The National Dairy Authority (NDA) expects to finalize the implementing rules for its expanded role under Republic Act 12308, or the Animal Industry Development and Competitiveness Act, before October this year. The law allocates P20 billion annually over 10 years to strengthen the country’s livestock sector.
NDA administrator Marcus Antonius Andaya explained the guidelines are needed to clarify vague provisions, such as how to distribute free livestock to eligible farmers and how to process the full condonation of old livestock-related loans. Details on eligibility, requirements, and procedures are currently being worked out jointly with the Department of Agriculture and other concerned agencies.
Under the new law, NDA’s duties have also grown to include issuing product registration certificates for milk items — a function previously handled by the Food and Drug Administration. Established in 1995 to drive dairy self-sufficiency, the agency targets 53 million liters of milk output and a 2.33 percent sufficiency rate by end-2026, representing a 22.4 percent rise from last year’s levels, supported by improved breeding stock and farmer assistance programs.
Clear rules will unlock the law’s funding and benefits for farmers, formalize NDA’s wider regulatory scope, and support faster growth in local dairy and livestock production.
