THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, DISTINGUISHED COLLEAGUES,
I STAND HERE TO SPONSOR SENATE BILL 1990, UNDER COMMITTEE REPORT 52, IN SUBSTITUTION OF SENATE BILLS 389 OF SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS AND 1183 OF THIS REPRESENTATION.
TAWAGIN NATIN ITONG PANUKALANG BATAS NG AGRICULTURAL AND FISHERIES COOPERATIVES ACT.
BEFORE I PROCEED MR. PRESIDENT, ALLOW ME TO INFORM THE BODY THAT THIS REPRESENTATION IS A SHAREHOLDER OF A SMALL VEGETABLE FAMILY FARM CORPORATION IN ALFONSO, CAVITE. AND ALTHOUGH THIS MEASURE PERTAINS NOT TO FARM CORPORATIONS BUT TO COOPERATIVES, THIS REPRESENTATION HAS DECIDED TO AIR ON THE SIDE OF FULL DISCLOSURE AS PROVIDED FOR IN ARTICLE 6 SECTION 12 OF THE CONSTITUTION. IN THIS CONNECTION MR. PRESIDENT, MAY I ALSO REQUEST THAT THE LETTER I FORWARDED TO THE SENATE PRESIDENT ON THIS MATTER OF FULL DISCLOSURE BE CONSIDERED – AS WE WILL SUBMIT IT, MR. PRESIDENT AND IT BE CONSIDERED AT BEING READ INTO THE RECORD.
MR. PRESIDENT, THIS MEASURE, PANUKALANG BATAS PARA SA AGRICULTURAL AND FISHERIES COOPERATIVES ACT, NAG UUMPISA PO ITO FROM A SIMPLE BUT TRANSFORMATIVE PREMISE: KUNG GUSTO NATING AYUSIN ANG ATING SISTEMA NG PAGKAIN, KUNG GUSTO NATING SAPAT AT MASUSTANSYA ANG NASA LAHAT NG HAPAG-KAINANG PILIPINO… SABI NGA PO NILA, ‘TO SECURE OUR FOOD, WE MUST FIRST SECURE OUR FARMERS AND FISHERFOLKS’ AND PARA MASECURE ANG KANILANG KAGALINGAN AT KAHUSAYAN, KAILANGAN NATING MA-ORGANISA AT MAPALAKAS ANG MGA MAGSASAKA AT MANGINGISDA, LALO NA ANG KANILANG KABUHAYAN AT SA BAYANIHAN NA NATURAL LAMANG NA DUMADALOY SA ATING DUGONG PILIPINO.
TULAD SA PAGHAHANDA NG PALAYAN, LILINANGIN NATIN ANG ECOSYSTEMS NG PAGSASAKA AT PANGINGISDA. THE BILL BUILDS A FULL ECOSYSTEM IN WHICH AGRICULTURAL AND FISHERIES COOPERATIVES CAN FINALLY DELIVER ON THE PROMISE OF A STRONG, EMPOWERED ARMY OF FOOD SOLDIERS.
LET ME SHARE THREE FEATURES OF THE BILL THAT SEEKS TO REALIZE OUR DREAM FOR THE PHILIPPINES TO BECOME A FOOD POWERHOUSE.
FIRST, THE BILL BRINGS OUR LEGAL FRAMEWORK IN STEP WITH TODAY’S VALUE CHAINS. KASAMA ANG MGA SUMUSUNOD NA DEPINISYON NG AGRICULTURAL AND FISHERIES COOPERATIVES: FARMERS, FISHERFOLK, AGRARIAN REFORM BENEFICIARIES, DAIRY AND COMMUNITY FORESTRY FARMERS, AQUACULTURE PRODUCERS, AT LAHAT NG KAUGNAY NA SEKTOR, KASAMA NA ANG MULTI-PURPOSE CO-OPS NA PAGKAIN ANG PANGUNAHING NEGOSYO.
LAHAT NG NASA VALUE (SUPPLY) CHAIN, KATUWANG RIN: INPUTS, PRODUCTION, PROCESSING, LOGISTICS, AT MARKETING. PATI SAVINGS AND CREDIT, FARM EDUCATION, AGRI‑TOURISM, DIGITAL AGRICULTURE, AND CLIMATE‑RESILIENT SAFETY NETS.
DAPAT MAYORYA, O AT LEAST 51 PERCENT NG MGA KASAPI NG COOPERATIVES AY NAKATALA SA REGISTRY SYSTEM FOR BASIC SECTORS IN AGRICULTURE (R.S.B.S.A.).
