WHEREAS, it is the State ™s objective to attain self-sufficiency in rice at stable and equitable price levels for both farmers and consumers;

WHEREAS, the country ™s rice production has steadily increased in the past twenty years but has not kept pace with the rapid growth in population and the rise in the per capita consumption of rice;

WHEREAS, cognizant of all of these, the government has formulated a Rice Action Program that seeks to; (a) increase the 1990 production of rice by 3% to 3.5% over that of 1989; (b) stabilize the 1990 price of rice at levels equitable to both consumers and producers; and Cc) initiate continuing action to promote rice productivity and price stability over the long term;

WHEREAS, the success of this program necessitates the concerted efforts of the entire government machinery, the rice farmers, and the rest of the private sector at the provincial arid national levels;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, CORAZON C. AQUINO, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. Creation of National Rice Action Program Task Force - There is hereby created a National Rice Action Program Task Force composed of the following:

The Secretary of Agriculture

- Chairman The Presidential Coordinating Assistant- for Agro-Industrial, Economic and Financial Affairs - Co-Chairman The Secretary of Finance - Member The Secretary of Public Works and Highways - Member The Secretary of Trade and Industry - Member The Secretary of Agrarian Reform - Member The Secretary of Local Government - Member The Secretary of Budget and Management - Member The Secretary of Science and Technology - Member The Administrator of the National Food Authority - Member The Administrator of the National Irrigation Administration - Member

The President of the Land Bank of the Philippines

- Member The Farmers ™ Representative - Member The Chairman, Sectoral Committee on Food Crops National Agricultural and Fishery Council - Member

The members of the National Rice Action Program Task Force shall serve ih their respective capacities at the pleasure of the President.

SEC. 2. Functions and Responsibilities of the National Rice Act-ion Program Task Force. - The National Rice Action Program Task Force shall have the following functions and responsibilities;

1. Coordinate and oversee the implementation of the Rice Action Program of the Government;
   
   
2. Provide the framework for the implementation of the Program and ensure that- the Program ™s goals are attained:
   
   
3. Supervise and monitor the implementation of the Program;
   
   
4. Ensure that the necessary financial and other resources for program implementation are available when and where they are needed, particularly in the supervision of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) in the sourcing, transfer and release of funds to participating agencies;
   
   
5. Submit monthly reports to the Office of the President on the implementation of the Program;
   
   
6. Select- and appoint the farmers ™ representative to the National Rice Action Program Task Force; and,
   
   
7. Fulfill all other functions as may be necessary for the attainment of the goals of the Program.

SEC. 3. Creation of Provincial Rite Action Program Task Force. - There is hereby created a Provincial Rice Action Program Task Force in the twenty-seven (27).priority provinces of the Rice Action Program of the Government, namely; Pangasinan, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Bulacan, Laguna, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Quezon, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Negros Occidental4 Iloilo, Capiz, Bohol, Leyte, Zamboanga del Sur, Bukidnon, South Cotabato, Davao del Sur, Oavao del Norte| North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao.

The Provincial Rice Action Task Force shall be composed of the following:

The Governor Chairman The Provincial Agricultural Officer, Department of Agriculture Co-Chairman The District Engineers, Department of Public Works and Highways Member The Provincial Director, Department of Trade and Industry Member The Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer, Department of Agrarian Reform Member The Provincial Irrigation Engineer, National Irrigation Administration Member The Provincial Manager, National Food Authority Member The Manager, Land Bank of the Philippines Member The Representative, Farmers ™ Group Member The Chairman, Provincial Agricultural and Fishery Council Member

SEC. 4. Functions and Responsibilities of the Provincial Rice Action Program Task Force. - The Provincial Rice Action Program Task Force shall have the following functions and responsibilities:

1. Prepare the Operations Plan for the implementation of the program in their respective provinces and submit the same to the National Rice Action Program Task Force within fifteen (15) days after the issuance of this Administrative Order;
   
   
2. Upon the approval of such details by the National Rice Action Program Task Force, implement the program in their respective provinces;
   
   
3. Submit monthly reports on the progress of the Program to the National Rice Action Program Task Force;
   
   
4. Select and appoint the farmers ™ representative to the Provincial Rice Action Program Task Force; and
   
   
5. Fulfill all other functions necessary for the attainment of the goals of the Program.

SEC. 5. Secretariat Services. - The National Agricultural and Fishery Council (NAFC? shall serve as the Secretariat of the National Rice Action Program Task Force. The Office of the Provincial Agricultural Officer of the Department of Agriculture shall serve as the secretariat of the Provincial Rice Action Program Task Force.

SEC, 6. Funding. - Funds as may be necessary for the operational requirements of the National and Provincial Rice Action Program Task Forces shall be sourced from any available appropriation as may be determined by the Department- of Budget- and Management in accordance with existing laws,

DONE in the City of Manila, this 3rd day of May in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and ninety.


By the President:
(Sgd.) CATALINO MACARAIG, JR.
Executive Secretary