EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
S E N A T E
S. No. 587
)
311 .
■ 
' ' (fattier of Ibr i^viittorp
•IQ
17 
P5 ^5
Introduced by Senator Grace Poe
REC:.
AN ACT
PROMOTING 
INTEGRATED 
URBAN 
FARMING 
TO 
ADDRESS 
FOOD 
SECURITY 
CONCERNS 
AND 
LIVELIHOOD 
OPPORTUNITIES 
AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR THE PURPOSE
Fxpianatorv Note
The Philippines is widely considered as an agricultural economy as agriculture 
is one of the main drivers of its economic growth. According to the April 2018 Labor 
Force Survey of the Philippine Statistics Authority, this important sector employs 
some 23.9% of Filipino workforce -  making it the second largest sector in terms of 
labor force.
As testament to the relevance of agriculture, the 1987 Philippine Constitution 
laid down some principles that promote and protect this sector, both directly and 
indirectly, such as:
• 
"The State shall promote a just and dynamic social order that will 
ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation and free the 
people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social 
services, promote full employment, a rising standard of living, and an 
improved quality of life for all." (Article II, Section 9);
"The goals of the national economy are a more equitable distribution of 
opportunities, income, wealth; a sustained increase in the amount of 
goods and services produced by the nation for the benefit of the
1


people; and an expanding productivity as the key to raising the quality 
of life for all, especially the underprivileged." (Article XII, Section 1); 
and,
"The State shall promote industrialization and full employment based 
on sound agricultural development and agrarian reform, through 
industries that make full of efficient use of human and natural 
resources, and which are competitive in both domestic and foreign 
markets. XXX." (Article XII, Section 1)
However, amid these constitutional provisions that afford the agricultural 
sector the utmost support it needs, many still consider it as the "poor man's sector" 
because it remains to be neglected in terms of investments and development. In 
fact, farmers and fisherfolks are still among the poorest in the country; and food 
security remains elusive to a lot of Filipinos. In 2018, according to a Social Weather 
Station survey, 19 million or our people experienced hunger -  with 10 million 
experiencing severe hunger.
Hence, to further advance agriculture and food security, this measure aims to 
promote the practice of urban farming. Urban farming, as enshrined in this bill, is 
the practice of cultivating, processing and distributing food in or around a village, 
town or city which could also involve animal agriculture, aquaculture and 
agroforestry, among others. It is one way to promote food security as it will provide 
citizens easy access to several agricultural products right within their cities and/or 
communities.
In addition, under this measure, urban agriculture and vertical farming shall 
be integrated in the academic curriculum for secondary and tertiary level students of 
both public and private academic institutions offering courses on Agriculture, 
Practical Arts, Home Economics and/or other subjects related to agriculture. All 
elementary and secondary schools—public or private—, and state colleges and 
universities shall likewise implement urban gardening/agriculture and include in its 
regular curriculum its practical application.


It is the hope of this measure that the Philippines benefit from this form of 
agriculture in the same way that other countries that implement urban farming have. 
In this light, the approval of this bill is fervently sought.


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
S E N A T E
s. No. 587
ol tl;.' fi>r:r:tnip
T9 
JUL 17 P5 55
Introduced by Senator Grace Poe
AN ACT
PROMOTING 
INTEGRATED 
URBAN 
FARMING 
TO 
ADDRESS 
FOOD 
SECURITY 
CONCERNS 
AND 
LIVELIHOOD 
OPPORTUNITIES 
AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR THE PURPOSE
Be it enacted by the Senate and House o f Representatives o f the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Short Title. -  This Act shall be known as the "Integrated Urban
2 
Agriculture Act."
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration o f Policy. -  It is hereby declared the policy of the State to
4 
reaffirm the fundamental right of every person to adequate food and to be free from
5 
hunger. The achievement of self-sufficiency in food production and building climate
6 
resilient communities is therefore adopted as primary state policy. Towards this end,
7 
key reforms for the development of modern, appropriate, cost-effective and
8 
environmentally safe agriculture technologies are hereby encouraged in order to
9 
ensure the food security of the country.
10 
Sec. 3. Definition o f Terms. -  For the purpose of this Act, the term:
11 
3.1. Integrated Urban Agriculture 
-  shall refer to the practice of
12 
cultivating, processing and distribution of food in, or around a village, town or
13 
city. 
Integrated 
Urban 
agriculture 
also 
involves 
animal 
husbandry,
14 
aquaculture, agro-forestry and horticulture.
15 
3.2. Vertical Farming -  shall refer to the method of farming that is
16 
brought to the urban space by employing the concepts of indoor agriculture in
17 
sky scrapers and other modern buildings.


