CONGRESS OF THE PHILIPPINES FOURTEENTH CONGRESS First Regular Session

By REPRESENTATIVES MARMION, MITRA, ARAGO, VILLAFUERTE, ARROYO (D.), ANTONINO-CUSTODlO, COSCOLLUELA, VELARDE, ROMUALDEZ, TIENG, CHATTO, ANTONINO, DUMARPA, HONTIVEROS-BARAQUEL, ARNAIZ, LAGDAMEO, ROMARATE, YAP, YU, JALA, ALMARIO, SEARES-LUNA, MENDOZA, AMATONG, HOFER, DAYANGHIRANG, BRIONES, CABILAO, SY-L1MKAICHONG, ESTRELLA (R.), CLARETE, EMANO, LABADLABAD, CHAVEZ, SY -ALVARADO, LAG BAS, LAPUS, ALCALA, TEVES, UNGAB, CHUNGALAO, SINGSON (R.), UMALI(C.), DEL MAR, GULLAS AND BONOAN-DA VID, PER COMMITTEE REPORT No. 79

AN

ACT TO EXTEND THE UTILIZATION PERIOD OF THE AGRICULTURAL COMPETITIVENESS ENHANCEMENT FUND, AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8178, ENTITLED "AN ACT REPLACING QUANTITATIVE IMPORT RESTRICTIONS ON AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS, EXCEPT RICE, WITH TARIFFS, CREA TING THE AGRICULTURAL COMPETITIVENESS ENHANCEMENT FUND, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES"

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

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To implement the policy enunciated in this Act, there is hereby created the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund,

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UNUSED BALANCE AND COLLECTIONS FROM REPAYMENTS FROM LOAN BENEFICIARIES INCLUDING INTERESTS, IF ANY. THE FUND

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by Congress: (A) FOR THE PROTECTION OF FARMERS AGAINST

UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES SUCH AS SMUGGLING, DUMPING OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS OR OTHER SIMILAR ACTS OF UNFAIR

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TRADE PRACTICES; AND (B) for TIlE INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY OF FARMERS BY PROVIDING THE NECESSARY SUPPORT SERVICES SUCH AS, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, irrigation, farm-to-market roads,

post-harvest development, information,

equipment

and

facilities,

credit,

research

and

other marketing infrastructure, provision of market retraining, extension services, MICRO, SMALL AND

AGRICULTURE AND OTHER

AND FISHERY COOPERATIVES, ENTREPRENEURS ENGAGED

CORPORATIONS IN ECONOMIC

ENTERPRISES RELATED TO AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES and

other forms of assistance and support to the agricultural sector:

PROVIDED, THAT PRIORITY SHOULD BE GIVEN TO PRODUCTS OR PEOPLE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY THE REPEAL OR REMOVAL OF QUANTITATIVE IMPORT RESTRICTIONS TO AGRICULTURAL

PRODUCTS AS PROVIDED FOR IN SECTION 4 OF THIS ACT. "IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR THE AGRICULTURAL ASSISTANCE,

COMPETITIVENESS PROJECTS SHALL:

ENHANCEMENT FuND (ACEF)

(1) 2
3 4 5 6
7 THRUSTS

BE CONSISTENT WITH THE POLICIES AND PRIORITY UNDER REPUBLIC ACT

No. 8435,

AS AMENDED, AND FISHERIES

OTHERWISE

KNOWN AS THE AGRICULTURE

MODERNIZATION

ACT VIS-A-VIS GOALS 1 AND 2 UNDER THE

MEDIUM TERM PHILIPPINE DEVELOPMENT PLAN (MTPDP);

(2)

BE

COMPLEMENTARY OF, THE

TO,

SUPPORTIVE AND CURRENT

AND

NOT

DUPLICATIVE

VARIOUS

FUNDING

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ASSISTANCE WINDOWS OR PROGRAMS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND OTHER GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS;

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(3)

ENHANCE THE COMPETITIVENESS OF TARGET PROJECT

BENEFICIARIES OR SECTORS, ESPECIALLY THE SMALL FARMERS AND FISHERFOLK;

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(4)

PROVIDE PRODUCT OR SERVICE COMPETITIVENESS

IN

THE LOCAL AND FOREIGN MARKETS IN TERMS OF PRODUCT OR SERVICE PRICES OR FEES AND QUALITY;

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(5)
WITH

PROMOTE RELATED

UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM LINKAGES AND COMPLEMENTARY AGRICULTURAL

ACTIVITIES;

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(7) BE BENEFICIAL TO MOST, AND NOT ONLY SELECTED,

2 3
4

FIR'VIS OR GROlJPS WITHIN A SECTOR. "FOR PliRPOSES OF THIS ACT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS. STATE liNIVERSITIES INSTITliTIONS AND COLLEGES OR OTHER GOVERNMENT

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INVOLVED IN THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PRODliCTS '\IA Y AVAIL OF THE ACEF A'\\
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OF AGRICliL Tl1IUl

FORM OF FINANCIAL GRANT WITHOl"! SECliRITL

COLL\TERAI.

OR

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"The Committees

on Agriculture and Food, Appropriations

and Finance of both the Senate and the House of Representatives shall conduct a periodic review of the use of the Fund. The Fund shall [have a life of nine (9) years] EXIST F';HL THE YEAR 2012, after which all remaining Fund." SEe. 2. A new section is hereby inserted after Section 8 of Republic Act No. 8178 to be designated as Section 9, to read as follows:
"SEe. 9. TilE COORDINATION wrm DHARTMENT TIll OF AGRIClILTtJRE On:RSIGIIT
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balances shall revert to the General

CONGRESSIONAL

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REFORM ITS PROCESSING AND APPROVAL PROCEDURES IN ORDER

TO SPEED UP THE DISBURSEMENT

PROCESS."

The succeeding sections shall be renumbered accordingly. SEe. 3. Repealing Clause.5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 amended. All laws, decrees, Republic Act No. 8178 is hereby

executive

issuances, rules and regulations

inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. SEe. 4. Separability Clause. - The provisions of this Act are hereby declared to be separable. and in the event one or more of such provisions are held unconstitutional, thereby. SEe. 5. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect thirty (30) days from the date of its publication in the Of/kial Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general cirCUlation. Approved, the validity of the other provisions shall not be affected