, 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
SENihTE 
S.B. i!326 
·14 JUl28 J\8:57 
I, 
. '. 
------------------------------------------------------------~'.~'---.~,~,-.~~,. 
Introduced by Senator Poe 
AN ACT 
PROMOTING INTEGRATED URBAN FARMING TO ADDRESS FOOD SECURITY 
CONCERNS AND LIVELIHOOD OPPORTUNITIES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS 
FOR THE PURPOSE 
Explanatory Note 
Agriculture is the perennial backbone of Philippine economy. Using contemporaneous 
Philippine statistics, the sector employs almost a substantial 65-70% of our work force. 
The 1987 Philippine Constitution for this purpose laid down some principles that accord 
relevance to Philippine agriculture (direct and indirect): 
• 
"The State shall promote a just and dynamic social order that will ensure the 
prosperity and independence of the nation and free the people from poverty 
tlu-ough policies that provide adequate social services, promote full employment, 
a rising standard of living, and an improved quality of life for all." (Article II, 
Section 9); 
• 
"The goals of the national economy are a more equitable distribution of 
opportunities, income, and wealth; a sustained increase in the amount of goods 
and services produced by the nation for the benefit of the people; and an 
expanding productivity as the key to raising the quality of life for all, especially 
the underprivileged. 
The State shall promote industrialization and full employment based on sound 
agricultural development and agrarian reform, through industries that make full of 
efficient use of human and natural resources, and which are competitive in both 
domestic and foreign markets. Xxx" (Article XII, Section 1) 
This legislation is submitted as a tool to promote Philippine agriculture and as a small 
effort to address hunger and food security problem. This policy measure is a social justice bill. 
It seeks to institutionalize integrated urban agriculture and vertical farming in the highly 
urbanized cities nationwide. Integrated Urban agriculture is the production, processing ad 
marketing of food in response to the demand of consumers within a town, city, or metropolis, 
with the application of intensive production methods, such as the using and reusing urban 
sources and wastes, to yield a diversity of crops and livestock, This bill shall be known as "The 
Integrated Urban Agriculture Act of2014". 
The urban poor are mostly handicapped in terms of education and job opportunities. The 
Integrated Urban Agriculture Act of 2013 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 will double in 50 years. Studies have shown that new land will be 
needed to grow enough food for everyone. Urban agriculture and farming will not only clean our 
environment but is will also avoid climate change. This proposed measure seeks to promote the 
use of urban agriculture and vertical farming in the country's metropolitan areas to address food 
security concerns and regenerate ecosystem functions. It is now high time to combat the effects 
of over population and ciimate change. 
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
SEN 1). T..E 
S.B. 
~\i26 
Introduced by Senator Poe 
AN ACT 
'14 
JUL 28 1\8 :57 
PROMOTING INTEGRATED URBAN FARMING TO ADDRESS FOOD SECURITY 
CONCERNS AND LIVELIHOOD OPPORTUNITIES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS 
FOR THE PURPOSE 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
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assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title - This Act shall be known as the "Integrated Urban 
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Agriculture Act of 2014" 
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SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to reaffirm 
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the fundamental right of every person to adequate food and to be free from hunger. The 
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achievement of self-sufficiency in food production and building climate resilient communities is 
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therefore adopted as primary state policy. Towards this end, key reforms for the development of 
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. modern, appropriate, cost-effective and environmentally safe agriculture technologies are hereby 
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encouraged in order to ensure the food security of the country. 
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SEC. 3. Definition of Terms - For the purpose of this Act, the term: 
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3.1. 
"Integrated Urban Agriculture" shall refer to the practice of cultivating, 
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processing and distributing of food in, or around a village, town or city. Integrated Urban 
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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 
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urban space by employing the concepts of indoor agriculture in sky crappers and other modem 
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buildings. 
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SEC. 4. Comprehensive Research on Integrated Urban Farming - For purpose of this 
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Act, the respective Secretaries of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of 
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Science and Technology (DOST) are hereby mandated to promote the use of integrated urban 
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agriculture and vertically farming in the cOlmtry's metropolitan areas as an instrument to address 
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food security concerns and regenerate ecosystem function of the Philippines. 
