Creation of the Philippine Carabao Center

Policy and purpose: self-reliant carabao development

The State must develop a self-reliant and independent national economy effectively controlled by Filipinos and support indigenous, appropriate, and self-reliant scientific and technological capabilities (Section 2).
The Act directs establishment of programs to conserve, propagate and promote the Philippine carabao as a source of draft animal power, meat, milk and hide (Section 2).

Key definitions used throughout the Act

The “Philippine Carabao Center” refers to the National Carabao Center at the University of the Philippines at Los Baños, the other carabao centers in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, and those created pursuant to the Act (Section 3).
“Draft animal power” means power provided by the carabao as a farm animal (Section 3).
“Smallholder farmer” means a farmer owning or cultivating five (5) hectares or less of farmland (Section 3).
“Semi-Commercial Production” means raising twenty (20) to forty-nine (49) carabaos (Section 3).

PCC structure: placement and supervision

A Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) is created under the supervision and control of the Department of Agriculture (Section 4).
The PCC Advisory Board includes the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (Chairman), Undersecretary for Regional Operations (Vice Chairman), specified executives from government and education institutions, an Executive Director of PCC, and a farmers’ representative appointed by the Board (Section 7).
The Executive Director of PCC is appointed by the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (Section 9).
Directors or Project Leaders of other carabao centers are appointed by their respective board of regents or head of agency (Section 10).

PCC Advisory Board: powers and board functions

The PCC Advisory Board formulates policies, programs and projects for development of the Philippine carabao (Section 8).
The Board reviews and recommends the annual budget of the PCC (Section 8).
The Board evaluates the implementation, efficiency and effectiveness of PCC programs and projects (Section 8).
The Board recommends establishment or abolition of carabao centers as deemed necessary (Section 8).

Executive Director and center leadership duties

The Executive Director of PCC oversees implementation of PCC policies, programs and projects (Section 9).
The Executive Director assists the PCC Advisory Board in review, evaluation and monitoring of the Carabao Program (Section 9).
The Executive Director performs other functions assigned by the PCC Advisory Board (Section 9).
Directors/Project Leaders administer PCC policies, programs and projects in their respective centers, subject to PCC policies (Section 11).
Directors/Project Leaders recommend creation of center divisions and sections, including the staffing pattern (Section 11).
Directors/Project Leaders prepare their center budget and approve expenditures of their respective budgets (Section 11).
Directors/Project Leaders recommend to their respective head of agency the appointment of personnel or consultants (Section 11).
Directors/Project Leaders recommend policies, programs and projects to the Executive Director of PCC and perform other functions assigned by the Executive Director (Section 11).

Priorities and native-stock preservation requirements

The PCC prioritizes: increase in carabao population and productivity (Section 6).
The PCC prioritizes development of feeding systems for backyard and semi-commercial production, improving reproductive efficiency, physiology, and schemes to reduce losses from parasites and diseases (Section 6).
The PCC prioritizes reproduction, breeding, nutrition and animal health (Section 6).
The PCC prioritizes socioeconomic researches to ensure economic viability and technology acceptance by farmers (Section 6).
The PCC prioritizes development of appropriate technologies that are cost-effective, simple and practical (Section 6).
Each carabao center must maintain/propagate carabaos where at least thirty (30) to fifty (50) percent are pure native/indigenous stock to ensure preservation of the Philippine carabao and provide options to farmers (Section 6).

