SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS 
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First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
Senate Bill No. .1236 
Introduced by SENATOR JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Soil is a vital resource for human survival in' that it is the medium in 
which most plants grow, it cleans and stores water, detoxifies pollutants, and 
plays a key role in the regulation of the Earth's temperature. Soil is also the 
habitat of a multitude of soil organisms necessary for the cycling of elements 
and for keeping a healthy environment for human beings (Blum, 2007). 
Many soils in the country are degraded due to the accumulation of 
various types of wastes and toxic materials from the industry, mining, 
households and agricultural activities. 
Land degradation is a major ecological problem in the Philippines. 
Degraded lands are widely seen as a major contributor to the frequent 
occurrence of heavy and catastrophic floods in the parts of Luzon, Mindanao 
and the Visayas. Not only that, degraded lands exacerbate the poor economic 
conditions of our upland farmers in the countrysides. 
On the same front, water is an indispensable natural resource for 
humankind. In other words, it is a key and vital to the development of any 
country. Thus, water conservation measures are a must not only during 
abundance but more so during crisis time. 
This piece of legislation seeks to established support for sustainable land 
management programs for livelihood improvement particularly of upland 
farmers and indigenous people, and for the prevention of land degradation and 
protection of the environment and natural base. 
Thus, approval of this bill is fervently sought.~ 
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JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO 
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SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 1.286 
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Introduced by SENATOR JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO 
AN ACT PROMOTING SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION TECHNOLOGIES 
AND APPROACHES FOR SUSTAINABLE LAND MANAGEMENT IN THE 
PHILIPPINES 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 "Soil and Water 
Conservation Act of 2013". 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the 
State to promote and support soil and water conservation technologies and 
approaches through the development, promotion and implementation of soil 
and water conservation measures and practices including rainwater harvesting 
to enhance decision-making, planning and potential up scaling of good 
practices. Towards this end, the State shall support Sustainable Land 
Management (SLM) programs for livelihood improvement particularly of upland 
farmers and indigenous people, and for the prevention of land degradation and 
protection of the environment and natural resource base. 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following 
terms are defined as follows: 
(a) Land degradation refers to the reduction or loss of the biological or 
economic productivity and complexity or rain-fed cropland, irrigated cropland, 
range, pasture, forest and woodlands resulting from land-use or from 
processes or combination of processes arising from human activities and 
habitation pattern such as (1) soil erosion caused by wind and/ or water; (2) 
deterioration of the physical, chemical and biological or economic properties of 
soils; and (3) long-term loss of natural vegetation. 
(b) Organic agriculture refers to production system that sustains the 
health of soils, ecosystems and people. It relies on ecological processes, 
biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions rather than the use of 
inputs with adverse effects. Organic agriculture combines tradition, innovation 
and science to benefit the shared environment and to promote fair relationship 
and good quality of life for all involved. 


(c) Rainjed area refers to an area not served by any irrigation facilities 
and mainly relies on rainfall for crop and animal production. 
(d) 
Rainwater harvesting system refers to a system that collects, 
accumulates and stores rainwater and surface runoff for purposes of 
supplemental irrigation, inland fish production and other agricultural 
purposes. For the purpose of this Act, small-scale rainwater harvesting system 
refers to reservoir storage facilities with a height of not less than five (5) meters 
and a surface area of not more than two thousand five hundred (2,500) square 
meters. 
(e) Sloping Agriculturql Land Technology 
(S~LT) refers to a simple, 
applicable, low-cost method of upland farming which consists of alley farming 
in which field and perennial crops are grown in bands four to five (4-5) meters 
wide between contoured rows of leguminous trees and shrubs. 
(f) Soil and water conservation technologies refer to measures that control 
soil and water degradation and enhance productivity in the field. 
(g) Soil and water conservation approaches refer to ways and means of 
support that help to introduce, implement, adapt and apply soil and water 
conservation technologies in the field. 
(h) Soil and Water Conservation Guided Farm (SWCGF) refers to a farm 
established to showcase appropriate soil and water conservation technologies 
for possible replication and up scaling. It is also an approach that facilitates the 
proper implementation of soil and water conservation technologies through the 
provision of technical assistance in the field survey, soil and water conservation 
farm planning, and implementation of the plan. 
