Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. HARRIS CHRISTOPHER M. ONGCHUAN 
       EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The State recognizes the need of every Filipino for health and nutrition, 
especially the children. In 2020, the United Nations has reported that the Philippines 
has the highest number of food insecure people; with 59 million people not having 
consistent access to food. In its effort to improve food security in the Philippines, it 
has aligned itself with global agendas such as the Sustainable Development Goals, and 
the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in order to have a guiding framework 
towards the achievement of food security.  
The alignment with these goals also meant the creation of programs specific for 
the needs of the Filipino people. The need to have access to nutritious food has led to 
various programs by the government such as the Pilipinas Kontra Gutom, 
modernization of agricultural technology, and even urban farming.  
This measure proposes to promote Community Gardening and Vertical 
Farming, Urban Agriculture in Urban Planning, Urban Agricultural Education, and 
Research and Development. These efforts will not only address the immediate 
problem of food security, but it also aims to progressively research for technologies 
and practices that would help attain the goal of food security.  
This bill was filed in the 18th Congress by Rep. Kiko Benitez and was 
transmitted to the Senate. 
In view of the foregoing, immediate passage of the bill is hereby sought. 
HARRIS CHRISTOPHER M. ONGCHUAN 
August 30, 2022
8:02 am
4185


 Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO.  _________ 
Introduced by Representative 
HARRIS CHRISTOPHER M. ONGCHUAN 
AN ACT  
PROMOTING INTEGRATED URBAN AGRICULTURE IN URBAN AREAS 
NATIONWIDE TO ADDRESS FOOD SECURITY AND APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR 
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 "Integrated Urban 
Agriculture Act of 2020". 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — The State shall promote and protect the 
fundamental right of every person to adequate food and freedom from hunger. 
Recognizing the challenges to food security and ecological balance in urban areas, the 
State shall optimize the use and productivity of urban land resources and spaces to 
support sufficient and sustainable food production. Towards this end, the State shall 
promote the development of modern, cost-effective, space-efficient, and 
environmentally-safe agriculture technologies in urban areas to contribute in 
achieving sustainable food production and food security, promoting agro-ecology, 
ensuring public and mental health and thus improving the quality of life of urban 
populations. In doing so, the State should prioritize the conservation of the country's 
genetic biodiversity, and endemic and heirloom flora and fauna as a strategy for 
climate change adaptation, mitigation, and resiliency.  
4185


Accordingly, the State shall ensure the integration of principles, strategies and 
technologies on urban agriculture in urban planning and instill a love of farming 
among urban dwellers most especially the youth.  
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. — As used in this Act: 
(a) Agro-ecology refers to a scientific discipline and set of practices that studies 
how different components of the agroecosystem interact, and seeks sustainable 
farming systems that optimize and stabilize yields. It applies ecological 
concepts and principles to manage interactions among plants, animals, 
humans and environment for food security and nutrition;  
(b) Community Gardens refer to any piece of land cultivated by a group of people 
using either individual or shared plots on public or private land with the 
consent of the owner, to produce edibles, such as herbs, vegetables, fruits or 
ornamentals, as a form of sustainable land use system for economic and 
societal development. Community gardens maybe be found in neighborhoods 
and schools, or connected to institutions such as hospitals or located on the 
grounds or roofs of shared housing, such as tenements and apartment 
complexes; 
(c) Food Forest Gardening refers to multi-layered crop farming or a low 
maintenance and sustainable method of food production that is based on 
woodland ecosystems, incorporating fruit and nut trees, shrubs, herbs, vines 
and perennial vegetables which yields are directly useful to humans. It also 
refers to a system of agro-forestry that creates diverse, productive, healthy, 
ecologically sound and sustainable system of land use; 
(d) Food security refers to a situation wherein all people have access to sufficient, 
safe, nutritious food, at all times, to maintain a healthy and active life; 
(e) Food system refers to a complex web of activities involving the production, 
processing, transport, and consumption of food. Issues concerning the food 
system include the governance and economics of food production, its 
sustainability, the degree to which we waste food, how food production affects 
the natural environment, and the impact of food on individual and population 
health;  
(f) Good Agricultural Practices refer to the practices that address environmental, 
economic, and social sustainability for on-farm processes and which result in 
safe and quality food and non-food agricultural products; 
(g) Idle lands refer to non-agricultural lands in urban and urbanize able areas on 
which no improvements have been made by the owner, as certified by the city, 
municipal or provincial assessor. Idle government lands refer to lands owned 
by any government entity that have been idle and have not been used for the 
purpose for which they have been reserved for the past ten (10) years; 


