Administrative Order No. 09 Series of 2019 on Guidelines for the Accreditation of Farmers Cooperative and Associations (FCAs) as Beneficiaries of Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) or Rice Fund

1898 Republic of the Philippines Department of Agriculture OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY Elliptical Road, Diliman Quezon City 1100, Philippines ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO: D°I Series of 2019 SUBJECT: GUIDELINES FOR THE ACCREDITATION OF FARMERS COOPERATIVE AND ASSOCIATIONS (FCAs) AS BENEFICIARIES OF RICE COMPETITIVENESS ENHANCEMENT FUND (RCEF) OR RICE FUND WHEREAS, Republic Act No. 11203, "An Act Liberalizing the Importation, Exportation and Trading of Rice, Lifting for the Purpose the Quantitative Import Restriction on Rice and for Other Purposes" has created the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) or Rice Fund to support the objectives and plans of the rice industry roadmap as government and implementation principles provided under the Section 15 of this Act; WHEREAS, Section 13 of RA 11203 states that Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) or Rice Fund shall consist of an annual appropriation of Ten billion pesos (P 10,000,000,000.00) for the next six (6) years following the approval of the act; WHEREAS, Section 13 (a) to (d) of RA 11203 states that Rice Fund shall be allocated and disbursed to rice producing areas as follows: (a) Rice Farm Machineries and Equipment (50%) by Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (Phi!Mech); (b) Rice Seed Development, Propagation and Development (30%) by Philippine Rice Research Institute (Phi!Rice); (c) Expanded Rice Credit Assistance (10%) by Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) and Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP); and (d) Rice Extension Services (10%) by Agricultural Training Institute (AT!) and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Phi!Mech and Phi!Rice; WHEREAS, Rules 13.16.1, 13.17, 13.18 and 13.21 of Section 13 of RA 11203 states that the respective implementing agencies (!As) shall formulate implementing guidelines consistent with the Rice Industry Roadmap subject for review of the Program Steering Committee (PSC) and shall be approved by the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA) for Seeds and Mechanization Components and by the PSC for Extension and Credit Components; WHEREAS, Section 14 of RA 11203 states that the beneficiaries of the Rice Fund shall be those farmers and farmworkers and their dependents listed in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) and rice cooperatives and associations accredited by the Department of Agriculture (DA); 1 I, THEREFORE, WILLIAM D. DAR, Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, do hereby issue the following guidelines for the Accreditation of Farmers Cooperatives and Associations (FCAs) as RCEF beneficiaries. ARTICLE I OBJECTIVES, DEFINITION OF TERMS AND ELIGIBLE FARMERS COOPERATIVE AND ASSOCIATIONS (FCAs) Section 1. Objectives 1.1 Establish the procedure for the accreditation ofFCAs by the DA in order to benefit the assistance that will be provided under the RCEF; 1.2 Encourage people's participation, hasten and improve public-private partnership in agricultural development based on the principle of good governance primarily among others on the safeguard use and allocation of the government resources and ensuring efficient and effective program implementation; 1.3 Ensure that farmers and farmworkers listed in the RSBSA and DA accredited FCAs can participate in the implementation of RCEF; 1.4 Establish and maintains a national registry of accredited FCAs at the DA system; and 1.5 Guarantee compliance to existing pertinent laws, rules and regulations. Section 2. Definition of Terms 2 2.1 ACCREDITATION - refers to the process by which the DA shall issue a certificate that will officially recognized and authorized a FCAs as eligible beneficiary of DA Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund. 2.2 FARMERS COOPERATIVE AND ASSOCIATIONS (FCAs) - a group of individuals, who have undergone social preparation duly registered by any recognized government agencies with at least 75% of its members are engaged in agriculture related activities. 