JULY 29, 2016

NR # 4276B

Magna Carta of Agriculture and Fishery Development Workers pushed

To ensure a robust and sustained development of Philippine Agriculture, party-list
lawmakers urged enactment of the proposed Magna Carta of Agriculture and Fishery
Development Workers.
There is an urgent need for the State to ensure the promotion of the economic and
social well-being of the industrys development workers, AKO-Bicol Reps. Rodel M.
Batocabe, Alfredo A. Garbin, Jr., and Christopher S. Co, joint authors of HB 525, stressed.
The authors said that promoting sustainable development in the country through
improved agriculture and fisheries industry would require the corresponding assistance by
the State in terms of adequate benefits and services to improve the workers economic and
social standing.
Under HB 525, agriculture and fishery development workers shall refer to all
persons who are engaged in agriculture and fishery development activities and all person
employed in the Department of Agriculture including its bureaus and attached agencies,
local government units and concerned government institutions.
These workers also include aquaculturists, veterinarians, agricultural engineers,
agricultural extension workers, agricultural technicians and operators, nutritionists, and
allied agricultural professional employed regardless of their employment status.
They are graduates of agriculture, fisheries, animal science, animal husbandry or
any other related courses from a recognized college or university and are holder of
appropriate civil service eligibility or its equivalent, the authors added.
The sector remains one of the main contributors to the countrys GDP, with an
average contribution of 16% each year. However, recent statistics showed that there is a
decline from about 35% GDP contribution in 1986 to only about 11% in 2014, they said.
While agriculture remains a crucial sector in the countrys drive to reduce poverty,
workers in the sector continue to be among the lowest paid, they pointed out, adding that
consequently, only around 300,000 or less than one percent of the estimated 38 million
total labor force in the country work in the agriculture and fisheries sector, they added,
citing statistics from the 2015 Labor Force Survey Estimate of the PSA.
Among other benefits, the Magna Carta provides for these workers normal working
hours (8-hours/day), overtime compensation, retirement benefits, housing, compensation
from work-related injuries, and right to join organizations.

The bill also provides that whenever possible, the proper authorities shall take
steps to enable married couples, both of whom are public workers, to be employed or
assigned in the same city/municipality.
These workers shall also be entitled to merit and other personal and career
development programs, hazard pay, clothing allowance and other privileges and benefits
subject to the pertinent provisions of Joint Resolution No. 4, series of 2009.
JR No. 4 refers to the Joint Resolution Authorizing the President of the Philippines
to Modify the Compensation and Position Classification System of Civilian Personnel and
the Base Pay Schedule of Military and Uniformed Personnel in the Government, and for
Other Purposes.
The Act also provides for human resource development and management studies to
be conducted by the DA and make recommendations for appropriate action by the
concerned LGU in collaboration with the DA in various areas like, among others, the
development and maintenance of adequate facilities and resources to enable said workers
to render effective services to clientele.
The proposed Magna Carta provides for corresponding penalties, including
disqualification from holding public office, against those violating the provisions of the
proposed Act.
The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of the proposed Act shall be
included in the General Appropriations Act of the year following its enactment into law
and every year thereafter.(30) dpt