Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin ‘Benhur’ Abalos Jr. has expressed support in the enactment of the National Land Use Act (NLUA), saying this will institutionalize the rational and sustainable use of the country’s land and physical resources.
“Having the right planning, management, and development of territorial lands and water resources is very important to ensure sustainable development in the country. Kasama po tayo sa mga sumusuporta sa pagpasa ng Land Use Act dahil sisiguraduhin nito ang maayos at epektibong pagpaplano at paggamit ng ating kalupaan para sa kapakanan ng lahat (We are among the supporters in the passage of the land use Act as this will ensure the orderly and effective planning and use of our lands that will benefit all),’’ Abalos said.
In his first State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. asked Congress to pass a National Land Use Act to “provide for a rational and holistic management and development of our country’s land and water resources; hold owners accountable for making these lands productive and sustainable; and empower LGUs to manage ecological balance within their jurisdiction.”
Abalos emphasized that the unchecked and rapid building of different structures and conversion of agricultural lands could adversely impact the agriculture sector and food security for our people.
“Walang masama sa pag-unlad basta’t isinasaalang-alang ang kalikasan, agrikultura at iba pang factors, at sa pagpasa ng National Land Use Act, mababantayan at maisasaayos ang mga bagay na ito (There is nothing negative about progress as long as the environment, agriculture and other factors are taken into consideration and with the passage of the National Land Use Act these things will be monitored and well-taken cared of),’’ he added.
The DILG chief explained that the enactment of the law will strengthen and harmonize national and local government efforts in carrying out a holistic and effective utilization and management of land and water resources to be categorized into the following purposes -- Protection Land Use, Production Land Use, Infrastructure Land Use, and Settlements Development.
He pointed out that the law seeks to establish a National Geo-hazard Mapping Program to comprehensively identify areas prone to hazards to support disaster risk reduction and management efforts, and for Settlement Development to address continuous urbanization and build safe/resilient housing.
“We should strike a balance between development and environmental management, and the passage of a National Land Use Act will provide a national framework on how we effectively and optimally manage and use our land resources towards sustainable development that will benefit present and future generations,” he said.
The DILG chief also urged the 832 coastal municipalities and 25 coastal cities in the country to ensure the sustainable management of their coastal resources by applying the Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) approach in updating their respective Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUPs).
Based on records, 508 out of the 857 LGUs located in coastal areas have updated CLUPs and have mainstreamed climate change and disaster risk reduction measures to their plans.
The multi-sectoral ICM approach or “ridge-to-reef” concept in the formulation of CLUP is done through the collaboration of LGUs and the various stakeholders in the community from organization to implementation to ensure safety, sustainability, and resiliency of all human settlements and urban developments, while maximizing the potentials of our natural resources and with emphasis on disaster mitigation.
Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991 provides that LGUs shall continue to prepare their respective CLUPs enacted through zoning ordinances which shall be the primary and dominant bases for the future use of land resources.
The Code further provides that the requirements for food production, human settlements, and industrial expansion shall be taken into consideration in the preparation of CLUPs. (Chito A. Chavez)