Republic of the Philippines
Bouse of Representatives
Quejon City, Metro Manila

Eighteenth Congress

First Regular Session

House Bill No. 3470

Introduced by

HON. ANNA MARIE VILLARAZA-SUAREZ and
HON. DAVID C. SUAREZ

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Philippines is primarily an agricultural country with almost 30% of the
land area cultivated by 5 million Filipinos. However, through the years, there is a
decreasing number of people engaged in agriculture. In 2013, the average age
of Filipino farmers is 57 years old with an assumed average life span of 70 years
old.* This rather high averages of the country's farming population indicate that
much of the youth have shunned farming as a profession or business
undertaking.

Farming as a profession has become less attractive to the young and
educated people. Most of them do not consider agricultural courses as career
options due to the hardships and low-income generation associated with
farming. Moreover, government policies have provided few incentives to farmers
and are generally inclined in favor of white-collar jobs.

It is understandable that the young seek a better life in the future. Thus,
they must be assured that a better and sustainable future can be achieved
through farm work.

+ Farm Land Policy and Financing. Program for Young Generation in the Philippines by
Marilyn M. Elauria PhD, June 9, 2015


This bill aims to encourage the youth or young farmers to engage in
entrepreneurial pursuits in agribusiness rather than urban employment by
demonstrating to them the high-income potentials in agricultural and fisheries
undertakings.

Specifically, the measure proposes the establishment of a Young Farmers
Program under which young farmers organized for the purpose shall be given
priority in the provision of technical and material assistance by concerned
government agencies such as socialized tuition fees for students of agricultural
and fisheries courses, provision of farm inputs, implements, post-harvest
facilities and other extension services, and transfer of technology relating to
agricultural and fisheries products development and marketing, all designed to
motivate the youth to engage in farming activities and agribusiness.

Under the bill, young farmers refer to enrollees in public and private
universities and colleges with a commitment to finish diploma or certificate
courses in agriculture and fisheries under a socialized tuition fee scheme of the
Young Farmers Program, or diploma or certificate course graduates in agriculture
and fisheries and listed as members of the Program. They shall include out-of-
school youth who finished at least two (2) years of college education in
agriculture and fisheries and those who have at least five years of actual

experience in farming or agricultural activity and are listed as members under
the Program.

Making the youth understand that the agro-fisheries industry is more than
just soiling their hands can make them consider farming as a viable professional
career or business activity and become active participants in nation-building.

For the foregoing reasons, the immediate consideration and approval of
this bill is earnestly urged.

HON. ANNA MARIE VILLA! \- SUAREZ
REPRESENTATIVE

ALONA PARTYLIST



Jey,
‘ei

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Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quejon City, Metro Manila

Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

3470
House BIIINo.

Introduced by

HON. ANNA MARIE VILLARAZA-SUAREZ and
HON. DAVID C. SUAREZ

AN ACT
INSTITUTING THE YOUNG FARMERS PROGRAM AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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 ‘Young Farmers Program
Act of 2019’,

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy - It is hereby declared the policy of the
‘State to instill in the Filipino youth the dedication and commitment to be active
partners in the development of the country’s agricultural and fisheries sector.
Towards this end, the’ State shall equip them with the entrepreneurial skills and
agricultural knowledge necessary to fulfill such role and provide them with
career guidance to the country’s agricultural and fisheries sector.

SECTION 3. Statement of Objectives - This Act shall have the following
objectives :

a) To prevent the departure of young farmers, students and graduates of
agriculture and fishery courses for urban employment by demonstrating to
them the high-income potential in agribusiness;


b) To encourage students, graduates and out-of-school-youth with academic
background or experience in agriculture and fisheries to engage in
entrepreneurial pursuits in agribusiness; and,

c) To underscore to the youth their role in economic development and
nation-building.