1 
Sec. 4. Comprehensive Research on Integrated Urban Farming. 
-  For the
2 
purpose of this Act, the respective Secretaries of the Department of Agriculture (DA)
3 
and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) are hereby mandated to
4 
promote the use of integrated urban agriculture and vertical farming in the country's
5 
metropolitan areas as an instrument to address food security concerns and
6 
regenerate ecosystem function of the Philippines.
7 
Idle and/or abandoned government lots and buildings owned by either
8 
national and local governments or available land resources in state universities and
9 
colleges shall be considered for growing crops, raising livestock and producing food
10 
using the said methods.
11 
Safety standards must be followed such that DOST and other pertinent
12 
agencies should include research and development of appropriate technologies
13 
necessary in promoting integrated agriculture technologies.
14 
Sec. 5. Inciusion o f Urban Agricuiture and Vertical Farming in Agricultural
15 
Training. 
-  Urban agriculture and vertical farming used in agricultural production
16 
shall be integrated in the academic curriculum for secondary and tertiary level
17 
students of both public and private academic institutions offering courses on
18 
Agriculture, Practical Arts, Home Economics and/or other subjects related to
19 
agriculture. A course curriculum on gardening/urban gardening shall also be
20 
developed and included into the regular curriculum of both elementary and
21 
secondary education.
22 
All elementary and secondary schools -  public or private - , state colleges and
23 
universities shall implement urban gardening/agriculture and include in its regular
24 
curriculum its practical or on-hand application.
25 
For universities and colleges, urban gardening or agriculture shall form part of
26 
the required period of time spent by students in the National Service Training
27 
Program (NSTP) or the Citizen Militatv Training (CMT). A plan therefore for the
28 
utilization or the maximization of space occupied by schools shall be formulated
29 
specifically for urban gardening/agriculture. Instructional materials shall also be
30 
developed.
31 
The Department of Education (DepEd), in coordination with the Commission
32 
on Higher Education (CHED). Shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations


1 
for the implementation of this section within six (6) months from the date of
2 
effectively hereof.
3 
SEC. 6. Creation and Composition o f the Urban Farming Councii (UFC). -
4 
There is hereby established an Urban Farming Council (UFC) which shall be attached
5 
to the Department of Agriculture. The UFC shall be composed of the following
6 
members:
7 
(a) The Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA) who shall serve as
8 
Chair of the UFC;
9 
(b) The Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
10 
(DENR);
11 
(c) The Secretary of the Department of Finance (DOF);
12 
(d) The Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST);
13 
(e) Representative from the People's Organizations (PO);
14 
(f) Representative from the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO);
15 
(g) Representative from the National Urban Poor Sector Council of the
16 
National Anti-Poverty Commission (NUPSC-NAPC);
17 
(h) The National President of the League of the Cities of the Philippines;
18 
(i) The National President of the League of the Municipalities of the
19 
Philippines; and,
20 
(j) Representative from the private sector who have expertise in urban
21 
farming and/or vertical farming.
22 
Sec. 7. Appropriation. -  The amount necessary for the implementation of this
23 
Act shall be equivalent to two percent (2%) of the annual appropriations of the
24 
Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Science and Technology (DOST),
25 
Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Fligher Education (CFIED) and the
26 
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
27 
Sec. 8. Local Government Units Participation. -  The local government units
28 
shall formulate the policy on the practice of urban farming and the utilization of
29 
unused spaces and idle lands. This shall require the enactment of local legislation
30 
institutionalizing urban gardening or agriculture in all levels of the LGU. Further, this
31 
shall require local governments to enact measures or ordinances that will include


1 
urban gardening/agriculture as a regular component in budget appropriations of
2 
local government units.
3 
All cities and urbanized municipalities where urban farming activities are
4 
conducted 
shall 
extend 
whatever 
assistance 
necessary 
for 
the 
urban
5 
practitioners/farmers to exercise Urban Farming and benefit from any incentives
6 
under this Act.
7 
All homeowners associations, neighborhood associations and community
8 
associations and/or people's organizations are encouraged to participate in urban
9 
farming activities within their area of operations. The concerned LGU shall grant
10 
necessary incentives for the benefit of the members of the concerned associations or
11 
people's organizations who actively participate in urban farming activities.
12 
Sec. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. -  Within six (6) months from the
13 
date of effectivity of this Act, the DA, the DOST, the DepEd, the CHED, the DILG,
14 
and the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) through the National Urban Poor
15 
Sector Council (NUPSC), in consultation with the private sector, business groups,
16 
input providers, consumer groups, informal settlers and most vulnerable sectors,
17 
non-government organizations and other stakeholders, shall 
promulgate the
18 
necessary implementing rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this
19 
Act.
20 
Sec. 10. Separability Clause. -  If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or
21 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected
22 
shall remain valid and subsisting.
23 
Sec. 11. Repealing Clause. 
-  Any law, presidential decree or issuance,
24 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary
25 
to, or inconsistent with the provisions of this act is hereby repealed, modified or
26 
amended accordingly.
27 
Sec. 12. Effectivity Clause. -  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from
28 
the date of its publication in the Official Gazette or In at least two (2) newspapers of
29 
general circulation.
Approved,