Question & AnswerQ&A (EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 481)
The main objectives of Executive Order No. 481 are to promote organic agriculture as a farming scheme especially in rural communities, forge collaboration with stakeholders, guarantee food and environmental safety, and ensure the integrity of organic products through certification and standards.
The NOAP is a program under the Department of Agriculture focused on regulations and guidelines, certification and accreditation, market promotion and networking, organic information dissemination, and research, development and extension activities related to organic agriculture.
The NOAB is composed of the Secretaries of the Departments of Agriculture, Trade and Industry, Health, Interior and Local Government, Environment and Natural Resources, Science and Technology, and seven representatives from the private sector, NGOs/POs, an organic certifying body, and the academe with expertise in relevant areas.
The NOAB formulates policies and plans for organic agriculture, oversees implementation of programs, calls upon government agencies and private sectors for support, identifies financing sources, and submits reports to the Office of the President.
The NTC implements the policies, programs, and projects approved by NOAB, updates the Board on progress, networks with stakeholders, and performs other necessary functions to promote organic agriculture.
The Philippine National Standard for Organic Agriculture (PNS/BAFPS 07:2003 ICS.65.020) must be adopted nationwide by all sectors involved in production and marketing of organic products.
The Department of Agriculture accredits certifying bodies through Administrative Order 13 Series of 2003, which provides guidelines for accreditation to ensure proper certification of organic standards.
Organic products must comply with the labeling requirements under PNS/BAFPS 07:2003 and must also contain contents prescribed specifically in EO No. 481 to ensure product integrity.
The Department of Agriculture shall allocate at least Five Million Pesos (P5,000,000) initially for NOAB operations, which may include funds from the Presidential Social Fund, and subsequent budgets shall be included in the General Appropriations Act annually.
EO No. 481 took effect immediately after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation.