Reorganizing and Strengthening the Bureau of Animal Industry.
SEC. 4. Reorganizing and Strengthening the Bureau of Animal Industry. - The BAI is hereby expanded and reclassified into a line agency attached to the Department of Agriculture (DA), with regional and provincial offices. The BAI shall have an office for developmental functions, within which the NLP and its functions shall be absorbed. The NMIS is hereby reorganized and strengthened to be the core regulatory office of the BAI.
The BAI developmental office shall be called the Animal Development and Welfare Office (ADWO) and the BAI regulatory office shall be called the Animal Regulation and Enforcement Office (AREO).
The BAI shall be headed by an Administrator with the rank of an Undersecretary. The BAI shall also create, oversee, and implement the National Animal Industry Roadmap, in consultation with relevant stakeholders.
The PCC and the NDA shall be attached to and be under the direct supervision of the BAI.
Authority of the President of the Philippines to Rationalize the Operation of the Livestock Agencies.
SEC. 5. Authority of the President of the Philippines to Rationalize the Operation of the Livestock Agencies. - The President shall have the authority to restructure and complete the staffing pattern of the BAI in accordance with Section 4 of this Act and government policies and guidelines on rightsizing and rationalization efforts.
Within one hundred twenty (120) days from the effectivity of this Act, the DA, with the assistance of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), shall submit the recommendations on the organizational structure and staffing pattern of the BAI for the President's approval: Provided, That safety nets shall be provided to employees whose agencies may be affected by the rationalization and funds and resources shall be set aside therefor: Provided, further, That organizational development programs to strengthen the institutional capacity of the agencies and improve the productivity of employees shall be implemented: Provided, finally, That the approved organizational structure and staffing pattern may be reviewed and evaluated five (5) years after the effectivity of this Act.
Non-interruption of Government Service and Transitory Provisions.
SEC. 6. Non-interruption of Government Service and Transitory Provisions. - The delivery of government functions and services shall not be delayed or disrupted during the reorganization of livestock agencies. Agencies and personnel shall continue to perform their respective functions, duties, and responsibilities in a holdover capacity until the transition has been completed.
Philippine Carabao Center.
SEC. 7. Philippine Carabao Center. - The PCC shall continue to perform its original mandates under Republic Act No. 7307 or the "Philippine Carabao Act of 1992", and implement its carabao milk production program. The PCC shall also conduct research and development for other animals. It may also be referred to as the PCC-National Institute for Animal Sciences.
In addition to its existing mandates, the PCC shall develop and implement strategies for other animals as specified under Section 6 of Republic Act No. 7307. The PCC may also undertake animal vaccine and biologics research and development.
The existing PCC regional centers located at the: University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) in Laguna; Central Luzon State University (CLSU) in Nueva Ecija; Cagayan State University (CSU) in Cagayan; Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) in Ilocos Norte; Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU) in La Union; Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA) in Camarines Sur; La Carlota Stock Farm (LCSF) in Negros Occidental; Ubat Stock Farm (USF) in Bohol; Visayas State University (VSU) in Leyte; West Visayas State University (WVSU) in Iloilo; Caraga State University (CARSU) in Butuan City; Central Mindanao University (CMU) in Bukidnon; University of Southern Mindanao (USM) in North Cotabato; and Mindanao Livestock Production Center (MLPC) in Zamboanga del Norte shall be converted to research and development stations of the PCC. The existing regional centers may include research and development on other animals.
The PCC may also establish additional research and development center in other areas.
SEC. 8. National Dairy Authority. -The NDA shall be the central policy and developmental body for the Philippine dairy industry. Its regulatory functions, including its power to issue and impose safety regulations on the dairy industry, shall be transferred to the BAI regulatory office.
The NDA shall be strengthened as the food safety certifying agency for local dairy industry chain including, but not limited to, micro, small, medium and all other commercial dairy processing plants and other entities engaged in dairy activities, whether in whole or in part. The NDA shall be mandated by the BAI and the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) to provide testing and accreditation services over all local dairy activities and products from primary production up to post-market product distribution.
The NDA, in the exercise of its functions on production, post-harvest, processing, marketing, storage, distribution, and trading, may secure data and reports relative to dairy industry supply and value chain participants.
Within one hundred fifty (150) days from the effectivity of this Act, the FDA, NDA, Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards (BAFS), and the BAI shall harmonize the standards and guidelines for the regulation of local milk and milk products into a code of dairy regulations to be implemented, enforced, and updated primarily by the BAI.
Governance and Expanded Functions of the NDA.
SEC. 9. Governance and Expanded Functions of the NDA. - The BAI Administrator shall be designated representative of the DA Secretary as Chairperson of the Dairy Industry Board, created under Section 5 of Republic Act No. 7884 or the "National Dairy Development Act of 1995".
