Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No._63?

Introduced by
REPRESENTATIVE LOREN B. 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 @ 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, attached 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 Gardening Act.

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

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Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. isa

Introduced by
REPRESENTATIVE LOREN B. 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 of
2019."

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — itis 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
‘Toward this end, the government, in coordination withthe stakeholders in the business sector,
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
county 2s a form of sustainable land use system for food production and other agricultural

Products for economic and societal development.


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‘SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. — For Purposes of this Act, the following terms shall mean:

' Agro-Forestry — a land use management system in which trees or shrubs are grown

‘round 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;

Companion Planting — planting of cfferent crops in close proximity for ecological pest
control, polination, providing habitat for beneficial creatures, maximizing use of space,

and to otherwise increase the Crop productivity;

. 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;

| Ecosystem — a complex set of relationships among the living resources, habitats, and

tesKents of an area which includes plans, trees, animals, fish, birds, microorganisms,
water, soil and people;

>. 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
{0 humans and a system of agro-forestry that creates diverse, productive, healthy,
ecolagically-sound and sustainable system of land use:

Perennial Vegetables — plants that live for more than two (2) years; and,

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 ofthese resources and the
maintenance of their environmental functions

‘SEC. 4. Institutionalization of the Philippine Food Forest. Gardening Program. —In order

'o 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


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“Program’, is hereby insttutionalized. For this purpose, Food Forest Gardening may be
established in the following places:

@. Any parcel or portion of land;

». Public spaces such as urban yards or city and municipal parks;

©. Unutilized and idle public land;

4. Community or common spaces of land developments;

€. Portions of rural farms;

f. Urban housing projects

9. Idle parcels of land in schools, colleges and universities: and,

h. Actual yards of households.

SEC. 5. Objectives of the Program. — The following are the objectives ofthe Program

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:

¢- To maximize land use and provide a significant source of income for urban and rural

communities;

4. To transform farmers from mere mono-crop cultivators to multi-crop agripreneurs;

© To.utiize idle lands and consequently create beautiful lving spaces;

To serve as a model for the youth inspiring them towards sustainable agriculture;

and,

9. To help farmers build a productive farming communities and produce high-quality

‘crops for the country's economy.

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


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Chairperson, and the Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) as

Co-Chairperson. The following shall be its members:

a. Director of the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI);

b. arepresentative of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR);
©. a representative of the Department of Finance (DOF);

d. a representative of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST);

e. a representative of the Department of Education (DepEd);

f. a representative of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED);

Q. 2 representatives of the land developers associations; and,

h. 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
Program;

3. Formulate guidelines for the food forest gardening training program for Local
Government Units (LGUs), concerned 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 of results;

6. Submit annual report to Congress; and

7. Perform such other tasks necessary for the effective implementation of this Act.


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SEC. 8. Participation of LGUs. — All LGUs are hereby mandated to establish the
Program which shall focus on implementing a comprehensive food forest gardening in their
respective levels and jurisdictions. 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
Tules and regulations prohibiting farming or growing food in backyards, patios or houses, and
ther incentives as may be provided by the Commission and the law.

SEC. 10. Establishment of the Philippine Center for Food Forest Gardening. — The
Philippine Center for Food Forest Gardening is hereby established, which shall be under the
Comission 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. Management 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 andlor other subjects related to agriculture.

SEC. 13. Appropriations. — The amount necessary for the implementation ofthis Act is
hereby authorized to be appropriated from the budget ofthe DA, DILG, DOST, DepEd, CHED
‘and DENR not otherwise appropriated. Thereafter, the funds shall be included in the annual

budget of the aforementioned agencies.


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SEC. 14. Implementing 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 tis Act.

SEC. 15. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act, or any part thereof, shall 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, proctamations, 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