(i) Soil and Water Conservation Farm Plan refers to a plan that considers 
the right mix of farm enterprises and appropriate soil and water conservation 
technologies, which is formulated with reference to existing biophysical and 
socioeconomic conditions of the farm and in consultation with farmer-
cooperators. 
m Soil conservation refers to the management of soil to prevent or reduce 
soil erosion and depletion by wind and water. 
(k) Sustainable Land Management (SLM) refers to the use of land 
resources, including soils, water, animals and plants, for the production of 
goods to meet changing human needs, while simultaneously ensuring the long-
term productive potential of these resources and the maintenance of their 
environmental functions. 
(1) Upland refers to the extensive portion of land located within one 
hundred to five hundred (100-500) meters above sea level with slope of less 
than eighteen percent (18%). 
(m) Water conservation. refers to the protection, development and efficient 
management of water resources for beneficial purposes. 
(n) Watershed refers to a land area drained by a stream or fixed body of 
water and its tributaries having common outlet for surface runoff. This 
includes small watershed with an area of ten thousand (10,000) hectares and 


below; medium-scale watershed with an area of more than ten thousand 
(10,000) to fifty thousand (50,000) hectares; and large-scale watershed with an 
area of fifty thousand (50,000) hectares and above. 
(0) 
Watershed management refers to the process of guiding and 
organizing land and other resource uses in a watershed to provide desired 
goods and services without adversely affecting soil, water and other natural 
resources. 
(p) Watershed protection refers to a management strategy to control soil 
erosion and prevent illegal cutting of vegetations and other land degrading 
activities in the watershed. 
SECTION 4. The National Soil and Water Conservation Program. - In order 
to address the problem of land degradation which affects the state and 
management of our natural resources, a National Soil and Water Conservation 
Program, hereinafter referred to as the Program, is hereby established. The 
Program shall foment synergies between agricultural productivity improvement 
and sustainable land management through the promotion and implementation 
of soil and water conservation technologies and approaches. 
The Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM), in consultation 
with concerned agencies and other stakeholders, shall prepare the Program, 
subject to the approval of the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA). 
Upon implementation of this Act, the BSWM shall submit an Annual Report 
and Progress Report, as may be required, within five (5) years to the Secretary 
of the DA for review and assessment. 
SECTION 5. Goals and Objectives. - Pursuant to the above declaration, 
the Program shall support the implementation of SLM projects for livelihood 
improvement and prevention of land degradation in the uplands. As such, it 
adopts the following specific objectives: 
(a) To establish one thousand (1,000) SWCGF within five (5) years from 
the effectivity of this Act to showcase sustainable land management best 
practices such as, but not limited to, SALT, organic-based agriculture, farm 
waste and residue management, wastewater recycling and reuse, rainwater 
harvesting or combination of two (2) or more of these practices including 
approaches to implement these practices; 
(b) To establish ten thousand (10,000) units of small-scale rainwater 
harvesting systems consisting of rainwater reservoir development, watershed 
management and service area development in strategic upland areas 
throughout the country within five (5) years from the effectivity of this Act; and 
(c) To capacitate and empower local government units (LGUs) and 
farmers associations in the implementation and operationalization and 
maintenance of soil and water conservation model farms and rainwater 
harvesting systems. 
SECTION 6.Implementing Agency. - The DA, through the BSWM and 
the DA-Regional Field Units (DA-RFUs), shall provide the technical and 
administrative support in the implementation of the Program and all other 
policies and objectives of this Act, and perform such other duties as may be 
assigned to it by the Secretary of the DA. 


SECTION 7. Farmers Associations. - Farmer-cooperators and program 
recipients shall be organized into associations and/or cooperatives and shall be 
capacitated on soil and water conservation. As such, the BSWM and the DA-
RFUs, in coordination with concerned LGUs, shall provide trainings on soil and 
water conservation and shall assist them in accessing available credit windows 
to sustain the operation and maintenance of soil and water conservation 
facilities to be established. 
The BSWM and the DA-RFUs, in coordination with concerned LGUs, 
shall assist and facilitate the registration of such associations and/ or 
cooperatives for purposes of participation in the National Soil and Water 
Conservation Program: Provided, That the farmers shall select their leaders in 
accordance with the constitution and bylaws that they will formulate and firm 
up. 
