Authorization and remittance mechanism
- Section 3 authorizes the Department of Agriculture (DA) to use specified RCEF excess monies to provide direct cash assistance to eligible rice farmers.
- Section 3 limits the cash assistance program to farmers tilling two (2) hectares and below of rice land.
- Section 3 sets the time coverage as until 2024.
- Section 3 maintains the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to directly remit the specified excess funds to the DA.
- Section 3 requires the BOC and the DA to submit separate reports to Congress, through:
- the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform, and
- the House Committee on Agriculture and Food.
Funding source and yearly reporting to Congress
- Section 4 establishes the funding source as the excess Ten billion pesos (P10B) of annual tariff revenues from rice importation under Republic Act No. 11203.
- Section 3 requires that, at the end of each year, both agencies submit reports on:
- the remittance of funds, and
- the actual fund disbursement for the year.
- Section 3 requires separate reporting by BOC and DA, each to the designated committees of Congress.
Program scope: farmers and land size limit
- Cash assistance is for farmers who are tilling two (2) hectares and below of rice land.
- The cash assistance is for the period until 2024.
Use of Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF)
- Section 3 authorizes DA to use monies from the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) created under Section 13 of Republic Act No. 11203.
- The authorized use is limited to annual tariff revenues in excess of Ten billion pesos (P10B).
- Section 3 requires that the DA provide the cash assistance directly to eligible farmers.
Annual tariff revenue excess threshold
- The law sets the threshold for eligible funding at in excess of Ten billion pesos (P10B) of annual tariff revenues from rice importation.
Effectivity, separability, and repeal
- Section 7 provides that Republic Act No. 11598 takes effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
- Section 5 contains a separability clause: if any provision or part of the Act is declared unconstitutional, the remaining provisions remain in force and effect.
- Section 6 provides a repealing clause: any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, letter of instruction, rule or regulation inconsistent or contrary to the Act’s provisions is repealed or modified accordingly.