A network of organic farming advocates has expressed full support for the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 10068, otherwise known as the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010, that is aimed at leading the Philippines along a low carbon development path.
According to Go Organic! Philippines, advocates of organic farming in the country, the new law that was approved last April would shift the country from chemical intensive to ecologically-sound food production practices.
“The IRR for RA 10068 is the first policy document under the Aquino administration that recognizes low carbon development path as a strategic framework in the promotion of Philippine agriculture,” said Roland Cabigas, managing director of La Liga and convenor of Go Organic! Philippines.
La Liga Policy Institute (La Liga) is a development policy research and advocacy non-government organization (NGO) that acts as the secretariat of the Go Organic! Philippines. It supports the initiative to promote organic farming in the country.
According to Cabigas, under the IRR of RA 10068, it endeavors to promote the low carbon development path and its strategies as part of its goal to reduce environmental pollution and ecosystem destruction and to prevent the depletion of natural resources.
He added that the IRR pushes for the promotion of organic agriculture as a framework and strategy that should guide the agricultural aspect of the new MTPDP currently being crafted by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA).
Currently, La Liga and Go Organic! Philippines are pushing for Congress’ adoption of the proposed IRR for the organic agriculture law.
The final draft was signed by agriculture secretary Proceso J. Alcala and was submitted to the agriculture committees of the Philippine Senate headed by Sen. Francis Pangilinan and the House of Representatives headed by Batangas 4th District Rep. Mark Llandro Mendoza last week.
Meanwhile, Rule 5.1 of the IRR states that the National Organic Agriculture Board (NOAB), through the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Product Standards (BAFPS), shall call upon all government agencies and instrumentalities, including local government units (LGUs), academe, NGOs, Small Farmers Organizations (OSFO), Organic Farmers Organizations (OFOs), and research and development institutions, to submit their respective annual and long term Organic Agriculture plans taking into consideration climate change impact and mitigation, with emphasis on adaptation such as low carbon development path, disaster risk reduction and management, gender sensitive development, site specific ecosystem-based for consolidation and integration into a comprehensive National Organic Agriculture Program (NOAP).
Part of the IRR rules includes the adoption of organic agriculture through the implementation of NOAP projects and activities that will consider strategies to promote the low carbon development path.
Low carbon development path is defined by the IRR as “growth that integrates positive impact on environment, minimizes if not eliminates green house gas emissions, taking into account long term sustainability.”
As part of its budget advocacy, La Liga is pushing for the country’s low carbon development through financing of specific climate change mitigation and adaptation measures.
La Liga also acts as secretariat of the environment cluster of the Alternative Budget Initiative (ABI) and has been calling for a more climate-sensitive 2011 budget through increased budget allocation.
It is proposing for an additional P4.7 billion on top of Malacanang’s original budget proposal for the environment and natural resources sector of P13.1 billion.
With the support of the British Embassy in Manila, La Liga is also pushing for low carbon development through its integration in the next Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) for 2011-2016. [PNA]
