Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR., 
HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. 
HORIBATA AND HON. NICOLAS ENCISO VIII 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
In 2016, the Department of Education (DepEd) issued Memorandum No. 223 to strengthen 
the implementation of the Gulayan sa Paaralan Program in public elementary and secondary 
schools nationwide. The objective was to promote food security in schools and communities, 
through self-help food production activities. It also aimed to encourage the appreciation of 
agriculture as a life support system.1 
Establishing gardens in schools have become a great tool for teaching outside of the 
classrooms. It promotes environmental stewardship and provides health benefits to school 
children as well. Allotting a plot of land for this activity can, according to DepEd inculcate 
among learners the value of gardening. It also promotes good health and nutrition. 
Through school gardens, the students are enthused to reap the fruits of their labor. These 
plots land provide them the chance to eat the food that they themselves grew. According to 
past studies, children who are involved with school gardening tend to eat more fruits and 
vegetables.2 For a country with chronic malnutrition problems, the benefits of school gardens 
and the opportunity to teach children about nutrition is impactful.  
This bill proposes to replicate the program implemented by DepEd by establishing instructional 
gardens in elementary and secondary schools, whether private or public. This would mandate 
schools to devote a portion of their lots for the cultivation of vegetables and other nutrient-rich 
plants as identified by the Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the Department of 
Health. Schools lacking in land or those located in urban areas shall avail of hydroponic 
gardening methods and other organic gardening technologies. 
This bill shall likewise mandate the inclusion of nutrition and health consciousness in the 
curriculum of elementary and secondary schools. Schools shall also develop a system of 
involving the parents of their students and the community at large to create opportunities for 
all to learn and cultivate the practice of planting vegetables, while reaping the benefits of eating 
healthy food.  
In the same manner that the Gulayan sa Paaralan Program of the DepEd aims to address 
1 https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/DM_s2016_223.pdf 
2 https://www.agriculture.com.ph/ 
August 16, 2022
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malnutrition among school children, this bill intends the same.  
In light of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is humbly sought. 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
 MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE 
TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. HORIBATA 
NICOLAS ENCISO VIII 


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR., 
HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. 
HORIBATA AND HON. NICOLAS ENCISO VIII 
AN ACT  
MANDATING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF INSTRUCTIONAL GARDENS IN ALL 
ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS, PUBLIC OR PRIVATE, MAKING 
IT A REQUIREMENT FOR THE CREATION AND ISSUANCE OF PERMITS FOR 
SCHOOLS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Instructional Gardens Act”. 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. –  It is the policy of the State to protect and 
promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them. 
Towards this end the State shall adopt and put in place hunger mitigation and poverty 
alleviation schemes to promote the nutrition, food security, and economic stability of 
its citizens.   
To ensure the fulfillment of this goal, all educational institutions shall be required to 
include nutrition and health consciousness in their curriculum. They are mandated to 
devote a reasonable portion of their school lots to serve as instructional gardens for 
the growing of vegetables and other plants having nutritional value. 
SECTION 3. Instructional Garden Definition. – A plot of school land or an area within 
a school devoted to the growing of vegetables and other nutritional plants that 
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promotes interactive, hands-on learning in which pupils learn composting and waste 
management techniques, fundamental concepts about nutrition and obesity 
prevention, and the cultural and historical aspects of agriculture and food and its role 
in the national economy. 
 
SECTION 4. Instructional Gardens Program. – The Instructional Gardens Program 
shall be implemented in all elementary and secondary schools, public or private. They 
shall devote a portion of their school lots for the cultivation of vegetables and other 
nutrient rich plants as identified by the Department of Agriculture, in consultation with 
the Department of Health, Department of Education and other concerned agencies. 
Schools lacking in land or those located in urban areas shall avail of hydroponic 
gardening methods and other organic gardening technologies with the assistance of 
the Department of Science and Technology and other government agencies. 
 
SECTION 5.  Nutrition and Health Consciousness.  –  It shall be mandatory for all 
elementary and secondary schools to include nutrition and health consciousness in its 
curriculum as well as the cultural and historical aspects of agriculture and food 
production.  This program shall be used to equally enhance any subject area including 
science, environmental education, mathematics, reading, writing, art, nutrition, 
physical education, history, and geography.  
 
The schools shall develop a system of involving the parents of their students and the 
community at large in its instructional garden program to promote awareness on health 
and nutrition as well as the economic benefits of establishing a school, household and 
community garden. 
 
SECTION 6.  Identification of Plot of Land.  –  No school, elementary or secondary, 
shall be established without first securing an endorsement from the Division 
Superintendent attesting that a plot of land has been designated to form part of an 
instructional garden or an area has been identified where a garden using hydrophonic 
gardening methods and other organic gardening technologies shall be located. The 
provisions of this section shall apply to schools seeking the issuance of permits for 
their academic programs. 
 


 
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SECTION 7. Tax Incentives.  –  All allocations of grants, endowments, donations, or 
contributions and technical assistance provided by the private individuals or 
corporations to schools and other educational institutions for this purpose as certified 
by the Department of Education, shall be exempt from taxes and duties.  
 
SECTION 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The Department of Education, 
after consultation with other relevant agencies, schools and education and health 
advocacy groups shall issue the necessary rules and regulations to implement this Act 
within ninety (90) days from the approval of this Act. 
 
SECTION 9. Appropriations.  –  The amount needed for the initial implementation of 
this Act shall be taken from the current year’s appropriations of the Department of 
Education (DepEd).  Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for its continued 
implementation shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
 
SECTION 10. Separability Clause. – If any portion or provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional or invalid, the remainder of this Act or any provisions hereof not 
affected thereby shall continue to be in force and effect. 
 
SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. – Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, rule or regulation inconsistent or contrary to the 
provisions of this Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly.  
 
SECTION 12. Effectivity.  – This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following 
its complete publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,