Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
19TH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by Representative Michael L. Romero 
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The State shall promote food security, including sufficiency in our staple food, 
namely rice and white corn. The production of rice and white corn shall be 
optimized to meet our local consumption and shall be given adequate support by 
the State. 
The State shall adopt the market approach in assisting the agriculture and 
fisheries sectors while recognizing the contribution of the said sector to food 
security, environmental protection, and that of the balanced urban and rural 
development, without neglecting the welfare of the consumers, especially the 
lower income groups. The state shall promote market-oriented policies in 
agricultural production to encourage farmers to shift to more profitable crops. 
This House Bill seeks to empower the agricultural and fisheries sector to develop 
and sustain themselves. Toward this end, the State shall ensure the development 
of the agriculture and fisheries sectors in accordance with its mandate and 
principles. 
Thus, the early passage of this bill is earnestly requested. 
MICHAEL L. ROMERO Ph.D.   
July 1, 2022 
10:56 am
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
19TH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO.____ 
Introduced by Representative Michael L. Romero
AN ACT 
PROVIDING 
FOR 
ADDITIONAL 
FUNDING 
FOR 
THE 
"AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES MODERNIZATION ACT OF 
1997", 
REALIGNING 
ITS 
ALLOTMENT, 
DEFINING 
ITS 
DISBURSING GUIDELINES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in Congress 
Assembled: 
SECTION 1. DECLARATION OF POLICY - The Department of Agriculture 
(DA) 
shall 
hereby 
provide 
an 
additional 
Five 
billion 
pesos 
(P5,OOO,OOO,OOO.OO) to promote urgent related measures to modernize the 
agriculture and fisheries sector. The Department is hereby authorized to re-align 
its appropriations, along with its supplemental and additional funding in the 
current year of the date of the effectivity of this Act to conform with its mandate 
and requirements. 
SECTION 2. ALLOCATION AND DISBURSING GUIDELINES - for 
purposes of this act, the additional funding shall be allocated and disbursed as 
follows: 
1. Thirty percent (30%) for irrigation;
807


2. Ten percent (10%) for post-harvest facilities Provided, That the 
Secretary of Agriculture may invest up to fifty percent (50%) of 
the said amount to fund post-harvest facilities of cooperatives, 
especially market vendors' cooperatives, where said cooperatives 
exist and are operational Provided, further, That if no 
cooperatives are operational, said amount shall fund the post-
harvest facilities of the market -assistance system; 
3. Ten percent (10%) for other infrastructure including fish ports, 
seaports, and airports, farm-and -coast-to-market roads, rural 
energy, 
communications 
infrastructure, 
watershed 
rehabilitation, water supply system, research and techn010U 
infrastructure, public markets and abattoirs; 
4. Ten percent (10%) for the Agro-industry Modernization Credit and 
Financing Program (AMCFP) to be deposited by the Department 
in participating rural-based public and private financial 
institutions provided that no less than fifty percent (50%) of said 
funds shall be deposited in rural banks in cooperative banks; 
5. Eight percent (8%) for the implementation of the Farmer 
Fisherfolk Marketing Assistance System and support of market 
vendors' cooperatives; 
6. Ten percent (10%) for research and development, four percent 
(4%) of which shall be used to support the Biotechnology Program; 
7. Five percent (5%) for capability-building of farmers and fisherfolk 
organizations and LGUs for the effective implementation of the 
agriculture and fisheries programs at the local level; 
8. Six percent (6%) for salary supplement of Extension Workers 
under the LGUs; 
9. Five percent (5%) for NAPES , for the upgrading of the facilities of 
State Universities and Colleges that will be chosen as national 
center of excellence in agriculture and fisheries education; 
10. Four percent (4%) for the National Information Network (NIN) 
consisting of both the national and local levels; 
11. One-and-three-fourth percent (1.75%) for SUC- and TESDA 
administered Rural Non-Farm Employment Training; and 
12. One-fourth percent (0.25%) for the identification of the SAFDZs. 
SECTION 3. CONTINUING APPROPRIATION. - The Department of Budget 
and Management (DBM) is hereby mandated to include annually in the next five 
(5) years, in the President's Program of expenditures for submission to Congress, 


and release, an amount not less than Five billion pesos (P5,OOO,OOO,OOO.OO) 
for the implementation of this Act. 
Additional funds over and above the regular yearly budget of the Department 
shall be sourced from twenty percent (20%) of the proceeds of the securitization 
of government assets, including the Subic, Clark, and other special economic 
zones. 
Other sources of funds shall be from the following: 
a. Fifty Percent (50%) of the net earnings of the Public Estates 
Authority; 
b. Loans, grants, bequest, or donations, whether from local or 
foreign sources; 
c. Forty percent (40%) of the TESDA Skills Development Fund; 
d. Net proceeds from the privatization of the Food Terminal Inc. 
(FTI), the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), the Bureau of 
Plant Industry (BPI), and other assets of the Department that 
will be identified by the DA Secretary and recommended to 
the President for privatization; 
e. Proceeds from the Minimum Access Volume (MAV) in 
accordance with the provisions of Republic Act No. 8178; 
f. Poverty alleviation Fund; and 
g. Fifty Percent (50%) of the Support Facilities and Services 
Fund under Republic Act No. 6657. 
SECTION 4. PERIODIC REPORTS - The Committee shall submit periodic 
reports on its findings and make recommendations on actions to be taken by 
Congress and Senate and the appropriate department, and in order to carry out 
the objectives and mandates of this Act, an additional amount of Five billion 
pesos (P5,OOO,OOO,OOO.OO) is hereby appropriated. 


SECTION 5. AUTOMATIC REVIEW - Every three (3) years after the 
effectivity of this Act, an independent review panel composed of experts to be 
appointed by the President shall review the policies and programs in the 
Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act and shall make recommendations, 
based on its findings, to the President and to both Houses of Congress. 
SECTION 6. REPEALING CLAUSE. All laws, executive orders, issuances, 
rules and regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby amended, repealed or 
modified accordingly. 
SECTION 7. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE. If, for any reason or reasons, any 
portion or provision of this Act shall be held unconstitutional or invalid, the 
remaining provisions not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and 
effect. 
SECTION 8. EFFECTIVITY CLAUSE. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) 
days after its publication in any newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved,