Anti-illegal Movement of Animals or Plants Act

SCITiE Offire of the freretary TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) First Regular Session DEC -2 P3:34 SENATE RECEIVED BY: S. No. 1565 Introduced by Senator Camille A. Villar AN ACT CRIMINALIZING THE MOVEMENT OF LIVE ANIMALS OR PLANTS THAT ARE INFECTED OR INFESTED WITH CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OR PEST, AND PRESCRIBING PENALTIES THEREFOR EXPLANATORY NOTE

Section 15, Article II of the 1987 Philippine Constitution declares that "The State

shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them." Food safety and agricultural biosecurity are fundamental to national development. The movement of infected or infested live animals and plants poses a grave risk not only to public health but also to the country's food security, agri-based industries, and rural livelihoods. Outbreaks such as the African Swine Fever (ASF), Avian Influenza, and various plant pests and diseases have repeatedly devastated farmers and fisherfolk, disrupted supply chains, and led to price spikes that affect consumers nationwide. At present, while there are existing regulatory measures, penalties remain inadequate to deter unscrupulous individuals from illegally transporting animals and plants despite the risks of spreading disease and pest infestations across municipalities, provinces, and regions. This gap undermines the government's efforts to protect the health of our people, ensure food security, and sustain agricultural productivity. This bill seeks to criminalize the illegal movement of infected or infested live

animals and plants. It defines prohibited acts, establishes liability for owners, brokers, transporters, and other responsible parties, and prescribes penalties commensurate to the harm caused. By ensuring that infected or infested animals and plants are contained and not transferred to uninfected areas, this measure strengthens the country's defense against agricultural disease outbreaks, safeguards public health, and secures the livelihood of millions of Filipino farmers, fisherfolk, and workers dependent on the agriculture sector. In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. Cumulassie CAMILLE A. VILLAR

TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES PEE THE VED S First Regular Session NA DAREC - 2 2025z SENATE TIME: 3:34 pm BY: - BILLS & INDEX S. No. 1565 Introduced by Senator Camille Villar AN ACT CRIMINALIZING THE MOVEMENT OF LIVE ANIMALS OR PLANTS THAT ARE INFECTED OR INFESTED WITH CONTAGIOUS DISEASE OR PEST, AND PRESCRIBING PENALTIES THEREFOR Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

Section 1. Short Title - This Act shall be known as the "Anti-Illegal Movement

2 of Animals or Plants Act".

Sec. 2. State Policy. - It is the policy of the state to protect the safety of our

people by ensuring that our major sources of food, animals and plants are free from diseases and pests. Toward this end, the state shall ensure that animals and plants that are infected 7 or infested with contagious disease or pest are contained and cannot be transported 8 to another city, municipality or province.

Sec. 3. Illegal Movement of Infected and Infested Live Animals and Plants. -

The act of moving from one city, municipality or province to another, any live animal that may either be classified as mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, or in accordance with their use either as livestock, poultry, dairy, draft, among others, and 13 plants in whatever form or use, that are infected or infested with contagious disease

or pest shall be considered as an offense. The offense is committed through any of the following acts: (a) Transporting animals or plants that are infected or infested with contagious disease or pest; (b) Using fake, fictitious or fraudulent documents to effect movement or shipment; (c) Selling, lending, giving, dumping or other modes of disposition of such animals or plants; (d) Temporarily harboring or storing infected or infested animals or plants, in preparation for movement to another city, municipality, or province; and (e) Acting as broker or agent in the sale of such animals or plants.

Sec. 4. Liability of possessor of animals. -The possessor of animals or

12 whoever may make use of the same is responsible for the damage which it may cause, 13 although it may escape or be lost.

Sec. 5. Presumption of knowledge of infection or infestation. - If a person has

in his possession livestock, poultry or dairy animals, and plants, use for food, which are infected or infested with contagious disease or pest, the presumption is that such person has knowledge of such contagious disease or pest.

Sec. 6. Penalties. - The following shall be the penalties to be imposed:

(a) For violation Section 3 (a), (b) and (c), the penalty of imprisonment of not less than six years but not more than twelve years and a fine equal to the amount of damage shall be imposed on the person liable; (b) The penalty of imprisonment of not less than four years but not more than six years and a fine equal to the amount of damage shall be imposed on the owner of possessor of the animals or plants. The same penalty shall be imposed upon the broker or agent in the sale of the animals or plants;

(c) The penalty of imprisonment of not less than two years but not more than for years and a fine equal to the amount of damage shall be imposed on the registered owner and lessee of warehouse or any property used to harbor or store infected or infested animals or plants. If the owner is a corporation, then the liability falls upon the corporate officers responsible for authorizing the acts committed; and (d) The penalty of imprisonment of one year and a fine equal to the amount of damage shall be imposed on registered owner and lessee of the vehicle used to transport the animals or plants.

Sec. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Department of Agriculture,

in consultation with other relevant agencies shall promulgate the implementing rules and regulations of this Act within ninety (90) days upon its effectivity.

Sec. 8. Separability Clause - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules or

regulations and other issuances, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Sec. 8. Effectivity - This Act shall take effect fifteen days (15) days after

publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. Approved,