Presidential Decree No. 729 (PD 729) — Establishing the Institute of Plant Breeding in the College of Agriculture, University of the Philippines at Los Baños.
WHEREAS, new and improved crop varieties are crucial to
modern and progressive agriculture;
WHEREAS, they trigger quantum leaps in agricultural
productivity as demonstrated by the much-vaunted green revolution in the
paddy fields of Asia with the advent of the short, stiff-strawed
high-yielding rice varieties (HYV's) developed at IRRI and UP at Los
Baños;
WHEREAS, the increasing tempo of agricultural development
and the quest for product diversification are exacting rigorous demands
on the ability of Filipino agricultural scientists to develop the crop
varieties required to sustain our rapidly modernizing agriculture;
WHEREAS, increasingly, we have to meet and anticipate
adverse climatic conditions and the outbreak of new destructive pests
and diseases;
WHEREAS, with many of our traditional crops we have yet to
see the dramatic increases in productivity made possible through
breakthroughs in improving plant genotypes;
WHEREAS, we have many tropical fruits and vegetables and
other crops which have potential for expanded production and export
provided the qualities for processing, handling and storage so important
in international commerce and bred into them;
WHEREAS, the present deployment of highly technical manpower
resources and organization is inadequate to cope with the rising
standards of modern agriculture;
WHEREAS, the foregoing considerations require the services
of highly competent, full-time teams of agricultural scientists, apply
supported with resources and funds and staff and provided working
conditions conducive to the development of improved varieties in the
shortest time possible;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the
Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the
Constitution, do hereby decree and order the following:
SECTION 1. There is hereby established the PLANT BREEDING
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM in the College of Agriculture,
University of the Philippines at Los Baños which shall be organized
therein an INSTITUTE (hereinafter referred to as IPB) with the following
specific functions:
To develop new and improved varieties of important agricultural
crops;
To undertake investigations in plant breeding and other allied
disciplines related to the improvement of crops;
To systematically collect, introduce, preserve and
maintain a germplasm bank of important and potentially useful
agricultural crops;
To assist other agencies in the multiplication and distribution
of quality seeds and vegetative materials of recommended crop
varieties;
To enter into agreements or relationships with similar
institutions or organizations, both national and foreign, in furtherance
of the above purposes.
SEC. 2. The amount of P19,000,000 shall be included in the
budget of the Department of Agriculture during the period FY 1976-1978,
said amount to be disbursed by the Department to the UPLB for the
capital requirements of IPB which will include acquisition and
development of 150 hectares of experimental fields, construction of
buildings, laboratories and housing for the Institute's staff and
acquisition of equipment; provided however that of the above amount, a
sum not to exceed P6 million may be made available to finance the
Institute's initial operating expenses and/or to supplement the
Institute's regular appropriation during the period.
SEC. 3. There is hereby appropriated to the University
of the Philippines at Los Baños the amount of P3 million from the
General Fund for fiscal year 1975-76 exclusively to support the programs
of the Institute.
SEC. 4. The Institute of Plant Breeding shall be headed
by a Director who shall be appointed by the Board of Regents of the
University of the Philippines Systems upon the recommendation by the
Chancellor of UPLB. He shall be responsible directly to the Dean of the
College of Agriculture, U. P. at Los Baños. The Director shall have the
responsibility of planning, implementing and supervising the IPB's
programs and activities.
SEC. 5. The research priorities of IPB shall be
consistent, with the framework of Section 1 above, with the priorities
in the approved national agricultural development plan. The plans and
programs of the Institute shall be reviewed annually by an Advisory
Board composed of:
a.
Undersecretary, Department of Agriculture
Chairman
b.
Dean, UP at Los Baños College of Agriculture
Member
c.
Assistant for Research, UP, Los Baños
Member
d.
Director, Crops Research Division, PCAR
Member
e.
Representative of the Private sector
member
The representative of the private sector shall be appointed by the
Secretary of the Department of Agriculture.
SEC. 6. The IPB may, for the purpose of its research and
development activities, obtain the services of scholars, scientists and
technical personnel of other units in the culture, U. P. at Los Baños.
The Director shall have the responsibility of planning, implementing and
supervising the IPB's programs and activities.
SEC. 7. The Institute of Plant Breeding is hereby authorized
to construct buildings and other facilities and to purchase equipment
locally and abroad as may be necessary to carry out its functions.
Further, the IPB shall enjoy exemption from taxes, except from import
and other duties for supplies, materials and equipment purchased abroad
when not available locally on favorable terms.
SEC. 8. Expenditures and disbursements made by IPB in the
conduct of its activities shall be subject to special auditing and
accounting rules and regulations suited to the requirements of research.
These special auditing rules and regulations shall be formulated by the
Office of the Executive Secretary and the Commissioner on Audit and
submitted to the President for review and approval within four months
after approval of this decree.
SEC. 9. Any and all savings of the IPB shall constitute a
revolving fund and shall not be reverted to the General Fund.
SEC. 10. This Decree shall take effect upon approval. All
acts, parts of acts, executive orders, ordinances, rules and regulations
which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Presidential Decree
are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.
Done in the City of Manila, this 5th day of June, in the year of
our Lord nineteen hundred and seventy-five.
(Sgd.)
FERDINAND E. MARCOS
President
Republic of the Philippines
By the President:
(Sgd.)
ALEJANDRO MELCHOR
Executive Secretary
Source: Supreme Court E-Library, Republic of the Philippines. Philippine laws are public documents (works of the government).
