Ls RECEIVED

Republic of the Philippines ID gag, OO ROY 28H
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City

Seventeenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No,_ 4337

Introduced by AGRI PARTYLIST
Representative Orestes T. Salon

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to promote urban agriculture in all urban areas in the country,
establishing for the purpose the Urban Agriculture Program, and appropriating
funds therefor.

‘The Philippines was again hailed as one of the fastest growing economies in
Asia as it gained 6.9% Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate on the first
quarter of 2016. The country is largely dependent on agriculture for its subsistence
as the Philippines is mainly an agricultural country. However, the agriculture,
hunting, forestry and fishing or AHFF industry contracted the lowest GDP growth
rate at 4.4% for the first quarter of 2016 according to the Philippine Statistics
Authority. On the other hand, there is still the undeniable shortage of food in the
Philippines, as evidenced by our country’s dismal ranking in the 2015 Global Food
Security Index wherein we placed 74” out of the 109 countries studied. This is
disheartening and calls for an immediate solution before the country further slips
into a state of hunger and food deprivation.

There has been a considerable interest in urban agriculture recently all over
the world, due to concerns on environment degradation, decreased food production
and increasing population. It is a food-producing activity that is community-based
and would definitely help an urban area in its quest for sustainable development.
As defined in this Act, urban agriculture refers to farming in all its branches
including, but not limited to, the cultivation and tillage of the soil, the production,
cultivation, growing, and harvesting of any agricultural, aqua cultural, agro-

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forestry or horticultural products, the raising of livestock, dairy-producing animals,
and poultry, agricultural education, the sale of produce and any practices

performed by a farmer or on a farm as an incident to or in conjunction with
farming operations.

This bill provides that an Urban Agricultural Zone (UAZ) be established in
every LGU wherein private individuals, corporations or partnerships may
participate in the development and cultivation of such. The participating entities
shall be given incentives and assisted by the Department of Agriculture in their
operations. The Urban Agriculture Program shall also aid the residents in terms of
education and job opportunities, as there will be trainings regarding the program
and possibility of employment within the UAZ.

It is foreseen that the world population will double in fifty years.
Consequently, demands for food will also increase and understandably, more lands
and better agricultural practices. We must begin responding to these challenges as
early as now by instituting urban agriculture.

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

SR
REP. ORESTES T. SALON
AGRI Partylist


Seward saneavn=

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

Seventeenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 4887

Introduced by AGRI PARTYLIST
Representative Orestes T. Salon

AN ACT
PROMOTING THE USE OF URBAN AGRICULTURE IN ALL URBAN
AREAS IN THE PHILIPPINES, ESTABLISHING FOR THE PURPOSE
THE URBAN AGRICULTURE PROGRAM AND APPROPRIATING
FUNDS THEREFOR

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 Act.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy.—It is hereby declared the policy of the State
to ensure that every citizen will have unrestricted access to quantitative and
qualitative adequate supply of food, Pursuant to this, the State shall establish and
adopt a continuing program that will promote and protect the right to adequate
food of all Filipinos by promoting urban agriculture. The implementation of
modern, environmentally safe and cost-effective agricultural technologies shall be
encouraged in all urban areas in the country.

SEC. 3. Urban Agriculture Program.—There shall be established an Urban
Agriculture Program, hereinafter referred to as the Program, which shall be


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implemented on idle or abandoned goverment lots owned by either national or
local governments, and on available land resources in state colleges and
universities. The Program aims to boost food productivity, help address food
inadequacy and regenerate ecosystem functions in the country.

The program shall encourage the use of indigenous materials for agricultural
inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, and agricultural machinery and other agricultural
implements.

As used in this Act, Urban Agriculture shall mean farming in all its branches
including, but not limited to, the cultivation and tillage of the soil, the
production, cultivation, growing, and harvesting of any agricultural, aqua cultural,
agro-forestry or horticultural products, the raising of livestock, dairy-producing
animals, and poultry, agricultural education, the sale of produce and any practices
performed by a farmer or on a farm as an incident to or in conjunction with
farming operations.

SEC. 4.Coverage.—The Program shall cover idle or abandoned lands in all
urban areas and all available land resources in state colleges and universities in the
country which are not less than 200 square meters but not more than half a hectare
in size. Urban areas refer to cities and municipalities categorized as such by the
Philippine Statistics Authority.