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Idle and/or abandoned government lots and buildings owned by either national and local 
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governments or available land resources in state universities and colleges shall be considered for 
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growing crops, raising livestock and producing food using the said methods. 
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Safety standards must be followed such that DOST and other pertinent agencies should 
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include research and development of appropriate technologies necessary in promoting integrated 
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agriculture technologies. 
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SEC. 5. Inclusion of Urban Agriculture and Vertical Farming in Agricultural 
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Training - Urban agriculture and vertical fanning are used in agricultural production shall be 
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integrated in the academic curriculum for secondary and tertiary level students of both public and 
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private academic institutions studying courses on Agriculture, Practical Arts, Home Economics 
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and/or other subjects related to agriculture. A course curriculum on gardening/urban gardening 
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shall also be developed and included into the regular curriculum of both elementary and 
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secondary education. 
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All elementary and secondary schools, - public or private - state colleges and universities 
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shall implement urban gardening/agriculture and include in its regular curriculum its practical or 
lion-hand application. 
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For universities and colleges, urban gardening or agriculture shall form part of the 
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required period of time spent by students in the National Service Training Program (NSTP) or 
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the Citizen Military Training (CMT). A plan therefore for the utilization or the maximizing space 
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occupied by schools shall be formulated specitically for urban gardening/agriculture. 
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Instructional materials shall also be developed. 
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The Department of Education (DepEd), in coordination with the Commission on Higher 
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Education (CHED). Shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the implementation 
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of this section within six (6) months from the date of effectively hereof. 
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SEC. 6. Creation and Composition of the Urban Farming Council (UFC). - There is 
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hereby established an Urban Farming Council (UFC) which shall be attached to the Department 
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of Agriculture. The UFC shall compose oftbe following members: 
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(a) The Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA) who shall serve as Chair of the' 
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UFC; 
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(b) The Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR); 
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(c) The Secretary of the Department of Finance (DOF); 
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(d) The Secretary ofthe Department of Science and Technology (DOST); 
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(e) The Representative from the People's Organizations (PO); 
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(f) The Representative from the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO); 
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(g) The Representative from the National Urban Poor Sector Council of the National Anti-
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Poverty Commission (NUPSC-NAPC); 
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(h) The National President of the League of the Cities of the Philippines; 
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(i) The National President of the League of the Municipalities of the Philippines; and, 
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G) The Representative from the private sector who have an expertise in urban farming 
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and/or vertical farming. 
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Section 7. Appropriation -To allocate the amount equivalent to two percent (2%) of the 
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total budget in the armual general appropriations of the Department of Agriculture (DA), 
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Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Education (DepEd), 
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Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Department of Interior and Local 
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Government (DILG). 
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Section 8. Local Government Units Participation - The local government units shall 
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formulate policy on the practise of urban farming, utilizing unused spaces and idle lands. This 
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shall require the enactment of local legislation institutionalizing urban gardening or agriculture in 
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all levels of the LGU. This also shall require local governments to enact measures or ordinances 
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that will include urban gardening/agriculture as regular component in budget appropriations of 
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local government unit. 
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All cities and urbanized municipalities where urban farming activities are conducted shall 
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extend whatever assistance necessary for the urban practitioners/farmers to exercise Urban 
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Farming and benefit from any incentives under this Act" 


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All homeowners associations, neighbourhood associations and community associations 
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and/or people's organizations are encourage participating in urban farming activities within their 
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area of operations. The concerned LGU shall grant a necessary incentives for the benefits of the 
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members of the concerned associations or people's organizations who actively participating in 
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urban farming activities. 
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Section 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations -Within six (6) months from the date of 
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affectivity of this Act, the DA, the DOST, the DepEd, the CHED, the DILG, and the National 
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Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) through the National Urban Poor Sector Council (NUPSC), 
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Private Sectors, Business Group, Input Providers, Consumer Groups, Informal Settlers and most 
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vulnerable Sectors, Non-Government Organizations and other stakeholders shall promulgate the 
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necessary implementing rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act. 
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Section 10. Seperability Clause - If any provision or part here of is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
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valid and subsisting. 
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Section 11. Repealing Clause - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
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order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
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with the provision of this act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
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Section 12. Effectivity Clause - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from the date 
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of its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general 
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circulation. 
Approved,