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.,  
HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. 
HORIBATA AND HON. NICOLAS ENCISO VIII 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The clamor for a better food system and higher food budget among the country's 
prison facilities has been heard as far back as the early 2000s. This led to the passage 
of the Bureau of Corrections Act of 2013 which mandated decent provisions of living 
quarters, food, water, and clothing to inmates. However, the call for a raise in the food 
budget for the inmates persisted. In fact, last 2018, the Manila City Jail resorted to 
buying commercial rice despite its higher price tag due to a lack of supply from the 
National Food Authority.  
To address the need for access to adequate food for the country's penal institutions, 
this bill proposes to implement Prison Agricultural programs in prison facilities. The 
program will provide training to prisoners who will be allowed to work and cultivate the 
arable areas and perform farming activities for their own consumption or to be sold for 
profit.  
As such, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
 MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE 
TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. HORIBATA 
NICOLAS ENCISO VIII 
July 18, 2022
5:29 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.,  
HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. 
HORIBATA AND HON. NICOLAS ENCISO VIII 
AN ACT  
MANDATING ALL PENAL INSTITUTIONS WITH AREAS SUITABLE FOR 
AGRICULTURE TO IMPLEMENT A VOLUNTARY AGRICULTURAL LIVELIHOOD 
PROGRAM FOR PRISONERS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Prison Agricultural Program. — The Bureau of Corrections shall in 
coordination with the Department of Agriculture, implement a voluntary agricultural 
livelihood program in all penal institutions with areas suitable for agriculture. The 
program shall provide training within their respective penal institution to prisoners who 
will be allowed to work and cultivate the arable areas and perform farming activities 
to produce crops and goods for their own consumption or to be sold for profit. The 
profits derived from the program shall be credited to the Prison Agriculture Revolving 
Fund. 
SECTION 2. Role of the Department of Agriculture. — The Department of 
Agriculture shall supply the seeds, fertilizers, equipment and other implements 
necessary for the voluntary agricultural livelihood program and shall provide technical 
support and advice to prison personnel on the management and maintenance of the 
prison farm. It shall also provide the prisoners who will participate in the program the 
necessary training on agriculture, equipment operations, and farming procedures. 
The head of the penal institution shall act as the custodian of the agricultural 
supplies and equipment. 
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SECTION 3. Voluntary Participation of Prisoners and Their Wages. — The 
prisoners who will work in the farm shall be chosen upon the recommendation by the 
head of the penal institution concerned based on criteria that shall be determined by 
the Department of Justice (DOJ). 
The chosen prisoners shall work on a voluntary basis only, in which case the 
participant shall be paid the minimum wage rate that is prevailing in the area where 
the penal institution is located. The compensation shall be paid from the Prison 
Agriculture Revolving Fund. 
 
SECTION 4. Prison Agricultural Revolving Fund. — Every penal institution 
implementing the agricultural program shall establish the "Prison Agricultural 
Revolving Fund," consisting of the earnings derived from the program. 
The Prison Agriculture Revolving Fund shall be exclusively and primarily used for 
the following: 
a. Payment of wages of inmates who work in the prison farm; and 
b. Acquisition of agricultural inputs, seeds and fertilizers and other provisions for 
farming. 
At the end of the year, fifty percent (50%) of the Prison Agricultural Revolving 
Fund shall be given as dividends to all inmates who participated in the agricultural 
program; twenty percent (20%) shall be utilized for the improvement of the penal or 
prison facility; and the remaining thirty percent (30%) shall be the start-up funds for 
the succeeding year. 
 
SECTION 5. Reportorial Requirement. — The Bureau of Corrections shall, in 
coordination with the Department of Agriculture, conduct a review of the Prison 
Agricultural Program every two (2) years and submit a report to both Houses of 
Congress. Said report shall contain the following information: 
a. Rate of success, failure of the program; 
b. Expenses incurred in the implementation of the program per cropping season; 
c. List of inmates who participated in the program; 
d. Benefits of the program; 
e. Problems encountered in the implementation of the program; and 


 
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f. Recommendation of the heads of each of the penal institutions. 
 
SECTION 6. Appropriations. — The amount necessary for the initial implementation 
of this Act shall be charged to the appropriations for the Department of Agriculture. 
Thereafter, such sum as may be necessary for the continued implementation of this 
Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
 
SECTION 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within sixty (60) days after 
the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Justice shall, in coordination with the 
Secretary of Agriculture, issue such rules and regulations necessary for the effective 
implementation of this Act. 
 
SECTION 8. Separability Clause. — Should any provision herein be declared 
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity of the other provisions of this 
Act. 
 
SECTION 9. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, orders, rules, and regulations 
or other issuances or parts inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
repealed, amended, or modified accordingly. 
 
SECTION 10. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect in fifteen (15) days 
after publication in the Official Gazette or in one (1) newspaper of general circulation 
in the Philippines. 
 
Approved,