TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
SENATE
815
'^6^' of Hh' •’ ■ ■ '1 11'j’
25 AUG-4 PI :34
RECEiVcD BV
S. No.
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda
AN ACT
PROMOTING SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION TECHNOLOGIES AND 
APPROACHES FOR SUSTAINABLE LAND MANAGEMENT IN THE 
PHILIPPINES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Philippines is facing a silent but escalating environmental crisis: land 
degradation. Approximately 13 million hectares or nearly 45% of the country's arable 
land are now moderately to severely eroded. This deterioration is primarily driven by 
widespread deforestation, unsustainable agricultural practices, and the excessive use 
of chemical inputs such as urea, which strip the soil of its essential nutrients, leading 
to long-term degradation or "soil mining."
This erosion of our natural capital does not only threaten food production, it 
also aggravates the effects of climate change. Healthy soils are among the world's 
largest natural carbon sinks. But when they are degraded, they release stored carbon 
back into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. Moreover, degraded soils 
lose their capacity to retain nutrients and absorb rainfall, weakening the resilience of 
ecosystems and increasing vulnerability to droughts, floods, and landslides.
The socio-economic toll is also severe. More than 33 million Filipinos, mostly 
from rural and upland communities, are affected by land degradation, which has 
worsened poverty, reduced farm productivity, and compromised long-term food and 
water security.


This bill seeks to address the urgent need for sustainable land stewardship 
through the establishment of a National Soil and Water Conservation Program. The 
program will promote science-based and community-driven soil and water 
conservation approaches to reverse degradation and improve agricultural productivity.
A key feature of the bill is the creation of Soil and Water Conservation Guided 
Farms (SWCGFs) in upland areas, which will serve as demonstration sites for effective 
and replicable soil and water conservation techniques. The bill also mandates the 
construction of small-scale rainwater harvesting structures, organized in clusters, to 
collect and store rainwater and surface runoff. This is critical for improving water 
availability and reducing pressure on natural watersheds.
In view of the foregoing, early passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
LOREN LEGARDA


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE
815
of l!)c s2-' 1 "Mrp
25 AUG-4 PI 34
RtCEiVtO BV.
S. No.
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda
AN ACT
PROMOTING SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION TECHNOLOGIES AND 
APPROACHES FOR SUSTAINABLE LAND MANAGEMENT IN THE 
PHILIPPINES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Short Title - This Act shall be known as the "Soil and Water
2 
Conservation Act."
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to
4 
promote and support soil and water conservation technologies and approaches
5 
through the development, promotion, and implementation of soil and water
6 
conservation measures and practices, including rainwater harvesting, to enhance
7 
decision-making, planning, and potential up-scaling of good practices. Towards this
8 
end, the State shall support Sustainable Land Management (SLM) programs for
9 
livelihood improvement, particularly that of upland farmers and indigenous peoples,
10 
and for the prevention of land degradation and the protection of the environment and
11 
natural resource base.
12 
Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the following terms shall
13 
mean:
14 
a) Land degradation - refers to the reduction or loss of the biological or
15 
economic productivity and complexity of rain-fed cropland, irrigated
16 
cropland, range, pasture, forest, and woodlands resulting from land use or
17 
from processes or a combination of processes arising from human activities
18 
and habitation pattern such as soil erosion caused by wind and/or water;


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
deterioration of the physical, chemical, and biological or economic 
properties of soils; and long-term loss of natural vegetation.
b) Organic agriculture - refers to a production system that sustains the health 
of soils, ecosystems, and people. It relies on ecological processes, 
biodiversity, and cycles adapted to local conditions rather than the use of 
inputs with adverse effects. Organic agriculture combines tradition, 
innovation, and science to benefit the shared environment and to promote 
a fair relationship and good quality of life for all involved.
c) Rain-fed area - refers to an area not served by any irrigation facilities and 
mainly relies on rainfall for crop and animal production.
d) Rainwater harvesting system - refers to a system that collects, 
accumulates, and stores rainwater and surface runoff for purposes of 
supplemental irrigation, inland fish production, and other agricultural 
purposes. For the purpose of this act, a small-scale rainwater harvesting 
system refers to reservoir storage facilities with a height of not more than 
5 meters and a surface area of not more than 2,500 sq. meters.
e) Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT) - refers to a simple, 
applicable, low-cost method of upland farming that consists of alley 
farming in which field and perennial crops are grown in bands 4-5 meters 
wide between contoured rows of leguminous trees and shrubs.
f) Soil and Water Conservation Technologies - refer to measures that control 
soil and water degradation and enhance productivity in the field.
g) Soil and Water Conservation Approaches - refer to ways and means of 
support that help to introduce, implement, adapt, and apply soil and water 
conservation technologies in the field.
h) Soil and Water Conservation Guided Farm (SWCGF) - refers to a farm one 
hectare or larger, established to showcase appropriate soil and water 
conservation technologies for possible replication and up-scaling, and 
facilitate the proper implementation of soil and water conservation 
technologies through the availment of technical assistance in the field 
survey, the soil and water conservation farm planning, and the 
implementation of the plan.


