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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
Introduced by Representative Ron P. Salo 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
So much has been said about the ills and predicaments of agricultural 
development and environmental conservation efforts in the Philippines. Sadly, 
however, there is no significant initiative to tap and empower the Filipino youth sector 
to concretely contribute to address these long-standing challenges. The pandemic has 
emphasized the need to equip our youth with different practical knowledge and skills 
in order to contribute in agricultural food production and environmental protection. 
Being primarily an agricultural country, the Philippines puts premium in the 
development of the agricultural sector as it directly affects the economy and the quality 
of life of its people. However, it is quite concerning that low food productivity has now 
become a national issue. To illustrate, in the 2020 report on the State of Food Security 
and Nutrition in the World prepared by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) 
of the United Nations (UN), the Philippines recorded the highest number of food 
insecure people in Southeast Asia in 2017 to 2019, with 59 million Filipinos suffering 
from moderate to severe lack of consistent access to food. These findings were even 
recorded before the pandemic.  
Further, the effects of unchecked degradation of natural resources due to 
massive deforestation and improper land use are now being felt through climate 
change and natural calamities. Indeed, what is at stake is the sustainability of the 
country at present and for the generations to come. 
The 1987 Constitution recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and 
encourages their involvement in civic affairs. It mandates the State to protect and 
promote the right to health of the people and to instill health consciousness among 
them, and further promotes the protection and advancement of the right of the people 
to a balanced and healthful ecology, in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature. 
Inspired by the success of the boy and girl scouting movement in the Philippines 
since 1938 whose training program prepares the youth for responsible leadership and 
nation-building, this proposed measure aims to inspire and move young people to take 
leadership roles with strong emphasis on agriculture, fisheries, forest and marine 
conservation and management, and ecology-related training programs. It seeks to 
help in addressing these challenges by marshalling the untapped youth resource of 
the entire Philippine population. 
January 12, 2023
2:32 pm
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This measure aims to empower the youth to learn the importance of agriculture, 
fisheries, forest and marine conservation and management, and ecology; take a 
proactive stance in environment conservation and climate change resiliency; discover 
the fundamental concepts of proper food nutrition; and be acquainted with modern 
farming, fisheries, and food production methods. It is our aspiration that the learning 
process would instill in their young minds a sense of wonder that leads to awareness 
and initiative and a desire to engage in agriculture, fisheries, forest and marine 
conservation and management, and ecology. It is hoped that this will contribute to our 
collective aspiration of achieving food self-sufficiency.  
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
RON P. SALO   
   KABAYAN Party List 


 
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
Introduced by Representative Ron P. Salo 
AN ACT 
CREATING THE AGRICULTURAL-SCOUTING PROGRAM FOR MANDATORY 
INCLUSION IN ELEMENTARY AND JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL UNDER THE K-12 
BASIC EDUCATION CURRICULUM IN ALL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN  
THE PHILIPPINES, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
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 “Agri-Scouting Act”. 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is hereby declared the policy of the State 
to recognize the vital role of the youth in nation-building and encourage their 
involvement in civic affairs, protect and promote the right to health of the people and 
instill health consciousness among them, and protect and advance the right of the 
people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of 
nature. 
For this purpose, the State hereby adopts the best practices of the boy and girl 
scouting movement for integration into a comprehensive and science-based 
agricultural and fisheries training program, including forest and marine conservation 
and management and ecology, for elementary and junior high school students under 
the K-12 curriculum, whether in public or private schools. They are to become agents 
of change in their respective communities by learning the importance and urgency of 
conserving nature, the best practices on sustainable agriculture to increase food 
production, and awareness over natural resources, thereby developing core 
competencies in basic subsistence and commercial farming as their concrete 
contribution towards nation-building. 
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. – As used in this Act: 
a) Agri-Scouting refers to any official indoor or outdoor activity which promotes
agricultural, fisheries, forest conservation and management, and ecological
training programs suitable or appropriate for elementary and junior high
school students under the K-12 basic education curriculum with strong focus
on environmental, agricultural, and fisheries theory building, tree planting
and vegetable gardening, recycling and environment conservation, modern
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farming and food production methods, subsistence and commercial farming, 
and environmental laws. 
 
