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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _________ 
Introduced by Representative RICHARD I. GOMEZ, DPA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
At the most fundamental level, a country is made up of its land and its people. Our land 
contains the primary assets of our country; and it is a finite resource. Our archipelago is composed 
of 7,641 islands with a total land area of 300,000 square kilometers or 30 million hectares. Ninety-
two percent of our land mass is found in the 11 largest islands.  The Philippines ranks 6th in the 
world in terms of coastline length, with a total of 36,289 kilometers.  
Our land, together with the myriad geographical and hydrologic features that comprise it, 
provides the Filipino people, 110 million strong, with agricultural production areas, water supply 
for home and commercial uses, industrial production areas, urban settlement areas, coastal areas, 
tourist attractions, as well as minerals and other materials for household, commercial and industrial 
use. In a nutshell, the lands of the Philippines, is the most important capital for the Filipino people, 
socially, economically and culturally.  
It is, therefore, imperative that the prudent, intelligent, appropriate, conscientious and just 
allocation and use of land be a top priority of the national and local governments, and of the 
leadership of our nation.   
At present, in terms of legislation, there are already existing laws that were proclaimed, 
declared, ordered and enacted with the goal in mind to protect, safeguard and optimize our land 
resources. In terms of governance, both the national and local governments continue to formulate 
land use plans, such as the City Land Use Plan (CLUP) and the Provincial Development and 
Physical Framework Plan (CLUP). However, due to the fragmented nature of how the land use 
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laws, environmental protection laws, planning mechanics and evaluation processes were 
developed, interspersed in a span of decades, it is inevitable that certain gaps, overlaps and 
conflicts emerge. 
This bill proposes to integrate, organize and harmonize all laws, rules and regulations 
pertaining to environmental and land resources, and streamline the planning, allocation and 
approval procedures, under the authority, guidance and management of the proposed National 
Land Use Commission, under the Office of the President.  
This bill also outlines multi-level organizational structures from the local government to 
the national government level. Moreover, this measure presents criteria for evaluation, 
classification for the various key land use aspects, such as: agricultural lands, forest and timber 
lands, protected areas, coastal zones, mineral land, energy resources, human settlements, industrial 
development, tourism and heritage areas, and infrastructure development.  
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
RICHARD I. GOMEZ, DPA 


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _________________ 
______________________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by Representative RICHARD I. GOMEZ, DPA 
AN ACT  
INSTITUTING A NATIONAL LAND USE POLICY, PROVIDING THE 
IMPLEMENTING MECHANISMS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
CHAPTER I  
INTRODUCTORY PROVISIONS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known and cited as the “National Land Use 
Act of 2023.” 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Principles and Policies. - All lands of the public domain, waters, 
minerals, coal, petroleum, and other mineral oils, all forces of potential energy, fisheries, forests 
or timber, wildlife, fora and fauna, and other natural resources are owned by the state. With the 
exception of agricultural lands, all other natural resources shall not be alienated.  
Pursuant to the constitutional provision or mandate, it is the policy of the State to provide 
for a rational, holistic, and just allocation, utilization, management, and development of the 
country's land to ensure their optimum use, consistent with the principle of sustainable 
development.  
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The State shall recognize the need for rational, optimal, and sustainable settlements 
development, consistent with the principles of environmental management and equitable access to 
land and security.  
Toward this end, the State shall institutionalize land use and physical planning as 
mechanisms for identifying, determining, and evaluating appropriate land use and allocation 
patterns that promote and ensure:  
a) Sustainable management and utilization of natural resources;
b) Maintenance and preservation of environmental integrity and stability specifically the
perpetual protection of permanent forests and watersheds for the attainment of food, water, and 
energy sufficiency;  
c) Disaster risk reduction and climate change resiliency;
d) Protection of prime agricultural lands for food security in basic commodities with an
emphasis on self-sufficiency in rice and corn; 
e) Water security through sustainable development and management of water
resources; 
f) Settlements, transportation, and infrastructure development in support of urban,
rural and regional development and inclusive growth; 
g) Harmony between the rights and the varied interests of every Filipino within the
the framework of people empowerment, decentralization, social justice, and equity; 
h) Respect for and protection of the sustainable traditional resource rights of the Indigenous
Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) to their ancestral domains to ensure their 
economic, social, and cultural well-being as well as recognition of the applicability of customary 
laws and sustainable traditional resource use and management, knowledge, and practices in 
ancestral domains in compliance with free and prior informed consent of ICC/IPs; 
i) Protection of the rights of basic sectors to equitable access to the country's land;
j) Protection, preservation, and development of the Filipino historical, cultural, and built
cultural heritage and resources for a deeper understanding of our history and culture as a people; 


