Institutionalization of the Philippine Rice Postproduction Consortium

April 20, 2004

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 309

PROVIDING FOR THE INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF THE PHILIPPINE RICE POSTPRODUCTION CONSORTIUM

WHEREAS, the Government is committed to pursue agricultural modernization as a strategy for accelerating and sustaining economic development particularly in the countryside; CDESIA

WHEREAS, in view of the importance of reducing postproduction losses, ten percent of the budget for the implementation of the Agriculture and Fishery Modernization Act of 1997 or AFMA (R.A. 8435) is allocated for postharvest concerns;

WHEREAS, a Memorandum of Agreement executed on 2 July 1999, by and among the Bureau of Postharvest Research and Extension (BPRE), International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), National Food Authority (NFA), Philippine Rice Research Institute (PHILRICE) and the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), established the Philippine Rice Postproduction Consortium, otherwise known as PRPC, formalizing the collaboration of consortium members in the area of postproduction research and extension to enhance the development of the rice postproduction industry in the Philippines;

WHEREAS, the National Agricultural and Fishery Council (NAFC) was included as the sixth member of the consortium, per PRPC Resolution No. 2003-01 dated 24 July 2003; ESCTaA

WHEREAS, there is a need for a permanent collaboration among the PRPC member institutions under the Department of Agriculture for policy coordination and fiscal support to enhance the effectiveness and sustain the operations of the consortium in pursuit of the government's agricultural development goals and objectives;

WHEREAS, under the Administrative Code of 1987, the President has the continuing authority to reorganize the administrative structure of the Executive Branch of Government;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law do hereby order:

SECTION 1. Institutionalization. — The Philippine Rice Postproduction Consortium, also known as PRPC, is hereby institutionalized under the Department of Agriculture to be composed by NFA, PHILRICE, UPLB, BPRE, and NAFC. AcIaST

SECTION 2. Functions of PRPC. — The PRPC shall identify, coordinate and pursue priority areas of collaboration among its member institutions, in the area of research and development and extension (R, D & E) to enhance the development of the rice production industry in the Philippines.

It shall likewise extend its collaboration with relevant government agencies, State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), Local Government Units (LGUs), the private sector, including foreign counterpart or donor institutions. StatBench

SECTION 3. Executive Committee. — The consortium shall be governed by an Executive Committee with the Secretary of Agriculture as Chair and the heads of PRPC member institutions as members. The Executive Committee of PRPC shall, within 60 days upon effectivity of this Order, formulate and adopt implementing policies and guidelines governing the operations or the consortium in accordance with existing laws.

SECTION 4. Funding. — The Department of Agriculture and the PRPC member institutions shall provide funding support for consortium projects and activities relevant to the mandates of the PRPC member institutions.

SECTION 5. Repeal. — All orders, rules, regulations and issuances or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Executive Order, are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 6. Effectivity. — This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 20th day of April, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Four.