KS Bautista Represents PAA at the 23rd LeMMCAP National Convention; Engages in PRC-led Review of RA12215 IRR
Photo from: LeMMCAP National
Dr. Karen Salandanan-Bautista, Chair of Policy Advocacy Committee and Immediate Past President of the Philippine Association of Agriculturists, Inc. (PAA), delivered an informative talk and insightful presentation on the Updates of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 12215 or the Philippine Agriculturists Act (PA Act). Her talk emphasized the significance of the law and its far-reaching implications for strengthening the agricultural sector and professionalizing the practice of agriculturists in the country.
Dr. Bautista represented the PAA during the League of Municipal Agricultural Officers, Municipal and City Agriculturists of the Philippines (LeMMCAP) 23rd National Convention, where she actively engaged with participants, fostering dialogue and knowledge exchange among agricultural professionals. With the theme, “Extension Leadership: Advancing Policy, Climate-Resilience, and Sustainable Agriculture for a Stronger Philippines,” the convention gathered hundreds of agriculturists from across the country, held last 6-10 April 2026 at the KCC Convention and Events Center in General Santos City.
In her talk, Dr. Bautista reiterated several key accomplishments in the formulation of the IRR.
In compliance with Section 42 of Republic Act 12215, “the PRC-Professional Regulatory Board of Agriculture [PRC-PRB Agri] shall issue and promulgate the IRR within one hundred twenty (120) days from the effectivity of this Act, subject to the approval of the PRC and in consultation with the accredited integrated professional organization (AIPO).
Thus, the joint-Technical Working Group (TWG) of the PRC-PRB Agri Chair and PAA formulated the draft IRR. Series of multi-sectoral consultation meetings were held from June to October 2025 to solicit the comments and suggestions from various stakeholders in the national government agencies, local government units, academe, private entities and CSOs.
The joint-TWG formally submitted the draft IRR to the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) last October 2025. Since then, it has undergone the review of the PRC from November 2025 to March 2026. As part of the review process, PRC circulated the draft IRR to 45 professional regulatory boards for their review and to identify if there are possible overlaps in the scope of practice. Likewise, the PRC-PRB Secretariat facilitated the review of the draft IRR. The first and second rounds of review were carried out on 17 and 25 March 2026, respectively.
Following this engagement, Dr. Bautista joined a crucial review session of the PA Act IRR last 24 April 24 2026, with the PRC-PRB Agri Chair Dr. Emma K. Sales and members of the PRC-PRB Agri, together with PAA Chairman Dr. Roberto F. Rañola, Jr. and Dr. Rosalina M. Lapitan. Atty. Lovelika T. Bautista, Chair of the PRC-PRB Secretariat, facilitated the third round of review of the draft IRR.
The meeting focused on the review of two pivotal sections of RA 12215: Section 31, which mandates the employment of agriculturists in the government sector, and Section 33, covering their employment and engagement in the private sector.
A major clarification emerged during the discussion, where a post-audit process was suggested to scrutinize previously issued appointments in government and private agencies. If an appointee to an agriculturist position is not a registered agriculturist, the appointment issued after June 17, 2025, may be revoked. This measure aligns directly with the effectivity of the RA 12215, ensuring compliance and upholding professional standards across the agriculture sector. A parallel initiative was also being carried out by the Civil Service Commission on the review of the proposed revisions of the Qualification Standards (QS) for agriculture technical plantilla positions.
Moreover, the comments of other PRBs were discussed during the meeting with regards to Section 26 (Scope of Practice). Six out of 46 PRBs provided their comments and suggestions to the draft IRR. A summary of response has been formulated by the joint-TWG of PRC-PRB Agri and PAA. In May 2026, one on one meetings with the following PRBs will be organized by the PRC: Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (ABE); Environmental Planning; Fisheries; Geology; Landscape Architecture; and Veterinary Medicine.
Dr. Bautista’s public engagements and representations are a testament to PAA’s contributions and commitment to advancing agriculturist welfare and regulatory enforcement, fostering a more structured agricultural landscape in the Philippines.