PANGALAWA, S.B. 1990 DIRECTLY STRENGTHENS THE FINANCIAL POSITION OF THESE COOPERATIVES AND, BY EXTENSION, THEIR MEMBERS. KAPAG NAKAREHISTRO ANG AGRI AT FISHERY COOPERATIVES, MAY MALINAW NA MGA TAX INCENTIVES NA NAKATUTULONG SA KANILANG PAGLAGO—KABILANG NA ANG EXEMPTION SA INCOME TAX AT VAT, LALO NA SA MGA TRANSAKSYON SA PAGITAN NG MGA MIYEMBRO O KAPWA AGRI-FISHERIES COOPS NA MAY KINALAMAN SA SARILING PRODUKTO O ANI. EXEMPT DIN SILA SA GIFT AT DONATION TAXES, MAGING SILA MAN ANG NAGBIBIGAY O TUMATANGGAP, AT PATI ANG IMPORTATION NG MAKINARYA AT IBA PANG KAGAMITAN PARA SA PRODUKSYON AY HINDI PINAPATAWAN NG BUWIS. DAGDAG DITO, MAYROONG TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS PARA SA ATING MGA FARMERS AND FISHERFOLKS COOPERATIVES. KAPAG PISO ANG DINONATE NG PERSONAL O REAL PROPERTY SA ATING MGA ACCREDITED FARMERS AT FISHERFOLKS, MAAARING MABAWASAN SA INCOME TAX NUNG DONOR YUNG ONE PESO AND FIFTY CENTAVOS. THIS WAY, DADALOY ANG KAPITAL, ANG PONDO, ANG IMPRASTRAKTURA, MECHANIZATION, BY WAY OF TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS SA ATING MGA FARMERS AND FISHERFOLKS ORGANIZATIONS COOPERATIVES.
LAYUNIN NG PANUKALA NA HIKAYATIN ANG PAGBUO NG MGA PEDERASYON NG MGA AGRI-FISHERIES CO-OPS. SA SANDALING MAGSIMULA ANG INISYATIBA, TUTULONG ANG DA AT CDA SA PAMAMAGITAN NG PATNUBAY SA POLISIYA AT SUPERBISYON UPANG MATIYAK ANG MAAYOS NA PAGTATATAG NITO.
TAHASANG SINAMA NA RIN NATIN SA PANUKALA ANG DIREKTANG PAGBILI NG PAMAHALAAN — ITO ANG ATING SAGIP SAKA ACT. IDINAGDAG DIN NATIN ANG GOVERNMENT BANKS AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS MUST ALSO EXTEND PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT TO LOANS FOR AGRICULTURAL AND FISHERIES CO-OPS.
MAKIKIPAG-UGNAYAN ANG DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SA BANGKO SENTRAL PARA MAS MADALI ANG REQUIREMENTS NG PANGUNGUTANG PARA SA KAPITAL AT POST HARVEST FACILITIES AT IBA PA. GUSTO NATIN NA MADALI ANG ACCESS TO FINANCE, TO CREDIT, NG ATING ORGANIZED COOPERATIVES.
THIRD, AND CRUCIALLY, THIS BILL CREATES THE MECHANISM TO PLAN, MONITOR, AND MEASURE SUCCESS — NOT IN VAGUE TERMS, BUT IN HARD METRICS.
S.B. 1990 RE-ESTABLISHES A BUREAU OF AGRICULTURAL AND FISHERIES COOPERATIVES UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. THE BUREAU WILL COORDINATE AND IMPLEMENT AGRICULTURAL CO-OP PROGRAMS, PROMOTE DIGITAL PLATFORMS, PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND SET UP LOCAL DEVELOPMENT HUBS THAT CAN LINK 500 TO 1,000 FARMERS TO BUYERS AND PROCESSORS.
SA LOOB NG ISANG TAON, DAPAT MATAPOS NA NG BUREAU ANG NATIONWIDE SUSTAINABILITY MAPPING. ITO NAMANG MAPPING ANG GAGAMITIN PARA SA PAGGAWA NG TEN‑YEAR AGRI AND FISHERIES COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT AT NG FOOD SECURITY MASTER PLAN.
ANG PANGUNAHING POLICY AT PLANNING BODY AY ANG ISANG COUNCIL THAT IS CHAIRED BY THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE WITH THE C.D.A. (COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY) CHAIRPERSON AS VICE‑CHAIR OF THE COUNCIL AND THE COUNCIL SHALL REPORT TO THE CONGRESS EVERY YEAR.
MR. PRESIDENT, AT ITS CORE, THIS MEASURE IS ABOUT PUTTING STRUCTURE AND CAPITAL BEHIND SOMETHING WE FILIPINOS HAVE ALWAYS HAD: HINDI LAMANG PO SIPAG AT TIYAGA, DISKARTE AT BAYANIHAN.
SA ISANG BANDA, IMBITASYON ITO SA ATING MGA MAGSASAKA AT MANGINGISDA NA MAGBUKLOD-BUKLOD BILANG KOOPERATIBA. AT, PANGAKO RIN ITO NG ESTADO NA BIBIGYANG-GANTIMPALA ANG GANITONG PAGBUBUKLOD.
MAIKLING KWENTO LANG, MR. PRESIDENT, NAKILALA KO ANG SAN NICOLAS RICE FARMERS ASSOCIATION MULA SA SAN SIMON PAMPANGA NOONG 2022, ISA SILANG RICE FARMERS ASSOCIATION. NOONG NAKIPAG USAP TAYO SA KANILA, NOONG TAYO’Y NASA PRIBADONG SEKTOR, GUMAWA TAYO NG PARAAN NA MAKIPAG UGNAYAN SILA SA ISANG MILLING COMPANY NA HANDANG I-MILL ANG KANILANG PALAY NG LIBRE AT SILA NA PO ANG MAG PAPACKAGE. NGUNIT ANG SAGOT SA AKIN NOONG ASOSASYON, BILHIN NA LANG DAW ANG KANILANG PALAY NG MAS MATAAS NA PRESYO DAHIL DAW HINDI NAMAN DAW NILA KAYANG IBENTA AT HINDI NILA ALAM PAANO IBENTA ANG BIGAS. KAPAG BIGAS SANA ANG IBEBENTA NILA, DODOBLE NA SANA ANG KITA NILA, PERO DAHIL NGA WALANG KAPASIDAD ANG KANILANG ASOSASYON, SILA AY NANANATILING KAPOS AT PALAY NA LAMANG ANG BINEBENTA. KUNG MAYROONG BUREAU OF AGRICULTURE FISHERIES AND COOPERATIVES NA TUTUTOK SA KANILANG KAPASIDAD, HINDI NA SANA GANUN ANG MANGYAYARI SA ATING MGA MAGSASAKA.
MR. PRESIDENT SA ISANG BANDA, IMBITASYON ITO SA ATING MGA MAGSASAKA AT MANGINGISDA NA MAGBUKLOD BUKLOD BILANG KOOPERATIBA AT PANGAKO RIN ITO NG ESTADO, BIBIGYAN NGA SILA NG NABANGGIT KO KANINA NG GANITONG PAGBUBUKLOD.
WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK SENATORS RISA HONTIVEROS FOR FILING SIMILAR MEASURES, FOR SENATORS ERWIN AND RAFFY TULFO, BAM AQUINO, SENATOR JV EJERCITO FOR THE PARTICIPATION DURING THE HEARINGS AND TO ALL SENATORS WHO SIGNED COMMITTEE REPORT NO. 52 AND WE SEEK THEIR SUPPORT FOR IMMEDIATE PASSAGE.
IN CLOSING MR. PRESIDENT, TOGETHER WITH THE OTHER MEASURE WHICH I WILL BE SPONSORING AFTER THIS MEASURE MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAD SAT DOWN WITH PRESIDENT MARCOS JR. TWO WEEKS AGO, WE PRESENTED THIS MEASURE AS WELL AS THE SUCCEEDING MEASURE THAT WE ARE TO SPONSOR AND REQUESTED THAT HE CERTIFY THIS AS URGENT. AT THE PROPER TIME MR. PRESIDENT, AND HE HAS AGREED IN PRINCIPLE TO DO SO. THESE TWO MEASURES WILL HOPEFULLY ADDRESS THE GAPS IN THE STRUCTURE IN AGRICULTURAL FISHERIES AND GOVERNANCE IN THE COUNTRY. AND THEREFORE ADDRESS THE URGENT NEED TO FIX WHAT’S BROKEN IN OUR AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES SECTOR.
MARAMING SALAMAT. AND WE AGAIN URGE OUR COLLEAGUES FOR SWIFT PASSAGE OF THIS MEASURE.