(h) Indoor farming refers to controlled environment agriculture which aims to 
optimize plant growth to house vertical farming techniques in greenhouses, 
warehouses, abandoned buildings, shipping containers, tunnels, skyscrapers 
and modern buildings using soilless farming techniques such as hydroponics, 
aquaponics, and aeroponics;  
(i) Integrated urban agriculture refers to the development paradigm that 
encompasses principles, management technologies, and the policies relating to 
the practice and application of agricultural and fisheries production of food 
and goods in urban areas; 
(j) Peri-urban areas refer to areas where urban and rural features and processes 
meet, interact and intertwine, usually located between city and countryside. 
Peri-urban areas are semi-dense clusters with a density of at least three 
hundred (300) inhabitants per square kilometer and a population of five 
thousand (5000) or more, but are neither contiguous with nor within two (2) 
kilometers of an urban area; 
(k) Protected agriculture refers to the use of technologies that enclose crops to 
harvest higher yields, safer, cleaner and of better quality even out of season by 
modifying the natural environment and protect crop against the elements 
which include high temperature, excessive rainfall, humidity, wind, birds, 
insects; 
(l) Social preparation refers to the series of activities designed to prepare the 
underprivileged and homeless families to cope with the changes brought 
about by government development projects; 
(m) 
Soilless agriculture refers to the method of growing plants that do not 
rely on the soil as a source of nutrients and water; common methods are 
hydroponics, aquaponics and aeroponics;  
(n) Urban areas refer to classification as may be made by the Philippines Statistics 
Authority (PSA) which under PSA Resolution No. 01, Series of 2017-098, 
covers any of the following: 
(i) 
If a barangay has a population size of five thousand (5,000) or more; 
(ii) 
If a barangay has at least one establishment with a minimum of one 
hundred (100) employees; 
(iii) 
If a barangay has five (5) or more establishments with a minimum of 
zero (0) employee, and five (5) or more facilities within the two (2)-
kilometer radius from the barangay hall; 
(o) Urban planning refers to multi-disciplinary art and science of analyzing, 
specifying, clarifying, harmonizing, managing and regulating the use and 
development of land and water resources, in relation to their environs, for the 
development of sustainable communities and ecosystems in urban and 
urbanizable areas;  


(p) Urbanizable areas refer to sites and lands which, considering the present 
characteristics and prevailing conditions, display marked and great potential 
of becoming urban areas within the period of five (5) years; and  
(q) Vertical farming refers to the methods or practices of increasing the number of 
plants grown in the area by growing crops in vertically stacked layers; such as 
generally done in greenhouses, warehouses, abandoned buildings, shipping 
containers, tunnels, skyscrapers and modern buildings using soilless farming 
techniques such as hydroponics, aquaponics and aeroponics.  
SECTION 4. Coverage. — This Act shall cover idle or abandoned government or 
private lands, buildings, shipping containers, subdivisions or villages, public 
housing, open spaces in all urban, peri-urban, and urbanizable areas in the country; 
and all the available land resources and buildings in schools, state or private 
universities and colleges, military camps suitable for growing crops and raising 
poultry, livestock and aquaculture: Provided, That, the utilization of idle lands for 
urban agriculture purposes shall not be used as grounds for the eviction of informal 
settler families occupying the lands; Provided further, That, the raising of poultry and 
livestock shall be limited to urbanizable areas and all livestock raising shall be subject 
to health and safety standards and regulations issued by the Department of Health 
(DOH), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of 
Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), and other relevant 
government agencies.  
SECTION 5. Urban Farming. - Local government units (LGUs) shall identify and 
develop idle government and private lands and buildings, without prejudice to the 
rights of owners of private lands, buildings and open spaces, within their jurisdiction, 
for full or partial conversion solely to community gardens, food forest gardens, 
indoor farms, and/or vertical farms to support food security and community 
nutrition; Provided, That, food forest gardens and urban farms adopting agro-
ecological principles shall be the priority form of urban agriculture wherever 
applicable and feasible; Provided further, That, spaces allocated for urban agriculture 
and agriculture shall not be prime lots. All LGUs, in coordination with the 
Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Cooperative Development Authority 
(CDA), shall capacitate neighborhood associations and people's organizations, and 
facilitate the organization and registration of community-based cooperatives, to 
undertake community gardening and establish community farmers' markets.  
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit or extinguish the rights of owners to 
their private lands and spaces without their consent or without their receipt of just 
compensation in case of expropriation.  