2.3 ACCREDITED FARMER COOPERATIVES AND ASSOCIATIONS- a FCA that has been issued a Certificate of Accreditation, included in the Registry of Accredited FCAs, and is eligible as beneficiary to the various interventions under the RCEF. 2.4 NATIONAL REGISTRY OF ACCREDITED FCAs- a list o: FCAs duly accredited by DA to be published in the DA website. 2.5 SOCIAL PREPARATION - the process followed by the Guidelines of Accreditation by the Commission on Audit and Department of Budget and Management, as described and contained in its manual and guidelines, to prepare individual beneficiaries to become responsible implementers of government programs and projects; it must include activities to (0 identify, analyze and prioritize needs, and identify solutions to address needs, (ii) prepare proposals, studies and technical designs and financial plans, (ii!J form committees and task groups, and (iv) build capacity and capability to undertake the project activities. Section 3. ELIGIBLE FARMERS COOPERATIVE AND ASSOCIATIONS (FCAs) The following entities can apply for DA accreditation: 3.1 Duly registered Farmer Organizations/ Farmers Associations; 3.2 Duly registered Irrigators Associations/ SWISAs/ ARBOs; 3.3 Government Organized NGOs/POs accredited by RFOs; 3.4 Agriculture-based Multi-Purpose Cooperatives. ARTICLE II CREATION AND FUNCTIONS OF THE REGIONAL TECHNICAL COMMITTEE AND SECRETARIAT FOR ACCREDITATION Section 1. Creation of Technical Committee and Secretariat 1.1. A Regional Technical Committee and Secretariat shall be created by the Regional Executive Director with the following composition: Chairperson Vice Chairperson Members Secretariat RTD for Operations RTD for Research and Regulatory DA RFO FOD Chief DA RFO RAED Chief DA RFO PMED Chief Phi!Mech Regional Center Chief/ Representative1 Phi!Rice Regional Center Chief/ Representative1 Other members as may be designated by the Regional Executive Director DA RFO Field Operations Division 1 Phil Rice and Phil Mech without Regional Center in a particular Region, the designated member shall come from the concerned Regional Center that has supervision over them. 3 Section 2. Functions of the Regional Technical Committee for Accreditation 2.1. Implement policies relative to the accreditation of beneficiary FCAs; 2.2. Review and evaluate the qualification documents submitted by the FCAs; and 2.3. Recommend qualified FCAs to the Regional Executive Director for accreditation and consequently the issuance of Certificate of Accreditation. Section 3. Functions of the Regional Secretariat 3.1. Initial review of documentary requirements submitted by the FCAs as to the completeness and authenticity; 3.2. Provide administrative support during conduct of meetings including the preparation of highlights/minutes of the meetings; 3.3. Coordinate with appropriate DA and other National Government Offices on matters relating to the technical requirements of the accreditation process; 3.4. Prepare and release certificate of accreditation; and 3.5. Perform other tasks as may be assigned by the RTC. ARTICLE III DOCUMENTARY REQUIREMENTS AND PROCESSES OF FCAs Section 1. Documentary Requirements for Accreditation 4 1.1 General Documentary Requirements 1.1.1 Letter of Intent; 1.1.2 Valid certificate/ registration from any recognized government agency 1.1.3 Farmer Association Profile (List of officers and association members with corresponding home and farm location address); 1.1.4 Omnibus Sworn Statement (Annex B); and 1.1.5 Municipal Agriculture and Fishery Council (MAFC) or LGU endorsement ((may or may not be required by the RTC for further verification) Section 2. Accreditation Processes (Seven (7) days after the submission of complete documents from the FCA applicant) 2.1 FCAs to submit letter of intent and documentary requirerr:ents to the Accreditation Secretariat; 2.2 Secretariat to check the application form, as well as the comp:eteness and validity of requirements submitted by the FCA upon submission; 2.3 Evaluation shall include authenticating documents submitted by the Applicant through confirmation with regulatory agencies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Cooperative Developme:.