Section 4
SEC. 4. The Bureau shall have the following powers and functions: (a) To maintain and enforce a uniform and standard classification of abaca, and other Philippine commercial fibers intended for export and for local consumption; To determine the official standards for the various commercial fibers that are or may hereafter be produced in the Philippines for local consumption and for exports; To classify grading establishments based on the number of bales pressed per annum; To issue grading permits to persons or entities engaged in the grading and baling of fibers intended for local consumption or for export, after they shall have proven that they possess the necessary qualifications to carry on the work. Such entities shall pay in advance to the Bureau of Fiber Development and Inspection Service an annual fee as follows: First Class P5,000.00 Second Class 4,000.00 Third Class 3,000.00 Fourth Class 1,000.00 Those engaged in buying and selling of Philippine commercial fibers, sorting classifying and bundling of loose Philippine commercial fibers below the category of fourth class establishments shall pay an annual fee of P200.00, payable semi-annually. The said classification shall include planters who buy the share of the tenants from the produce of their plantations. Cooperatives falling under Presidential Decree 175 and Letter of Implementation 23 are exempt from payment of such fee for 10 years from the date of their organization. Classifiers in duly licensed grading-baling establishments and/or trading establishments, as well as industrial firms engaged in the processing of such fibers into semi-finished or finished products shall pay a minimal fee of Ten Pesos per annum, payable in advance, to the Bureau. To maintain adequate equipment and facilities for the accurate determination of color values in fibers, breaking strength through pull, doubling, abrasion, knotting and other forms of wear and tear; and to uses for fiber for local manufacturers and home industry as a means to stabilize the market and insure more adequate returns for fiber producers; To regulate and control grading and baling establishments; To gather and collate data on fiber balings and shipments by grade, district of production, port of destination and price to guide producers as to the grades in high demand in the local and foreign markets; to observe fiber trading and traffic of loose commercial fibers in the different fiber-producing regions of the country and prevent misdeclaration of origin of production of the different kinds of fibers; To conduct systematic and intensive campaigns towards the improvement of the quality of fibers produced and the methods of production; To make foreign market surveys for the possible establishment or expansion of export markets; To conduct scientific, industrial and economic research on abaca and other fibers with a view to expanding the utilization of those fibers for local and foreign uses; To undertake other activities necessary or incidental to the attainment of the purposes and objectives of the Bureau; and To formulate, subject to the approval of the Secretary of Trade, rules and regulations in order to carry out its functions in accordance with this Decree.