Congressional Commission on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Security (Agricom) Act

• CONGRESS OF THE PHILIPPINES TWENTIETH CONGRESS First Regular Session SENATE S. No. 1624 (In substitution of Senate Bill Nos. 1199 and 1345) PREPARED BY THE COMMITTEES ON AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND AGRARIAN REFORM; AND FINANCE WITH SENATORS PANGILINAN, MARCOS, MARCOLETA, AND VILLANUEVA AS AUTHORS THEREOF AN ACT CREATING A CONGRESSIONAL COMMISSION ON AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES, AND FOOD SECURITY TO REVIEW, ASSESS, AND EVALUATE THE STATE OF PHILIPPINE AGRICULTURE AND RECOMMEND INNOVATIVE AND TARGETED POLICY REFORMS IN AGRICULTURE, APPROPRIATING FUNDS 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 "Congressional Commission on Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food Security (AGRICOM) Act"

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State shall protect

and promote the rights of all farmers, farmworkers, and

landowners, as well as cooperatives and other independent 2 farmers' organizations. Further, the State shall provide support to the agriculture sector through appropriate technology, research, and adequate financial, production, marketing, and other support services.

SEC. 3. Creation of the AGRICOM. - There is hereby

7 created a Congressional Commission on Agriculture, 8 Fisheries, and Food Security, hereinafter referred to as the 9 AGRICOM, to undertake a comprehensive national assessment and evaluation of the performance of the Philippine agriculture and fisheries sector for the purpose of recommending transformative, concrete, and targeted reforms in order to make the Philippines globally competitive in the agriculture and fisheries sector.

SEC. 4. Objectives of AGRICOM. - The AGRICOM shall:

(a) Re-examine public sector goals and objectives on agriculture and fisheries; develop and recommend policies and that promote innovation, sustainability, competitiveness in agriculture;

• (b) Set specific, targeted, measurable, and time-bound solutions from comprehensive assessment and evaluation, effective planning, and strategic investments in agriculture; (c) Develop medium- and long-term development plans for the agriculture sector with specific goals for productivity, export growth, irrigation, infrastructure, market access, 7 research and development, and rural development; (d) Develop and implement programs to further educate and train farmers, farmworkers, cooperatives, and agri-entrepreneurs in modern and sustainable practices for increasing and improving production; (e) Recommend the harmonization and improvement of the policies and programs of the Department of 14 Agriculture (DA), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), and other government agencies in charge of agriculture; (f) Identify domestic and international markets for agricultural products to support farmers and

agri-businesses and assist them in complying with global market standards; and facilitate (g) Encourage public-private (PPPs) to boost value-adding, partnerships 5 agro-industrialization, and export readiness; (h) Restructure and streamline agriculture- and fisheries-related bureaucracies to address institutional weaknesses, including the relationship between and among national, provincial, and local stakeholders, for the effective implementation of agriculture and fisheries policies and programs, and the transfer of information and technology, particularly at the grassroots level; (i) Modify agriculture and fisheries policies and public expenditures to integrate modern technologies and climate change resilience through the use of science, technology and innovation, long-term policy instruments, and the promotion of agricultural research and digital farming, to raise the productivity and global competitiveness of local agriculture and fisheries, protect

the environment, improve market efficiency, and ensure equity and social justice, for the benefit of small farmers and families; (i) Refocus and reprioritize support programs for agriculture and fisheries to ensure food security in basic staples for all Filipino communities; (k) Recommend the adoption and institutionalization of satellite information, yield analysis, sustainable land management, and other relevant and meaningful assessment tools, based on the best global practices which shall be used by relevant agencies and institutions for their continued monitoring, evaluation, and development; (l) Conduct multi-stakeholder consultations using proper mechanisms and guidance, and encourage the active involvement of producers, cooperatives, media, banks, financial institutions, and other members of the private sector in the development of agri-business; and (m) Report to Congress on a quarterly basis, its accomplishments, findings, and recommendations on actions

to be taken by Congress, the departments, and other government agencies concerned with agriculture, and provide a final report upon the termination of the AGRICOM.

SEC. 5. Powers and Functions of the AGRICOM. -

The AGRICOM shall: (a) Review, assess, and evaluate the agriculture 7 bureaucracy and recommend institutional reforms; (b) Recommend the harmonization and improvement of the policies and programs of the DA, DAR, DENR, and other government agencies in charge of agriculture; (c) Formulate short-term and long-term policy and program recommendations on agriculture and fisheries consisting of specific, targeted, measurable, and time- bound solutions to the following: (1) Sectoral plan and targets; (2) Physical and digital infrastructure; (3) Trainings and programs; (4) Financing; and

