Abolition of the Sericulture Research and Devt. Center and Creation of the Sericulture Research and Devt. Institute

April 8, 1992

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7359

AN ACT TO ABOLISH THE SERICULTURE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER AT THE DON MARIANO MARCOS MEMORIAL STATE UNIVERSITY, MUNICIPALITY OF BACNOTAN, PROVINCE OF LA UNION, AND CREATE THE SERICULTURE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE, AUTHORIZING THE APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

SECTION 1. The Sericulture Research and Development Center (hereinafter referred to as the SRDC) is hereby abolished. In its stead, the Sericulture Research and Development Institute (SRDI) (hereinafter referred to as the Institute) based at the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU), in the Municipality of Bacnotan, Province of La Union, is hereby established.

SECTION 2. All functions, equipment, facilities, supplies, records and personnel of the Sericulture Research and Development Center are hereby transferred to the Sericulture Research and Development Institute.

SECTION 3. The Institute shall have the following general powers and functions in line with the research and development programs of the Department of Science and Technology, Department of Agriculture, Department of Trade and Industry, National Economic and Development Authority, and the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University:

a) educate and train sericulturists;

b) conduct researches; and

c) extend technologies.

SECTION 4. The institute shall have the following specific powers and functions:

a) develop productive, high yielding, good quality and pest disease resistant varieties/strains of mulberry and silkworm;

b) produce adequate certified mulberry planting materials and high quality silkworm eggs; acd

c) develop efficient, economic and productive mulberry leaf production, preservation and utilization technologies;

d) develop sound and productive silkworm rearing technology;

e) develop the production and fabrication of reeling and re-reeling machineries suitable for rural use;

f) develop effective mulberry and silkworm pests management strategies;

g) evolve productive farming systems compatible with mulberry leaf production;

h) develop efficient and effective local and international marketing systems;

i) develop and implement appropriate and applicable technology packages and effective technology dissemination and utilization systems, particularly the conduct of training programs;

j) upgrade skills of farmers and their families, development agents and extension workers through trainings, seminars and workshops on mulberry leaf production and storage, silkworm rearing for industrial and seed cocoon production, reeling and re-reeling, handloom weaving and other silk product and by-product utilization;

k) coordinate with the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University in the conduct of higher and advanced sericulture degree programs; casia

l) coordinate with other government/private agencies involved in the development of sericulture as a rural-based industry in the country.

SECTION 5. The Institute shall be headed by a Director who shall be responsible for the planning, implementation and supervision of the program and activities of the Institute. He shall be appointed by the Board of Regents of the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University upon recommendation of the University President. All other officers and employees shall be appointed by the Director of the Institute, in accordance with the Civil Service Law.

SECTION 6. The plans and programs of the Institute shall be reviewed annually by an Advisory Board composed of:

a) the Secretary of Agriculture as Chairman;

b) the University President of the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University, as Vice Chairman;

c) the Secretary of Trade and Industry, as Member;

d) the Executive Director of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD), as Member;

e) the Administrator of the Fiber Industry and Development Authority (FIDA), as Member;

f) the Director, Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI), as Member;

g) the Director, Sericulture Research and Development Institute (SRDI), as Member and Secretary;

h) one (1) representative from private associations or cooperatives or producers of mulberry and silk cocoon, as Member; and

i) one (1) representative from the local silk cloth processing and manufacturing industry, as member.

SECTION 7. The presence of five (5) members at the time of the meeting shall constitute a quorum: Provided, however, That the Chairman or, in his absence, the Vice Chairman shall preside.

SECTION 8. For the purpose of research and development activities of the Institute, researchers and support personnel of other related agencies may be detailed with the Institute upon the request of the Director of the Institute and subject to the approval of the Board of Regents of the university: Provided, That such personnel shall be paid honoraria for their services.

SECTION 9. The Institute is hereby authorized to plan, construct, develop, improve, acquire, or lease buildings, farms, fields and other facilities, to purchase machineries, equipment, materials and supplies locally or abroad as may be necessary to carry out its functions and objectives. Moreover, the Institute shall enjoy exemption from taxes and other duties in the importation of such machineries, equipment, materials and supplies required in its research and development programs, subject to the provisions of Section 105(s) of the Tariff and Customs Code, Section 103(f) of the National Internal Revenue Code and the provisions on automatic appropriations under the General Appropriations Act. cdt

SECTION 10. The main offices, experimental area and nursery of the Institute shall be situated at the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University campus at Bacnotan, La Union. The Institute may hereafter establish similar facilities in its other service areas in order to promote the development of sericulture in the countryside.

SECTION 11. The amount of Twenty million pesos (P20,000,000.00) for the 1992 fiscal year budget is authorized to be appropriated from the Special Activities Fund of the President of the Republic of the Philippines, or from any other sources; and thereafter, the amounts required for its operation, maintenance, research and development activities shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act and said amount to be disbursed to the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University, in the Province of La Union, exclusively for the capital and operational requirements of the Institute which shall include personnel services, maintenance and operating expenses, acquisition of equipment and laboratory facilities, development of experimental fields, and establishment of regional, provincial, municipal sericulture projects as determined by the Director of the Institute, subject to the approval of the Board of Regents of said university.

SECTION 12. All expenditures and disbursement of funds made by the Institute in the conduct of its research and development activities shall be subject to existing auditing and accounting rules and regulations.

SECTION 13. Any and all savings and income of the Institute shall constitute a revolving fund which shall not be reverted to the General Fund and which shall be used by the Institute to further pursue its objectives.

SECTION 14. All existing laws, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, superseded or modified accordingly: Provided, however, That nothing in this Act shall amend, modify or repeal the provisions of Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code.

SECTION 15. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days of its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved: April 8, 1992

Published in the Philippine Times Journal and Malaya on April 15, 1992, in the Philippine Daily Inquirer on May 29, 1992 and in the Manila Bulletin on June 3, 1992. Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 88 No. 21 page 3090 on May 25, 1992.