To further improve the implementation of the Re-Entry Assistance for the graduates of the Young Filipino Farmers Training Program in Japan (YFFTPJ), a unified set of guidelines is hereby issued for strict implementation in your respective areas.

This supersedes all previously issued guidelines pertaining to the implementation of the said program.

For strict compliance.

Adopted: 19 June 2009

(SGD.) JESUS EMMANUEL M. PARAS
Officer-in-Charge
Department of Agriculture

Attachment:

Unified Guidelines for the Implementation of the Re-Entry Assistance for YFFTPJ Graduates

I. Description

The Re-entry Assistance is a support fund extended by the National Agricultural and Fishery Council (NAFC) to the graduates of the Young Filipino Farmers Training Program in Japan (YFFTPJ). It allows the graduate to apply the technical skills and modern agricultural technology acquired from training in Japan and in turn maximize his contribution to agricultural development of the country.

The assistance is designed to support micro to small-scale agriculture-based projects of YFFTPJ graduates such as: farm production, livestock raising and value-adding activities, or expand his existing project to improve his income. The project shall serve as a technology showcase within and outside his farming community. It also prepares the alumnus as agricultural entrepreneur who will eventually serve as host farmer to other young farmers who will have the same opportunity to undergo training in Japan. Proponents are required to put up equity in the form or a combination of land, cash, insurance, labor, utilities and indigenous materials available in their respective areas.

Qualified proponent shall be provided with an interest-and-collateral free support fund based on project cost but not to exceed the amount of sixty two thousand five hundred pesos (PhP62,500.00). This shall be replenished in accordance with the approved schedule to ensure that other deserving graduates could also avail of the same assistance.

II. Beneficiaries and Documentary Requirements

Criteria for Selection of Beneficiary		Document(s) Needed
A) Graduate of the YFFTPJ under Japan Agricultural Exchange Council (JAEC) sponsorship		Photocopy of the certificate of training issued by the JAEC duly certified by the Regional FYDP Coordinator (RFYDPC)
B) Presently involved in farming or agri-related activities and can implement/manage the Project continuously by himself		Barangay or Municipal/City Agricultural and Fishery Council (MAFC/CAFC) Certification (Form No. 1)
C) Has not yet availed of funds from any of the following programs: Livelihood Enhancement for Agricultural Development (LEAD), LEAD Roll-Over Fund, Farm Youth Development Program (FYDP), Support to Young Filipino Farmers (SYFF) and Young Farmers Program (YFP)		Certification from the Regional FYDP Coordinator noted by Regional Executive Director (RED)Regional Secretary (Form No. 2)

III. Project Proposal Preparation, Evaluation and Approval

A) The YFFTPJ graduate shall prepare a project proposal and replenishment schedule following the recommended outline described in Annex A^[*] and must comply with the required documents.

B) The proposal together with the required documents must be submitted to the MAFC/CAFC. The MAFC/CAFC shall evaluate the proposal and if the proposal meets all the requirements, the MAFC/CAFC shall endorse the proposal to the Provincial Agricultural and Fishery Council (PAFC).

C) The PAFC, Provincial FYDP Coordinator (PYFDPC) and PAFC/Provincial LEAD Coordinator shall validate the submitted proposal. If the proposal meets the requirements and is feasible, the PAFC and Provincial Agriculturist (PA) shall endorse the proposal to the Regional Agricultural and Fishery Council (RAFC) using the PAFC and OPA pre-evaluation and endorsement form (Form No. 3).

D) The RAFC, Regional Lead and FYDP Coordinators shall validate the results of the evaluation of the proposal and other documents. If found favorable and all documents are complete, the RAFC approves and recommends the project for funding to the DA-RFU/DAF-ARMM.

E) The RAFC shall inform the proponent through the PAFC of the approval of the project and a Project Finance Agreement (PFA) between the DA-RFU/DAF-ARMM and the YFFTPJ graduate shall be executed (see Annex B^[*] ).

IV. Fund Release, Utilization and Liquidation

A) To effect the release of funds by the DA-RFU/DAF-ARMM to the YFFTPJ graduate, the following documents are required:

1. Approved and Endorsed Project Proposal by the MAFC/CAFC/PAFC/RAFC with the duly signed Replenishment Schedule;

2. Notarized PFA between DA-RFU/DAF-ARMM and the YFFTPJ graduate; and

3. Joint bank account in a preferred bank between the YFFTPJ graduate and the Provincial/Municipal/City FYDP Coordinator whoever holds office nearer to the YFFTPJ graduate.

B) The DA-RFU/DAF-ARMM shall inform in writing the YFFTPJ graduate through the RAFC on the availability of checks, copy furnished NAFC and PAFC.

C) The YFFTPJ graduate shall receive the check and issue acknowledgment receipt to the DA-RFU/DAF-ARMM. He shall be provided with photocopies of all the signed documents for guidance in the project implementation. He shall likewise deposit the check to the said joint bank account with the Provincial/Municipal/City FYDP Coordinator.