The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) shall 
ensure that the design and development of subdivision, condominium and public 
housing projects have provisions for adequate spaces for community gardens, food 
forest gardens, greenhouse agriculture, roof gardens, indoor farms and vertical 
farms. Towards this end, the DHSUD, in coordination with the DA, shall capacitate 
homeowners’ associations to undertake community gardening and vertical farming.  
The DA shall provide the necessary technical assistance and support services, 
including the provision of seeds and seedlings and gardening tools, access to loans 
from government financial institutions, and training workshops that shall capacitate 
various stakeholders. It may assist in the design, establishment, promotion and 
regulation of indoor and vertical farming machineries and facilities to ensure the full 
productivity of community gardens, school gardens, food forest gardens, greenhouse 
farms, roof gardens and indoor and vertical farms. The DA shall ensure that the 
technical assistance it provides is consistent with Philippine Good Agricultural 
Practices (PHILGAP) or a set of standards and regulations ensuring food quality and 
safety, facilitation of market access, establishment of community farmers’ markets 
and reduction in non-compliance with issuances regarding permitted pesticides and 
other contamination hazards, as provided under Republic Act No. 10611, otherwise 
known as the “Food Safety Act of 2013”, and relevant laws. 
The DA, in coordination with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), 
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Department of 
Energy (DOE), and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) shall 
also undertake the establishment of rainwater harvesting facilities in compliance 
with Republic Act No. 6716, entitled, “An Act Providing for the Construction of 
Water Wells, Rainwater Collectors, Development of Spring and Rehabilitation of 
Existing Water Wells in All Barangays in the Philippines”, renewable energy systems 
and solid waste management systems, including waste-to-energy facilities, to 
provide sustainable supply of water, energy and compost to community gardens, 
food forest gardens and urban farms.  
SECTION 6. Urban Agriculture and Aquaculture in Urban Planning. —The DHSUD, 
in coordination with the DA, shall ensure the integration of concepts and principles 
of urban agriculture and its relationship to other processes in the food system in 
urban planning. Accordingly, the DHSUD and DA shall promote sustainable, smart 
and organic food production systems that harness the benefits of new technologies 
and methods in soil nutrients, water and energy management, such as composting, 
rainwater harvesting and utilization of renewable energy. The DHSUD shall also 
ensure the rational use of land resources in urban planning to promote sustainable 


peri-urban interface, as well As for the spatial requirements of supply chain 
management and logistics, to strengthen urban-rural foodshed linkages.  
Towards these ends, the DHSUD shall promulgate guidelines for the harmonization 
of the comprehensive land use plans and zoning ordinances of LGUs with urban 
agriculture policies, frameworks, strategies and standards.  
All LGUs are hereby mandated to incorporate urban agricultural development in 
their respective Annual Development Plans, Annual Investment Plans, Physical 
Framework Plans and Development Master Plans, including the hiring of 
agriculturists and agricultural and biosystems engineers to carry out urban 
agriculture program.  
Likewise, LGUs, with the assistance of the DA, Department of Interior and Local 
Government (DILG) and the Department of Information and Communications 
Technology (DICT), shall establish and maintain a digital information system to 
facilitate the efficient collection, management and analysis of food systems, 
agriculture and nutrition data, as well as the monitoring of evaluation of LGU 
performance, vis-à-vis the food system, agriculture and nutrition targets, to inform 
local planning, policy-making and programming bodies, and to ensure open public 
access to data.  
  
