Section 29Sec./Art. 29

Strengthening the Agricultural Engineering Groups of the LGUs. The agricultural engineering division/section of the agriculture offices of the LGUs organized under Executive Order No. 86, Series of 1999 and Section 46 of Republic Act No. 8435 shall serve as the planning, coordinating, regulating and implementing bodies at the provincial, city and municipal levels on agricultural and fisheries engineering, mechanization and infrastructure programs and projects and shall have the following functions and responsibilities:

(a) Provide agricultural engineering services which include engineering survey, preparation and evaluation of plans, designs, technical specifications, feasibility studies and cost estimates/program of work of irrigation, small water impounding, soil conservation and management, farm machinery, slaughterhouses, poultry dressing plants, postharvest facilities, auction markets, farm-to-market roads and other agricultural and fisheries infrastructure projects of the LGUs;

(b) Administer, supervise and coordinate the construction, operation, maintenance, improvement and management of irrigation, small water impounding, soil and water conservation structures and facilities, farm machinery, postharvest facilities, auction markets, farm-to-market roads and other agricultural and fisheries infrastructure projects of the LGUs;

(c) Undertake the registration of agri-fishery machinery and facilities, enforcement of the PAES and other agricultural and fishery engineering regulatory activities in coordination and collaboration with the concerned national government agencies;

(d) Coordinate with the concerned national government agencies with regard to the implementation of national government programs and projects on irrigation, farm mechanization, postharvest facilities, farm-to-market roads and agricultural and fisheries infrastructure;

(e) Be in the frontline of the delivery of basic agricultural engineering services;

(f) Provide training and extension activities to farmers and fisherfolk particularly in the installation, operation and maintenance of their irrigation, postharvest facilities, agricultural and fishery machinery projects in coordination with the agriculture and fisheries extension workers;

(g) Undertake and/or coordinate the pilot testing and commercialization of matured agricultural and fisheries engineering technologies; and

(h) Exercise such other powers and perform such other duties and functions as may be prescribed by law or ordinance.

To effectively carry out the above functions and responsibilities, the agricultural engineering division of the provincial and city agriculture offices, and agricultural engineering section in the municipal agriculture offices are hereby strengthened and institutionalized into the organizational structure of the LGUs, and if not yet existing, shall be created in the particular LGUs. The LGUs belonging to the first up to the third income classes which are providing or implementing agricultural and fisheries infrastructure, mechanization and engineering projects shall hire at least one (1) agricultural engineer at the provincial, city and municipal levels.

In the case of provincial, city and municipal LGUs belonging to the fourth up to the sixth income classes which are not capable of establishing then agricultural engineering division/section due to financial constraints, the DA through its regional agricultural engineering divisions shall augment and perform such responsibilities and, as deemed necessary, establish its provincial, city and municipal operation units, and shall be allocated and provided with necessary funding and manpower requirements for their operation.

ARTICLE VIII

PROHIBITED ACTS, PENALTIES AND SANCTIONS