SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
First Regular Session
)
S E N A T E  
S. B. NO. 1186
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'16 
OCT- 4  
P 4 :3 0
K l; I t .i
Introduced by SENATOR LOREN LEGARDA
AN ACT
PROMOTING FOOD FOREST GARDENING, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR, 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Explanatory Note
Food forest gardening is seeing a resurgence in urban areas worldwide. A food 
forest is a system of gardening using perennial vegetables chosen to 
complement and support each other, minimizing weeds, 
pests and 
maintenance while providing a rich variety of harvest. There is a need to adopt 
the concept of forest gardening to ensure a sustainable method of food 
production with minimal cost.
This bill seeks to promote and institutionalize food forest gardening in the 
country as a sustainable land use system to address the limited resources for 
sustainable food production with minimal farming costs but increased harvests 
even in small plots of land. The Philippine Food Forest Gardening Commission 
(PFFGC) shall be created as an attached agency to the Department of 
Agriculture (DA), and shall act as the policy-making body for the effective 
implementation of this Act. 
Local Government Units (LGUs), educational 
institutions and other stakeholders are mandated to participate in the 
program. Likewise, the Philippine Center for Food Forest Gardening (PCFFG) 
shall be established under the Commission, to provide information, training, 
education, expertise and best practices to implement the Food Forest Program.
In view of the foregoing, urgent passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
SGARDA
Senator


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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session 
)
S E N A T E  
S. B. NO. 1186
*16 
OCT - 4  
P 4  :30
Introduced by SENATOR LOREN LEGARDA
AN ACT PROMOTING FOOD FOREST GARDENING, PROVIDING FUNDS 
THEREFOR, 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 “Food Forest 
Gardening Act.”
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to 
build, preserve, and maintain a healthy ecosystem; protect and develop 
biodiversity and habitats for wildlife; conserve the country’s crop genetic 
diversity and heirloom plants as a strategy for climate change adaptation, 
mitigation and resiliency; and promote public awareness on ecological and 
sustainable use of land resources for food production and other products. 
Towards this end, the government, in coordination with the business interests, 
such as land developers and social entrepreneurs and the civil society, shall 
promote and integrate Food Forest Gardening by establishing and developing 
community gardens in the country as a sustainable land use system for food 
production and other agricultural products for economic and societal 
development.
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms 
shall mean:
(a) Agro-Forestry - a land use management system in which trees or 
shmbs are grown around or among crops or pasture land and 
combines shrubs and trees in agricultural and forestry technologies to 
create more diverse, productive, profitable, healthy, ecologically 
sound, and sustainable land-use systems;
(b) Companion Planting — planting of different crops in close proximity for 
ecological pest control, pollination, providing habitat for beneficial 
creatures, maximizing use of space, and to otherwise increase crop 
productivity;


