Secretary Domingo Panganiban of the Philippine
Department of Agriculture (DA) recently signed the
Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Executive
Order 481 for the Promotion and Development of Organic
Agriculture in the Philippines.
The IRR is envisioned to operationalize EO 481 intended
to provide the necessary policy environment conducive
for the implementation of programs and projects on
organic agriculture to be spearheaded by the DA.
Major parts of the EO include provisions for: the
Enhancement of Guidelines and Regulations on OA; Market
Promotion and Networking; Information on OA Producers,
Handlers and Processors; and Research, Development and
Extension.
The DA shall allocate at least Php 5,000,000 for the
initial operation of the National Organic Agriculture
Board (NOAB) with provisions for budget increase every
year thereafter based on the work program submitted to
the Department of Budget and Management.
The NOAB, composed of six (6) representatives from the
public sector and seven (7) from the private sector,
will be established as a policy making and oversight
body which has powers to formulate plans and programs to
promote OA, monitors the implementation of programs,
designate authority to concerned entities and mobilize
resources.
Supporting the NOAB, the National Technical Committee,
led by the Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Products
Standards, has now launched island-wide consultations in
view of crafting guidelines or criteria in selecting the
private sector representatives to NOAB.
First leg of the consultation will be held on 29-30
August in Bacolod City, Philippines in collaboration
with the Organic Certification Center of the
Philippines.
EO 481 was signed by Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on
December 27, 2005.
