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Date Filed: 29 July 2015
Section 13 of Republic Act No. 10601, otherwise known as the Agricultural and Fisheries Mechanization Law, requires that all agricultural and fisheries machinery pools and service centers, including sales and distribution outlets and manufacturing establishments, either public or private, shall have the required manpower complement of licensed agricultural engineers and certified technicians and operators, in accordance with the guidelines and standards to be promulgated by the Board of Agricultural Engineering of the Professional Regulation Commission and the Department of Labor and Employment to ensure efficient operation and maintenance and good management practices.

In view of this and pursuant to Section 9 (a) and (g) Article III of Republic Act No. 8559 or the Philippine Agricultural Engineering Act of 1998, the Board of Agricultural Engineering promulgated Resolution No. 03, Series of 2014, entitled “GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS ON THE MANPOWER COMPLEMENT OF REGISTERED AND LICENSED AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERS IN ALL AGRICULTURAL AND FISHERIES MACHINERY POOLS AND SERVICE CENTERS INCLUDING SALES AND DISTRIBUTION OUTLETS AND MANUFACTURING ESTABLISHMENTS, EITHER PUBLIC OR PRIVATE”, with the following salient provisions:

SECTION 1. Definition of Terms – As used in the aforecited Resolution, and for purposes of this MC, the following terms are hereby defined:

Agricultural and fisheries machinery and equipment – refers to machinery and equipment for the production, harvesting, processing, storage, manufacture, preserving, transporting and, distribution of agricultural and fisheries products. It includes, but is not limited to, tractors and their attachments, power, tillers, seeders, transplanters, windmills, harvesting machines, crop protection and maintenance equipment, irrigation equipment and accessories, greenhouses and other thermal conditioning equipment, livestock equipment, fishery equipment, slaughtering equipment, meat/fishery and crop processing equipment, postharvest machines such as milling machines, dryers, threshers, grain and other strippers, agricultural transport machinery and storage facilities;

Board – refers to the Professional Regulatory Board of Agricultural Engineering;

Commission – refers to the Professional Regulation Commission.

SECTION 2. Required Manpower Complement – 1) There must be at least one (1) registered and licensed Agricultural Engineer to be engaged, hired or employed in the following public or private entities or businesses:

a)	Agricultural and fishery machinery service centers to be established and operated by registered cooperatives or by businesses registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Strategic Agricultural Development Zones (SAFDZs) or Agrarian Reform Communities (ARCs), pursuant to Section 9 of Republic Act No. 10601, which will provide the following services:
	1)	After-sales service and warranty to their respective clients;
	2)	Custom plowing, harrowing, harvesting, drying, milling and other farm mechanization services;
	3)	Repair and troubleshooting services of agricultural and fishery machinery and equipment; and
	4)	Training of maintenance and proper use of agricultural machineries and equipment.
b)	Sales and distribution outlets of agricultural and fishery machinery and equipment of all concerned registered cooperatives or businesses registered with SEC and DTI;
c)	Agricultural and fishery machinery and equipment pools, service centers, common service facilities, post harvest and agri-fisheries processing centers established and/or operated by agricultural plantations, agro- industrial firms, agri-fishery cooperatives, farmers organizations; Department of Agrarian Reform (OAR); research, demonstration and training stations/centers of the Department of Agriculture (DA), academic institutions, local government units; and other concerned government agencies and private institutions; and
d)	Manufacturing/assembling establishments of agricultural and fishery machinery and equipment registered with SEC and DTI which include joint venture with foreign entities.

2) Depending on the magnitude of professional services needed, the agricultural engineer to be engaged, hired or employed, as consultant or otherwise, shall be on-full time or part-time basis.

SECTION 3. Professional Services – The registered and licensed agricultural engineers to be engaged, hired or employed in public or private entities as earlier referred to shall provide professional services on the following:

1. Preparation and/or evaluation of project feasibility studies including the technical specifications of agricultural and fishery machinery pools and service centers;
   
2. Management or supervision of the operation and maintenance of agricultural and fishery machinery pools and service centers;
   
3. Training and supervision of agricultural machinery technicians and operators in agricultural and fishery machinery pools and service centers;
   
4. Management or supervision of the sales and distribution outlets, and assembling/manufacturing establishments of agri-fishery machinery and equipment, including the preparation of designs and technical specifications; and
   
5. Research and development to improve the operation and management of agricultural and fishery machinery pools and service centers, and in agricultural and fishery machinery assembling and manufacturing establishments.

SECTION 4. Qualifications – The registered and licensed agricultural engineers to be engaged shall have valid and updated PRC license.

SECTION 5. Compensation – The compensation of registered and licensed Agricultural Engineers to be hired in agricultural and fisheries machinery pools and service centers, sales and distribution outlets and manufacturing establishments shall be in accordance with the provisions of the Salary Standardization Law, Labor Code of the Philippines and prevailing professional fee rates.

SECTION 6. Compliance Monitoring – The Board and the Commission shall conduct monitoring and ocular inspections in agricultural and fisheries machinery pools and service centers, sales and distribution outlets and manufacturing establishments, and other concerned public and private entities or businesses on their compliance with the guidelines and standards prescribed under Resolution 2014-03.

SECTION 7. Sanctions and Penalties – Any person who violates the provisions of the aforecited guidelines and standards shall be liable for the administrative and criminal sanctions and penalties imposed under Sections 31 and 32 of Republic Act No. 10601 and Section 32 of Republic Act No. 8559.

Let a copy hereof be published in the Official Gazette or any newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines.

For the information and compliance by all concerned.

(SGD) FLORENTINO C. DOBLE, M.D.
Chairman