QuestionsQuestions (Act No. 3027)
To protect Philippine agricultural industries from injurious plant pests, diseases, and noxious weeds existing in foreign countries, and to regulate domestic movement of plant materials to minimize injury from pests and diseases already introduced.
The importation of all plant materials (or parts thereof), soil, or any material used as packing/covering that may serve as a medium for infection/infestation or introduction of noxious weeds is prohibited, except through designated ports and subject to prescribed rules.
The ports “may be designated” under rules/regulations prescribed by the Director of Agriculture and approved by the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources; importation is only allowed through such designated ports and under those rules.
If in the best interests of the service, the Director shall cause plant materials or packing/covering materials intended for exportation to be inspected and certified.
Names/addresses of consignor and consignee; nature and quantity of plant materials; country and locality where grown; place and date of embarkation; and registered name of the vessel carrying the consignment.
To promptly notify the Director of Agriculture (or authorized representative) upon arrival at the port of entry of any plant materials.
Cause prompt inspection to determine presence/absence of injurious insects and diseases; may fumigate and disinfect suspected infested plant materials at the importer’s expense and under Director supervision; may order return to origin or destruction at port of entry for extremely dangerous infestations, also at the importer’s cost.
The Director (or representatives) may enter at any time any car, warehouse, pier, depot, or ship/vessel within Philippine jurisdictional territory or waters, where plant materials are received.
It is unlawful to remove or carry any plant material from the place of landing until inspected, passed by the Director or authorized representative, and free to enter.
The Director may entirely prohibit importation of certain classes of plants (or parts) or other carriers of infestation (whether visibly infested or not) when dangerous insects/diseases exist in countries of origin and cannot be readily/economically determined on incoming materials.
The Director of Posts must notify the Director of Agriculture of arrivals in the mails; the Director of Agriculture must promptly examine them in the presence of the postmaster or a designated person, and take necessary action per the Act.
The Director of Agriculture may introduce (or cause to be introduced) plant materials from foreign countries to promote progress in agricultural industries, under due precautions to exclude dangerous pests/diseases and weeds; persons may introduce them only under the Director’s discretion and directions.
The Director, subject to the Department Secretary’s approval, may make/enforce rules to protect agricultural interests in any district and regulate or entirely prohibit movement of affected plant materials (and other materials serving as dissemination means) from infested localities to unaffected areas.
Upon request of the Director of Agriculture, the Chief of Constabulary and provincial/municipal officials must assist in enforcing administrative orders issued under the Act.
A fine not exceeding one thousand pesos, or imprisonment not exceeding six months, or both—at the court’s discretion—also covering forging/counterfeiting/altering/defacing/destroying certificates, regulations, or other legal papers issued under the Act.
A board of five members appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources upon recommendation of the Director of Agriculture, serving without additional compensation (with travel/subsistence expenses). It advises the Director regarding needed administrative orders and carrying out the Act.
It appropriates six thousand pesos annually from funds in the Insular Treasury not otherwise appropriated for expenses of the Director and Plant Quarantine Board, with unused amounts reverting to the Insular Treasury at fiscal year-end.