Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE 0F REPRESI]NTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETI]ENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session
HousEBILLNo.10027
Z`fJ`®#:.€grftE:gr,`*``
*rJ   rl
J''apesE®E§favi#Ein'-¢;';
A
j'ch    -9
i.,-.:)
\FT
rty+I.;::-:______|L.`sO9rty_
Introduced by Representative Crispin Diego "Ping" D. Remulla
AN ACT
PROMOTING FOOD FOREST GARDENING, PROVIDING FUNDS TIIEREFOR,
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
According to a survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey during December
2023, 12.6 percent of the respondents said that their families experienced involuntary hunger.
This was the highest result since June 2021, when the rate was 13.6 percent.
\1
In  February  2024,  President  Ferdinand  Marcos,  Jr.  stated that  Filipinos  would  not
experience hunger under a "New Philippines." To support the President's advocacy and to
ensure that no Filipino goes hungry again, this measure aims to address critical issues related
to food security, ecosystem regeneration, and sustainable agriculture by institutionalizing food
forest gardening across various landscapes  in the  Philippines.  This measure  is  designed to
harness the potential of underutilized spaces for food production, enhance biodiversity, and
promote eco-friendly farming practices.


In view of the foregoing, the approval of this measure is earnestly sought.
---------- \\ -
CRISPIN DIHGO "PING" D. REMULLA


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESHNTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session
HoUSEBILLNo.10027
Introduced by Representative Crispin Diego "Ping" D. Remulla
AN ACT
PROMOTING FOOD FOREST GARDENING, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR,
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House Of Representatives Of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:
1                   SECTION 1. Short Title. -This Act shall be known as the "Food Forest Gardening
2       Act of2024."
3                   SEC. 2. Declaration of policy. -It is hereby declared the policy of the state to build,
4      preserve, and maintain a healthy ecosystem; protect and develop biodiversity and habitats for
5       wildlife; conserve the country's crop genetic diversity and heirloom plants as a strategy for
6      climate  change  adaptation,  mitigation  and  resiliency;  and  promote  public  awareness  on
7      ecological  and  sustainable  use  of land  resources  for  food  production  and  other  products.
8      Toward this end, the government, in coordination with the stakeholders in the business sector,
9       such as  land developers  and  social  entrepreneurs,  and the  civil  society,  shall  promote  and
10      integrate Food Forest Gardening by establishing and developing community gardens in the
11      country as a form of sustainable land use system for food production and other agricultural
12      products for economic and societal development.
1


1                   SHC. 3. Definition of Terms. -For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall
2       mean:
3      a.          Agro-Forestry -a land use management system in which trees or shrubs are grown
4      around or among  crops  or pasture  land and combines  shrubs  and trees  in agricultural  and
5       forestry  technologies  to  create  more  diverse,  productive,  profitable,  healthy,  ecologically
6       sound, and sustainable land-use systems;
7      b.          Companion planting -planting of different crops in close proximity for ecological
8      pest control,  pollination,  providing  habitat for beneficial  creatures,  maximizing  the  use  of
9       space, and otherwise increasing the crop productivity;
10      c.          Crop Rotation -the practice of successive planting of different crops on the same land
11       to improve soil fertility and crop yield, reduce soil erosion and help control insects and diseases;
12      d.          Ecosystem -a complex set of relationships among the living resources, habitats, and
13      residents of an area which includes plants, trees, animals, fish, birds, microorganisms, water,
14       soil,andpeople;
15      e.          Forest Gardening -"multi-layered crop farming" or low maintenance and sustainable
16      method of food production that is based on woodland ecosystems, incorporating fruit and nut
17      trees, shrubs, herbs, vines, and perennial vegetables that yields directly useful to humans and a
18      system  of agroforestry  that  creates  a  diverse,  productive,  healthy,  ecologically-sound  and
19       sustainable system ofland use;
20      f.          Perennial vegetables -plants that live for more than two (2) years; and,
21      g.          Sustainable Land-Use Management -use of land resources,  including  soil, water,
22      animals,  and  plants,  for  the  production  of goods  to  meet  changing  human  needs  while
23       simultaneously  ensuring  the  long-term  productive  potential  of  these  resources  and  the
24      maintenance of their environlnental functions.
2


1                   SEC. 4. Institutionalization of the philippine Food Forest Gardening program. -
2      To  ensure food  security and regenerate ecosystem functions through a system of layers of
3      vegetation,  the  Philippine  Food  Forest  Gardening  Program,  hereinafter  referred  to  as  the
4       "Program,"  is  hereby  institutionalized.  For  this  purpose,  Food  Forest  Gardening  may  be
5       established in the following places:
6      a.          Any parcel orportionofland;
7       b.          Public spaces such as urban yards or city and municipal parks;
8       c.          Unutilized and idle public land;
9      d.          Community or common spaces of land developments;
10      e.          Portions of rural farms;
11       f.           Urban housing projects
12       g.          Idle parcels ofland in schools, colleges, and universities; and,
13       h.          Actual yards ofhouseholds.
14                   SEC.  5.  Objectives  of the  Program.  - The  following  are  the  objectives  of the
15       Program:
16      a.          To introduce low-maintenance food production through agroforestry;
17       b.          To  establish  sustainable  food  forest  gardening  using  mostly  perennial  vegetables
18      through crop rotation and companion planting in the country;
19      c.          To maximize land use and provide a significant source of income for urban and rural
20      communities;
21      d.          To transform farmers from mere mono-crop cultivators to multi-crop agripreneurs;
22       e.          To utilize idle lands and consequently create beautiful living spaces;
23       f.           To serve as a model for the youth, inspiring them towards sustainable agriculture; and,
24      g.          To help farmers build productive farming communities and produce high-quality crops
25       forthe country's economy.
3