Agri-Scouting shall also include the participation of an Agri-Scout or any of 
its program leaders to any municipal, city, provincial, regional, and national 
Agri-Scouting event. 
 
b) Agri-Scouts refer to students from elementary and junior high school under 
the K-12 basic education curriculum undergoing the mandatory Agri-
Scouting Program; 
 
c) Agri-Scout Master refers to a head coordinator of the Department of 
Education (DepEd) Agri-Scouting program in the Province or City who must 
be a licensed agriculturist; 
 
d) Agri-Scout Facilitator refers to a program facilitator-teacher designated by 
their respective school or educational institution and has undergone 
relevant training conducted by DepEd or by its accredited service providers 
or partners; 
 
e) Agri-Scouting Spots refers to any agriculture-related government or non-
government organizations, establishments, agri-tourism spots, and farm 
schools where agri-scouts can partner with for exposure to various 
agricultural and fishery innovations and modernizations in the country; 
 
f) Learning Institutions refer to any school or educational institution within the 
Philippines, either public or private in nature, offering elementary and junior 
high school under the K-12 basic education curriculum of the Philippines; 
 
g) Subsistence Farming refers to farming where the bulk of the food produced 
are for the producers themselves and their families;  
 
h) Commercial Farming refers to farming where the growing of crops is for the 
purposes of selling them in the market; 
 
i) Fisheries refers to all activities relating to the act or business of fishing, 
culturing, preserving, processing, marketing, developing, conserving, and 
managing aquatic resources and the fishery areas, including the privilege to 
fish or take aquatic resource thereof; and 
 
j) Nurseries refer to a place where young plants and trees are grown for the 
purpose of planting elsewhere. 
 
SEC. 4. Agri-Scouting Activities. – Agri-Scouting Activities shall include, but 
not limited to, the following: 
 
a) Indoor or outdoor instructional trainings concerning agriculture, fisheries, 
forest and marine conservation and management, or ecology; 
 
b) Tree planting and vegetable gardening activities; 


 
 
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c) Waste recycling and composting activities; 
 
d) Environmental-Agricultural meetings or conferences; 
 
e) Dissemination of information, education, and communication (IEC) 
materials among school and municipal libraries on modern farming 
technologies, systems, practices, and opportunities for future farmers; 
 
f) Exposure or internship programs with relevant government agencies 
relating to agriculture, fisheries, environment, and natural resources;  
 
g) Exposure trips/educational trips to various Agri-Scout Spots; 
 
h) Exposure to or internship in food manufacturing or processing; and 
 
i) Community service related to the foregoing. 
 
SEC. 5. Coverage. – This Act covers the instruction and training to all students 
enrolled in elementary and junior high school of the K-12 basic education curriculum 
of the Philippines on, but is not limited to, theory building on basic agriculture, fisheries, 
forest and marine conservation and management, and ecology; actual tree planting 
activities of fruit bearing trees or trees with high oxygen generation capacity or high 
carbon dioxide/monoxide absorption capacity; subsistence and commercial farming; 
healthier methods of food production; and global warming and climate change and 
their impacts. 
 
SEC. 6. Agri-Scouting Program. – For the purpose of carrying out and 
effecting the declared policy of this Act, the Department of Education (DepEd) shall 
integrate Agri-Scouting as a program in the elementary and junior high school under 
the K-12 curriculum in all public and private schools in the Philippines and shall directly 
supervise and control the program implementation of this Act. 
 
The DepEd shall also formulate guidelines and activities for advanced Agri-
Scouting programs that schools and learning institutions may integrate in their 
curriculum. 
 
The DepEd shall also establish Agri-Scout ranks similar to boy and girl scouting 
movements in order to differentiate the classes and levels of the program. 
 
Further, the DepEd may enter into partnerships with private entities to provide 
incentives to schools and learning institutions, as well as to the students in order to 
fully realize the objectives of this Act. 
 
