Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson has filed a bill instituting a national land use policy that will enhance sustainable development, environmental integrity, disaster risk reduction, food and water security, and equitable access to land.
In Senate Bill 400 titled “National Land Use Act of the Philippines,” Lacson also sought the establishment of a National Land Use Commission which shall serve as the policy-making and coordinating body.
“The proposed National Land Use Act represents a significant legislative effort to bring order and coherence to land use planning and management in the Philippines. The emphasis on sustainable development, and protection of critical resources mandates a long term vision for resource stewardship. If enacted, this legislation would provide a robust legal framework to guide development, enhance food and water security, mitigate disaster risks, and promote equitable and inclusive growth across the archipelago,” he said in his bill.
In Filipino: Land Use Bill ni Ping Lacson, Palalakasin ang Food Security, Environmental Integrity, at Paghanda sa Sakuna
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He added the detailed definitions and prescribed planning processes indicate “a move towards more data-driven, participatory, and legally enforceable land use decisions.”
Lacson also emphasized that his bill includes provisions for the protection of ancestral domains, prime agricultural lands, and critical habitats.
The bill provides guidelines for the management of agricultural lands, forest lands, coastal zones, mineral lands, energy resource lands, settlements development, industrial development areas, tourism development and heritage areas, and infrastructure development.
It also provides for a sustainable land use education in the curricula of primary, secondary and tertiary education; as well as a nationwide education information campaign in land use and physical planning.
NLUC
Under Lacson’s bill, a National Land Use Commission (NLUC) shall be created to oversee a multi-level land use planning process. It will give local government units (LGUs) significant roles in localized planning and implementation.
The NLUC is created as a Commission under the Office of the President and shall replace and exercise the powers and responsibilities of the current NEDA Board–National Land Use Committee.
It shall integrate efforts, monitor developments relating to land use and the evolution of policies. It may also establish Regional Offices.
NLUC shall be chaired by the President, with the head of the Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DepDev, formerly NEDA) and Environment secretary as Vice-Chairpersons.
The Chairperson of the DHSUD, the Secretaries of the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), the Department of Tourism (DOT), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the Department of Finance (DOF), the Department of Energy (DOE), and the Chairperson of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) may designate a representative with a rank not lower than Assistant Secretary and Commissioner, respectively.
The NLUC will also have a representative each from the Leagues of Provinces, Cities and Municipalities; from the four basic sectors directly involved in land use – urban poor, farmer-peasants, fisherfolk, and indigenous peoples.
Other members include representatives from private subdivisions and housing developers; and accredited association of professionals dealing on land use.
The NLUC shall advise the President and the NEDA Board on all matters concerning land use and physical planning; integrate and harmonize laws and policies relevant to land use and physical planning; formulate policies and endorse land use and physical planning-related policies formulated by the Regional Land Use Policy Council (RLUPC), among others.
It shall be the repository of all RPFPs, PPFDPs and CLUPs and all data and information pertaining to land and land use.
Also, it shall decide and resolve policy conflicts and territorial jurisdiction on land use between or among agencies, branches, or levels of the government and act on unresolved land use policy conflicts at the regional level elevated by the Regional Land Use Policy Council (RLUPC).
The Policy and Planning Unit of the DHSUD shall be the core secretariat of the NLUC.
Land use and physical planning process shall be formulated following a combined bottom-up and top-down approach, with the NLUC drafting a 30-year National Physical Framework Plan (NPFP).
Physical framework plans at the regional and provincial levels, and Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUPs), shall be consistent with the national physical framework plan.
The City and Municipal Planning and Development Office (C/MPDO), in consultation with concerned sectors, shall prepare the CLUP to determine the specific uses of land and other physical resources therein including areas co-managed with the national government and ancestral domain areas.
The Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) shall prepare a Provincial Physical Framework and Development Plan (PPFDP) which shall harmonize the land use plans of component cities and municipalities.
