National Convergence Strategy for Sustainable Rural Development (Ncs-srd) Act

TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) First Regular Session 25 AUG -5 P3:50 SENATE RECENTD B S. No. Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING THE NATIONAL CONVERGENCE STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE RURAL DEVELOPMENT BASED ON THE "RIDGE-TO-REEF" APPROACH, PROVIDING THE IMPLEMENTING MECHANISMS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR EXPLANATORY NOTE Article II Section 21 of the 1987 Constitution provides that, "The State shall promote comprehensive rural development and agrarian reform." Pursuant to this state policy, the Common Framework for Sustainable Rural Development was devised and operationalized in 1999. It was aimed to address the fragmented and piecemeal delivery of rural development efforts. Through the years, the convergence initiative was refined and expanded with four government agencies taking the lead - Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). The strategy anchored on the holistic protection and rehabilitation of natural resources, particularly within major river basins and watersheds, and the establishment of sustainable and environment-friendly agriculture, forestry, and

fisheries enterprises, proved successful in reducing poverty incidence and enhancing agricultural yield and income as seen in these examples": 1. Decrease in poverty incidence in Pili Watershed Convergence Area in Bicol region from 41.3% to 32.4%; 2. Increase in rice production in Carood Watershed Convergence Area in Central Visayas from 80 cavans per hectare to 180 cavans per hectare; and 3. Increase in cacao production in Suawan Kulafu Subwatershed Convergence Area located in Davao from 342 kg per hectare to 440 kg per hectare. This measure seeks to institutionalize the National Convergence Strategy for Sustainable Rural Development (NCS-SRD) that is currently being implemented under DA-DAR-DENR-DILG Joint Administrative Order No. 1, series of 2020. Considering the lamentable fact that farmers, fisherfolk, and individuals in rural areas remained the poorest sectors of our society based on official government statistics despite the immense economic opportunities therein, it is imperative that policies aimed towards inclusive growth and prosperity in the countryside be strengthened. This measure is also aligned with a number of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically: • SDG 1: End poverty in all its forms; • SDG 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all; • SDG 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources; and • SDG 15: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss. 1 National Convergence Initiative for Sustainable Rural Development (NCI-SRD) FAQS. https://ncisrd.da.gov.ph/tags/

In view of the foregoing, the passage of this measure is recommended. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA

Pher of TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) AUG -5 P3:50 First Regular Session SENATE RECEVED EY S. No. 928 Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING THE NATIONAL CONVERGENCE STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE RURAL DEVELOPMENT BASED ON THE "RIDGE-TO-REEF" APPROACH, PROVIDING THE IMPLEMENTING MECHANISMS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled: CHAPTER I GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "National Convergence

4 Strategy for Sustainable Rural Development (NCS-SRD) Act".

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to

6 promote and prioritize agricultural development as a means to ensure food security 7 and to provide agro-economic opportunities especially among the rural folks by 8 developing, operationalizing, and harmonizing a common framework for equitable, inclusive, and sustainable rural development through the convergence of the resources of the rural development agencies namely the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). Towards this end, conservation, protection and rehabilitation of natural resources, including rivers and watersheds, with the establishment of sustainable and environment-friendly agriculture, forestry, and fisheries enterprises are hereby

1 encouraged and promoted by the intervention initiative to contribute to inclusive 2 growth and poverty reduction in the countryside.

Sec. 3. Scope and Coverage. - This Act shall apply to all rural development

areas primarily inhabited by the targeted beneficiaries - the smallholder farmers (both 5 agrarian reform beneficiaries and non-agrarian reform beneficiaries), fisherfolk, 6 upland dwellers, and Indigenous Peoples (IPs) within convergence areas. It shall provide the principles, physical framework, implementing mechanisms and organizational structure, funding, and system of monitoring and evaluation of the NCS- SRD. CHAPTER II DEFINITION OF TERMS

Sec. 4. Definition of Terms. - For the purpose of this Act, the following terms

shall be defined as follows: a) Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) - Farmers who were granted lands under Presidential Decree No. 27 (Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law) and Republic Act No. 9700 (Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Extension with Reforms), regular farm workers who are landless, irrespective of tenurial arrangement, who benefitted from the redistribution of lands, regardless of crops or fruits produced, to include the totality of factors and support services designed to lift the economic status of the beneficiaries and all other alternative arrangements to the physical distribution of lands, such as production or profit-sharing, labor, administration, and the distribution of shares of stock of which will allow beneficiaries to receive a just share of the fruits of the lands they work; b) Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (AFF)-enterprise - Business venture, typically micro-, small-, and medium-scale, that can be undertaken either on- or off-farm or a service that can be used to support other businesses. It operates in a defined territory, which may be a barangay (village), municipality, or group of municipalities; c) Capacity Development (CD) - The process through which individuals, organization, and societies obtain, strengthen, and enhance competencies to set and achieve their development objectives over time;

