Three Villar Bills on Agri Cited as Among President Duterte's Accomplishments
Senator Villar expresses appreciation

Senator Cynthia Villar is thankful after President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, in his final State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 26, lauded the the passage of three very important legislations in agriculture which she authored and included them as among his administration's accomplishments.

These legislations are the Free Irrigation Service Act (FISA) or R.A. 10969 and the Rice Tariffication Law or R.A. 11203 and Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act or Republic Act (RA) No. 11524.

"In behalf of the farmers and fisherfolks, I thank President Duterte for his support in the development of the country's agricultural sector and for the promotion of food security," said Villar who chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food.

FISA, which was passed on November 20, 2017, exempts all farmers with landholdings of eight hectares and below from paying irrigation service fees (ISF). Free irrigation is a campaign promise of President Duterte.

The law also provides for the condonation of unpaid loans and fees. Incentives were also provided to the beneficiaries such as the cost of maintenance and operations for the proper distribution of water to the irrigable areas. The free irrigation service is a breakthrough and a big help in increasing the productivity of the farmer-irrigators.

The Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act is aimed at developing the coconut industry using recovered coco levy assets. This would benefit the country's 3.5 million coconut farmers from 68 coconut-producing provinces, who own at most five hectares for the last 10 years. The law seeks to create a trust fund for these farmers through the selling of assets procured through the coco levy fund.

"The coconut farmers are the poorest in the country. They earn only about P1,500 a month. The trust fund will be used for programs, in addition to the programs of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) which will be given a separate budget," said Villar. She said the use of the funds will be for planting, replanting, intercropping, processing, marketing, formation of cooperatives, crop insurance, credit, health, education, TESDA training and infrastructure.

It also mandates the Bureau of Treasury (BTr) to infuse P10 billion to the trust fund in the first year of its implementation. Another P10 billion will be transferred in the second year, P15 billion in the third year, P15 billion in the fourth year and P25 billion during the fifth year.

The government started collecting the coco levy funds from coconut farmers in 1971 through levies, taxes, charges and other fees imposed with the sale of copra rececada. Aside from coconut farmers, the funds were collected from millers, refiners, processors, exporters and copra end-users.

The Supreme Court ruled in 2012 that the coco levy funds were publicly-owned, prompting the government to craft ways on how to develop the coconut industry using the multi-billion assets.

"We fulfilled our promise to coconut farmers. We returned the coconut levy fund to its rightful owners � the coconut farmers," also said Duterte in his SONA. "The fund is estimated to be at P75 billion for the benefit of the farmers and the development of coconut industry," Duterte added. Other assets will be added to the said funds.

The PCA Board has been reconstituted and strengthened to ensure the participation of coconut farmers in the crafting and implementation of the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan. It will include three farmer-representatives from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

The Rice Tariffication Law lifted the quantitative restrictions (QR) on rice. To protect local farmers, it imposed tariffs on imported rice and the revenues collected created the Rice Competitiveness and Enhancement Fund (RCEF) that will make the rice industry more competitive.

It took effect in March 2019 and will continue for 6 years. It mandated the allocation of PHP10 billion annually to be implemented by specific agencies under the Department of Agriculture. These are as follows: PhilMechP5 billion to finance mechanization; PhilRice, P3 billion for inbred rice seeds distribution and development; P1 billion for loans jointly shared by Landbank and the Development Bank of the Philippines and training to farmers; P700 million to TESDA; P100 million each to the Agricultural Training Institute, PhilMech and PhilRice. The law aims to make local farmers competitive by lowering production cost and increasing yield per hectare of palay. It targets to lower domestic rice prices and make it affordable to the public.

According to Villar, "The distribution of benefits under the RCEF program has been in full swing for two years now. Rice farmers should harvest at least six metric tons per hectare instead of four before and average production costs per kilogram have been reduced which means bigger income for them."

Farmers have to organize themselves into cooperatives or associations to obtain the benefit and to be registered in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA).

Villar is optimistic that the strides that these pieces of landmark legislations will pave the way to a more vibrant agriculture sector in the years ahead. ###

3 Villar Bills sa Agri, kabilang sa 'accomplishments' ni President Duterte; Senator Villar, nagpahayag ng kasiyahan.

PINASALAMATAN ni Senator Cynthia Villar si President Rodrigo Roa Duterte makaraang purihin nito sa kanyang pinakahuling State of the Nation Address (SONA) noong July 26 ang pagsasabatas ng 3 mahahalagang legislations sa agrikultura na inakda ng senador at isinama ang mga ito sa 'accomplishments' ng Duterte administration.