Meanwhile, the Regional Land Use Policy Council (RLUPC) shall consolidate and harmonize the provincial physical framework plans of provinces and independent cities within the territorial jurisdiction of the region.
National Base Mapping Program
A national mapping program shall be implemented, coordinated, and monitored through the creation of an Inter-agency Technical Committee (ITC) composed of the NAMRIA, as the lead agency, the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM), the Forest Management Bureau (FMB), the Land Management Bureau (LMB), the Land Registration Authority (LRA), the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB), the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), DAR, the National Water Resources Board (NWRB), DOE, NEDA, and other concerned government agencies/bureaus.
The ITC shall be constituted and the mapping program initiated within 30 days from the effectivity of the Act. The base mapping program is to be finished within two years.
Also, a nationwide geo-hazard mapping program shall be initiated jointly through the NLUC by the PHIVOLCS, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the NAMRIA, the MGB, the BSWM, and the DOE, in coordination with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC), and other concerned government agencies.
It shall include the generation of indicative geo-hazard zoning maps that will outline areas prone to liquefaction, landslides, severe flooding, lahar, ground rupturing, tsunami, river erosion, coastal erosion, sinkhole collapse, earthquake, lava flow, pyroclastic flow, base surge, and other natural hazards.
LGUs shall incorporate and integrate the generated geo-hazard zoning maps in their respective CLUPs, and in the preparation of their own hazards-constrained development plans.
Incentives and Awards
The NLUC shall formulate a system of incentives and awards to LGUs that regularly update their CLUPs. National government agencies shall prioritize cities and towns with approved CLUPs in providing technical assistance related to land use management and the implementation of development plans.
Penalties
A landowner and his/her designated developer or duly authorized representative who fails to commence and/or complete the development of agricultural lands with approved order of conversion shall be penalized with fines including:
* On failure to commence within one year from the date of conversion order: 6% of the zonal value of the subject land for the first three hectares; 15% of the zonal value of the subject land for the next three hectares; and 30% of the zonal value of the subject land for the remaining area. The order of conversion shall be deemed revoked automatically and the land shall revert to its original agricultural use and covered by the DAR through compulsory acquisition for distribution to qualified beneficiaries.
* On failure to complete 50% of the approved conversion plan within a specified time frame: 50% of the zonal value of the subject land and the revocation of the conversion plan on the undeveloped portion which shall automatically revert to its original use as agricultural land.
* Upon receipt of notice from the DAR, the concerned agencies and the city or municipality shall withdraw or revoke any development permit and other licenses that may be necessary to develop the agricultural land subject to conversion.
Penalties for failure to formulate, enforce, and/or implement the CLUPs, which will be investigated by the DILG, include:
* Any public official or employee faces forfeiture of salaries and allowances and suspension from six to nine months for non-implementation of CLUP; or three to six months, in case of non-completion of the CLUP.
Person/s abetting illegal conversion face jail of seven to 12 years and/or a fine of P100,000. If the offender is a public official or employee, the penalty shall also include permanent separation from the service and forfeiture of all benefits and entitlements, and perpetual disqualification from public office.
Any person causing or abetting the reclassification of protected agricultural areas into nonagricultural uses shall be penalized with imprisonment of 12 years and/or a fine of P100,000.
Qualified beneficiaries affected by agricultural land use conversion shall be entitled to the payment of disturbance compensation equivalent to five times the average of the gross harvests on the landholding during the last five preceding calendar years or a certain percentage of the converted land, whichever is higher, as determined by the DAR.
Oversight and Review
A Congressional Oversight Committee shall be created to monitor the implementation of this Act, with seven members each from the Senate and House of Representatives.
Provinces, cities, and municipalities with existing land use plans shall review, revise, reconcile, and harmonize the same with the guidelines and standards under this Act within three years from the effectivity of this Act.
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Land Use Bill ni Ping Lacson, Palalakasin ang Food Security, Environmental Integrity, at Paghanda sa Sakuna
Naghain ng panukala si Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson para sa national land use policy na palalakasin ang sustainable development, integridad ng kapaligiran, paghanda sa sakuna, seguridad sa pagkain at tubig, at pantay-pantay na access sa lupa.
