Republic Act No. 11700

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

Section 1. Declaration of Policy

Section 1

, Article XII of the 1987 Constitution provides that the State shall promote the industrialization and full employment based on sound agricultural development and agrarian reform, through industries that make full and efficient use of human and natural resources, which are competitive in both domestic and foreign markets.

Towards this end, the State hereby recognizes the importance of abaca industry and its development as a driver of rural development not only because of its singular potential as raw material that can increase the country's export earnings tremendously, and put the name of the country in the map of the world for producing the biggest volume of abaca fiber, but for having provided livelihood to many small farmers in the countryside.

Section 2. Abaca Capital of the Philippines

In recognition of its status as the country's biggest producer of abaca and making the Philippines world-renowned as “Manila Hemp” in the fiber industry, and in support to agricultural development of the province, it is hereby declared that Catanduanes be the Abaca Capital of the Philippines.

Section 3. Repealing Clause

Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, letter of instruction, rule or regulation inconsistent or contrary to the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 4. Effectivity

This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,

(SGD.) LORD ALLAN JAY Q. VELASCO Speaker of the House of Representatives	(SGD.) VICENTE C. SOTTO III President of the Senate

This Act was passed by the Senate of the Philippines as Senate Bill No. 1978 on January 31, 2022 and adopted by the House of Representatives as an amendment to House Bill No. 6149 on February 2,2022.

(SGD.) MARK LLANDRO L. MENDOZA Secretary General House of Representatives	(SGD.) MYRA MARIE D. VILLARICA Secretary of the Senate

Approved: Lapsed into law on APR 15 2022 without the signature of the President, in accordance with Article V, Section 27(1) of the Constitution.

RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE President of the Philippines