Joint TWG on RA12215 Engages UPLB CAFS and CEM to Strengthen IRR

To ensure the participation from various stakeholders in the drafting of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of RA 12215 or the Philippine Agriculturists Act, the joint Technical Working Group (TWG) of the Professional Regulatory Board of Agriculture (PRB Agri) and the Philippine Association of Agriculturists, Inc. (PAA) consulted the College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS) and the College of Economics and Management (CEM) of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB).

The consultation meeting was held on June 11, 2025 at the UPLB CAFS Dean’s Office and at the CEM’s FAT Room in the morning and afternoon, respectively. The meeting aims to discuss the implications of the law among faculty and staff at the university, specifically its effects on the current academic staffing pattern of teaching staff.

Both colleges stressed the immediate impact of the law on faculty members who are not registered agriculturists and are graduates of non-agriculture-related programs. They stressed that a three-year transition period may not be enough to acquire their licenses.

They also raised concern that the provision on the conduct of research projects and studies in the areas of soil resources management, crop improvement, crop production, breeding of livestock and poultry, and animal and plant pest and disease management may affect researchers in certain research institutes at the university. The TWG explained that considering the inter-disciplinary nature of agricultural research, researchers from other fields of specialization can still conduct research in the aforementioned areas in agriculture in collaboration with registered agriculturists.

During the consultation, they also mentioned that the old program or curriculum did not include the six foundation courses in agriculture. Both colleges suggested either revising the curriculum or offering non-degree programs to include these courses.

The TWG emphasized that the IRR is still a working draft which will undergo further revisions based on the consolidated inputs of all key stakeholders. Such public consultations and participation are deemed necessary in crafting actionable guidelines for the regulation of the agriculture profession and enhancement of the quality of the agriculture workforce.