Post
Harvest Facilities and Identification System. - For the initial implementation of this Act,
the amount of One billion pesos (f°1,000,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated for the
accelerated titling of agricultural lands and the provision of efficient post-harvest facilities,
equipment, implements, and machinery to rice farmers, including the implementation of
the Identification System to Land Owner / Farmer and Agricultural Tenant to effective upon
approval of this Act and to be incorporated in the annual budget of the Bureau. Thereafter,
a Special Fund shall be established by the Department of Budget and Management in the
‘Annual General Appropriations for the continuous implementation of this Act in the annual
budget of the Bureau until its tenth (10) year completion date.

4

SEC. 12. Oversight Provisions, - A Joint Congressional Oversight Committee,
composed of five (5) members each from the House of the Representatives and Senate,
respectively, coming from the House of Representatives Committees on Agrarian Reform,
Agriculture and Food, Natural Resources, and Land Use, and from the Senate
Committees on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform, and Environment, Natural
Resources and Climate Change, shall be created to monitor the strict implementation of
this Act and the exercise of the authority granted hereunder.

SEC. 13. Separability Clause. — If, for any reason, any part or provision of this Act is
declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected thereby
shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 14. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations
or other issuances or parts thereof contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this
Act are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.


SEC. 15. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete
Publication in the Official Gazette and in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,