At the proclamation of Philippine Independence on June 12, 1898,
which gave birth to the First Philippine Republic under the stewardship of President Emilio Aguinaldo, several offices and
agencies were established. The then Department of Agriculture
and Manufacturing was created through a Presidential Proclamation on June
23, 1898.
By 1901, a policy of diversification was adopted under the American Sovereignty,
which gave emphasis to the development of other agricultural products, like rice and other basic commodities, and also fishing,
forestry and mining. The Insular
Bureau of Agriculture was then created under the Department of Interior
through Act 271.
Eventually, the Bureau of Agriculture grew rapidly until it was abolished by the
enactment of Act No. 2666 on November 18, 1916, which was implemented on January 1, 1917.
By virtue of this Act entitled "An Act to Re-organize the Executive Department of
the Government of the Philippine Islands" the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources took over the functions and
activities of the Department of Interior, namely: direct executive control, direction, and supervision of the Bureau of Agriculture,
Bureau of Forestry, Bureau of Lands, Bureau of Science, and the Weather Bureau and all matters concerning hunting, fisheries,
sponges and other sea products and such others as may be hereafter assigned to it by law.
More on the History of Philippine Agriculture
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