FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
No. 2744 
'11 
Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid 
• 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
11AR 15 P 6 :50 
With the raging conflicts in oil-producing nations in the Middle East and North 
Africa creating a ripple effect in the world economy, several countries are showing 
concern regarding their respective populace's food security in the future. 
Food security refers to the availability of food and one's access to it. All over the 
world, more and more people are dying of hunger because of poverty and the 
Philippines is no exemption. Although seventy five percent of impoverished Filipinos 
are found in the countryside, the continuous exodus of rural settlers to the metropolis 
has inflated the ranks of the urban indigents. In the latter part of the present decade, 
export restrictions, increased farming for use in biofuels, increasing oil prices in the 
world market, global population growth, climate change, and loss of agricultural land to 
residential and industrial development, are claimed to be some of the factors that are 
considered risks to food security. 
Article 14, Section 10 of the 1987 constitution provides that "science and 
technology are essential for national development and progress" and as such the State 
shall prioritize research and development to uplift the lives and welfare of the general 
public and to ensure food security. The use of modern methods of farming and animal 
husbandry such as urban agriculture and vertical farming to improve agricultural 
production is important to address the basic right of everyone to adequate food and 
freedom from hunger. 
Urban agriculture is the production, processing and marketing of food in 
response to the demand of consumers within a town, city, or metropolis, with the 
application of intensive production methods, such as the using and reusing urban 
resources and wastes, to yield a diversity of crops and livestock. 
Vertical farming is the construction of skyscrapers or the use of abandoned 
buildings for the sole purpose of cultivating and farming produce and livestock with the 
use of various farming methods and technologies such as hydroponics, aeroponics, 
aquaponics, grow light and phytoremediation. 
By the year 2050, about 80% of the world's population will reside in urban areas 
and the total population of the world will increase by 3 billion people. If traditional 
farming practices continue as they are practiced today, an estimated 109 hectares of 
new land will be needed to grow enough food to feed people. With urban agriculture 
and vertical farms cities are allowed to expand while remaining largely self sufficient 
food wise without destroying considerably larger areas of forest to provide food for 
people. It also help create a cleaner environment by allowing between 10 and 20 


outdoor acres of farmland to return to its natural state and reduce the energy costs 
needed to transport and refrigerate farm produce to consumers, significantly alleviating 
climate change produced by excess atmospheric carbon. 
This proposed measure seeks to promote the use of urban agriculture and 
vertical farming in the country's metropolitan areas to address food security concerns 
and regenerate ecosystem functions. 
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly requested. 
*" 4C::;; 
MANUEL "LITO" M. LAPID 
Senator 
r 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
No. 2·744 
'11 
MAR 15 P 6 :50 
Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid 
AN ACT 
PROMOTING THE USE OF URBAN AGRICULTURE AND VERTICAL FARMING IN 
THE COUNTRY'S METROPOLITAN AREAS TO ADDRESS FOOD SECURITY 
CONCERNS AND REGENERATE ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONS APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSE. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Urban Agriculture and 
Verlical Farming Act of 2011 ". 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to reaffirm 
the fundamental right of every person to adequate food and to be free from hunger. The 
aChievement of self-sufficiency in food production is therefore adopted as a primary 
state policy. Towards this end, key reforms for the development of modern, appropriate, 
cost-effective and environmentally safe agricultural technologies are hereby encouraged 
in order to ensure the food security of the country. 
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the term: 
"Urban agriculture" shall refer to the practice of cultivating, processing and distributing 
of food in, or around a village, town or city. Urban agriculture also involves animal 
husbandry, aquaculture, agro-forestry and horticulture. 
"Vertical Farming" shall refer to the method of farming that is brought to the urban 
space by employing the concepts of indoor agriculture in skyscrapers and other modern 
buildings. 
SEC. 4. Comprehensive Research on Urban Agriculture and Vertical Farming. -
For purposes of this Act, the respective Secretaries of the Department of 
Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) are hereby 
mandated to promote the use of urban agriculture and vertical farming in the country's 
metropolitan areas as an instrument to address food security concerns and regenerate 
ecosystem functions in the Philippines. 
Idle and/or abandoned government lots and buildings owned by either national or 
local governments or available land resources in state universities and colleges shall be 
considered for growing crops, raising livestock and producing food using the said 
methods. 


The mentioned Departments shall support research activities to expand the 
knowledge and understanding of urban agriculture and vertical farming to be used in 
food production, including a renewed investment into advanced technology research in 
order to adopt state-of-the-art technologies to promote agricultural production in our 
high value-added crops and vegetables. 
SEC. 5. Inclusion of Urban Agriculture and Vertical Farming in Agricultural 
Training. -
Urban agriculture and vertical farming as used in agricultural production shall be 
integrated in the academic curriculum for secondary and tertiary level students of both 
public and private academic institutions studying courses on Agriculture, Practical Arts, 
Home Economics and/or other subjects related to agriculture. 
The Department of Education (DepEd), in coordination with the Commission on 
Higher Education (CHED), shall promUlgate the necessary rules and regulations for the 
implementation of this Section within six (6) months from the date of effectivity hereof. 
SEC. 6. Appropriation. - The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act 
shall be included and incorporated in the annual general appropriations of the 
Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), 
Department of Education (DepEd) and Commission on Higher Education (CHED). 
SEC. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). - Within six (6) months from the 
date of effectivity of this Act, the DA and the DOST, shall promulgate the necessary 
implementing rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act. 
SEC. 8. Separability Clause - If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall 
remain valid and subsisting. 
SEC. 9. Repealling Clause - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, 
letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
with the provision of this act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
SEC. 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from the date 
of its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of 
general circulation. 
Approved,