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k) Attainment of energy security and self-sufficiency; and
l) Market orientation where the interplay of market forces and fair trade within the
framework of ecological development and equity consideration is encouraged and adopted as the 
basic parameter in achieving efficiency in land use and allocation. 
It is also the policy of the State to ensure that local government units (LCDs) share with 
the national government the responsibility of managing and maintaining an ecological balance 
within their territorial jurisdiction as stated in the 1987 Constitution and the 1991Local 
Government Code (LGC) or Republic Act 7160. 
Guided by the principle that the use of land bears a social function and that all economic 
agents shall contribute to the common good, landowners, land tenure holders, in the case of 
forestlands, be it an individual, communal, corporate or group shall be held responsible for 
developing and conserving their lands thereby making their lands productive and supportive of 
environmental stability. 
SEC. 3. Scope. - This Act shall apply to all lands whether public, private, government-
owned, and/or in the possession of individuals, communities, indigenous people, or groups of 
people, to provide for a rational, holistic, and just allocation, development, and management of 
land including such activities that bear an impact on said resources. 
CHAPTER II  
DEFINITIONS 
SEC. 4.  Definition of Terms. - As used in and for purposes of this Act, the following terms 
shall mean:  
a) “Agricultural land” shall refer to the land of the public domain which has been devoted
to agricultural activity as defined in Republic Act No. 6657, as amended and not further classified 
for residential, commercial, or industrial use and such other uses as may be provided by law;  
b) “Agricultural land use conversion” shall refer to the undertaking of any development
activity which modifies or alters the physical characteristics of agricultural lands to render them 
suitable for non-agricultural purposes with an approved order of conversion issued exclusively by 
the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR);  
c) “Alienable and disposable (A&D) lands” shall refer to lands of the public domain that
have been delineated, classified, and certified as open and available for disposition under the 
provisions of Commonwealth Act No. 141, otherwise known as the "Public Land Act," as 
amended;  


 
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d) “Ancestral domains” shall refer to all areas generally belonging to ICCs/IPs as defined 
in Republic Act No. 8371, otherwise known as the “Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) of 
1998”;  
e) “Basic Sector” shall refer to a group of people not referring to any organized groups 
such as but not limited to women, youth, elderly, differently-abled, peasants and fisher folk;  
f) “Basic Shelter" shall refer to any subdivision unit, housing unit or condominium 
satisfying the barest minimum shelter requirements under the minimum design standards of Batas 
Pambansa Big. 220;  
g) “Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP)” shall refer to a document embodying a set 
of policies and guidelines, accompanied by official maps and similar illustrations, that serves as 
principal basis for determining the future use of lands and natural resources for production and 
protection purpose within the territorial jurisdiction of the city or municipality. It represents the 
community-desired pattern of population distribution and proposes future allocation of land 
resources to various land- using activities. It identifies the allocation, character, and extent of the 
areas of land resources to be used for different purposes and includes the processes and the criteria 
employed in the determination of the land use. It has a long-term perspective, encompassing a 
minimum of ten (10) years;  
h) “Comprehensive land use planning” shall refer to the act of defining the allocation, 
utilization, development and management of all lands within a given territory or jurisdiction 
according to the inherent characteristic of the land itself and supportive of sustainable, economic, 
demographic, socio-cultural and environmental objectives as an aid to decision-making and 
legislation;  
i) “Coastal area/zone” shall refer to a band of dry land and the adjacent ocean space (water 
and submerged land) in which terrestrial processes and uses directly affect oceanic processes and 
uses, and vice versa. Its geographic extent may include areas within a landmark limit of one (1) 
kilometer from the shoreline at high tide to include mangrove swamps, brackish water ponds, nipa 
swamps, estuarine rivers, sandy beaches and other areas within a seaward limit of 200 meters 
isobath to include coral reefs, algal flats, seagrass beds, and other soft-bottom areas. For purposes 
of initiating and implementing sustainable coastal resources protection and management, it shall 
include foreshore lands; 
j) “Critical habitats” shall refer to areas outside protected areas as defined in Republic Act 
No. 7586, otherwise known as the "National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 1992", that 
are known habitats of threatened species and designated as such based on scientific data taking 
into consideration species endemicity and/or richness, presence of human-made pressures/threats 
to the survival of wildlife living in the area, among others;  
k) “Critical watershed” shall refer to a drainage area of a river system supporting existing 
and proposed hydroelectric power, domestic water consumption, irrigation works or existing water 
facilities needing immediate protection and rehabilitation to minimize erosion and improve water 
yield. It shall be closed for logging until it is fully rehabilitated;  
 