Sa Senate Bill 400 o ang “National Land Use Act of the Philippines,” nais din ni Lacson na magkaroon ng isang National Land Use Commission na magtatag ng polisiya at magsasagawa ng koordinasyon.
“The proposed National Land Use Act represents a significant legislative effort to bring order and coherence to land use planning and management in the Philippines. The emphasis on sustainable development, and protection of critical resources mandates a long term vision for resource stewardship. If enacted, this legislation would provide a robust legal framework to guide development, enhance food and water security, mitigate disaster risks, and promote equitable and inclusive growth across the archipelago,” aniya sa kanyang panukala.
Dagdag ni Lacson, hinihikayat ng mga detalyadong depinisyon at proseso sa panukala niya ang “data-driven, participatory, and legally enforceable” na desisyon sa paggamit ng lupa.
Kasama din sa panukala ni Lacson ang probisyon para sa pagprotekta sa mga ancestral domain, prime agricultural land, at critical habitat.
Nilalaman ng panukala ang patnubay para sa pangangasiwa ng lupang agrikultural, gubat, mga coastal zones, mineral land, energy resource land, settlements development, industrial development area, tourism development and heritage areas, at infrastructure development.
Inaatasan din nito ang “sustainable land use education” sa kurikulum mula elementarya hanggang kolehiyo, at pambansang “education information campaign” para sa paggamit ng lupa at pagpaplano.
NLUC
Sa panukala ni Lacson, magkakaroon ng National Land Use Commission (NLUC) na mangangasiwa sa paggamit ng lupa. Bibigyan nito ng mahalagang papel ang mga local government unit sa lokal na pagpaplano.
Ang NLUC ay magiging komisyon sa ilalim ng Office of the President at papalitan ang NEDA Board–National Land Use Committee.
Ang Pangulo ang magiging chairman ng NLUC. Ang pinuno ng Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DepDev, dating NEDA) at Environment secretary ang magiging Vice-Chairpersons.
Ang mga pinuno ng DHSUD, Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Finance (DOF), Department of Energy (DOE), at National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) ay maaaring mag-designate ng kinatawan.
Magkakaroon din ng kinatawan ang NLUC mula sa Leagues of Provinces, Cities and Municipalities; urban poor, farmer-peasants, fisherfolk, at indigenous peoples; private subdivisions at housing developers; at accredited association of professionals na may kinalaman sa land use.
Magbibigay ng payo ang NLUC sa Pangulo at NEDA board tungkol sa paggamit ng lupa at pagpaplano; mag-integrate ng batas na may kinalaman sa paggamit ng lupa; gagawa ng polisiya at iendorso ang polisiya ng Regional Land Use Policy Council (RLUPC).
Ito rin ay magiging repository ng RPFPs, PPFDPs and CLUPs at lahat ng datos na may kinalaman sa lupa at paggamit nito.
Tungkulin din nito ang resolbahin ang policy conflicts at territorial jurisdiction sa paggamit ng lupa.
Magiging core secretariat ng NLUC ang Policy and Planning Unit ng DHSUD.
Ang paggamit ng lupa at ang proseso ng pagpaplano ay gagamit ng bottom-up at top-down approach. Dito ay gagawa ang NLUC ng 30-taong National Physical Framework Plan (NPFP).
Ang mga plano sa regional at provincial levels, at ang Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUPs), ay susunod sa national physical framework plan.
Ang City at Municipal Planning and Development Office (C/MPDO), ang maghahanda ng CLUP.
Ihahanda naman ng Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) ang Provincial Physical Framework and Development Plan (PPFDP).
Samantala, ang Regional Land Use Policy Council (RLUPC) ang magko-consolidate ng provincial physical framework plans.
