Republic of the Phitippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Quezon City, Metro Manila

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 4750

Introduced by HON. CATALINA CABRERA — BAGASINA
Association of Laborers and Employees (ALE) Party-list

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill will institutionalize urban agricutture and vertical farming in the highly-
urbanized cities nationwide. Urban agriculture is the production, processing and marketing
of food in response to the demand of consumers within a town, city, or metropatis, with the
application of intensive production methods, such as the using and reusing urban resources
and wastes, to yield a diversity of crops and livestock. This bill shall be known as “The
Urban Agriculture Act of 2011”.

‘The urban poor are mostly handicapped in terms of education and job opportunities.
‘The Urban Agriculture Act of 2014 will help them gain the benefits from urban agriculture as
it will continue to better livelihood by providing non-market access to food.

The world population wilt double in 50 years. Studies have shown that new land witi
be needed to grow enough food for everyone. Urban agriculture and farming wit not only
clean our environment but it will also avoid climate change. This proposed measure seeks
to promote the use of urban agriculture and vertical farming in the country's metropolitan
afeas to address food security concems and regenerate ecosystem functions. It is now
high time to combat the effects of over population and climate change.

in view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is eamestly sought.

CATALINA CABI -BAGASINA


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

4750

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by HON. CATALINA CABRERA — BAGASINA
Association of Laborers and Employees (ALE) Party-list

AN ACT
PROMOTING THE USE OF URBAN FARMING IN THE COUNTRY'S
METROPOLITAN AREAS TO ADDRESS FOOD SECURITY CONCERNS AND
REGENERATE ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONS APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
AND FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSE.

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 of
2011".

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the Stale 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 is therefore adopted as a primary
state policy. Towards this end, key reforms for the development of modem, appropriate,
cost-effective and environmentally safe agricultural technologies are hereby encouraged
in order to ensure the faad security of the country.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the term:

“Urban agriculture” shall refer to the practice of cultivating, processing and
distributing of food in, or around a village, tawn or city, Urban agriculture also involves
animal husbandry, aquaculture, agro-forestry and horticulture

“Vertical Farming” shali refer to the method of farming that is brought to the
urban space by employing the concepts of indoor agriculture in skyscrapers and other
modem buildings.

SEC. 4. Comprehensive Research on Urban 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 metropolitan areas as an instrument to
address food security concems and regenerate ecosystem functions in the Philippines.


Idle and/or abandoned government lots and buildings owned by either national or
local governments or available land resources in state universities and colleges shall be
considered for grawing crops, raising livestock and producing food using the said
methods.

SEC. 5. inclusion of Urban Agricufture and Vertical Farming in Agricultural
Training. - Urban agriculture and vertical farming as used in agricultural production
shail be integrated 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 and/or other subjects related to agriculture,

The Department of Education (DepEd), in coordination with the Commission on
Higher Education (CHED), shail promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the
implementation of this Section within six (6) months from the date of effectivity hereof

SEC. 6, Appropriation. - The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act
shall be included and incorporated in the annual general appropriations of the
Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Science and Technology (DOST),
Department of Education (Dep Ed) and Commission on Higher Education (CHEO)

SEC, 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). - Within six (6) months from the
date of effectivity of this Act, the DA and the DOST, shall promulgate the necessary
implementing rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 8. Separability Clause - |f 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. 9. Repealing Clause - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order,
letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent
with the provision of this act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.

SEC. 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from the date
of its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of
general circulation

Approved.