 
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l) “Cultural heritage” shall refer to the totality of cultural properties preserved and 
developed through time and passed on for posterity;  
m) “Customary laws” shall refer to a body of written and/ or unwritten rules, usages, 
customs, and practices traditionally and continually recognized, accepted, and observed by 
respective ICCs/IPs, consistent with the IPRA;  
n) “Development plan” shall refer to a document that defines the activities or measures 
that the national government or local government units (LGUs) intend to implement in order to 
achieve a defined set of development goals. It integrates the socio-economic and sectoral plans of 
the national government or its instrumentality or a particular LGU with land use or physical 
framework plans. It may include an analysis of problems and resources, a definition of goals and 
objectives, policy guidelines, project and target achievements, and an implementation mechanism 
that defines the roles and contributions expected from the government and the private sector. 
Development plans include the national-level Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan 
(MTPDP) and its counterpart plans at the regional, provincial and local levels called the Medium-
Term Regional Development Plan (MTRDP), the Provincial Physical Framework and 
Development Plan (PPFDP) and the Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP). These plans are 
translated into medium-term investment programs, also prepared at the national, regional, and local 
levels, where programs, projects, and activities derived from the development plans are ranked, 
prioritized, and matched with investment financing capacities;  
o) “Ecologically-fragile lands” refer to lands within the critical watershed, 20 brackish 
and freshwater wetlands, pasture lands, and croplands that require rehabilitation and whose 
continued unsustainable use would adversely affect the productivity of lowland agricultural areas 
and the stability of the upland ecosystem;  
p) “Ecotourism” shall refer to sustainable tourism or travel to a given natural area with 
exotic or threatened ecosystems or a heritage area to observe wildlife or to help preserve nature, 
in the process providing for community participation, protection, and management of natural 
resources, culture and indigenous knowledge systems and practices, environmental education and 
ethics, as well as economic benefits fostered and pursued for the enrichment of host communities 
and the satisfaction of visitors;  
q) “Energy resource lands” shall refer to lands where naturally occurring or indigenous 
energy resources exist in sufficient quantity or quality as to be economically viable for exploration, 
development, production, utilization, and distribution process;  
r) “Energy resources” shall refer to surface or subsurface substances that serve as energy 
sources. These are traditionally mineral fuel deposits such as coal, petroleum, natural gas, or 
renewable resources from geothermal, hydro reservoirs, or non-conventional sources such as ocean 
waves, solar, wind, biomass, and other similar resources which serve the same purpose;  
s) “Environmentally critical areas” shall refer to areas declared by law as:  
(a) protected areas pursuant to Republic Act No. 7586 or the “NIPAS Act of 1992”; (b) areas for 
natural parks, watershed reserves, wildlife preserves, and sanctuaries;  (c) areas set aside as 
aesthetic potential tourist spots; (d) areas that constitute the habitat of any endangered or threatened 