-it Authority (CDA); 2.4 The Technical Committee shall give full faith and credence to, and rely on, documents authenticated to have been issued by other GAs. The veracity of the statements and accuracy of the information in such authenticated documents shall be the responsibility of the respective GAs that issued the same and not of the Accreditation Committee; 2.5 The application of the FCA shall be forwarded to the Technical Committee for review and evaluation. If the FCA meets all of the criteria set forth above, the DA Regional Executive Director shall, upon the recommendation of the Technical Committee, approve the application and issue a Certificate of Accreditation in favor of the Applicant. If the FCA fails to meet the requirements, the Secretariat will notify in writing the FCA on the denial of its application including its cause; and 2.6 Copy of list of accredited FCAs shall be forwarded to the implementing agency as requirement for the provision of RCEF assistance and to the DA- Field Operations Service for consolidation and posting to the DA website. ARTICLE IV DURATION AND VALIDITY OF CERTIFICATE OF ACCREDITATION The accreditation shall be effective and valid for a period of three (3) years subject for renewal. ARTICLE V CONTINUING VERIFICATION, REPORTING AND REVOCAT!Ol\' Spot Checks. After the issuance of the Certificate of Accreditation, but within the period of validity of the same, the DA may conduct unannounced spot checks to validate the veracity of any statement or information contained in any document that the Applicant submitted in support of its application and the maintenance of the RCEF assistance. 5 In the event that the DA found out that there has been a misrepresentation, or falsification of any document submitted in support of the application for the accreditation, their accreditation shall be revoked. Re-application for accreditation shall be done a year after the date of revocation. VI SPECIAL PROVISION All FCAs accredited by DA as CSO co-implementer of agri-fishery programs are deemed RCEF accredited until the expiration of their accreditation. The DA Secretary, upon the recommendation of DA-RFOs thru the Regional Executive Directors, may issue supplemental guidelines on a case to case basis as it may deem necessary and appropriate to effectively implement these Guidelines. Provided, that it would be consistent to these Guidelines and other pertinent laws and issuances. 6 ARTICLE VII EFFECTIVITY This order shall take effect immediately from the date of publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. The UP Law Center's Office of National Administrative Register shall be provided copy of this order. Issued this Ila ,/J day of September 2019, in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines. 7 C~·G.C/, WILLIAM D. DARrY Secretary f' DEPARTMENT OF AOR!CULTURE 1111111/IKl/lllll llilllllff ll/lMllll ll!IIIII I~ 1111111 ln replying pls cite this code : For Signature: S-09-19-0150 Received : 09/05/2019 04:<16 PM 8 ANNEX A Documents Required for Application for Accreditation (Checklist for the Secretariat) Duly accomplished APPLICATION FORM with: D Complete name of the FCAs, including any other name by which the FCAs has been or is currently known D Principal address of the FCAs, and the addresses of any branches or satellite offices D Contact numbers and details of FCAs D Date of filing of the application D Name and signature of the individual applying on behalf of the FCAs D CERTIFICATION UNDER OATH that (a) the individual filing for the application has been duly authorized by the FCAs to do so on its behalf; (b) all documents submitted in support of the application are authentic and genuine; (c) all statements in the Application Form and in supporting documents are true and correct; and ( d) the FCAs is aware of, understands, and agrees to abide by, the Guidelines for Accreditation of Farmers Cooperative and Associations (FCAs) as beneficiary ofRCEF. 9 ANNEXE OMNIBUS SWORN STATEMENT (To be submitted by the FCA Applicant) • Certification that: □ The FCAs has authorized the application for accreditation and has authorized the person actually filing the application to represent the FCAs in the application. □ All supporting documents are authentic, true and correct. □ Neither the FCAs nor any of its member/members has been blacklisted by any GA. □ None of the members of the FCAs has been convicted in any case, or is currently a defendant/accused/respondent in any pending case, related to the use of public funds. □ The FCAs is aware of, understands, and agrees to abide by the guidelines for accreditation of FCAs as beneficiary of RCEF.