Cash Assistance for Filipino Farmers Act

December 10, 2021

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11598

AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO PROVIDE FOR DIRECT CASH ASSISTANCE TO FARMERS WHO ARE TILLING TWO (2) HECTARES AND BELOW OF RICE LAND UNTIL 2024, AND USE FOR THE PURPOSE THE ANNUAL TARIFF REVENUES IN EXCESS OF TEN BILLION PESOS (P10B) OF THE RICE COMPETITIVENESS ENHANCEMENT FUND CREATED UNDER REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11203, ENTITLED "AN ACT LIBERALIZING THE IMPORTATION, EXPORTATION AND TRADING OF RICE, LIFTING FOR THE PURPOSE THE QUANTITATIVE IMPORT RESTRICTION ON RICE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES"

SECTION 1. Title. — This Act shall be known as the "Cash Assistance for Filipino Farmers Act."

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared the policy of the State to address the plight of small farmers in the country. The State recognizes the urgency of intervening for our farmers in light of the current state of declining palay prices and the crippling effects of the Corona Virus Disease-19 or COVID-19 pandemic. Towards this end, the State shall provide monetary assistance to the hardest hit segments of the country's small farmers in the form of actual giving of cash to farmers.

SECTION 3. Authorization. — The Department of Agriculture (DA) is hereby authorized to use the monies from the annual tariff revenues in excess of Ten billion pesos (P10B), as provided for in Section 13 of Republic Act No. 11203, on the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF), to directly provide cash assistance to farmers who are tilling two (2) hectares and below of rice land until 2024. The Bureau of Customs (BOC) is hereby mandated to directly remit to the DA the said excess funds.

The BOC and the DA shall, at the end of each year, submit separate reports to Congress, through the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform and the House Committee on Agriculture and Food, on the remittance of funds and the actual fund disbursement for the year.

SECTION 4. Funding. — The source of funds for the annual direct cash assistance to farmers shall be the excess of Ten billion pesos (P10B) of the annual tariff revenues from rice importation pursuant to Republic Act No. 11203.

SECTION 5. Separability Clause. — In case any provision or any part of this Act is declared unconstitutional, the other provisions not so declared and affected shall remain in force and effect.

SECTION 6. Repealing Clause. — Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, letter of instruction, rule or regulation inconsistent or contrary to the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 7. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved: December 10, 2021.