Villar pushes tax incentives for urban farmers

Las Piñas Rep. Mark Villar (Facebook photo)

MANILA — Las Pinas Rep. Mark Villar on Monday renews his call for the passage of Urban Farming Act, a bill that aims to provide tax incentives to Filipinos who would engage in urban farming.

Villar who penned House Bill 4391, hopes that by providing tax credit through the Urban Farming Council, urban dwellers would opt to embrace urban farming and consequently, appreciate its numerous incentives.

“There is a need to reconcile the increasing demand for space and environmentally sound practices,” said Villar, who chairs the House committee on Trade and Industry.

“We must be proactive in responding to the threats of climate change and food shortage,” he added.

The bill if passed into law would provide a Ten (10) Pesos Real Property tax credit for every square meter allotted to urban farming provided such does not exceed (a) One hundred thousand pesos (Php100, 000.00) or (b) the Real Property Tax liability for the eligible building or improvement.

Urban farming will include any act of farming in a city using land or the space of a building.