SECTION 4. Definition of Terms - As used in this Act, the following terms
shall mean :

a) Program refers to the Young Farmers Program as established in this Act;

b) Young Farmers refer to enrollees in public and private universities and
colleges with a commitment to finish diploma or certificate courses in
agriculture and fisheries under a socialized tuition fee scheme of the
Young Farmers Program, or diploma or certificate course graduates in
agriculture and fisheries and listed as members of the Program. They shall
include out-of-school youth who finished at least two (2) years of college
education in agriculture and fisheries and those who have at least five
years of actual experience in farming or agricultural activity and are listed
as members under the Program.

SECTION 5. Young Farmers Program Committee - There is hereby
created the Young Farmers Program Committee, hereinafter referred to as the
Committee, under the Office of the President and composed of the following :

a) Commissioner of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) as
Chairman;

b) Representative of the National Agriculture and Fisheries Education System
(NAFES) as Vice-Chairman;

c) Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA) or his duly authorized
representative;

4) Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) or his duly
authorized representative;

e) Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) or his
duly authorized-representative; and,

f) Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government or his duly
authorized representative.

SECTION 6. Implementation of the Program - The Committee shall
oversee and monitor the implementation of the Program and shall promulgate
the rules and regulations, adopt procedures and guidelines to effectively carry
out the objectives of this Act.


SECTION 7. Role of State Colleges and Universities (SUCs) and Private
Educational Institutions - State colleges and universities and private
educational institutions, in coordination with the Committee, shall :

a) Establish a Young Farmers Organization (YFO) out of their respective
agriculture and fishery enrollees whose members shall automatically be
listed under the. Program;

b) Create socialized tuition fee schemes for their agriculture and fishery
enrollees; and,

c) Conceptualize and implement extension programs in partnership with the
Provincial Agriculture Offices (PAOs) and Municipal or City Agriculture
Offices (MAOs / CAOs).

SECTION 8. Role of the Department of Agriculture - The Department of
Agriculture, in coordination with the Committee, shall prioritize young farmers
listed under the Program in the provision of grants or assistance such as but not
limited to seedlings, fertilizers, equipment and implements, starting stocks, and
other farm inputs, including post-harvest facilities, crop insurance and small
irrigation projects.

SECTION 9. Role of the Department of Trade and Industry - The
Department of Trade and Industry, in coordination with the Committee, shall
lend support to young farmers listed under the Program in launching their start-
up agri-businesses, such as assistance in the preparation of business plans and
in the promotion of their products in the domestic and international markets.

SECTION 10. Role of the Department of Science and Technology - The
Department of Science and Technology, in coordination with the Committee,
shall provide assistance to young farmers listed in the Program in their product
development, quality control and packaging needs, and other related concerns.

SECTION 11. Role of Local Government Units (LGUs) - Local government
units shall, in coordination with the Committee, support the Program through the
establishment of Young Farmers Organizations (YFOs) in the city and municipal
levels with graduates of diploma or certificate courses in agriculture and fisheries
and out-of-school youth deemed young farmers under this Act who are residents
thereat as members. Further, LGUs shall endeavor, whenever applicable, to
provide counterpart funding assistance to the Program.

SECTION 12. Appropriations - The amount of One Hundred Million Pesos (
Php 100,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated out of any unexpended balance in
the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated for the initial implementation
of this Act following its enactment into law. Thereafter, such amount as
necessary for the continued implementation of this Act shall be provided for in
the annual General Appropriations Act.


All funds currently being appropriated for the Young Farmers Program in the
Department of Agriculture shall be transferred to the Committee. Furthermore,
the Committee and the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (ACEF)
National Committee shall develop a rationalization scheme to allot a portion of
the ACEF for the implementation of the Program.

SECTION 13. Separability Clause - If any provision of this Act or any part
hereof is declared unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity an
effectivity of the other provisions.

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

SECTION 15. Effectivity Clause - This Act shall take effect after fifteen

(15) days from its ‘publication in the Official Gazette or in any national
newspaper of general circulation.

Approved.