SEC. 5. Urban Agriculture Zone. All city and municipal governments
shall designate an urban agriculture zone (UAZ) within their jurisdiction,
indicating the appropriate geographic boundaries. The UAZ may be composed of
one large parcel of land or multiple smaller parcels of land, whichever is
applicable. The designation of the UAZ shall be subject to the approval of the city
or municipality’s Sanggunian, which shall pass an ordinance expressing its
approval.

SEC. 6. Participation of the Private Sector. Private individuals, civil

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society groups, corporations and partnerships may participate in the Program and
enter into management contract or joint venture arrangement with the local
government units (LGUS) for the development or cultivation of the UAZ, subject
to existing laws. The LGUs shall require the participating corporation and
partnerships to provide livelihood projects or opportunities to families living
within the city or municipality where the UAZ to be developed is located,

SEC. 7. Incentive Package. — Individuals, groups, corporations or
partnerships that participate in the program are entitled to tax incentives in all
aspects germane to the urban agriculture activities. These incentives include:

a) In case importation is necessary, exemption from the payment of
customs and duties of all types of agricultural inputs, particularly seeds, fertilizers,
agricultural machinery and other agricultural implements as provided under
Republic Act (RA) No. 8435, otherwise known as the “Agriculture and Fisheries
Modernization Act of 1997,” as amended;

b) Exemption from the value-added tax (VAT) on the importation of
agricultural inputs particularly fertilizers, seeds and seedlings in accordance with
Section 109 of RA 8424, otherwise known as the “Jax Reform Act of 1997,” as
amended; and

c) Expenses that are directly related to the program may be claimed as
allowable expenses in the regular operation of the corporation.

SEC. 8. Other Incentives. — Loans extended by government and private
banks to participating individuals, corporations and partnerships shall be treated as
compliance to RA 10000, otherwise known as the “Agri-Agra Reform Credit Act of
2009.”

SEC. 9. Duration. — Participating individuals, corporations and partnerships
may develop or cultivate the UAZ or parts of it, for a period of five (5) years which
may be renewed for another five (5) years, subject to the approval of the local

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Sanggunian.

SEC.10. Inclusion of Urban Agriculture in the Curriculum.— The
Department of Education and the Commission on Higher education shall ensure
that urban agriculture shall be included 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 or other subjects related
to agriculture. A course curriculum on urban gardening shall also be developed and
included into the regular curriculum of both elementary and secondary levels.

For universities and colleges, urban agriculture shall form part of the

required period of time spent by students in the National Service Training Program
or the Citizens Military Training.

SEC. 11. Implementing Agencies. — The Department of Agriculture (DA)
and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) shall be the lead agencies to
institute measures to ensure the proper development and cultivation of the UAZ
through urban agriculture schemes. In coordination with the other government
agencies, the DA and DAR shall facilitate the processing of contracts between
corporations and partnerships and the LGUs. The DA and DAR shall exercise the
following functions:

a) Facilitate and promote grassroots cooperation to access agricultural
services such as information, inputs and technical assistance;

b) Initiate and develop periodic farm assembly markets to provide avenues
to showcase the produce;

¢) Exercise regulatory functions with respect to the adherence to the
provisions of contracts and arrangements entered into by individuals, corporations
and partnerships and the LGUs, and to develop mechanisms to facilitate
negotiations and mediate in disputes between stakeholders on matters of contract

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enforcement;

e) Coordinate with appropriate government agencies to ensure the timely
establishment of support services such as credit, infrastructure, extension services
and others; and

) Conduct, together with the LGUs, a training program for residents
regarding urban agriculture.

SEC. 12. Appropriations.—The amount necessary to carry out the
provisions of this Act shall be included in the current appropriations of the
Department of Agriculture. Thereafter, such amount as may be necessary for its
continued implementation shall be included in the annual General Appropriations
Act.

SEC. 12 Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within ninety (90) days
after the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture jointly with the
Secretary of Agrarian Reform shall, in consultation with other concemed
government agencies, non-governmental organizations, private sectors and
farmers’ groups, formulate the rules and regulations necessary for its effective
implementation.

SEC. 13. Automatic Review. The Department of Agriculture and the
Department of Agrarian Reform, being the lead government agencies in the urban
agriculture program, shall submit periodic reports to both Houses of Congress on
the status of the program three (3) years after its implementation. Thereafter, a
review on the viability of the program shall be made by the appropriate agencies
every five (5) years.

SEC. 14. Separability Clause.— If any provisions of this Act is declared
invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions hereof which are not affected thereby
shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 15. Repealing Clause. ~All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and

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regulations, issuances or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this Act

are hereby 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,