(5) Coordination among departments and sectors concerned, including human resource management and development. (d) Approve the workplan, guidelines, and overall framework for the national review, assessment, and 6 harmonization tasks, as well as its program budget and 7 disbursements, including personnel compensation: 8 Provided, That the AGRICOM may employ personnel on temporary, contractual, or consultancy basis; (e) Hold hearings and receive testimonies, reports, and expert advice on the status of the Philippine agriculture and fisheries sector and its subsectors, exhaust available options to identify problems, and consolidate coherent courses of action as remedies; Issue a subpoena ad testificandum on any public official or private person to testify before it, or a subpoena duces tecum for the production of necessary documents as it may be deemed necessary;

(g) Require the production and submission of technical information, reports, recommendations, or plans from any department, bureau, office, or instrumentality of 4 the government; (h) Conduct stakeholder consultations; (i) Collaborate with emerging and innovative industries and services to share information on the development of the agriculture and fisheries sectors; 0) Review and act on the recommendations of the 10 Technical Secretariat or Standing Committees, or both, as it may deem appropriate; (k) Recommend legislation and executive measures pursuant to its findings and the objectives of this Act; and (I) Exercise all other powers necessary to achieve the purposes of this Act.

SEC. 6. National Assessment and Evaluation. - The

national assessment and evaluation under Section 3 of this Act shall include the following:

(a) The observance of the legal mandates of the DA, DAR, DENR, and other government agencies in charge of agriculture; (b) Factors that have hindered the three (3) agencies from modernizing agriculture; (c) Specific, targeted, and time-bound solutions to improve the performance of the three (3) agencies vis-a-vis measurable indicators; (d) Best practices of national and international agricultural institutions that can be adopted across the entire agricultural system; (e) Proposals for a monitoring and evaluation plan to ensure the timely achievement of set targets; and (f) Determination of the Local Government Units' role in the delivery of basic agricultural services.

SEC. 7. Composition of the AGRICOM. - The

AGRICOM shall be composed of ten (10) members, with five (5) members each from the Senate and the House of Representatives. One (1) of the five (5) members from each

House shall represent the Minority as designated by the 2 Minority Leader of each House. The Chairperson of the Senate Committee on 4 Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform, and the 5 Chairperson of the House Committee on Agriculture and Food shall be the Co-Chairpersons of the AGRICOM. The remaining four (4) members from each House shall be designated by the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, respectively. The members of the AGRICOM shall receive no compensation. Travel, communications, and other necessary expenses shall be allowed, subject to existing laws, rules, and regulations. SEC. 8. Technical Secretariat. - A Technical Secretariat headed by an Executive Director, shall be organized to provide technical and administrative support to the AGRICOM in the exercise of its powers and performance of its functions under Section 5 of this Act.

The Executive Director shall organize its staff and technical panel, hire and appoint such employees and on personnel, whether temporary, contractual, consultancy, and determine their compensation subject to applicable civil service laws, rules, and regulations. The Technical Secretariat shall co-exist with AGRICOM.

SEC. 9. Executive Director. - The AGRICOM shall

8 appoint a recognized expert in agriculture and fisheries as Executive Director. The Executive Director shall work full-time and hold the rank, privileges, and emoluments of an Executive Director IV (Salary Grade 29).

SEC. 10. Standing Committees. - The AGRICOM shall

establish standing committees, each chaired by a member. The Committees shall engage experts and resource persons from different sectors, whether public or private, towards providing recommendations for the AGRICOM's final output.

SEC. 11. Agriculture and Fisheries Legislation and

Policy Advisory Council. - An Agriculture and Fisheries Legislation and Policy Advisory Council is hereby created to provide the AGRICOM with expert assistance and advice. The members of the Advisory Council shall be present in all meetings of the AGRICOM. The Senate of 7 President and the Speaker of the House the recommendation Representatives, upon of the 9 AGRICOM members, shall choose recognized experts from the following sectors to form part of the Advisory Council: three (3) from state university academia with equal representation from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, two (2) from the business sector, two (2) from government agriculture and fisheries agencies, two (2) heads of Local Government Units, and two (2) from civil society organizations and development partners engaged in agriculture and fisheries.

SEC. 12. Duration of the AGRICOM. - The AGRICOM

shall accomplish its mandate within three (3) years from

• its organization. It shall organize itself and commence its mandate upon the effectivity of this Act.

SEC. 13. Appropriations. - The amount of Two

hundred million pesos (P200,000,000) for the initial implementation of this Act shall be charged against available appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Thereafter, the amount necessary for its continuous implementation shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act subject to existing budgeting, accounting, and auditing rules and regulations.

SEC. 14. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this

Act is declared unconstitutional, the remainder thereof not otherwise affected shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 15. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential

decrees, executive orders, letters of instruction, proclamations, or administrative regulations that are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.

SEC. 16. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after

fifteen (15) days following the completion of its publication in the Official Gazette, or in a newspaper of general circulation. Approved,