SECTION 8. Soil and Water Conservation Guided Farms. - Soil and Water 
Conservation Guided Farms (SWCGF) shall serve as model farms that will 
showcase soil and water conservation approaches and technologies in the 
uplands. These will provide a multiplier effect by encouraging other farmers to 
engage in soil and water conservation. For this purpose, SWCGF shall be 
established in cluster within high impact areas such as watersheds. 
Potential sites shall be identified and selected using approved site 
selection criteria, in coordination with concerned LGUs and farmers 
associations. Selected sites shall be subjected to various field surveys, 
biophysical characterization and socioeconomic profiling as inputs in the 
preparation of Soil and Water Conservation Farm Plan: Provided, That it shall 
be prepared in consultation with the farmers based on the sites' biophysical 
characteristics, market potential of crops to be produced, and the capability 
and resources of farmer-cooperators to manage the farm. The SWCGF shall be 
established in accordance with the Soil and Water Conservation Farm Plan, 
farmers' capabilities and preferences, and available resources. 
The concerned LGUs, through the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist, 
shall provide agriculture support and services to the farmer-cooperators of 
SWCGF to ensure its sustainability and facilitate broader adoption by more 
farmers within a locality. 
SECTION 
9. Small-scale Rainwater Harvesting 
Structures. 
- Small-
scale rainwater harvesting structures shall be designed and established in 
cluster to store rainwater and surface runoff within a watershed. Potential sites 
shall be identified and selected using approved site selection criteria in 
coordination with concerned LGUs and farmers associations. Selected sites 
shall be subjected to various field surveys, biophysical characterization and 
socio-economic profiling. The small-scale rainwater harvesting structures shall 
be implemented in accordance with- the approved engineering plans and 
designs, and field distribution which shall be prepared by concerned LGUs with 
technical assistance from the BSWM and the DA- RFUs. 
The 
BSWM 
shall turn over the small-scale rainwater harvesting 
structures to the concerned LGUs wherein said structures are located. Subject 
to the requirements to be set by the BSWM, the LGU shall accordingly entrust 
and delegate the operation and maintenance of structures to duly organized 
farmers associations as recipients. 


Appropriate cropping pattern and calendar that will optimize the use of 
stored rainwater shall be prepared by farmers with technical assistance from 
the LGUs through the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist. 
SECTION 10. Research, Development and Extension Services. - Research 
and development and extension on soil and water conservation shall be an 
important component of the Program to provide a dynamic technology 
development, information dissemination and extension support in the 
implementation of the Program. Research and development shall cover, but not 
limited to, the following areas: rainwater harvesting design-methods, runoff 
management 
technologies, 
soil 
moisture 
conservation 
impacts 
and 
groundwater recharge enhancement. 
The BSWM, the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) and the 
Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) of the DA; the Ecosystem Research and 
Development Bureau (ERDB) of the Department of Environment and Natural 
Resources (DENR); and concerned state universities and colleges (SUCs), 
through proper and appropriate institutional arrangements, shall provide 
technical support and assistance in the conduct of research and development 
and in the provision of extension services on soil and water conservation to 
LGUs and farmers associations and cooperatives. 
The BSWM and the ATI are further directed to assist the LGUs in the 
conduct of trainings for beneficiaries and/or cooperators of SWCGF and small-
scale rainwater harvesting systems prior to operation and/ or turnover of said 
facilities. 
SECTION 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Department of 
Agriculture and the Bureau of Soils and Water Management, in consultation 
with other concerned agencies and stakeholders, shall promulgate the 
necessary rules and regulations to implement this Act. 
SECTION 12. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the initial 
implementation of this Act shall be charged to the budget of the Department of 
Agriculture under the current General Appropriations Act. Thereafter, such 
sums as may be necessary for its continued implementation shall be included 
in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
SECTION 13. Separability Clause. - If any of the provisions of this Act is 
declared invalid, the other provisions, which are not affected thereby, shall 
remain to be in full force and effect. 
SECTION 14. Repealing Clause. - All laws or parts thereof, decrees, 
orders, rules and regulations inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are 
hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SECTION 15. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) 
days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) 
newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,