Here is part two of my conversation with freelance registered agriculturist Earwin Belen on his thoughts on RA12215, also known as the Philippine Agriculturists Act, as someone from the private sector.

Last week, he laid out the pros and possible cons the law might have when it comes to supporting the Philippine agriculture industry. This week, he expresses his thoughts on what can be done to ensure that it benefits all stakeholders equitably.

He cites two points of view, adding that he was part of the Philippine Association of Agriculturists, one of the organizations consulted, but left his position before the bill was drafted. First is the need for even more increased professionalization of specializations within the agriculture industry. “I use experiences from other countries because they have very specific professions,” he said in Taglish. “Like in the US, there’s what they call a professional soil scientist. Actually, crop consultants also have a very specific profession. I actually proposed it to the national board. However, when we had the meeting with the PRC (Professional Regulation Commission) Board of Agriculture, they shut down the idea.”

Another point of view is that, while lawmakers tried to consult as many stakeholder groups as possible, “...my opinion [is that] not all were aware that there was a law being passed in the House and Senate.”

This is crucial for the private sector because of the law’s requirement that any endeavor that has to do with agriculture should have a licensed agriculturist on their payroll. The implications right now are broad, to the point of possibly accidentally excluding certain sectors, which is why the drafting of inclusive Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) is crucial.

And while the professionalization of the agriculture industry is absolutely welcomed and necessary, Belen stated a concern voiced by some folks in the private sector, which is the rise in pay as we (rightfully) strive to reach international standards. Belen cited an example: entry-level agriculturists in Thailand are paid the equivalent of ₱30,000 to ₱40,000, a big difference from the Philippine average of ₱18,000 to ₱20,000.

“With the law, for the government, the minimum salary for licensed government employees is at salary grade 12 or 13, that’s around ₱32,000… It’s really way low compared to our peers in ASEAN. That’s the contention I foresee coming from private companies,” he said. “Personally, I think [our] salaries are undervalued.”

If the private sector continues to pay licensed agriculturists within their current salary range, it might encourage applicants to aim for government positions or overseas work and use the private sector as a fallback. Consumers may also be affected if private companies decide to raise product prices to augment the pay raises licensed agriculturists require. “These things need to be balanced because they are attached to the issue of living wages,” Belen said. “Now, the question is, will it be implemented properly?"

While he doesn't think that the law will require every single farmer in the country to get an agriculture license, he does think that licenses will encourage farmers to trust agriculturists. “We’re not invalidating what they know, but we want to deepen or add to it,” Belen clarified.

Now that the law has been passed, it’s the IRR that will determine how it is implemented. It is important not just for the government to consult with stakeholders while the IRR is being drafted, but for stakeholders to educate themselves and highlight potential issues during this crucial time.

“[Lawmakers] have to dig deeper and ask other relevant stakeholders. It’s not enough to ask local governments and state universities and colleges because they aren’t the only ones in the profession. If you don’t have industry support, if you don’t have support from the private sector, I see the limitation of the law as only about government employment… the profession might lose legitimacy if certification is thought of as just a requirement to work for the government,” Belen said.

“They need to be more public with what’s happening… It’s really putting it in the public that this is the value of having this profession, how it will affect everyone, how it will affect the farmers, and for me, how it will affect consumers… It’s really finding that sweet spot where everyone agrees. At the same time, you build trust in the profession.”

He stressed that what is going on is simply birthing pains. “I’m for the law, but at the same time, we have to put safeguards and clarify misconceptions… It’s really being transparent or being clear about what we want to happen with the Philippine Agriculturist Act.”