Amending P.D. No. 461 Re: Creation of Department-Wide Regional Offices in the Dept. of Agriculture

September 5, 1974

PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 547

AMENDING PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 461 TO CREATE DEPARTMENT-WIDE REGIONAL OFFICES IN THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, TO INTEGRATE AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

WHEREAS, the functions, responsibilities and coverage of the Department of Agriculture as created under Presidential Decree No. 461 are concentrated on agriculture and food production;

WHEREAS, the general organizational pattern for executive departments in the Integrated Reorganization Plan, which involves integrated implementation of related field programs through department-wide regional directors, would be more effective and economical for the Department considering the closely related functions of its bureaus; cd i

WHEREAS, such an organizational pattern will allow the effective decentralization of functions to field offices, establish direct communications between the department head and implementors of food crop production programs in the field, and thus effect faster and more direct services to the people;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby amend Presidential Decree No. 461, as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 2 shall read:

"SEC. 2. The Department of Agriculture shall be composed of the Department Proper which shall include the Office of the Secretary, the Planning Service, the Financial and Management Service, the Administrative Service, the Computer Service Center, and the Agrarian Reform Unit. The bureaus under the supervision and control of the Department of Agriculture are the (1) Bureau of Soils, (2) Bureau of Plant Industry, (3) Bureau of Animal Industry, (4) Bureau of Agricultural Extension, and (5) Bureau of Agricultural Economics. They shall be staff bureaus and primarily responsible for giving advice to the Office of the Secretary; the development of plans and programs; the formulation of policies and standards; providing technical supervision to the regional offices; and such other functions as may be provided by law. The following government-owned or controlled corporations are attached to the Department: (a) National Grains Authority, (b) Philippine Tobacco Administration, (c) Philippine Virginia Tobacco Administration, (d) Philippine Coconut Authority, (e) Coconut Investment Company, and (f) Philippine Cotton Corporation. The National Food and Agriculture Council, the Fertilizer Industry Authority and the National Meat Inspection Commission are placed under the administrative supervision of the Department. The Philippine Council for Agricultural Research shall be attached to the Department of Agriculture.

SECTION 2. Section 5 shall read:

"SEC. 5. The Agrarian Reform Unit of the Department of Agriculture shall be responsible for providing advice and assistance to the Office of the Secretary in coordinating the work of the Department on extension service and soil surveys and classification with that of the Department of Agrarian Reform.

The Bureau of Farm Management of the Department of Agrarian Reform is abolished and all current personnel, appropriations, records, equipment and property which correspond to agricultural extension activities are transferred to the Department of Agriculture, provided that the latter Department shall allocate such personnel, appropriations, records, equipment and property to the same priority areas set by the Department of Agrarian Reform."

SECTION 3. Section 14 shall read:

"SEC. 14. The Department of Agriculture shall have regional offices organized on a Department-wide basis. The regional offices of the Bureau of Forest Development, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and the Bureau of Lands shall be established in accordance with Article I, Chapter III, Part II of the Integrated Reorganization Plan, as amended, and with Letter of Implementation No. 9. The Bureau of Mines shall establish its regional offices in accordance with its requirements, subject to the approval of the President upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Natural Resources." cd i

SECTION 4. The Secretary of Natural Resources shall be ex-officio member of the National Food and Agriculture Council. The Secretary of Agriculture shall be ex-officio member of the Natural Resources Development and Management Council and the Fisheries Industry Development Council.

SECTION 5. All laws, decrees and orders, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with the preceding are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

SECTION 6. This Decree shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 5th day of September, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Four. aisa dc