National Base Mapping Program
Magkakaroon ng national mapping program sa pamamagitan ng Inter-agency Technical Committee (ITC) na binubuo ng NAMRIA bilang lead agency, Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM), Forest Management Bureau (FMB), Land Management Bureau (LMB), Land Registration Authority (LRA), Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB), Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), DAR, National Water Resources Board (NWRB), DOE, NEDA, at ibang ahensya.
Dapat matapos ang base mapping program sa loob ng dalawang taon.
Magkakaroon ng nationwide geo-hazard mapping program sa pamamagitan ng NLUC ang PHIVOLCS, Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), NAMRIA, MGB, BSWM, at DOE. Makikipagugnayan sila sa National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC), at ibang ahensya.
Dito ay mabubuo ang indicative geo-hazard zoning maps na tutukoy sa lugar na maaaring magkaroon ng liquefaction, landslide, severe flooding, lahar, ground rupturing, tsunami, river erosion, coastal erosion, sinkhole collapse, earthquake, lava flow, pyroclastic flow, base surge, at ibang natural hazards.
Isasama ng mga LGU ang mga geo-hazard zoning maps sa kanilang CLUP, at sa paghanda ng sarili nilang hazards-constrained development plans.
Insentibo at Parangal
Gagawa ang NLUC ng insentibo at parangal sa mga LGU na nag-u-update ng kanilang CLUP. Ipa-prioritize ang mga siyudad at bayan na may CLUP sa pagbigay ng technical assistance tungkol sa land use management at pagpapatupad ng development plans.
Parusa
Ang landowner at designated developer o kinatawan na hindi magsimula o mabuo ang development ng agricultural lands na may approved order of conversion ay paparusahan.
* Kung hindi makasimula sa loob ng isang taon matapos lumabas ang conversion order: 6% ng zonal value ng lupa sa unang tatlong ektarya; 15% ng zonal value ng lupa sa susunod na tatlong ektarya; 30% ng zonal value ng natitirang area. Ang order of conversion ay babawiin at ang lupa ay babalik sa orihinal na agricultural use.
* Kung hindi makumpleto ang 50% ng approved conversion plan: 50% ng zonal value ng lupa at pagbawi ng conversion plan sa undeveloped na bahagi, na muli magiging agricultural land.
* Kung makatanggap sila ng notice sa DAR, ang mga ahensya at ang siyudad o bayan ay magre-revoke ng development permit at ibang lisensya para i-develop ang agricultural land na sasailalim sa conversion.
Kabilang sa mga parusa sa hindi paggawa o pagpapatupad ng CLUPs, na iimbestigahan ng DILG, ang:
* Kung ang lumabag ay opisyal o empleyado ng gobyerno, maaari ma-forfeit ang sahod nito, at masuspindi ng anim hanggang siyam na buwan paa sa non-implementation ng CLUP; o tatlo hanggang anim na buwan, sa non-completion ng CLUP.
Ang mga kasangkot sa illegal conversion ay makukulong ng pito hanggang 12 taon, at/o multa na P100,000. Kung ito ay opisyal o empleyado ng gobyerno, kabilang sa parusa ang permanent separation from the service at forfeiture ng benepisyo, at perpetual disqualification from public office.
Ang sinumang sangkot sa reclassification ng protected agricultural areas para gawing nonagricultural ay paparusahan ng 12 taong kulong at/o multang P100,000.
Samantala, ang qualified beneficiaries na apektado ng agricultural land use conversion ay maaaring tumanggap ng disturbance compensation na katumbas ng “five times the average of the gross harvests on the landholding during the last five preceding calendar years or a certain percentage of the converted land, whichever is higher, as determined by the DAR.”
Oversight at Review
Magkakaroon ng Congressional Oversight Committee para i-monitor ang pagpapatupad ng batas. Magkakaroon ito ng pitong miyembro mula sa Senado at pito mula sa Kamara.
Rerepasuhin ng mga probinsya, siyudad at bayan ang kanilang land use plan para tumugma sa pamantayan ng batas na ito.
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