Ang mga ito ay ang Free Irrigation Service Act (FISA) o R.A. 10969 Rice Tariffication Law o R.A. 11203 at Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act o RA No. 11524. "In behalf of the farmers and fisherfolks, I thank President Duterte for his support in the development of the country's agricultural sector and for the promotion of food security," sabi ni Villar, chairperson ng Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food.

Sa ilalim ng R.A. 10969, na naging batas noong November 20, 2017, exempted sa pagbabayad ng irrigation service fees (ISF) ang lahat ng magsasaka na may-ari ng walong ektaryang pababa na niyugan.

Kabilang sa campaign promise ni President Duterte ang libreng irrigation. "The law also provided for the condonation of unpaid loans and fees, incentives were also provided to the beneficiaries such as the cost of maintenance and operations for the proper distribution of water to the irrigable areas. The free irrigation service is a breakthrough and is a big help in increasing the productivity of the farmer-irrigators." Layunin ng Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act na isulong ang coconut industry gamit ang nabawing coco levy assets.

Mabebenipisyuhan nito ang may 3.5 million coconut farmers mula sa 68 coconut-producing provinces na may-ari ng limang ektaryang niyugan sa loob ng 10 taon. Layunin din ng batas na bumuo ng trust fund para sa mga magsasaka. "The coconut farmers are the poorest in the country. They earn only about P1,500 a month. The trust fund will be used for programs, in addition to the programs of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) which will be given a separate budget," ayon kay Villar.

Gagamitin ang pondo sa pagtatanim, replanting, intercropping, processing, marketing, pagbuo ng mga kooperatiba, crop insurance, credit, health, education, TESDA training at infrastructure.

Itinatakda rin na magbibigay ang Bureau of Treasury (BTr) ng P10 billion sa trust fund sa unang taon ng implementasyon. Maglilipat din ng P10 billion sa ikalawang taon, P15 billion sa ikatlong taon, P15 billion sa ikaapat na taon at P25 billion sa ikalimang taon.

Sinimulang kumolekta ng pamahalaan ng coco levy funds sa coconut farmers noong 1971 sa pamamagitan ng levies, taxes, charges at iba pang bayarin. Nanggaling din ang pondo sa millers, refiners, processors, exporters and copra end-users. Noong 2021, idineklara ng Supreme Court na ang coco levy funds ay publicly-owned ng pamahalaan. Gumawa ito ng paraan upang maisulong ang coconut industry gamit ang multi-billion assets.

"We fulfilled our promise to coconut farmers. We returned the coconut levy fund to its rightful owners -- the coconut farmers," sabi pa ni Duterte sa kanyang SONA. "The fund is estimated to be at P75 billion for the benefit of the farmers and the development of coconut industry," ayon pa rin kay Duterte. Idadagdag din sa pondo ang ibang assets.

"The PCA Board has been reconstituted and strengthened to ensure the participation of coconut farmers in the crafting and implementation of the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan. It will include three farmer-representatives from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao."

"R.A. 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law lifted the quantitative restrictions (QR) on rice. To protect local farmers, it imposed tariffs on imported rice and the revenues collected created the Rice Competitiveness and Enhancement Fund (RCEF) that will make the rice industry more competitive."

Nagkabisa ito noong March 2019. Ito ay magpapatuloy sa loob ng anim na taon. Itinakda rin na may taunang P10 billion alokasyon na ipatutupad ng mga partikular na ahensiya sa ilalim ng Department of Agriculture. Ang mga ito ay ang PhilMech- P5 billion sa mechanization, PhilRice, P3 billion para sa inbred rice seeds distribution at development, P1 billion sa pautang mula sa Landbank at Development Bank of the Philippines para sa pagsasanay ng mga magsasaka, P700 million sa TESDA, P100 million bawat isa sa Agricultural Training Institute, PhilMech at PhilRice. "The law aims to make local farmers competitive by lowering production cost and increasing yield per hectare of palay. It targets to lower domestic rice prices and make it affordable to the public," ayon kay Villar.

Sabi pa ni Villar, "The distribution of benefits under the RCEF program has been in full swing for two years now. Rice farmers should harvest at least six metric tons per hectare instead of four before and average production costs per kilogram have been reduced which means bigger income for them."

"Farmers have to organize themselves into cooperatives or associations to obtain the benefit and to be registered in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA)."

Kumpiyansa si Villar na magiging masigla ang sektor ng agrikultura sa susunod na taon dahil sa landmark legislations na ito.###