Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City » ul

‘\ rime: Jen pu

EENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO: _72

Introduced by REP. JOSE FRANCK:

00 “KIKO” B. BENITEZ, Ph.D.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘The Constitution provides for the protection and promotion of the right to health of the people
(Article II, Section 15), as well as proper nutrition, especially of children (Art. XV, Sec. 3). AS
such, the Philippines has adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17
Sustainable Development Goals. Under Sustainable Development Goal 2, the Philippines has
committed to end hunger, ensure food security, improve nutrition, increase agricultural
productivity and promote sustainable, resilient food production systems.

‘The Government has instituted programs towards these ends. However, the country is still far
from achieving food security. According to the Expanded National Nutrition Survey conducted
by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute, 53.9 percent of Filipino households are food
insecure.

Meanwhile, based on the First Quarter 2022 Survey of the Social Weather Station, hunger has
worsened from 11.8 percent in December 2021 to 12.2 percent. This translates to 3.1 million
families experiencing involuntary hunger at least once in the past three months prior to the
survey.

To address this, it is imperative to introduce game-changing solutions, increasing food
production by maximizing available spaces and utilizing emerging agricultural technologies
and methods, particularly in urban areas where hunger incidence is prevalent.

The promotion of household-, community- and school-based urban agriculture will contribute
to food security and poverty reduction, strengthen community-building, support the National
Greening Program, and instill among citizens, especially the youth, environmental
consciousness. Urban agriculture also puts value in otherwise idle urban spaces, maximizing
limited land resources that are increasingly shrinking due to rapid urbanization and
unsustainable urban development.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate approval of this measure is earnestly sought.

B. BEN EZ, Ph.D.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO: _72

Introduced by REP. JOSE FRANCISCO “KIKO” B. BENITEZ, Ph.D.

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’.

SEC. 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 shall 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.

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

SEC. 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 the environment for food
security and nutrition:

(b) Community Gardens refer to any piece of land cultivated by group of people using
either individual or shared plots on publie or private land with the consent of the owner,
to produce edibles, such as herbs, vegetables, fruits or omamentals, as a form of
sustainable land use system for economic and societal development. community


gardens may 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;

(c) 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;

( 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 urbanizable areas on which no
improvements have been made by the owner, as certified by the city, municipal or
provincial assessor. [dle 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 aeroponies;

(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;

(D) 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 (5,000) 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;


(I) 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:

(1) Ifa barangay has a population size of five thousand (5,000) or more;

(2) Ifa barangay has at least one establishment with a minimum of one hundred
(100) employees;

(3) 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;

(0) 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 an area by growing crops in vertically stacked layers; such as generally done
in greenhouses, warehouses, abandoned buildings, shipping containers, tunnels,
skyserapers and modem buildings using soilless farming techniques such as
hydroponics, aquaponies or aeroponics.

SEC. 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 available land resources and
buildings in schools, state or private universities and colleges, military camps suitable for
growing crops and raising pouliry, 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 shalll 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.

SEC. 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
aquaculture 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.

SEC. 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, nutrient,
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 urban food systems, agriculture and nutrition data, as
well as the monitoring and evaluation of LGU performance vis-a-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.

SEC. 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 Aris, 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 Filipino 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.

SEC. 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 Filipino Program (4Ps)

SEC. 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.

SEC. 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 Act of 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."

SEC. 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
gardens 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:

() 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;

() 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 considera
hydrologic conditions, costs of project development and operations, financial and
economic factors and institutional arrangements;

(k) The National Nutrition Council and the Food and 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;

() 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 10 encourage participation and empower poor and underprivileged
communities from the preparation and planning to implementation and evaluation of
urban development projects;


(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);

(0) 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; and

(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.

SEC. 11. Performance Report to Congress. — The DA and partner agencies in the
National Convergence Program on Urban Agriculture and Aquaculture shall submit annual
performance reports to Congress.

SEC. 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.

SEC. 13. Implementing Rules and Regulations. ~ Within ninety days (90) 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.

SEC. 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.

SEC. 15. Repealing Clause. — All laws, executive orders, issuances, rules and regulations
inconsistent with this Act are hereby amended, repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 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.