Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The humble intention of this proposed measure is to contribute to the attainment of 
food security that remains elusive to a lot of Filipinos. This is in line with President 
Ferdinand “Bongbong" Marcos Jr.’s call for the importance of agriculture in pushing 
for growth and employment in the country. 
To further advance agriculture and food security, this measure aims to promote the 
practice of urban farming. Urban farming is the practice of cultivating, processing, 
and distributing food in or around a village, town, or city which could also involve 
animal agriculture, aquaculture, and agroforestry, among others.  
It provides many opportunities for citizens to have easy access to several agricultural 
products right within their cities and/or communities. Moreover, under this measure, 
urban agriculture and vertical farming shall be integrated into the academic 
curriculum for secondary and tertiary-level students of both public and private 
academic institutions. This will impart early information, skills, and knowledge to 
scholars about urban agriculture and vertical farming that could, later on, help them 
choose the said fields as a career.  
In this light, the approval of this bill is fervently sought. 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
November 10, 2022
2:54 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
PROMOTING INTEGRATED URBAN FARMING TO ADDRESS FOOD SECURITY 
CONCERNS AND LIVELIHOOD OPPORTUNITIES AND APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS FOR THE PURPOSE 
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. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to 
reaffirm the fundamental right of every person to adequate food and to be free from 
hunger. The achievement of self-sufficiency in food production and building climate 
resilient communities is therefore adopted as primary state policy. Towards this end, 
key reforms for the development of modern, appropriate, cost-effective and 
environmentally safe agriculture technologies are hereby encouraged in order to 
ensure the food security of the country.   
Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. - For the purpose of this Act, the term: 
3.1. Integrated Urban Agriculture - shall refer to the practice of cultivating, processing 
and distribution of food in, or around a village, town or city. Integrated Urban 
agriculture also involves animal husbandry, aquaculture, agro-forestry and 
horticulture.  
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3.2. Vertical Farming - shall refer to the method of farming that is brought to the 
urban space by employing the concepts of indoor agriculture in sky scrapers and 
other modern buildings.  
 
Sec. 4. Comprehensive Research on Integrated Urban Farming. - For the 
purpose of this Act, the respective Secretaries of the Department of Agriculture (DA) 
and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) are hereby mandated to 
promote the use of integrated urban agriculture and vertical farming in the country's 
metropolitan areas as an instrument to address food security concerns and 
regenerate ecosystem function of the Philippines. Idle and/or abandoned 
government lots and buildings owned by either national and local governments or 
available land resources in state universities and colleges shall be considered for 
growing crops, raising livestock and producing food using the said methods. Safety 
standards must be followed such that DOST and other pertinent agencies should 
include research and development of appropriate technologies necessary in 
promoting integrated agriculture technologies.  
 
Sec. 5. Inclusion of Urban Agriculture and Vertical Farming in Agricultural 
Training. - Urban agriculture and vertical farming used in agricultural production 
shall be integrated in the academic curriculum for secondary and tertiary level 
students of both public and private academic institutions offering courses on 
Agriculture, Practical Arts, Home Economics and/or other subjects related to 
agriculture. A course curriculum on gardening/urban gardening shall also be 
developed and included into the regular curriculum of both elementary and 
secondary education.  
 
All elementary and secondary schools, public or private, state colleges and 
universities shall implement urban gardening/agriculture and include in its regular 
curriculum its practical or on-hand application.  
 
For universities and colleges, urban gardening or agriculture shall form part of the 
required period of time spent by students in the National Service Training Program 
(NSTP) or the Citizen Military Training (CMT). A plan therefore for the utilization or 


the maximization of space occupied by schools shall be formulated specifically for 
urban gardening/agriculture. Instructional materials shall also be developed.  
 
The Department of Education (DepEd), in coordination with the Commission on 
Higher Education (CHED). Shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for 
the implementation of this section within six (6) months from the date of effectively 
hereof.  
 
Sec. 6. Creation and Composition of the Urban Farming Council (UFC). - There 
is hereby established an Urban Farming Council (UFC) which shall be attached to 
the Department of Agriculture. The UFC shall be composed of the following 
members:   
(a)  The Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA) who shall serve as 
Chair of the UFC;  
(b)  The Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources 
(DENR); (c) The Secretary of the Department of Finance (DOF);  
(d)  The Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST);  
(e)  Representative from the People's Organizations (PO);  
(f)  
Representative from the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO);  
(g)  Representative from the National Urban Poor Sector Council of the National 
Anti-Poverty Commission (NUPSC-NAPC);  
(h)  The National President of the League of the Cities of the Philippines;  
(i)  
The National President of the League of the Municipalities of the Philippines; 
and, 
(j)  
Representative from the private sector who have expertise in urban farming 
and/or vertical farming.  
 
Sec. 7. Appropriation. - The amount necessary for the implementation of this Act 
shall be equivalent to two percent (2%) of the annual appropriations of the 
Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), 
Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CFIED) and 
the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).  
 


Sec. 8. Local Government Units Participation. - The local government units shall 
formulate the policy on the practice of urban farming and the utilization of unused 
spaces and idle lands. This shall require the enactment of local legislation 
institutionalizing urban gardening or agriculture in all levels of the LGU. Further, this 
shall require local governments to enact measures or ordinances that will include 
urban gardening/agriculture as a regular component in budget appropriations of local 
government units.  
 
All cities and urbanized municipalities where urban farming activities are conducted 
shall extend whatever assistance necessary for the urban practitioners/farmers to 
exercise Urban Farming and benefit from any incentives under this Act.  
 
All 
homeowners 
associations, 
neighborhood 
associations 
and 
community 
associations and/or people's organizations are encouraged to participate in urban 
farming activities within their area of operations. The concerned LGU shall grant  
necessary incentives for the benefit of the members of the concerned associations or 
people's organizations who actively participate in urban farming activities.  
 
Sec. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within six (6) months from the 
date of effectivity of this Act, the DA, the DOST, the DepEd, the CHED, the DILG, 
and the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) through the National Urban Poor 
Sector Council (NUPSC), in consultation with the private sector, business groups, 
input providers, consumer groups, informal settlers and most vulnerable sectors, 
non-government organizations and other stakeholders, shall promulgate the 
necessary implementing rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this 
Act.  
 
Sec. 10. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or  
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected 
shall remain valid and subsisting.  
 
Sec. 11. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, or 


inconsistent with the provisions of this act is hereby repealed, modified or amended 
accordingly.  
 
Sec. 12. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from the 
date of its publication in the Official Gazette or In at least two (2) newspapers of 
general circulation.  
 
Approved,