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(c) Crop Rotation - practice of successive planting of different crops on 
the same land to improve soil fertility and crop yield, reduce soil 
erosion and help control insects and diseases;
(d) Ecosystem - a complex set of relationships among the living 
resources, habitats, and residents of an area which include plants, 
trees, animals, fish, birds, microorganisms, water, soil and people;
(e) Forest Gardening - “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 directly useful to humans and a 
system of agro-forestiy that creates diverse, productive, healthy, 
ecologically-sound and sustainable system of land use;
(f) Perennial Vegetables - plants that live for more than two (2) years;
(g) Sustainable Land-Use Management - use of land resources, including 
soil, 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.
SEC. 4. 
Institutionalization of the Philippine Food Forest Gardening 
Program. - In order to ensure food security and regenerate ecosystem 
functions through a system of layers of vegetation, the Philippine Food Forest 
Gardening Program, hereinafter referred to as the “Program”, is hereby 
institutionalized. For this purpose. Food Forest Gardening may be established 
in the following places:
a. Any parcel or portion of land;
b. Public spaces such as urban yards or city and municipal parks;
c. Unutilized and idle public land;
d. Community or common spaces of land developments;
e. Portions of rural farms;
f. Urban housing projects; and
g. Actual yards of households.
SEC. 5. Objectives of the Program. - The following are the objectives of the 
Program:
a. To introduce low maintenance food production through agro-forestry;
b. To establish sustainable food forest gardening using mostly 
perennial vegetables through crop rotation and companion planting in 
the country;
c. To maximize land use and provide a significant source of income for 
urban and rural communities;
d. To transform farmers from mere mono-crop cultivators to multi-crop 
agripreneurs;
To utilize idle lands and consequently create beautiful living spaces;
To serve as a model for the youth inspiring them towards sustainable 
agriculture; and
To help farmers build a productive farming communities and produce 
high-quality crops for the country’s economy.
e.
f.
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SEC. 6. Creation and Composition of the Philippine Food Forest 
Gardening Commission. - There is hereby created the Philippine Food Forest 
Gardening Commission, hereinafter referred to as the “Commission”, which 
shall be attached to the Department of Agriculture (DA) and shall act as a 
policy-making body for effective and continuing implementation of the 
provisions of this Act. 
It shall be headed by the Secretary of the DA, as 
Chairperson, and the Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local 
Government (DILG) as Co-Chairperson. The following shall be its members:
(a) the Director of the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI);
(b) a representative of the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR);
(b) a representative of the Department of Finance (DOF);
(c) a representative of the Department of Science and Technology 
(DOST);
(d) a representative of the Department of Education (DepEd);
(e) a representative of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED);
(f) 2 representatives of the land developers associations; and
(g) 2 representatives of Non-Government Organizations (NGOs).
SEC. 7. Powers and Functions of the Commission. — The Commission shall 
have the following powers and functions:
1. Formulate framework, plan, and policy for the Philippine Food Forest 
Gardening in both national and local levels;
2. Prepare a comprehensive Manual for the Philippine Food Forest 
Gardening;
3. Formulate guidelines for the food forest gardening training program 
for Local Government Units (LGUs), concerned government agencies 
and offices; teachers or instructors of both public and private schools 
teaching subjects related to agriculture, particularly those under the 
K to 12 program, and other interested members of society, such as 
non-government organizations (NGOs);
4. Devise and implement resource development scheme to ensure 
continued allocation of funds;
5. Assess overall progress of the food forest training program and review 
the monitoring and evaluation results;
6. Submit annual report to Congress; and
7. Perform such other tasks for the effective implementation of this Act.
SEC. 8. Participation of LGUs. - All local Government Units (LGUs) are 
hereby mandated to establish the Program which shall focus on conducting a 
comprehensive food forest gardening in their areas. The concerned LGUs shall 
encourage all home developers, homeowners, neighborhood, community 
and/or People’s Organizations to participate in the Program.
SEC. 9. Incentives. - Those participating in the Program shall be granted 
incentives including, but not limited to, exemption from payment of real estate 
tax, exemption from existing rules and regulations prohibiting farming or 
growing food in backyards, patios or houses, and other incentives as may be 
provided by the Commission and the law.


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SEC. 10. 
Establishm ent of the Philippine Center for Food Forest 
Gardening. -  The Philippine Center for Food Forest Gardening is hereby 
established, which shall be under the Commission and shall provide 
information, trainings, education, expertise, best practices and networking to 
implement the food forest gardening program. It shall likewise provide the 
necessary 
secretariat, 
administrative, 
and 
technical 
support to 
the 
Commission.
SEC. 11. M anagement Fund. 
For the implementation of this Act, a 
management fund shall be established for the following purposes;
(a) Research;
(b) Information and educational campaign;
(c) Trainings; and
(d) Pilot programs.
SEC. 12. Integration of the Program in School Curriculum. - The Program 
shall be integrated in the academic curriculum for senior high school and 
college students taking up Agriculture, Practical Arts, Home Economics and/or 
other subjects related to agriculture.
SEC. 13. Appropriations. -  The amount necessary for the implementation of 
this Act is hereby authorized to be appropriated from the budget of the DA, 
DILG, DepEd, CHED and DENR not otherwise appropriated. Thereafter, the 
funds shall be included in the annual budget of the aforementioned agencies.
SEC. 14. Im plem enting Rules and Regulations. - The DA, in coordination 
with the DILG, DOST, DepEd, CHED, DENR and other stakeholders, shall 
promulgate the rules and regulations to effectively implement the provisions of 
this Act.
SEC. 
15. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act, or any part 
thereof be declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining provisions not 
affected thereby shall continue in full force and effect.
SEC. 16. Repealing Clause. — All laws, presidential decrees, proclamations, 
executive orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof, inconsistent with the 
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
SEC. 
17. 
Effectivity. -  This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days 
following its complete publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general 
circulation.
Approved,