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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
2nd Regular Session 
House Bill No. ________ 
Introduced by Representative ERIC GO YAP 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Philippine Agricultural Sector, comprising of agriculture, forestry, fishing, and 
aquaculture industries, was the biggest industry since 1960s until its recent decline in 
the mid-1990s due to the rise in the Service Sector, according to the Philippine Institute 
for Developmental Studies. Despite the remarkable share of forty-two percent (42%) 
of agricultural lands in the country’s total land area, there is continuous employment 
drop in the agricultural sector as the Philippine Statistics Authority accounts for total 
employment fall from 24.5 percent (9.7 million) in October 2020 to 24.6 percent (10.77 
million) in October 2021 and 22.5 percent (10.60 million) in October 2022.  
The Philippine Development Studies contends that the diminishing farm size and 
declining incomes in agriculture have incentivized the shift out of the agricultural 
sector. This is evident because as the Representative of the lone district of Benguet, 
whose majority of the constituents’ source of livelihood is agriculture, it is 
disheartening to witness that agriculture is not given much emphasis in the country’s 
educational system despite its contribution in the country’s food supply. 
Notwithstanding the initiatives and measures that ought to increase agricultural 
production and farmer assistance, there is also a need to encourage the young 
generation to choose and cherish the country’s agricultural sector. No less than the 
1987 Constitution recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and affirms 
one of the state policies which is to promote and protect the youth’s physical, moral, 
spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being.  
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Following this pursuit, this proposed measure seeks to mandatorily include Basic 
Farming and Agricultural Awareness as a subject in the basic education curricula of 
all public and private elementary schools throughout the Philippines. The said 
measure will not only encourage more youth to consider and dwell in the agricultural 
sector but will also uplift and motivate agricultural research that is vital in the sector’s 
continuing quest for development. 
HON. ERIC GO YAP 


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
2nd Regular Session 
House Bill No. ________ 
Introduced by Representative ERIC GO YAP 
AN ACT 
REQUIRING THE MANDATORY INCLUSION OF BASIC FARMING AND 
AGRICULTURAL AWARENESS IN THE CURRICULA OF ALL PUBLIC AND 
PRIVATE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE PHILIPPINES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Basic Farming and 
Agricultural Awareness for the Youth Act of 2023". 
SEC 2. Declaration of Policy. – The State recognizes the vital role of the youth 
in nation-building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, 
intellectual, and social well-being. It shall inculcate in the youth patriotism and 
nationalism, and encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs. 
The State shall give priority to education, science and technology, arts, culture, 
and sports to foster patriotism and nationalism, accelerate social progress, and 
promote total human liberation and development. 
The State shall promote comprehensive rural development and agrarian 
reform.  
Towards this end, basic farming and agricultural awareness must be imparted 
to the Filipino youth in all public and private elementary schools through mandatory 
inclusion of these subjects in their respective school curricula. The State shall establish, 
maintain, and support a complete, adequate, and sustainable system of education or 
learning to attain said objective. 
SEC 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Bill, the following terms shall 
be defined as follows: 
(a) Basic Farming refers to the fundamentals of the practice of cultivating land
for crops, plants, fruits, fruit trees, vegetation, fungi, and other life forms for
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food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life, as well as cultivation of 
animals and raising stock. 
(b) Agricultural Awareness refers to basic information or knowledge of the
fundamental principles of agriculture, its scientific, social, economic, and
industrial implications in the community and the country as a whole.
SEC. 4. Mandatory inclusion of Basic Farming and Agricultural Awareness in 
school curricula. - Basic Farming and Agricultural Awareness shall now be 
mandatorily included as required subjects in the academic curricula of all public and 
private elementary schools throughout the Philippines. 
The Department of Education (DepEd) shall ensure that a scientifically 
supported program be integrated to existing school curricula in order to cover the 
areas of Basic Farming and Agricultural Awareness. The DepEd shall institutionalize 
high standards of learning and teaching methods to ensure credibility and academic 
integrity of said subjects. 
Within one (1) year from the issuance of the Implementing Rules and 
Regulations (IRR) of this Act, Basic Farming and Agricultural Awareness shall be 
included in the curricula of all public and private elementary schools throughout the 
Philippines. 
SEC. 5. Implementing Agency. - The Department of Education (DepEd) through 
the Bureau of Curriculum Development, shall develop and maintain new programs 
to be integrated with existing similar programs or subjects, creating and including 
Basic Farming and Agriculture Awareness in the school curricula of all public and 
private elementary schools. 
SEC. 6. Skills Training and Development. - The Department of Education 
(DepEd), Department of Agriculture (DA), Technical Education Skills Development 
Authority (TESDA), and the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), and other related 
agencies shall continuously provide scientific and technical training and provisions 
for materials and equipment necessary for faculty members for teaching and 
dissemination of Basic Farming and Agricultural Awareness to the students. 
SEC 7. Appropriations. - The Secretary of the Department of Education 
(DepEd) shall immediately include in the Department's program the development 
and maintenance of Basic Farming and Agricultural Awareness, the funding of which 
shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
SEC. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days after 
the effectivity of this Act, the Department of Education (DepEd), in consultation with 
and support of the Department of Agriculture (DA), Technical Education Skills 
Development Authority (TESDA), and the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), and 
other related agencies, shall formulate the rules and regulations necessary for the 
effective implementation of this Act. 


 
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SEC. 9. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part of this Act is declared 
invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall 
remain in full force and effect. 
 
SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, presidential decrees, 
implementing rules and regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or 
modified accordingly. 
 
SEC. 11. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,