The devastation wrought by Typhoon Tino across Central Visayas, particularly in Metro Cebu, has once again exposed the grave consequences of inadequate land use planning in our country.

The tragedy should not be blamed solely on nature. If one would look at the situation closely, it is also the result of human failure—yes, the failure to plan, to regulate, and to protect. As floodwaters submerge entire barangays and families are displaced from lands that never should have been built upon, one question demands to be asked: How many more lives must be lost before the government takes a decisive action?

For more than three decades, the proposed National Land Use Act has languished in Congress. It has been refiled, debated upon, and shelved repeatedly, even as every major typhoon underscores its necessity. Let’s keep in mind that the measure is a matter of national survival, not a bureaucratic exercise as some would like to believe. It provides a long-overdue framework for the rational allocation, sustainable utilization, management, and development of the country’s finite land and natural resources.

Now, it is time for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to certify this bill as urgent and for both houses of Congress to act with urgency on this moment's demands.

With the Philippines among the most climate-vulnerable nations in the world, it is crucial to address the situation with a whole-of-nation approach. Year after year, we endure the ravages of increasingly destructive typhoons, floods, and landslides. Yet our response remains largely reactive, focused on relief rather than prevention. Communities continue to rise on riverbanks, floodplains, and coastal zones—areas identified long ago as high-risk. The absence of a coherent national policy on land use has allowed local development to proceed in a piecemeal and often perilous manner, guided by political expediency rather than scientific assessment.

A National Land Use Act would correct this systemic failure. It would provide the legal and institutional foundation for climate-resilient spatial planning, ensure the protection of agricultural and forest lands from unchecked conversion, and establish clear standards for development in hazard-prone areas. Most importantly, it would compel coordination across all levels of government—national, regional, and local—to ensure that land is utilized not merely for profit, but for the safety and well-being of the people.

The private sector also has an indispensable role to play. Developers and investors must embrace responsible development practices, ensuring that their projects conform to hazard maps and environmental standards. Sustainable design and climate adaptation must become integral to business models, not optional gestures of corporate social responsibility. While profit is vital for businesses to thrive, the safety of communities must be paramount. Profit should never come at the cost of people’s safety or environmental stability.

Equally crucial is the participation of every Filipino citizen. Each of us bears a collective responsibility to demand accountability, to support sound urban and environmental policies, and to resist practices that endanger our communities. Responsible citizenship means rejecting the normalization of settling in unsafe areas, safeguarding our natural ecosystems, and holding leaders and corporations to the highest standards of environmental governance.

In this era of climate crisis, land use is synonymous with life use. The decisions we make about our land today will determine whether our children inherit a nation of safety and stability, or one perpetually rebuilding from ruin. President Marcos and our lawmakers must act now. The passage of the National Land Use Act should be treated as an act of national preservation, and not merely a legislative act.

Before the next storm strikes, the nation must decide: Shall we finally plan our land wisely, or continue to mourn those who perish upon it?

The choice is now in the hands of President Marcos and our lawmakers.