D) The YFFTPJ graduate shall implement the project within three (3) months from the receipt of support fund, otherwise, the project shall be considered unimplemented. In this case, the appropriate remedial measure shall apply.

E) The utilization of the funds shall be in accordance with the detailed project schedule and its budgetary requirement. All disbursements shall be documented by the YFFTPJ graduate and shall be submitted to the Provincial FYDP Coordinator. Succeeding withdrawals shall be allowed upon submission of previous disbursements accompanied by acknowledgment/official receipts to the PFYDPC.

F) Unspent funds for completed projects may be utilized for other related activities or as replenishment.

G) The DA-RFU/DAF-ARMM shall submit to NAFC a duly audited liquidation report by the COA Resident Auditor.

V. Replenishment of Funds

A) The YFFTPJ graduate shall follow the replenishment schedule which is based on the projected cash flow. The replenishment period shall cover a maximum of three (3) years of project implementation from the release of the support fund.

B) The PFYDPC shall remind the YFFTPJ graduate in writing of the due date at least one month before the scheduled date of replenishment.

C) A bank account under the name œREA-YFFTPJ Roll-Over Fund  shall be opened by the RAFC where all the replenishments from the YFFTPJ graduates shall be deposited. The bank book shall be placed under the custody of the RAFC. The signatories for the said account shall be the RAFC Chairperson and the RFYDPC.

D) The PFYDPC shall receive all the replenishments, issue acknowledgment receipts and remit the amounts to the PAFC Treasurer within three (3) working days upon receipt.

E) The PAFC Treasurer shall, in turn, issue corresponding Official Receipt and deposit to œREA-YFFTPJ Roll-Over Fund  all replenishment funds within three (3) working days upon receipt.

F) The 95% of replenishment fund shall be earmarked for the projects of the next-in-line YFFTPJ graduates. These guidelines shall also be applied to the Roll-Over Fund. The remaining 5% of the total fund shall be utilized for the administrative and operational expenses at the provincial level (i.e. monitoring of project status, collection of the replenishment from the YFFTPJ graduate, cost of opening the œREA-YFFTPJ Roll-Over Fund  Account). A RAFC resolution authorizing the disbursements of the total replenishment funds shall be required.

G) The RFYDPC shall strictly record all collections and disbursements made based on the prescribed format shown in Form No. 4 (Quarterly Status of REA-YFFTPJ Roll-Over Fund) which shall be submitted to NAFC. The RFYDPC shall also report the status of the account during regular RAFC meetings.

H) NAFC ™s authorized representative shall have the right to examine the book of accounts.

VI. Project Implementation

A) The YFFTPJ graduate shall:

1. Implement his project in accordance with the approved project proposal;
2. Properly identify and label the project in the site/location following the attached prescribed format (Annex C^[*] );
3. Record all transactions related to project implementation and make all available project records and documents to authorized NAFC and AFC officials, FYDP Coordinators who will conduct regular/periodic evaluation; and
4. Prepare a semi-annual project status report (Form No. 5) to RAFC; copy furnished NAFC, PAFC and Provincial Agriculturist/Veterinarian Office.

B) The YFFTPJ graduate may also seek technical assistance from the DA-RFU/DAF-ARMM and the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist/Veterinarian (PA/PV).

VII. Monitoring and Evaluation

A) The Regional/Provincial/Municipal/City FYDP Coordinators as well as the local AFCs shall monitor the project implementation.

B) The RFYDPC shall prepare the regional semi-annual monitoring and evaluation report (Form No. 6) in coordination with the RAFC. The RFYDPC shall submit the consolidated report to NAFC-LSCD every 30^th day of the start of the semester (January and July).

C) During and upon project completion, the RAFC and RFYDPC shall evaluate and recommend actions to be taken for further improvement of project execution.

VIII.Remedial Measures, Termination and Sanctions

Project funded under the Re-Entry Assistance that encounters implementation problems may be terminated or accorded with the remedial measures. The provision on the LEAD Unified Program Guidelines pertaining to the remedial measures, termination of projects, and sanctions shall be used and applied to the delinquent proponent under this project.

However, in case of non-replenishment or deliberate refusal to replenish the support fund on time, the graduate shall be deprived of any benefits under the YFFTPJ Program and shall be barred from any assistance from NAFC. If warranted, appropriate legal actions or legal remedies available under existing laws and regulations may be resorted to.

For terminated projects, the DA-RFU and RAFC shall determine the appraised value and recover all assets. All recovered assets, except those acquired using the equity, shall be sold by the RAFC. The proceeds from the sale shall be deposited to the œREA-YFFTPJ Roll-Over Fund  and shall be treated as additional project fund.

IX. Other Provisions

Provisions stated in the Memorandum of Agreement between NAFC and DA-RFU/DAF-ARMM and the Project Finance Agreement shall form part of these guidelines.

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^[*] Text Available at Office of the National Administrative Register, U.P. Law Complex, Diliman, Quezon City.