1 
i) Soil and Water Conservation Farm Plan - refers to a plan that considers
2 
the right mix of farm enterprises and appropriate soil and water
3 
conservation technologies, which is formulated with reference to existing
4 
bio-physical and socio-economic conditions of the farm and consultation
5 
with farmer cooperators.
6 
j) Soil Conservation - refers to the management of soil to prevent or reduce
7 
soil erosion and depletion by wind and water.
8 
k) Sustainable Land Management (SLM) - refers to the use of land resources,
9 
including soils, water, animals, and plants, for the production of goods to
10 
meet changing needs while simultaneously ensuring the long-term
11 
productive potential of these resources and the maintenance of their
12 
environmental functions.
13 
I) Upland - refers to the extensive portion of land located within 100-500
14 
meters above sea level (masi) with a slope of less than 18%.
15 
m) Water Conservation - refers to the protection, development, and efficient
16 
management of water resources for beneficial purposes.
17 
n) Watershed - refers to a land area drained by a stream or a fixed body of
18 
water with its tributaries having a common outlet for surface runoff. This
19 
includes a small watershed with an area of 10,000 hectares and below; a
20 
medium-scale watershed with an area of more than 10,000 hectares to
21 
50,000 hectares; and a large-scale watershed with an area of 50,000
22 
hectares and above.
23 
o) Watershed management - refers to the process of guiding and organizing
24 
land and other resource used in a watershed to provide desired goods and
25 
services without adversely affecting soil, water, or other natural resources.
26 
p) Watershed protection - refers to a management strategy to control soil
27 
erosion and prevent illegal cutting of vegetation and other land degrading
28 
activities in the watershed.
29 
Sec. 4. The National Soil and Water Conservation Program. In order to address
30 
the problem of land degradation, which affects the state and management of
31 
our natural resources, a National Soil and Water Conservation Program, hereinafter
32 
referred to as the Program, is hereby established. The Program shall foment synergy


1 
between agricultural productivity improvement and sustainable land management
2 
through the promotion and implementation of soil and water conservation technologies
3 
and approaches.
4 
The Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM), in consultation with
5 
concerned agencies and other stakeholders, shall prepare the National Soil and Water
6 
Conservation Program subject to the approval of the Secretary of the Department of
7 
Agriculture (DA). Upon implementation of this Act, the BSWM shall submit an Annual
8 
Report and Progress Report, as required, within five (5) years, to the Secretary of the
9 
Department of Agriculture for review and assessment.
10 
Sec. 5. Goals and Objectives. - Pursuant to the above declaration, the Program
11 
shall support the implementation of Sustainable Land Management (SLM) projects for
12 
livelihood improvement and prevention of land degradation in the uplands. As such, it
13 
shall adopt the following specific objectives:
14 
a) To establish one thousand (1,000) Soil and Water Conservation Guided
15 
Farms within five (5) years from the effectivity of this Act to showcase
16 
sustainable land management best practices such as but not limited to
17 
sloping agricultural land technology, organic-based agriculture, farm
18 
waste and residue management wastewater recycling 
and re-use,
19 
rainwater harvesting or combination of two or more of these practices
20 
including approaches to implement these practices;
21 
b) To establish ten thousand (10,000) units of small-scale rainwater
22 
harvesting systems consisting of rainwater reservoir 
development,
23 
watershed management, and 
service area development in strategic
24 
upland areas throughout the country within five (5) years from the
25 
effectivity of this Act; and
26 
c) To capacitate and empower Local Government Units (LGUs) and farmers'
27 
associations in the implementation 
and operationalization, 
and
28 
maintenance of soil and water conservation model farms and rainwater
29 
harvesting systems.
30 
d) To protect the topography and hydrological qualities and drainage
31 
capacity of sloping lands in order to ensure soil conservation and prevent
32 
flooding for agricultural land and for surrounding areas.


1 
Sec. 6. Implementing Agency. The Department of Agriculture (DA), through the
2 
Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) and the DA-Regional Field Units (DA-
3 
RFUs), shali provide technical and administrative support in the implementation of the
4 
Program and all other policies and objectives of this Act, and perform such other duties
5 
as may be assigned to it by the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture.
6 
Sec. 7. Farmers Associations. - Farmer-cooperators and program recipients
7 
shall be organized into associations and/ or cooperatives and shail be capacitated on
8 
soil and water conservation. As such, the BSWM and DA-RFUs, in coordination with
9 
concerned local government units (LGUs), shall provide training on soil and water
10 
conservation and shall assist them in accessing available credit windows to sustain the
11 
operation and maintenance of soil and water conservation facilities to be established.
12 
The BSWM and DA-RFUs, in coordination with concerned LGUs, shall assist
13 
and facilitate the registration of such associations and/ or cooperatives for purposes
14 
of participation in the National Soil and Water Conservation Program: Provided, That
15 
the farmers shall select their leaders in accordance with the constitution and by-laws
16 
that they will formulate and firm up.
17 
Sec. 8. Soil and Water Conservation Guided Farms. - Soil and Water
18 
Conservation Guided Farms (SWCGF) shall serve as model farms that will showcase
19 
soil and water conservation approaches and technologies in the uplands. These will
20 
provide a multiplier effect by encouraging other farmers to engage in soil and
21 
water conservation. For this purpose, SWCGF shall be established in clusters
22 
within high-impact areas such as watersheds.
23 
Potential sites shall be identified and selected using approved site selection
24 
criteria, in coordination with concerned LGUs and farmers' associations. Selected
25 
sites shall be subjected to various field surveys, bio-physical characterization, and
26 
socio-economic profiling as inputs in the preparation of the Soil and Water
27 
Conservation Farm Plan: Provided, it shall be prepared in consultation with farmers
28 
based on the sites' bio-physical characteristics, the market potential of crops to be
29 
produced, and capability and resources of farmer-cooperators to manage the farm.
30 
The Soil and Water Conservation Guided Farms shall be established in accordance with
31 
the Soil and Water Conservation Farm Plan, farmers' capabilities and preferences, and
32 
available resources.