1                   Snc.  6.  Creation  and  Composition  of the  Philippine  Food  Forest  Gardening
2      Commission. -There is hereby created the philippine Food Forest Gardening commission,
3      hereinafter referred to as the  "Commission", which shall be attached to the Department of
4      Agriculture  (DA)  and  shall  act  as  a  policy-making  body  for  effective  and  continuing
5       implementation of the provisions of this Act. It shall be headed by the secretary of the DA, as
6      Chairperson, and the secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG)
7       as co-Chaiaperson. The following shall be its members:
8      a.          Director of the Bureau of plant Industry (BPI);
9      b.          a representative of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR);
10      c.          a representative of the Department ofFinance (DOF);
11       d.          a representative of the Department of science and Technology (DOST);
12      e.          a representative of the Department of Education (DepEd);
13       f.           a representative of the commission on Higher Education (CHED);
14       g.          2 representatives of the land developers associations; and,
15       h.          2 representatives ofNon-Government organizations (NGOs).
16                   SHC. 7. Powers and Functions of the commission. -The commission shall have
17       the following powers and functions:
18       1.          Formulate framework, plan, and policy for the philippine Food Forest Gardening at
19       both national and local levels;
20      2.          Prepare a comprehensive manual for the philippine Food Forest Gardening program;
21      3.          Formulate  guidelines  for  the  food  forest  gardening  training  program  for  Local
22      Government units (LGUs), concerned agencies, and offices; teachers or instructors of both
23      public and private schools teaching subjects related to agriculture, particularly those under the
24      K  to   12  program,  and  other  interested  members  of  society,   such  as  non-government
25       organizations (NGOs);
4


1       4.          Devise and implement resource development scheme to ensure continued allocation of
2       funds;
3       5.          Assess  the  overall  progress  of  the  food  forest  training  program  and  review  the
4      monitoring and evaluation of results;
5       6.          Submit an annual report to congress; and
6      7.          Perform such other tasks necessary for the effective implementation of this Act.
7                   SHC. 8. Participation of LGUs. -All LGUs are hereby mandated to establish the
8      Program which shall  focus  on implementing comprehensive  food  forest gardening  in their
9       respective levels andjurisdictions.  The concerned LGUs shall encourage all home developers,
10      homeowners, neighborhoods, communities, and/or people' s organizations to participate in the
11       Program.
12                   SEC. 9. Incentives. -Those participating in the program shall be granted incentives
13      including,  but not  limited to,  exemption from payment of real  estate tax,  exemption from
14      existing rules and regulations prohibiting farming or growing food in backyards, patios, or
15       houses, and other incentives as may be provided by the commission and the law.
16                  SEC.10. Establishment of the philippine center for Food Forest Gardening. -
17      The philippine center for Food Forest Gardening is hereby established, which shall be under
18      the commission and shall provide information, training, education, expertise, best practices,
19      and networking to implement the food forest gardening program. It shall likewise provide the
20      necessary secretariat, administrative, and technical support to the commission.
21                   SEC.11. Management Fund. -For the implementation of this Act, a management
22      fund shall be established for the following purposes:
23       a.           Research
24      b.          Information and educational campaign;
25       c.           Training; and
5


1       d.          Pilotprograms
2                  SEC.12. Integration of the program in school curriculum. -The program shall
3       be integrated into the academic curriculum for senior high school and college students taking
4      up Agriculture, Practical Arts, Home Economics, and/or other subjects related to agriculture.
5                   SEC.13. Appropriations. -The amount necessary for the implementation of this Act
6      is hereby authorized to be appropriated from the budget of the DA, DILG, DOST, DepEd,
7      CHED, and DENR not otherwise appropriated. Thereafter, the funds shall be included in the
8      annual budget of the aforementioned agencies.
9                   SEC.14. Implementing Rules and Regulations. -The DA, in coordination with the
10      DILG, DOST, DepEd, CHED, DENR, and other stakeholders, shall promulgate the rules and
11       regulations to effectively implement the provisions of this Act.
12                   SEC.15. Separability clause. -If any provision of this Act, or any part thereof, shall
13       be  declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining provisions not affected thereby  shall
14      continue in full force and effect.
15                    SEC.   16.   Repealing  clause.  -  All   laws,  presidential   decrees,  proclamations,
16      executive orders, rules, and regulations or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this
17      Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
18                   SEC.17. Effectivity. -This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following its
19       complete publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,