Article 145Labor and Agrarian Laws and Social Legislation, p. 145

LABOR LAWS AND SOCIAL LEGISLATION SPECIAL LAWS AND IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS

that causing economically unacceptable damage or loss

without endangering the environment; and

(27)

" Locally

available

materials "

refers

to

form

lumber, gravel and sand, nipa, sawali, old G.I. sheets and

other low-cost, indigenous or used materials that could

be used as inputs in small infrastructure projects.

CHAPTER II Farmer's Organization

SECTION

5.

Right

to

Organize .

—

The

State

recognizes the right of farmers to organize themselves to

promote their welfare and advance or safeguard their

interests. Towards these end, the Government shall assist

small farmers in establishing such self-help organizations

such as farmers' cooperatives and associations.

In particular, the Government shall encourage the

formation of existing cooperatives among farmers in

order to enable them to purchase inputs at lower cost

and obtain fair prices for their produce.

SECTION

6.

Farmer's

Representation

in

Government . — After voluntarily organizing themselves

on the barangay, municipal, provincial and regional levels,

the farmers who have been elected through all levels

shall elect from among themselves their national officials

who, notwithstanding existing laws to the contrary, shall

occupy a seat in the boards of concerned government

agencies such as, but not limited to, the Philippine

Coconut

Authority,

the

National Food Authority, the

Philippine

Crop

Insurance

Corporation,

the

National

Irrigation Administration and others.

On all other levels, the farmer representatives shall

serve as members of planning and implementing units of

the

local

governments and shall act as the official

representatives

of

the

farmers

with

whom

the

Government shall coordinate with: Provided , That all

farmer representatives are members of primary farmers'

organizations preferably cooperatives and have been

elected in all preceding levels.

CHAPTER III Empowerment of the Small Farmers

SECTION 7. General Provisions . — Empowerment of

small farmers refers to provision of opportunities whereby

farmers can have access to ownership or management of

production resources. To achieve this, small farmers'

rights and obligations that specifically promote such

empowerment are hereby given a legislative mantle.

Through

these

provisions,

the

farmers'

rights

to

participate in the charting of their political, economic and

social development are made inviolable. Likewise, the

corresponding obligations of the farmers to initiate, or

undertake patriotic and nationalistic endeavors must be

fulfilled.

SECTION 8. Farmers' Rights . — The farmers have the

right to:

(1)

Conduct

their

activities

in

an

atmosphere

guaranteed

by

a support price program for certain

agricultural commodities such as rice and corn;

(2) Participate in a market free from monopoly, cartel

or any other situation which may suppress prices to their

disadvantage;

(3) Be covered by social security to serve as protection

from

event

such

as calamities, death, sickness and

disability;

(4) Avail of credit at minimal interest rates and with a

minimum of collateral requirements for their farm and

basic household needs;

(5) Avail of and distribute farm inputs and services;

(6) Be heard and represented in the Government;

(7) Be regularly informed of such vital information as

market prices, government agricultural policies, market

demands and farming practices;

(8)

Benefit

from our country's natural resources

under existing laws;

(9)

Pursue

any

appropriate

education

and

skills

development towards the improvement of the quality of

life;

(10)

Eventually

assume

certain

processing

and

marketing functions of government agencies; and

(11) Avail of technical assistance from the appropriate

government

agency

in

the

preparation

of

project

feasibility studies in availing loans and other forms of

government economic assistance.

SECTION 9. Farmers' Obligations . — The farmers

shall:

(1) Make use of their farmers' organizations preferably

cooperatives in order to enhance their capabilities in

production, processing, marketing and financing towards

self-reliance;

(2) Aim for increased productivity through the use of

recommended farm practices and quality inputs;

(3) Comply with the terms and conditions stipulated

in the availment of any form of assistance from the

Government, financial institutions and nongovernment

organizations to enable others to equally benefit from

such assistance;

(4) Adopt production and marketing strategies to

avail of economies of scale, soil and climatic conditions,

idle farm labor and innovative agricultural technology

through

crop

zonification,

diversification,

home

and

backyard

industries,

farming

systems

and

similar

activities;

(5)

Through

their

cooperative,

share

with

the

consuming public the benefits derived from economies

of

scale,

integration

of

processing

and

marketing

activities and the application of better technology in the

form

of

reasonable

prices

and

superior

quality

of

products;

(6)

Share

in

the

delivery

of

public

services

by

contributing available labor and material resources to

activities such as the maintenance of irrigation canals, the

construction of small water impounding projects, the

establishment of buying stations and public markets, and

the establishment of plant nurseries and seedbanks;

(7) Exert efforts to meet local demand requirements

to avert any shortage that may necessitate importation;

(8) Participate in the conservation, protection and

development of the national patrimony;

(9) Promptly pay all applicable fees, license fees and

taxes to the appropriate government agencies;

(10) Participate in and contribute to government

insurance and social security programs; and

(11)

Undertake

self-help

community development

projects such as cottage industries, backyard farming and

other economic-enhancement projects.

CHAPTER IV Infrastructure and Farm Inputs

SECTION 10. Provision of Infrastructure Support

Inputs and Services . — Consistent with the country's

thrust

for

social

entity

and

increased

agricultural

productivity, the Government shall provide infrastructure

support,

access

to farm inputs and services to the

agriculture sector, particularly to small farmers based on

their

absorptive

capacity.

In

the

construction

and

maintenance of infrastructure projects, the Government

shall undertake this with the farmers' organizations for

the purpose of utilizing locally available manpower and

materials.

Every farmer shall be assisted in gaining access to,

obtaining, owning or opening facilities necessary for pre-

and post-harvest activities, for support services, and for

procurement and distribution of inputs through their

farmers' organizations. Each city or municipality which is

predominantly

agriculture-based

shall

ensure

that

appropriate

linkages

with

component

barangays,

nongovernment

organizations

and

concerned

© Compiled By RGL

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