Dela Rosa: Co-Sponsorship Speech - SBN 2906 - Philippine Agriculturists Act

PHILIPPINES, December 18 - Press Release
December 18, 2024

Dela Rosa: Co-Sponsorship Speech - SBN 2906 - Philippine Agriculturists Act

Mr. President, it is my honor to co-sponsor Senate Bill No. 2906 under Committee Report No. 435, regulating the practice of the agriculture profession in the Philippines, creating for the purpose a Professional Regulatory Board for Agriculturists, and appropriating funds therefor.

For a country such as ours that is still largely agricultural, it is only to be expected that the practice and profession of agriculture should be taken seriously. Sa lahat ng PRC-regulated professions na meron tayo sa ating bansa, Mr. President, ang agrikultura na lang ang walang enabling law. Sa halip ng isang enabling law, ang propesyon ng agrikultura ay naka-depende lamang sa isang administrative issuance, na inilabas noon pang taong 2000.

Traditionally, tinuturing nating backbone ng ating ekonomiya ang agrikultura, ngunit, dahil walang batas na sumasakop sa propesyon ng agrikultura, tila ang ating mga agriculturist ay walang sandalan. This is why I wish to express my gratitude and commendation to the good Senator Zubiri, serving as subcommittee chairperson of the subcommittee on Philippine Professional Agriculturists, of the Committee on Civil Service, Government Reorganization, and Professional Regulation, for taking charge of this important bill.

With the passage of this bill into law, we are establishing a much-needed regulatory framework for the practice and profession of agriculture. A framework that is founded in authentic recognition and legal support. One that creates a Professional Regulatory Board for Agriculture. That lays down the legal guidelines for their licensure examination and registration. And one that expressly provides how their profession is to be practiced.

Kailangan nating suportahan ang kultura ng agri-kultura, Mr. President. And in order to enrich the culture that is agriculture, we must begin with the human resources that are behind its professional practice. Alagaan natin ang ating mga agriculturist, at ang mga kabataang nagnanais at nangangarap na maging agriculturist.

By supporting the passage of this bill, Mr. President, we shall be providing agriculturists a solid source of legislative support, one that enables them to keep doing what they do best. With this, whenever we say that the Philippines is an agricultural country, we will no longer mean it just geographically, but also professionally.

Maraming salamat, Mr. President.