SECTION 7. Urban Agriculture/Aquaculture Education. — The Department of 
Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Educations (CHED), with the 
technical assistance of the DA, shall integrate urban agriculture in the academic 
curriculum for elementary, secondary and tertiary level students of both public and 
private academic institutions offering courses in Agriculture, Practical Arts, Home 
Economics and other subjects related to agriculture. A course curriculum on 
gardening shall be developed and included in the regular curriculum of elementary 
and secondary education. Instructional materials shall likewise be developed 
utilizing advanced techniques of crop and food animal production, urban agriculture 
and farming, and cultivating awareness and appreciation of genetic biodiversity, 
heirloom and endemic flora and fauna, and agro-ecological principles. 
The DepEd, with the assistance of the DA, shall strengthen the implementation of its 
Gulayan sa Paaralan Program in elementary and secondary schools. The establishment 
of school gardens shall be encouraged to ensure continuous supply of vegetables for 
school feeding, in accordance with Republic Act No. 11037, otherwise known as the 
“Masustansyang Pagkain Para sa Batang Pilipino Act.” 
For universities and colleges, urban agriculture shall form part of the required period 
of time spent by students in the National Service Training Program. 


A plan for the utilization or maximization of space occupied by schools shall be 
formulated specifically for urban agriculture purposes. 
SECTION 8. Urban Agriculture Awareness Campaign. - The DILG, National 
Nutrition Council, and LGUs are mandated to formulate policies on urban farming 
in consonance with the provisions of this Act and be at the forefront of community-
based education and awareness campaigns. For this purpose, LGUs shall mobilize 
existing structures and local bodies such as the provincial, city and municipal 
agricultural offices, the provincial, city, municipal and barangay agriculture and 
fishery councils, the provincial, city, municipal and barangay federation of 
Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) and the youth sector represented in any local special body 
under LGUs. 
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) shall integrate urban 
agriculture and community nutrition in the seminar-workshops and training 
programs to educate qualified household-beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang 
Pilipino Program (4Ps).  
SECTION 9. Research and Development. - The DA and the DOST, as well as relevant 
state universities, government research and development institutions, and the private 
sector, shall intensify research on methods and technologies to support urban 
agriculture, including the development and operation of sustainable demonstration 
urban community gardens, food forest gardens, greenhouse, indoor, roof and vertical 
farms. 
SECTION 10. Incentives. — Compliance by subdivision and condominium 
developers and owners with Section 5 of this Act may qualify them for incentives 
provided for under Republic Act No. 10771, otherwise known as the “Philippine 
Green Jobs Act of 2016”, subject to the rules and regulations promulgated by the 
Department of Finance and the DHSUD.  
The commitment and performance of LGUs in the implementation of this Act shall 
be included in the criteria for the awarding of the Seal of Good Local Governance and 
the provision of incentives, provided for under Republic Act No. 11292, otherwise 
known as the “Seal of Good Local Governance 2019.” 
Loans extended by government and private banks to participating individuals, 
corporations and partnerships shall be treated as compliance with Republic Act No. 
10000, otherwise known as “The Agri-Agra Reform Credit Act of 2009.”  
SECTION 11. Inter-Agency Coordination. — There is hereby established a National 
Convergence Program on Urban Agriculture and Aquaculture. The DA is hereby 