Powers and functions of the Philippine Carabao Center

The PCC must conserve, propagate and promote the Philippine carabao as a source of draft animal power, meat, milk and hide (Section 5).
The PCC must enable farmers—particularly smallholder farmers and CARP beneficiaries—to avail good quality carabao stocks at all times and at reasonable prices through organized production, breeding, training and dispersal (Section 5).
The PCC must undertake training programs for farmers—particularly smallholder farmers and CARP beneficiaries—to transfer technology on proper care and reproduction of carabaos and processing of meat and milk (Section 5).
The PCC must encourage backyard dairy development in rural areas by raising carabaos to meet nutritional needs of smallholder farmers and their families and reduce dependence on imported milk by-products (Section 5).
The PCC must undertake research activities in all disciplines leading to improvements in overall productivity of the Philippine carabao (Section 5).
The PCC must increase the existing annual population growth of the Philippine carabao to keep pace with human population growth (Section 5).
The PCC must enter into memoranda of agreement and receive donations through the Department of Agriculture from local and foreign sources (Section 5).
Upon recommendation of the PCC Advisory Board, individual carabao centers may enter into agreements directly with funding agencies through their respective board regents or head of agency (Section 5).

Implementation: coordination, sites, and program elements

The PCC Advisory Board, through the Executive Director, coordinates, monitors and evaluates implementation of the carabao program (Section 12).
The PCC Advisory Board identifies—through Directors of carabao centers and Project Leaders—programs and projects on reproduction, breeding, distribution, nutrition, animal health, and processing of carabao meat and milk (Section 12).
The PCC Advisory Board formulates strategies relative to reproduction and distribution of the Philippine carabao (Section 12).
The Act initially establishes thirteen (13) carabao centers with locations specified for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao (Section 12).
Centers in Luzon are located at: U.P. Los Baños (UPLB) in Laguna, Central Luzon State University (CLSU) in Nueva Ecija, Cagayan State University (CSU) in Cagayan, Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU) in Ilocos Norte, and Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU) in La Union (Section 12).
Centers in Visayas are located at: La Carlota Stock Farm in Negros Occidental, Ubay Stock Farm in Bohol, Visayas State College of Agriculture (VISCA) in Leyte, and West Visayas State University in Iloilo (Section 12).
Centers in Mindanao are located at: Central Mindanao University (CMU) in Bukidnon, University of Southern Mindanao (USM) in Cotabao, Mindanao State University in Marawi City, and Mindanao Livestock Development Complex in Kalawit, Labason, Zamboanga del Norte (Section 12).
Each center specializes in development of technology on reproduction, breeding, nutrition, animal health and processing of meat and milk (Section 12).

Farmer participation, beneficiary priority, and LGU role

Farmers’ associations or cooperatives are encouraged as focal points for government assistance in propagation and dispersal of Philippine carabaos and dissemination of carabao technology (Section 13).
The beneficiaries prioritized in the carabao dispersal program are the CARP beneficiaries, those under Presidential Decree No. 27, and other smallholder farmers (Section 14).
The carabao dispersal and propagation program is implemented by the carabao centers, regional and provincial offices of the Department of Agriculture, specifically the Bureau of Animal Industry, and local government units within their respective areas in accordance with PCC national policy and program (Section 15).
The PCC must adopt a national dispersal program that primarily benefits smallholder farmers and CARP beneficiaries (Section 15).
Income from the sale of carabaos must be placed in a revolving fund used for propagation and distribution of carabaos (Section 15).

Budget allocation limits, reporting, and transfer

Not more than thirty percent (30%) of funds allocated under the Act and in subsequent annual appropriations is used for personal services and maintenance and operating expenses (Section 16).
Not more than ten percent (10%) of such funds is used for research and development (Section 16).
Not less than sixty percent (60%) of such funds is used for carabao dispersal and distribution (Section 16).
The PCC must submit an annual report to the Office of the President, the Senate, and the House of Representatives showing among others the number of carabaos distributed and the names of beneficiaries (Section 17).
Upon approval of the Act, existing carabao programs and projects implemented by various agencies are transferred to the PCC (Section 18).
The amount necessary to carry out the Act must be included in the General Appropriations Act of the year following enactment into law and thereafter (Section 19).

Separability, repeals, and Local Government Code protection

If any part, section, or provision of the Act is held invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of the Act is not affected (Section 20).
All inconsistent laws, executive orders, rules and regulations, or parts thereof are repealed or modified accordingly (Section 21).
Nothing in the Act amends, modifies or repeals Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code (Section 21).