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FOURTEENTH CONGRESSFirst Regular Session

Republic of the PhilippinesHOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City

HOUSE BILL NO. __ 6 _ ' _ 0 7

Introduced by Honorable AL FREDO D. MARANON, III

Republic Act # 8178 was signed into law on March 28, 1996. Section 8 of RA #8178 created the A gricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (ACEF) which wasgranted a life span of Nine (9) years. However, ACEF was not disbursed according to theintended original purpose. Instead, money collected for the ACEF from 1996 to 199,8wasutilized for budgetary support.

There is a need ' to extend the utilization period of the ACEF to enable thegovernment to provide the farming sector the opportunity to use the funds to strengthen

their development activities and enhance their competitiveness. The availability of the

ACEF will relieve farmers of the need of having to secure funds for their competitiveenhancement activities.

Government needs to continue to provide the farming sector the opportunity toprepare for liberalized trade through thejudicious use of the ACEF.

This proposed measure finds support in Section 21, Article II Declaration of

Principles and State Policies of the 1987 Constitution which reads:

Section 21. The State shall promote comprehensive rural development andagrarian reform.

To correct this fatal flaw, the proposed measure was filed and the proponent seekshis colleagues' assent. It is therefore earnestly requested that this measure be approvedimmediately.

~. MARANON. III

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Republic of the PhilippinesHOUSE OF REPRESENTATIV ES

Quezon City

FOURTEENTH CONGRESS

First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. __ 6_ 0_ 7

Introduced by Honorable AL FREDO D. MARANON, II I

AN ACTTO EXTEND THE UTILIZATION PERIOD OF THE AGRICULTURALCOMPETITIVENESS ENHANCEMENT FUND, AMENDING SECTION8 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8178, ENTITLED "AN ACT REPLACINGQUANTITATIVE IMPORT RESTRICTION ON AGRICULTURALPRODUCTS, EXCEPT RICE, WITH TARIFFS, CREATING THEAGRICULTURAL COMPETITIVENESS ENHANCEMENT FUND, ANDFOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of thePhilippines in Congressassembled

SECTION 1. Section 8 of Republic Act No. 8178, entitled "AN ACTREPLACING QUANTITATIVE IMPORT RESTRICTION ONAGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS, EXCEPT RICE, WITH TARIFFS,CREATING THE AGRICULTURAL COMPETITIVENESSENHANCEMENT FUND, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES" is herebyamended, toread as follows:

Section 8. Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund. Toimplement the policy enunciated in this Act, there is hereby created theAgricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, hereinafter referred to asthe Fund. [The proceeds of] THE FUND SHALL CONSIST OF ALLDUTIES COLLECTED FROM the importation of AGRICULTURALPRODUCTS UNDER THE minimum access volume (MAV) [shall accrueto the General Fund and shall be deposited with the National Treasury]MECHANISM, INCL UDING UNUSED BAL ANCE ANDCOLL ECTIONS FROM REPAY MENTS FROM LOAN BENEFICIARIES

INCLUDING INTEREST, IF ANY. THE FUND SHALL BEAUTOMATICALLY CREDITED TO SPECIAL ACCOUNT 183 IN THEGENERAL FUND OF THE NATIONAL TREASURY .

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The entire proceeds shall be set aside and earmarked by Congress for:irrigation, farm-to-marketroads, post-harvest equipment and facilities, creditresearch and development, other marketing infrastructure, provision ofmarket information, retraining, extension services, MICRO, SMALL ANDMEDIUM SCALE ENTERPRISES (MSMSE) IN AGRICULTURE,

AQUACULTURE AND FISHERIES SECTORS; YOUNGENTERPRENEURS, OUT-OF-SCHOOL Y OUTH, GRADUATES OFAGRICULTURE, FISHERIES, AND RELATED COURSES,AGRICULTURE AND FISHERY COOPERATIVES ENGAGED INECONOMIC ENTERPRISES and other forms of assistanceand support tothe agricultural sector.

The Committees on Agricultural and Food, Appropriations and Finance ofboth Senate and the House of Representatives shall conduct a periodic

review of the use of the Fund. The Fund shall [shall have a life of nine (9)years] EXIST UNTIL THE Y EAR 2015, after which all remaining balancesshall revert to theGeneral Fund. .

SECTION 2. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, executive issuances, rules andregulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 3. 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, thevalidity of the other provisions shall not be affected thereby.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect thirty (30) days from the date of its publication inthe Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,