Question & AnswerQ&A (PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 547)
The primary purpose of Presidential Decree No. 547 is to amend Presidential Decree No. 461 to create department-wide regional offices in the Department of Agriculture, integrate agricultural extension services, and improve the effectiveness and economy of service delivery.
The bureaus under the supervision and control of the Department of Agriculture are the Bureau of Soils, Bureau of Plant Industry, Bureau of Animal Industry, Bureau of Agricultural Extension, and Bureau of Agricultural Economics.
The bureaus are primarily responsible for giving advice to the Secretary's Office, developing plans and programs, formulating policies and standards, providing technical supervision to regional offices, and other functions as may be provided by law.
The attached corporations are the National Grains Authority, Philippine Tobacco Administration, Philippine Virginia Tobacco Administration, Philippine Coconut Authority, Coconut Investment Company, and Philippine Cotton Corporation.
The Agrarian Reform Unit is responsible for advising and assisting the Office of the Secretary in coordinating the department's extension service and soil surveys with the Department of Agrarian Reform.
The Bureau of Farm Management was abolished, and its personnel, appropriations, records, equipment, and property related to agricultural extension activities were transferred to the Department of Agriculture.
The Department of Agriculture shall have regional offices organized on a department-wide basis, integrating services and functions across bureaus for effective decentralization and direct communication with implementing field programs.
The Secretary of Natural Resources is an ex-officio member of the National Food and Agriculture Council, while the Secretary of Agriculture is an ex-officio member of the Natural Resources Development and Management Council and the Fisheries Industry Development Council.
Section 1 of PD 547 amends Section 2 of PD 461, addressing the organizational structure including the Department Proper and attached bureaus and corporations.
All laws, decrees, and orders or parts thereof inconsistent with PD 547 are repealed or amended accordingly as stated in Section 5.