designated as the Lead Implementing Agency and the Secretariat of the Convergence 
Program. The following agencies shall perform duties and responsibilities in order to 
develop and sustain concerted action to promote urban agriculture: 
(a) The DA shall provide technical assistance and support services to LGUs, 
community-based cooperatives, homeowners’ associations, neighborhood 
associations and people's organizations to ensure the viability and cost-
effectiveness of urban agriculture projects and through its Bureau of 
Agricultural 
and 
Fisheries 
Engineering, 
shall 
provide 
the 
design, 
specifications, establishment strategies, promotion, regulation and technical 
assistance in the fabrication of production models of indoor farming, vertical 
farming, and other urban agriculture machineries, equipment and facilities; 
(b) The DHSUD shall encourage the integration of urban agriculture principles, 
policies, strategies, frameworks and standards in the design and development 
of subdivisions and condominium projects. The DHSUD shall ensure such 
integration in public housing projects and in the preparation or updating of 
development and investment plans, CLUPs and zoning ordinances of LGUs. 
The DHSUD Shall also promulgate the necessary rules and monitor 
compliance therewith. The DHSUD shall provide assistance to homeowners’ 
associations to strengthen their capacity to undertake urban agriculture or 
aquaculture projects in their neighborhoods and communities; 
(c) The DILG shall monitor the compliance of LGUs with the provisions of this Act 
in order to determine their qualification for the incentives provided under 
Republic Act No. 11292;  
(d) The DepEd shall integrate the principles and practice of urban agriculture 
using advanced crop production techniques like soilless agriculture, indoor 
farming or vertical farming to include modern methods of irrigation and 
automated systems into the primary and secondary education curricula, 
including the establishment of school garden under the Gulayan sa Paaralan 
Program. The DepEd shall ensure the adequate capacity building programs 
such as training-workshop, hands-on training or immersion program of 
teachers and the development of appropriate instructional materials such as 
educational video and manual for this purpose;  
(e) The DOST shall conduct research on modern, cost-effective methods and 
technologies to support urban agricultural production, as well as post-harvest 
handling of surplus produce from urban agriculture projects; 
(f) The DTI shall provide technical assistance in processing and packaging of 
surplus produce from urban agriculture and aquaculture projects and ensure 
access of local government units, cooperatives, homeowners’ associations, and 
people's organizations to markets; 


(g) The DOF shall administer the grant of incentives under Section 10 of this Act 
to qualified persons based on their compliance with Section 5 of this Act; 
(h) The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) shall ensure adequate 
funding for the functions and programs provided for by under this Act; 
(i) The CHED shall develop and implement curriculum on capacity building 
programs such as training-workshop, hands-on training or immersion 
program and related standards and instructional materials in support of urban 
agriculture; 
(j) The DPWH in compliance with RA 6716 is mandated to undertake construction 
of water wells, rainwater collectors, development of springs and rehabilitation 
of existing water wells in all barangays in the Philippines, taking into 
consideration the population, hydrologic conditions, costs of project 
development and operations, financial and economic factors, and institutional 
arrangements.  
(k) The National Nutrition Council and the Food and the Nutrition Research 
Institute shall assist the DepEd in identifying the crops to be cultivated in 
school farms and in preparing nutritious food, pursuant to standardized 
menus to ensure child nutrition provided for under Republic Act No. 11037, 
and in developing the modules on nutrition. 
(l) The CDA shall provide guidance and assistance to LGUs in the development 
of cooperatives within their jurisdiction;  
(m) 
The Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor shall undertake social 
preparation activities to encourage participation and empower poor and 
underprivileged communities from the preparation and planning to 
implementation and evaluation of urban development projects; and, 
(n) The Philippine Information Agency shall undertake a nationwide information 
campaign, utilizing all forms of media, to raise awareness and encourage 
participation of the public in the implementation of this Act, in close 
coordination with other cultural agencies such as the National Commission for 
Culture and Arts (NCAA) and the Film Development.Council of the 
Philippines (FDCP).  
(o) The Council for the Welfare of Children shall integrate urban agriculture in the 
formulation of programs and measures providing dynamic leadership in 
ensuring a child-friendly and child sensitive society. 
(p) The National Youth Commission, as the Philippine government's sole policy-
making body on youth affairs and consistent with its role in coordinating and 
implementing programs designed to help the youth become more aware of the 
issues surrounding them, shall include an appreciation of urban agriculture.  


SECTION 11. Performance Report to Congress. — The DA and partner agencies and 
National Convergence Program on Urban Agriculture and Aquaculture shall submit 
annual performance reports to Congress. 
SECTION 12. Appropriations. — The funds necessary to carry out the initial 
implementation of this Act shall be charged against the respective budget of 
concerned agencies for the current year. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary 
for the continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General 
Appropriations Act.  
SECTION 13. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within ninety (90) days from 
the effectivity of this Act, the agencies under the National Convergence Program on 
Urban Agriculture and Aquaculture shall promulgate the necessary implementing 
rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this act. 
SECTION 14. Separability Clause. — If any part or provision of this Act is held 
unconstitutional or invalid, other parts or provisions hereof which are not affected 
shall continue to remain in full force and effect. 
SECTION 15. Repealing Clause. — All laws, executive orders, issuances, rules and 
regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby amended, repealed or modified 
accordingly. 
SECTION 16. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved.