Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 7884)
The official title of Republic Act No. 7884 is the "National Dairy Development Act of 1995."
The primary policy is to strive for national self-sufficiency in milk and dairy products to achieve a self-reliant and independent Philippine economy, improve nutrition, and generate employment opportunities.
The National Dairy Authority (NDA) was created to ensure accelerated development of the Philippine dairy industry.
The National Dairy Authority is attached to the Department of Agriculture.
Objectives include promoting accelerated development of the dairy industry, supporting small dairy farmers, ensuring supply of affordable dairy products, improving livelihoods, enhancing nutrition, disseminating dairy technology, increasing milk production, and conserving foreign exchange.
The Board includes the Secretary of Agriculture as chairperson, the NDA Administrator, secretaries of Trade and Industry, Health, Education, Culture and Sports, Science and Technology, Agrarian Reform, the Director of the Dairy Training and Research Institute, and four appointed members representing commercial milk processors and dairy cooperatives.
Violators shall be punished with imprisonment of not more than six (6) months, or a fine of not more than Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000.00), or both at the discretion of the court.
The Authority is exempt from customs duties and taxes on importation of dairy animals, supplies, equipment, and machinery under certain conditions, and donations to the Authority are deductible as allowable income tax deductions and exempt from donor's tax.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas shall adopt policies encouraging banks and credit institutions to meet financing needs. The Philippine National Bank, Land Bank, and Development Bank shall create special lending programs for small dairy farmers and cooperatives at affordable terms.
The Philippine Dairy Corporation is abolished, and dairy functions of the Livestock Development Council, Bureau of Animal Industry’s Dairy Division, and Livelihood Corporation’s Laguna Processing Center are transferred to the National Dairy Authority.