d) Civil Society Organization (CSO) - Non-state and non-profit association that works to improve society and human conditions. Basic types of CSOs include non-government organizations, people's organizations, cooperatives, social movements, professional and business groups; e) Convergence Area - Physical area where the NCS-SRD is implemented, which is identified based on a selection criterion, supported by a Convergence Area Development Plan (CADP), proposed by the LGU and approved by the NCS-SRD Executive Board (NEB); f) Convergence Area Development Plan (CADP) - A comprehensive plan that contains the strategies, programs, activities, and projects that will promote holistic and sustainable management of all resources within the convergence area; 9) Convergence Initiative - Complementation of efforts and resources between and among the DA, DAR, DENR, DILG, LGUs, and relevant stakeholders to promote and harmonize the delivery of AFF and rural development services towards sustainable rural development; h) Ecosystem - A community of living organisms interacting with each other and with their physical environment; i) Fisherfolk - People directly or personally and physically engaged in taking and/or culturing and processing fishery and/or aquatic resources; j) Information, Education, Communication and Motivation (IECM) - Approaches to combine information, education, communication and motivation into products that could be transmitted over communication channels or multimedia in order to interest or capture targeted clients; k) Inclusive Growth - Growth that is rapid enough to matter, given the country's large population, geographical differences, and social complexity. It is sustained growth that creates jobs, draws the vast majority into the economic and social mainstream, and continuously reduces mass poverty; I) Information and Communications Technology (ICT) - Totality of electronic means to access, create, collect, store, process, receive, transmit, present, and disseminate information;

m) Indigenous People (IP) - Group of people or homogenous societies identified by their self-ascription and ascription by others, who have continuously lived as organized community on communally bounded and defined territory, and who have, under claims of ownership since time immemorial, occupied, possessed customs, tradition and other distinctive cultural traits, or who have, through resistance to political, social and cultural inroads of colonization, non-indigenous religions and culture, became historically differentiated from the majority of Filipinos; n) Key Production Area (KPA) - Priority area, which includes among others Agrarian Reform Areas (ARAs), whose agro-climatic and market conditions favor the production, processing and marketing of specific AFF products; 0) Knowledge Management (KM) - Range of strategies and practices used so that pertinent data and information is gathered, processed, disseminated, shared, and utilized to enable the adoption of insights and experiences and to ensure that NCS-SRD programs, activities, and projects are designed, implemented, and monitored in an efficient and effective manner; P) LGU alliances - Inter-local cooperation formed through appropriate ordinances for the purpose of consolidation or coordination of efforts, services, and resources commonly beneficial to them; q) Participatory Approach - Systematic involvement of communities in various aspects and stages of decision-making pertaining to government programs, projects and other interventions; r) People's Organization (PO) - Grassroots organization legally registered or accredited whose membership is composed of smallholder farmers, small fisherfolk, industrial laborers, women, youth, and others which are formed at the local, regional and national levels. It also includes cooperatives, associations, etc.; s) Provincial Commodities Investment Plan (PCIP) - A strategic plan that rationalizes the interventions with the various segments of the value chain of priority commodities that are of significance to the province and that will contribute to the national goals of the agriculture and fishery sectors. It is a three (3)-year rolling consensus plan between the DA and the LGU based

on the value chain analyses of these commodities, conducted with strong participation of the various stakeholders; t) Results-Based Monitoring and Evaluation (RBME) System - Management tool that aims to keep track of the progress and end result of the project implementation within the convergence areas; u) Ridge-to-Reef Approach - Holistic, collaborative, multiple use and sustainable management of all resources within the watershed; V) Rural Development - Strategy to enable a specific group of people, poor rural women and men, to gain for themselves and their children more of what they want and need. It involves helping the poorest among those who seek a livelihood in rural areas to demand and control more of the benefits of rural development. The group includes smallholder farmers, small fisherfolk, tenants, and the landless; w) Smallholder Farmers - Marginal and sub-marginal farm households that own and/or cultivate not more than 3.0 hectares of land; x) Sustainable Integrated Area Development (SIAD) - Strategy that takes into account area-based interventions, and concepts on integrated island development, and has people and integrity of nature at its core. This is grounded on the basic principles of the Philippine Agenda 21, specifically on the integration of the various overarching dimensions and components of sustainable development and the need for participation of government, business, and civil society as provided for under Executive Order No. 15, s. 1992 and Executive Order No. 370, s. 1996; y) Sustainable Rural Development (SRD) - Improving the quality of life for the rural poor by developing capacities that promote community participation, health and education, food security, environmental protection, and sustainable economic growth, thereby enabling community members to leave the cycle of poverty and achieve their full potential for the present and future generations; and z) Watershed - Land area drained by a stream or fixed body of water and its tributaries having a common outlet for surface run-off. CHAPTER III

FRAMEWORK AND OPERATIONALIZATION

Sec. 5. The National Convergence Strategy for Sustainable Rural Development

3 (NCS-SRD). - The National Convergence Strategy for Sustainable Rural Development 4 (NCS-SRD) is a government strategy to address the fragmented delivery of rural development services. Adopting the ridge-to-reef approach as the intervention framework in the convergence areas, the NCS-SRD shall be operationalized in the 7 identified convergence areas, where complementation of efforts and concerted and coordinated interventions from NCS-SRD agencies and other relevant stakeholders interplay to achieve optimum results.

Sec. 6. Criteria for Selection of Convergence Areas. - The identification and

selection of convergence areas shall conform to the ridge-to-reef approach based on the following must and prioritization criteria, which shall be reviewed periodically: Must Criteria a) Completeness of ecosystem zones. The convergence areas should cut across the various ecosystems or should be combination of at least two (2) ecosystems. b) Passer of Good Financial Housekeeping. This is proof that the LGU has good governance performance in internal housekeeping, particularly in sound fiscal management. Prioritization Criteria a) Presence of key production areas for increased productivity and income. The convergence areas should have tracts of land identified for agro-forestry and fisheries development for major production or with potential for expansion/scaling up and/or connection to allied industries/services for backward and forward integration. b) Combination of areas across major poverty groups. The convergence areas should cover a significant number of smallholder farmers/agricultural workers, including actual and potential ARBs, small fisherfolk, IPs, upland dwellers, and rural women. c) Involvement of local government leaders of LGUs/LGU alliances. The convergence area should have LGUs/LGU alliances whose Local Chief

Executives (LCEs) and Sanggunian are willing to support the Convergence Initiative. d) Presence of relevant stakeholders/CSOs. The convergence areas should have active CSOs that are willing to support the Convergence Initiative and be a conduit of interventions in the convergence area. The presence of private business and academic/research institutions that are willing to partner within the convergence area should be an advantage. Additional Criteria a) Presence of traditional AFF ecosystems and local/indigenous knowledge systems and traditional practices. The convergence areas should have conventional or traditional practices in the AFF ecosystem. b) Performs as a buffer zone of a protected area. The convergence areas may be adjacent to a protected area and serve as a buffer zone to provide an added layer of protection to the protected area. c) Availability of a Local Climate Change Action Plan. The LGU in the convergence area has an existing plan to address climate change stressors and there may be an organization present that leads in implementing strategies to reduce vulnerability to climate change impacts. CHAPTER IV IMPLEMENTING STRUCTURE AND MECHANISM

Sec. 7. NCS-SRD Agencies. - The DA, DAR, DENR, and DILG are considered as

NCS-SRD agencies. These agencies shall serve as the central planning, coordinating, implementing, and monitoring and evaluating body of the NCS-SRD.

Sec. 8. NCS-SRD Executive Board (NEB). - The NEB shall act as the policy-

making body of the NCS-SRD. The NEB shall be composed of the following or their duly-designated permanent alternates with a rank of an Undersecretary, whose acts shall be considered as the acts of their principals: Lead Convenor : DA Secretary Co-Convenors: : DAR Secretary DENR Secretary DILG Secretary Advisory Board : National Focal Person (Assistant Secretary)

In the implementation of this Act, the NCS-SRD Executive Board shall perform 2 the following functions: a) Provide overall policy directions for the implementation of programs/ activities/projects (PAPs) under the NCS-SRD; b) Review the fulfillment of commitments of the respective agencies relative to the implementation of the NCS-SRD; c) Appoint or designate the National Focal Person (NFP) with a rank of Assistant Secretary, a Deputy National Focal Person (DNFP) with a rank of Director IV as the permanent alternate representative of the NFP, and a Head National Secretariat. The NFP, DNFP, and Head National Secretariat shall come from the DA as the lead agency, for efficiency purposes; d) Approve the implementation and coordination structure of the NCS-SRD, including the membership to the NTWG and the four (4) CWGs through the issuance of a Special Order (SO); e) Approve/ratify policy instruments and PAPs pertaining to the operation of the NCS-SRD; and allocate and approve resources to carry out the PAPs of the NCS-SRD, including third-party impact assessment of the convergence areas.

Sec. 9. National Focal Person (NFP) and Deputy National Focal Person (DNFP).

- The NFP shall have a rank of Assistant Secretary and a Deputy National Focal Person (DNFP), as the designated permanent alternate representative to the NFP, shall have a rank of Director IV. The NFP shall directly supervise the National Secretariat which shall have a Head and Deputy Head Secretariat. Plantilla positions shall be created for the NFP and DNFP. The NFP shall convene the members of the NCS-SRD TWG to discuss the status of the NCS-SRD programs, projects, and activities before the conduct of Board meetings. The NFP shall come from the DA as the lead department, the DNFP shall come from the DENR, DAR, or DILG.

