House measure targetting sustained farming traditions

Interest in traditional farming is on a steady decline, largely blamed on the lure of different fields of education among the youth in rural and agricultural communities.

Hence, Quezon Rep. Angelina DL. Tan has filed a bill creating a Farmers’ Dependents Social Services Program (FDSSP) for the dependents of farmers in the country.

Tan filed House Bill(HB) 4815 creating the program as a gesture of recognition of the sacrifices of the Filipino peasants and encourage the farmers’ children to continue farming and help in the livelihood of the family.

Citing the 2012 Bureau of Agricultural Statistics, Tan said the agricultural sector employs an estimated 12 million people or 33 percent of the country’s labor force.

Tan said 70 percent of the 100 million population of the country are rural poor farmers and fishermen.

“It is unfortunate that the government investment in the sector was only 4 percent of the national budget notwithstanding its contribution of about 11 percent to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2011 where the total government spending on agriculture was almost 24 percent lower than the previous year,” Tan said.

The administration lawmaker said the weak government policies and programs, and excessive reliance on agricultural imports, and corruption, have taken their toll on the agricultural sector.

All out support services HB 4815 provides that FDSSP shall be in charge of the delivery of social services to the dependents of farmers and farm workers under the supervision of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

The FDSSP shall be in charge of the delivery of credit facilities during times of natural disasters such as typhoons, drought, and other similar events; counseling and information dissemination on available healthcare for dependents.

The FDSSP will prepare a report on the dependents of farmers who are in most need of assistance and to draw up a financial assistance package to be drawn from private contributors; and, conduct seminars, trainings, and other related activities.

Farmers’ dependents will cover the legitimate, illegitimate or legally adopted child not more than 21 years of age, unmarried and not gainfully employed or if such dependent, regardless of age, is incapable of self-support because of mental or physical defect.

Private sector support To encourage private sector participation, all expenses incurred by any private individual, corporation, or a non-governmental organization, in the establishment of facilities or in the performance of services, including donations, shall be considered as allowable deductions from the gross income as defined under the National Internal Revenue Code.