REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No. 1203

Introduced by Representative Maria Lourdes 0. Acosta-Alba

EXPLANATORY NOTE

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the urban
population has an annual growth of 4%. This growth could mean that
urban areas will be home to more than 50% of Filipinos in the future.
However, urban areas also experience high hunger incidence based on
the 2019 Survey of the Social Weather Station.

Moreover, urban agriculture will play a big role to ensure food
security while we are on community quarantine and while we are fighting
the COVID-19 pandemic.

Households, especially in the urban areas, must be given the
opportunity to produce fresh and healthy food from their backyard. This
will help them attain food security even after the community quarantine
is lifted and COVID-19 defeated. Growing one’s own food might be the
“new normal” after COVID-19 that is why it is best to promote urban
agriculture and educate the people to be able to plant on their own.

To alleviate such problems, the proposed legislation aims to promote
and develop Urban Agriculture, which has been proven to address
malnutrition, lessen poverty, and improve local economy.

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

x JURDES O. ACOSTA-ALBA
First District, Bukidnon


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No.__7203

Introduced by Representative Maria Lourdes O. Acosta-Alba

AN ACT PROMOTING INSTRUCTIONAL GARDENS IN PRIMARY AND
SECONDARY SCHOOL CURRICULA AND PROMOTING THE USE OF
URBAN AGRICULTURE IN ALL METROPOLITAN AREAS
NATIONWIDE TO ADDRESS FOOD SECURITY CONCERNS AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEROF

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 "Instructional
Gardens and Integrated Urban Agriculture Act of 2020".

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — The State shall ensure that the fundamental
right of every person to adequate food and to be free from hunger is guaranteed
and protected. As such, the achievement of self-sufficiency and sustainability
in food production is adopted as a primary State policy. Towards this end, the
State shall develop climate-resilient communities in the metropolitan areas
through the promotion of modern, appropriate, cost-effective, and
environmentally safe agriculture technologies to ensure food security, promote
a healthy citizenry and an improved quality of life for urban dwellers.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. — As used in this Act:

(a) Food security refers to a situation wherein food is available and affordable at
all times, and where all people have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious
food to maintain a healthy and active life; agricultural production of food and
goods in urban areas;

(b) Instructional Gardens refer to a program of instruction in all elementary
and secondary schools, where knowledge and skills, not only in urban
agriculture and vertical farming, but in agricultural food production in general,
are imparted to school children through relevant theories and actual
engagement in agricultural cultivation/production. The theories and actual
production shall revolve around the concepts of composting, waste

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management techniques, healthy and nutritious farm produce, sustainable
farm practices, among others;

(c) Integrated urban agriculture refers to the development paradigm that
encompasses principles, management technologies, and the policies relating to
the practice and application of agricultural production of food and goods in
urban areas; and

(d) Vertical farming refers to the method of farming that is brought to the urban
space by employing concepts of indoor agriculture in skyscrapers and other
modern buildings.

SEC. 4. Promotion of and Comprehensive Research on Urban Agriculture
and Vertical Farming. ~ For purposes 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 urban
agriculture and vertical farming in the country’s urban areas and in other
areas in the country where such farming methods are suited, as an
intervention mechanism for further addressing food security concerns of the
country.

Idle and/or abandoned government lots and buildings owned by either the
national government or 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.

SEC. 5. Institutionalization of Instructional Gardens in School Curricula. -
Instructional Gardens program shall be integrated in the academic curricula
for elementary and secondary level students of both public and private
academic institutions, particularly in subjects in Agriculture, Practical Arts,
Home Economics, and/or other related subjects.

The Department of Education (DepEd), in coordination with the Department of
Agriculture, shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the
implementation of this Section within six (6) months from the effectivity of this
Act.

SEC. 6. Participation of Local Government Units. — The local government
units (LGUs), shall formulate policies on the practice of urban agriculture and
vertical farming, and on utilizing urban spaces, unused spaces, and idle lands,
consistent with its existing policy on the Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP)
and zoning ordinances. The LGUs in cities and urban areas are required to
enact local legislation institutionalizing urban agriculture as a regular
component in the annual appropriations of the LGUs. LGUs shall also grant
necessary incentives to their constituents who actively participate in urban
farming activities.


All homeowners’ associations, neighborhood associations, community
associations, people's organizations, and local business establishments shall
be encouraged by the LGU to participate in urban agriculture activities.

SEC. 7. Tax Incentives. — All allocations of grants, endowments, donations, or
contributions and technical assistance provided by private individuals or
corporations to schools for the promotion and implementation of Institutional
Gardens in the school curricula, as certified by the DepEd, shall be exempt
from taxes and duties.

SEC. 8. Appropriations. — The funds necessary to carry out the initial
implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current year’s budget
of the Department of Agriculture. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary
for the continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual
General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). - Within six (6) months
from the effectivity of this Act, the DA and the Department of Science and
Technology, in coordination with the concerned agencies, shall promulgate the
necessary IRR: Provided, That, spaces for urban agriculture shall not be prime
lots or areas suitable for investments. The LGUs in cities and urban areas are
required to enact local legislation institutionalizing urban 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. - All laws, presidential decrees or issuances,
executive orders, letters of instruction, administrative orders, rules and
regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are
hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.

SEC. 12. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
complete publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation or in
the Official Gazette.

Approved,