House approves National Land Use bill on final reading

The House of Representatives on Monday approved on third and final reading the proposed National Land Use bill, which does not include total ban on conversion of agricultural land for food production.

The final vote was 262-3.

House Bill 8162 provides for a national framework for the development of the country's land to ensure its optimum use consistent with the principle  of sustainable development.

The National Land Use bill, one of the priority legislations of the administration of Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., also states that "all lands of the public domain, waters, minerals, coal, petroleum, and other mineral oils, all forces of potential energy, fisheries, forests or timber, wildlife, flora and fauna, and other natural  resources are owned by the state."

Likewise, the measure states that with the exception of agricultural lands, all other natural resources will not be alienated, meaning the ownership will remain with the government.

"This is a long awaited measure and the President knows its importance. A National Land Use Act will give the government the tool to properly identify land use and allocation patterns in all parts of the country," Speaker Martin Romualdez of Leyte said in a statement.

"This would pave the way for the Philippines to achieve food security," he added.

The bill also creates the National Land Use Commission (NLUC) under the Office of the President (OP), a body which will advise the President of the Philippines on all matters concerning land use and physical planning as well as integrate and harmonize all laws, guidelines, and policies relevant to land use and physical planning to come up with a rational, cohesive, and comprehensive national land use framework.

Likewise, the measure tasks the NLUC to prepare, periodically review and if necessary, update the national framework for physical planning to provide the general framework for the spatial development directions for the entire country and sub-national levels

The bill also mandates the NLUC to resolve land use policy conflicts between or among agencies, branches, or levels of the government.

The NLUC commissioner will have the rank of Cabinet Secretary, while the two deputy NLUC commissioners will be given the titles of undersecretary.

The bill also creates the National Land Use Office (NLUO), which will serve as the technical secretariat to the NLUC and will also be under the OP.

It also provides mandatory consultations from the regional, provincial, city, and municipal levels, as well as harmonizes existing rules and regulations governing the allocation, utilization, development, and management of land resources.

But for House Assistant Minority Leader Arlene Brosas of Gabriela who was one of three lawmakers who voted no to the measure, the approved National Land Use bill is a "Land Misuse bill" since it did not include a total ban on conversion of agricultural land dedicated to food production.

“This will just give corporations the license to convert agricultural lands for food production to subdivisions and housing projects of business entities,” Brosas said.

“This bill also allows green development, which would displace settlers. At the minimum, it is not clear how their rights are protected, such as providing alternative or appropriate livelihoods, on-site development or relocation sites,” she added.—LDF, GMA Integrated News