1 
Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
1st Regular Session 
House Bill No. ________ 
Introduced by Representative ERIC GO YAP 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The 1987 Constitution guarantees the power of the state to exercise stewardship or 
agrarian reform in the disposition and utilization of other natural resources that it 
deemed suitable for agriculture, although such act shall be subjected to the homestead 
rights of settlers and indigenous people’s rights to their ancestral lands. Hence, while 
it becomes a common misconception that farming and other agricultural activities can 
only be done within the bounds of rural areas or in the vastness of fields in the 
provinces, it does not hamper the government initiatives to maximize spaces and 
utilize technologies to develop the agricultural production in cities including 
metropolitan areas. 
To reiterate, the Philippines recorded the greatest number of food insecure people in 
Southeast Asia in 2017 to 2019, with 59 million Filipinos suffering from moderate to 
severe lack of consistent access to food according to the State of Food Security and 
Nutrition in the World Report last 2020. The government is henceforth tasked to 
consider solutions in eradicating hunger and reducing poverty incidence.  
In line with aforesaid pursuit, this bill seeks to institutionalize the mandate of the local 
government units (LGUs) to 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. In addition, this proposed measure 
September 21, 2022
3:45 pm
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would also pioneer the creation of greener and healthier metropolitan areas in the 
country, thereby making urban agriculture a primary legislative agenda of urban 
development. 
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
ERIC GO YAP 


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
1st Regular Session 
House Bill No. ________ 
Introduced by Representative ERIC GO YAP 
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.” 
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;
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b. Community Gardens refer to any piece of land cultivated by 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 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; 
 
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 urbanizable 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 


 
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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 (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; 
 
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: 
 
1. If a barangay has a population size of five thousand (5,000) or more; 
2. If a 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; 
 
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 an area by growing crops in vertically stacked layers; 
such as generally done in greenhouses, warehouses, abandoned buildings, 


 
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shipping containers, tunnels, skyscrapers and modern buildings using 
soilless farming techniques such as hydroponics, aquaponics 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 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. 
 
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 


 
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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 noncompliance 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-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. 
 


 
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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 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 agri-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. 
 
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 
Pilipino 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 


 
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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 


 
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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 Nutrition Research 
Institute shall assist the DepEd in identifying the crops to be cultivated in 
schools 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;  
 


 
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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. 
 
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,