Tulong Kabataan Sa Agrikuitura Act

SUIT Pilior of a TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session ) AUG -4 P5:40 SENATE RECEIVED BY: S. No. Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada AN ACT ENCOURAGING YOUTH SECTOR PARTICIPATION IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR, ESTABLISHING FOR THE PURPOSE A "TULONG KABATAAN SA AGRIKULTURA PROGRAM" AND A "TULONG KABATAAN SA AGRIKULTURA TRUST FUND", APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES EXPLANATORY NOTE Poverty and hunger are inextricably linked. According to the 2018 Family Income and Expenditure Survey by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), 42.6% of Filipino families' expenditures are directed toward food-an increase of 0.8% from 2015. Families in the lowest 30% income group spend even more on food, with 58.2% of their total expenditures devoted to this basic need. Furthermore, a mere 10% increase in food prices could push an additional 2.3 million Filipinos into poverty. A strong agricultural sector is vital for ensuring food security in the country. However, current indicators reveal that the Philippine agricultural sector is struggling. Its contribution to the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has significantly dropped from 11.6% in 1998 to 7.3% in 2016, continuing to decline due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. While labor productivity has improved, it still lags behind that of the industry and services sectors.

The most concerning factor is the aging farmer population. According to an article by Sara Soliven De Guzman in 2018, the average age of Filipino farmers ranges from 57 to 59 years old, with retirement typically occurring between 60 and 65 years of age. This poses a critical challenge as it suggests that a large proportion of our farmers will retire in the coming decade. Unfortunately, fewer young people are entering the agricultural profession, as evidenced by the 1.5% decrease in enrollment in agriculture-related courses from 2005 to 2010. As of December 2021, the agricultural sector employed just 25.6% of the total Filipino workforce. This raises an urgent question: Who will feed future generations? This legislative measure proposes the establishment of the Tubong Kabataan sa Agrikultura scholarship program. This program aims to nurture a new generation of agricultural professionals by offering a ladderized curriculum in Agricultural Technology and Agri-business. The program will include a mix of formal education and on-the-job training (OJT), with at least 25% of the curriculum dedicated to practical experience in agribusiness ventures. These ventures will cover a wide range of agricultural activities, from crop production to livestock and aquaculture. In light of the urgent need to address the challenges facing our agricultural sector, we strongly urge the immediate approval of this measure to ensure the long- term sustainability of food production in the Philippines and provide opportunities for future agricultural leaders. Filed previously by Senator Grace Poe during the 19th Congress, this measure underscores a strong commitment to revitalizing the agricultural sector as a strategic avenue for addressing poverty and hunger in the Philippines. Approval of this measure is therefore earnestly sought. cugs JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA

fire of ted sort. TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) ) REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session ) AUG -4 P5:40 SENATE RECEIVED BY S. No. 856 Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada AN ACT ENCOURAGING YOUTH SECTOR PARTICIPATION IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR, ESTABLISHING FOR THE PURPOSE A "TULONG KABATAAN SA AGRIKULTURA PROGRAM" AND A "TULONG KABATAAN SA AGRIKULTURA TRUST FUND", APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Tulong Kabataan sa

2 Agrikultura Act".

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State shall give priority to education, science

4 and technology to accelerate social progress and promote development Towards this 5 end, the government shall provide opportunities for all to obtain quality education and 6 for this purpose, scholarships in Agriculture, Agri-Entrepreneurship, Forestry and 7 Fisheries are hereby strengthened. It is also the policy of the State to develop graduates who will become competent agribusiness managers and entrepreneurs.

Sec. 3. Objectives. - The objectives of this Act are to:

a) Increase youth participation in the agricultural sector; b) Provide opportunities to poor but deserving students to realize their potentials in agribusiness and entrepreneurships; c) Develop competency skills and knowledge of students in agricultural technologies and agribusiness;

d) Increase food production; e) Commercialize proven viable technologies to increase food production and income of rural communities through the development of livelihoods and markets; f) Provide Income to students while doing experiential learning and on-the- job training which form part of their degree programs; g) Link young farmer-students with credit, financing, and marketing institutions; and h) Contribute to the alleviation of poverty.

Sec. 4. Definition of Terms. - for the purposes of this Act:

a) Tulong Kabataan sa Agrikuitura Program or The Program - refers to the scholarship program established by this Act which targets poor but deserving graduates of agricultural and fisheries tracks in senior high schools and similarly situated students taking up agriculture and related courses in tertiary education; b) Tulong Kabataan sa Agrikuitura Trust Fund or The Fund - refers to the trust fund created under this Act to ensure the achievement of this Act's incentives; c) Agribusiness Venture Laboratory - refers to agricultural subjects and classes designed as business ventures in agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and agri- entrepreneurship including but not limited to raising of poultry, goats, corn or rice or crop production and counted as satisfying the laboratory requirement of a course.

Sec. 5. Establishment of a Tulong Kabataan sa Agrikultura Program. - A Tulong

Kabataan sa Agrikuitura scholarship program in agriculture, fisheries, forestry and related areas to be administered by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is 27 hereby established. The program shall be a ladderized program in Diploma in 28 Agricultural Technology (DAT), Bachelor in Agricultural Technology (BAT) and Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness (BSAgrib). The program shall initially be offered by the University of the Philippines-Los Banos College of Agriculture in the first two (2) years of this Act's effectivity. The program shall be offered in SUCs which provide courses in agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and other allied fields.

Sec. 6. Target Beneficiaries. - The Program shall target senior high school

2 graduates of agricultural and fisheries tracks, and similarly situated students of agriculture and fisheries in tertiary education, who have a general weighted average of at least eighty percent (80%) or its equivalent: Provided, That beneficiaries who 5 complete the agriculture and fisheries tracks of senior high and who enroll in an 6 agriculture, forestry, fisheries, or other similar course in tertiary education shall 7 continue to be covered by the Program.

Sec. 7. Assistance to Grantees. - Beneficiaries of the Program shall be entitled

9 to financial assistance, which shall Include the following: a) Tuition and other school fees; b) Outright grant for prescribed textbooks and essential school supplies; c) Transportation expenses; and d) Monthly living allowance.

Sec. 8. Curriculum Formulation. - There is hereby established a technical

committee which shall design the curriculum of the Program. The Committee shall be composed of the following: a) The Chairperson of the CfiED, or his permanent representative, as Chairperson of the Committee; b) The Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA), or his permanent representative, as the Vice Chairperson; c) The Dean of the University of the Philippines-Los Banos College of Agriculture; and d) One (1) representative each from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao from other colleges of agriculture, who shall be appointed by the President, and who shall each serve a term of one (1) year. At least twenty-five percent (25%) of the entire curriculum of the Program shall be in the form of on-the-job training or related learning experience. Laboratory 28 components of various agricultural subjects shall be in the form of agribusiness 29 ventures.

Sec. 9. Strengthening Agri-Fisheries Tracks in Senior High. - To achieve the

objectives of this Act, the Department of Education (DepEd) is hereby directed to

1 ensure that agri-fisheries tracks are offered in as many senior high school program in 2 appropriate areas nationwide.

Sec. 10. Agribusiness Venture Laboratories. - Each agribusiness venture shall

be under the supervision of a faculty who is also a technology expert in the chosen 5 commodity. The agribusiness venture laboratory to be developed must have short 6 gestation, around three (3) to twelve (12) months, should be science and technology based agribusiness, the end products should be highly marketable and the facilities needed should be present within the SUC.

Sec. 11. Use of Idle Lands for the Agribusiness Venture Laboratory. - The

10 Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) shall make available 11 untenured public lands under its jurisdiction for the use of students in their agribusiness ventures under appropriate arrangements with CHED and the participating SUCs.

Sec. 12. Tulong Kabataan sa Agrikultura Trust Fund. - To ensure the financial

sustainability of this Act, a Tulong Kabataan sa Agrikultura Trust Fund is hereby created. The Fund shall be used exclusively to fund the Program, and shall be funded 17 from the following sources: a) The amount of Fifty million pesos (P50,000,000.00) as seed capital; b) The equivalent of ten percent (10%) annual share on the total gross collections of the travel tax; c) The equivalent of ten percent (10%) annual share on the total gross collections from the Professional Registration Fee of the Professional Regulatory Commission; d) Grants, donations and endowments from domestic and foreign sources, pursuant to existing laws and regulations; e) Such amounts as may be indicated under the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for the purpose of sustaining the Fund; and f) All interest income of the trust fund.

Sec. 13. Administration of the Fund. - The CHED shall administer the fund and

shall make available all records of how the funds are utilized, disbursed, and invested, in accordance with existing laws.

Sec. 14. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The CHED in coordination with

the DA, and DENR and relevant private sector stakeholders shall prepare the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of this Act and promulgate it within ninety (90) days after approval of this Act.

Sec. 15. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared

unconstitutional and invalid, the provisions hereof which are not affected shall continue to have force and effect.

Sec. 16. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules or regulations

thereof, inconsistent with this Act arc hereby modified or repealed accordingly.

Sec. 17. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation, whichever comes after. Approved,