1 
The concerned LCDs, through the Office of Municipal Agriculturist, shall provide
2 
agriculture support and services to the farmer-cooperators of Soil and Water.
3 
Conservation Guided Farms to ensure its sustainability and to facilitate broader
4 
adoption by more farmers within a locality.
5 
Sec. 9. Small-Scale Rainwater Harvesting Structures. - Small-scale rainwater
6 
harvesting structures shall be designed and established in clusters to store rainwater
7 
and surface runoff within a watershed. Potential sites shall be identified and selected
8 
using approved site selection criteria in coordination with concerned LGUs and
9 
farmers' associations. Selected sites shall be subjected to various field surveys, bio-
10 
physical characterization, and socio-economic profiling. The small-scale rainwater
11 
harvesting structures shall be implemented in accordance with the approved
12 
engineering plans and design, and field distribution which shall be prepared by
13 
concerned LGUs with technical assistance from BSWM and DA-RFUs.
14 
The BSWM shall turn over the small-scale rainwater harvesting structures to
15 
the concerned LGUs wherein said structures are located. Subject to the requirements
16 
to be set by BSWM, the LGU shall accordingly entrust and delegate the operation and
17 
maintenance of structures to duly organized farmers associations as recipients.
18 
Appropriate cropping pattern and calendar that will optimize the use of stored
19 
rainwater shall be prepared by farmers with technical assistance from the
20 
LGUs through the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist.
21 
Sec. 10. Research, Development, and Extension Services. - Research and
22 
development and extension on soil and water conservation shall be an important
23 
component of the program to provide dynamic technology development, information
24 
dissemination, and extension support in the implementation of the program. Research
25 
and development shall include the following areas: rainwater harvesting design
26 
methods, runoff management technologies, soil moisture conservation impacts, and
27 
groundwater recharge enhancement.
28 
The BSWM, the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR), and the Agricultural
29 
Training Institute (ATI) of the DA; the Ecosystem Research and Development Bureau
30 
(ERDB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR); and
31 
concerned State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), through proper and appropriate
32 
institutional arrangements, shall provide technical support and assistance in the


1 
conduct of research and development and in the provision of extension services on
2 
soil and water conservation to LGUs and farmers associations and cooperatives.
3 
The BSWM and ATI are further directed to assist the LGUs in the conduct of
4 
training for beneficiaries and/or cooperators of Soil and Water Guided Farms and
5 
small-scale rainwater harvesting systems prior to operation and/or turn-over of said
6 
facilities.
7 
Sec. 11. Protection of Topography. - Any development, whether public or
8 
private, that will change the natural topography of any lands of over one hectare or
9 
an accumulated one hectare within any polygon of 5 hectares shall require a
10 
determination by the BSWM that the topographic alteration is necessary and
11 
warranted over long-term soil and water conservation services that the natural
12 
topography would have provided. Such determination shall be submitted to the
13 
Environmental Management Bureau for consideration in the Philippine Environmental
14 
Impact Statement System.
15 
Sec. 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations and Publications. - The
16 
Department of Agriculture, through the Bureau of Soils and Water Management, in
17 
consultation with other concerned agencies and stakeholders, shall promulgate the
18 
necessary rules and regulations to implement this Act within five (5) months upon the
19 
enactment of this Act. It shall likewise compile soil and water conservation strategies
20 
for wide dissemination and language and format accessibility.
21 
Sec. 13. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the initial implementation
22 
of this Act shall be charged to the budget of the Department of Agriculture under the
23 
current General Appropriations Act. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for
24 
its continued implementation shall be included in the annual General Appropriations
25 
Act.
26 
Sec. 14. Repealing Clause. - All laws or parts thereof, decrees, orders, rules
27 
and regulations inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed
28 
or modified accordingly.
29 
Sec. 15. Separability Clause. - If any of the provisions of this Act are declared
30 
invalid, the other provisions which are not affected thereby shall remain to be in full
31 
force and effect.


1 
Sec. 16. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
2 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,
8