Sec. 10. NCS-SRD Secretariat. - NCS-SRD Secretariat shall be created at the

national, regional, provincial and municipal levels. a) National Secretariat - The National Secretariat, composed of seven (7) plantilla positions for its technical and administrative functions, shall serve as the main coordinating body of the NCS-SRD. It shall provide technical

and administrative support to the four Component Working Groups, NTWG, and the NEB. The National Secretariat shall be lodged at the DA as the Lead Convenor of the NCS-SRD. Filling up the plantilla positions shall prioritize the existing staff of the National Secretariat to ensure continuity of operations. The National Secretariat shall also be headed by a Head Secretariat, followed by the Deputy Head Secretariat, Secretariats for each of the four Component Working Groups and an administrative officer. b) Regional Secretariat - The regional secretariat will be composed of three (3) personnel per region.

Sec. 11. National Technical Working Group (NTWG). - The NTWG shall serve

as the advisory and recommendatory body of the NEB on matters related to the implementation of the NCS-SRD. It shall be composed of the following or their designated permanent alternate representatives/s: Chairperson NFP or DNFP Core members : Chairperson, PA CWG Chairperson, AFFECBD CWG Chairperson, CD CWG Chairperson, KM CWG Secretariat National Secretariat

Sec. 12. Component Working Groups (CWGs), - The planning, budgeting,

implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of the NCS-SRD shall be done through the four (4) CWGs. These four (4) CWGs are: Policy and Advocacy (PA); Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (AFF)-Enterprise Cluster and Business Development (AFFECBD), Capacity Development (CD), and Knowledge Management (KM). They shall serve as the horizontal or cross-cutting components on issues related to all ecosystems using the ridge-to-reef approach. Each CWG shall have a Chairperson who shall serve on a rotation basis among the DA-DAR-DENR-DILG for a term of three (3) years.

Sec. 13. Regional, Provincial, and Municipal/City Convergence Initiatives

Technical Working Groups (TWGs). - Regional, Provincial, and Municipal/City 31 Convergence Initiatives Technical Working Groups (TWGs) shall be created. It shall

1 act as the regional, provincial, and municipal/city arm of the NTWG and shall mirror the aims of NCS-SRD at the grassroots.

Sec. 14. Other Partner Agencies and Institutions. - The NCS-SRD agencies, its

CWG and TWGs, shall coordinate with other partner agencies and institutions to ensure the complementation and alignment of NCS-SRD interventions with that of other related agencies, offices, and institutions. They shall likewise work with NGOs, 7 coalition groups, farmer and fisherfolk associations and groups, SUCs, and private sector/business groups.

Sec. 15. Results-Based Monitoring and Evaluation (RBME). - An RBME system

10 based on indicators of performance aligned with the PDP Results Matrix shall be developed and implemented. CHAPTER V TRANSITORY AND FINAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 16. Convening of NCS-SRD National Secretariat Office. - Within sixty (60)

15 days from the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall convene the 16 NCS-SRD National Secretariat Office.

Sec. 17. Appropriations. - Funds necessary to carry out the implementation of

the NCS-SRD shall be taken from the available funds of the DA, DAR, DENR and DILG under the current General Appropriations Act. Salary for the created plantilla positions 20 of the NFP, DNFP and NCS-SRD National Secretariat shall come from dedicated funds 21 under the DA Office of the Secretary in consideration of the DA as the lead convenor. Salary for the regional secretariat shall come from dedicated funds of their regional office. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the full operation of the NCS- SRD and the staggered implementation of the NCS-SRD plans and programs shall be included in the respective annual budget of the aforementioned Departments in the annual General Appropriations Act.

Sec. 18. Grants and Additional Funding. - Other sources of funds such as

grants, donations, and other forms of assistance from donor agencies, other government agencies, and local and international business community/private sector may be tapped and facilitated by NCS-SRD Executive Board to support the PAPs of the Convergence Initiative, subject to regular auditing guidelines and procedures. Cost- sharing and/or counter parting schemes among NGAS, LGUs, NGOs, private sector,

1 and other institutions shall be encouraged to support the implementation of the NCS- SRD.

Sec. 19. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The implementing rules and

regulations of this Act shall be jointly formulated by the NCS-SRD agencies within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act.

Sec. 20. Non-Impairment Clause. - Nothing in this Act shall be construed as to

7 diminish, impair, or repeal rights recognized, granted, or available to marginalized or basic sectors under existing laws.

Sec. 21. Separability Clause. - If for any reason, any provision of this Act is

declared unconstitutional or invalid, such parts not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

Sec. 22. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and

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

Sec. 23. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation. Approved,