In addition to its existing developmental powers and functions, the NDA shall:
(a) Distribute as grant, dairy animals, equipment, and other supplies to qualified small-hold and semi-commercial dairy farmers, cooperatives, and associations (FCAs), and local government units (LGUs);
(b) Integrate dairy production and dairy-related businesses into various livelihood and nutrition programs;
(c)Engage in dairy-related business milk-buying, and other marketing activities, to sustain the financial viability of of the agency including, but not limited to, sales, exchange, packaging, and exportation of milk and milk products, and importation of dairy animals; and engage in business ventures and other commercial arrangements on its own or with third parties related to dairy activities including, but not limited to, the establishment of milk processing plants, feed processing, trading, hauling, shipping, and other value chain businesses or activities on dairying;
(d) Establish and maintain dairy regional operations and business centers or offices in various parts of the country in order to conduct business, development, extension support, and training services;
(e) Establish and operate its own dairy stock farms, nucleus farms, and artificial insemination facilities for the purpose of breeding, upgrading, dispersal, and sale of dairy animals;
(f) Issue certificates of product registration, and in connection therewith, collect incidental fees from local related businesses;
(g) Coordinate and facilitate the absorption of local milk supply by the commercial sector; and
(h) Establish and maintain facilities and services in support of the industry's compliance with regulations, developmental and extension activities including, but not limited to, offices, reference laboratories, satellite laboratories, dairy hubs, and training facilities, among others.
Management and Acquisition of Dairy Programs, Projects, and Assets.
SEC. 10. Management and Acquisition of Dairy Programs, Projects, and Assets. - All remaining government dairy programs, projects, and assets operating outside of the NDA, except the research and development component of the PCC, shall be absorbed by the NDA. Towards this end, the NDA, in coordination with affected agencies, shall conduct an inventory and survey of all assets it occupies and those assets, lots, funds, grants, subsidies and records of the DA related to dairying, and establish an office for transfer in its name, including the lot occupied by its central offices in the BAI compound, Visayas Avenue, Quezon City, measuring at least one thousand (1,000) square meters.
Subject to the submission by the NDA of a development plan to be approved by the BAI Administrator, focusing on production, post-harvest, processing, marketing, and other commercial arrangements within the dairy value chain and support services, the NDA may also develop properties of the DA such as the Dumarao Stock Farm in Dumarao, Capiz; Bureau of Animal Industry National Beef Cattle Research and Development Center (BAI-NBCRDC) in Malaybalay, Bukidnon; Davao Regional Upland Agriculture Research Station in Marilog District, Davao City; DA-RFO2 - Quirino Experiment Station in Quirino Province; and other suitable properties under the management and administration of the DA.
NDA Capitalization.
SEC. 11. NDA Capitalization. - The NDA shall have an authorizes capital of One billion pesos (P1,000,000,000.00) which shall be fully subscribed by the National Government in accordance with Title III of this Act.
Condonation and Writing-off of Farmers' Debts.
SEC. 12. Condonation and Writing-off of Farmers' Debts. - To achieve the objectives of this Act, the past debts, including interests and penalties, of farmers to the NDA and the PCC under the Animal Dispersal Program or paiwi both agencies are hereby condoned and written off the records of the NDA and the PCC.
Animal Management Information System (AMIS).
SEC. 13. Animal Management Information System (AMIS). - Within one (1) year from the effectivity of this Act, the BAI shall establish the AMIS. The AMIS shall be the repository of all information relevant to animal industries. It shall provide timely, accurate, and responsive information related to animal industries from municipal up to national level which shall include, but not limited to, the following data:
(a) Animal inventory, pedigree record, acquisition cost, and sales data;
(b) Animal health data vaccination;
(c) Registration of animal infrastructure and facilities;
(d) Supply and demand data of animal products and by-products;
(e) Export and import data on animals, animal products, and by-products;
(f) Crop and non-crop animal feed inputs data such as production, prices, imports, and exports;
(g) Animal feed and feed ingredients data such as inventory and prices;
(h) Price and price trends including farm gate, wholesale, and retail prices of animals, animal products, and by-products;
(i) Research information and technology generated from research institutions involved in the animal industry;
(j) Information on pests, diseases, and epidemics to ensure food safety and animal health protection; and
(k) Data relating to programs of the BAI, NDA, and the PCC, including importation of breeds, artificial insemination, natural breeding, buy-back programs, and sources of stocks and breeds for the need of local farms, among other information.
The AMIS shall have the capability to process, analyze, evaluate, and validate data and generate reports and forecasts. The system shall be placed directly under the BAI Administrator. The system reports shall be linked to the websites of the BAI, PCC, NDA, and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) for easy access of stakeholders and users to livestock data and information.
Nutrition Program and Milk Feeding Program.
SEC. 14. Nutrition Program and Milk Feeding Program. - The nutrition program of the government requiring milk and dairy products shall be sourced primarily from local dairy farmers and dairy cooperatives. For this purpose, the NDA, together with the PCC, shall spearhead the supply mapping of all local milk sources to determine the distribution based on supply and milk feeding program demand.
Pursuant thereto, the NDA and the PCC shall directly coordinate with the Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), LGUs, and other government agencies and entities to ensure the full utilization of local milk supply for the milk feeding program.
Source: Supreme Court E-Library, Republic of the Philippines. Philippine laws are public documents (works of the government).