SEC. 7. Agri-Scout Masters and Facilitators. – The DepEd shall maintain or 
employ in its School Divisions at least one (1) Agri-Scout Master who must be a 
Professional Regulation Commission-licensed Agriculturist with sufficient knowledge, 
training and experience in agriculture and environment professional practice. The Agri-
Scout Master shall be the head coordinator of the Agri-Scouting program in the city or 
provincial school division. 


 
 
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All schools or learning institutions shall designate at least one (1) teacher to be 
the Agri-Scout Facilitator. They shall facilitate the Agri-Scouting program of their 
respective schools. They shall undergo adequate and continuous Agri-Scouting 
training at no cost to the teacher. 
 
SEC. 8. Agri-Scouting Clubs. – Schools and learning institutions, under the 
guidelines and supervision of the DepEd, may establish Agri-Scouting Clubs within 
their respective schools and institutions in furtherance of the provisions of this Act. 
 
The Agri-Scouting Club shall be headed by each school or institution’s Agri-
Scout Facilitator. 
 
SEC. 9. Agri-Scouting Week. – The DepEd shall identify one (1) week in the 
academic calendar to be designated as the Agri-Scouting Week.  
 
The Agri-Scouting Week shall be used for programs and activities that will 
encourage and inculcate among the students the passion, inclination, and 
consciousness for agriculture, fisheries, forest and marine conservation and 
management, and ecology. 
 
The DepEd shall design programs and activities for the realization of the 
objectives of this Act. The programs and activities shall be made in accordance with, 
and appropriate to the age and grade-level of the students and the most suitable or 
appropriate to the area. The programs and activities shall include, but not limited to, 
skills training, interactive knowledge sharing, site visits, fairs, exhibits, tree planting, 
vegetable gardening, partnerships with farms and food manufacturing or processing 
establishments, and such other activities designed to encourage the students to have 
a passion, inclination, and consciousness for agriculture, fisheries, forest and marine 
conservation and management, and ecology. 
 
SEC. 10. Reports. – The Agri-Scout Master and Agri-Scout Facilitators, with 
the concurrence of the School Principal or Director, shall prepare and submit to the 
Local Head of the DepEd within the local government unit (LGU) in which the school 
or learning institution belongs, an annual report on the implementation of the program 
which shall contain the list of accomplishments and recommendations for 
improvements. 
 
SEC. 11.  Nurseries and Dispensaries. – Schools and learning institutions 
shall be required to establish and maintain nurseries to grow vegetables, plants, and 
trees to be planted elsewhere and in furtherance of the purpose of this Act. 
 
Schools and learning institutions shall also establish and maintain vegetable 
and seed dispensaries to be used for their respective Agri-Scout Programs.  
 
SEC. 12. Local Government Units’ (LGUs) Participation. – LGUs, including 
the Barangays, shall identify unused spaces and idle lands and farms or fishponds, 
within their jurisdiction and utilize them as community gardens, in coordination with the 
local DepEd office within their respective jurisdiction, as suitable for the purposes of 
this Act. 


 
 
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The LGUs shall also be proactive in providing inputs to the city or province 
school division’s Agri-Scout program based on its culture, geography, climate, and 
other prevailing conditions peculiar to the LGU.  
 
SEC. 13. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within six (6) months from 
the effectivity of this Act, the DepEd, in coordination with the Department of Agriculture 
(DA), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of 
Science and Technology (DOST), and the League of Cities and Provinces, shall issue 
the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of this Act. 
 
SEC. 14. Appropriations. – The amount necessary for the implementation of 
this Act shall initially be charged to the appropriations of the DepEd as may be 
appropriated under the current General Appropriations Act. Thereafter, such amount 
shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
 
SEC. 15. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act is declared invalid 
or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall remain valid. 
 
SEC. 16. Repealing Clause. – All act, executive orders, administrative orders, 
decrees, proclamations, rules and regulations or other issuances or parts thereof 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified 
accordingly. 
 
SEC. 17. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or any two (2) newspapers of general circulation in 
the Philippines. 
 
Approved.