 
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species or indigenous Philippine wildlife (flora and fauna);  (e) areas of unique historic, 
archaeological, or scientific interests; (f) areas which are traditionally occupied by ICCs/IPs; (g) 
areas with critical slopes; (h) areas exposed to geologic and hydro-meteorologic hazards; (i) prime 
agricultural lands; (j) recharge areas of aquifers; (k) water bodies; (l) mangrove areas; (m) coral 
reefs; (n) mossy and old-growth forests; (o) rivers and river banks; (p) swamp forest and 
marshlands; and (q) foreshore lands. This term shall also include other terrestrial, aquatic, and 
marine areas that need special protection and conservation measures because they are ecologically 
fragile or they are needed for food security and food self-sufficiency as determined by concerned 
agencies and LGUs in consultation with the concerned sectors; 
t) “Estuary” shall refer to a wetland type where the river mouth widens into a marine 
ecosystem, the salinity of which is intermediate between salt and freshwater where tidal action is 
an important biophysical regulator;  
u) “Exhausted energy resource lands” shall refer to specific energy resource sites whose 
energy reserves of the desired type(s) are no longer in sufficient quantity or quality to justify the 
additional expenditure for their extraction and utilization as certified by the Department of Energy;  
v) “Exhausted mineral lands” shall refer to specific sites whose mineral deposits are no 
longer in sufficient quantity or quality to justify the additional expenditure for their extraction and 
utilization as may be determined by the latest technology available;  
w) “Exhausted mineral resources” shall refer to a situation where the mineral resources 
in specific sites are no longer in sufficient quantity or quality to justify the additional expenditure 
for extraction or utilization as determined by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau and approved by 
the DENR;  
x) “Flood plain” shall refer to the portion of a river valley adjacent to a river channel that 
is covered with water when the river overflows its banks at flood stages. The plain usually consists 
of silt deposited by the stream;  
y) “Flood-prone areas” shall refer to low-lying areas usually adjacent to large or active 
water bodies and therefore experience regular or seasonal inundation as a result of changes in the 
mean water level of these bodies or because of land reclamation and other artificial interference 
with the natural processes;  
z) “Food security” shall refer to the policy objective of meeting the food availability, 
accessibility, quality, and affordability requirements of the present and future generations of 
Filipinos in a sustainable manner, through local production or importation, only when there is a 
shortage established based on a micro level situation, or both, based on the country's existing and 
potential resource endowments and related production advantages, and consistent with the overall 
national development objectives and policies;  
aa) “Food self-sufficiency” shall refer to the policy objective of meeting the food 
requirements through intensive local food production in a sustainable manner based on the 
country's existing and potential resource endowments and related production advantages;  


 
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bb.) “Forestlands” shall refer to lands of the public domain classified and/or determined 
as needed. They include all permanent forests or forest reserves, forest reservations, and all 
remaining unclassified lands of the public domain; 
 
 cc) “Foreshore land” shall refer to the part of the shore which is alternately covered and 
uncovered by the ebb and flow of the tide;  
dd) “Free and prior informed consent” refers to the consensus of all members of the 
ICCs/IPs to be determined in accordance with their respective customary laws and practices, free 
from any external manipulation, interference, and coercion, and obtained after fully disclosing the 
intent and scope of the activity, in a language and process understandable to the community;  
ee) “Geo-hazards” shall refer to natural and human-induced geological processes that have 
the potential to cause destruction and pose a threat or risk to human life and property;  
ff) “Geo-hazard prone areas” shall refer to areas frequently visited and/or vulnerable or 
prone to experience weather/climatic, hydrologic, geologic, and other natural calamities;  
 
gg) “Heritage zone” refers to historical, anthropological, archaeological, and artistic 
geographical areas and settings that are culturally significant to the country as declared by the 
National Museum and/or National Historical Commission of the Philippines, pursuant to R.A. No. 
10066 or the “National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009”;  
 
hh) “Illegal agricultural land conversion” shall refer to any activity that modifies or alters 
the physical characteristics of agricultural lands to render them suitable for non-agricultural 
purposes without an approved order of conversion from the DAR Secretary;  
 
ii) “Improvements” shall refer to all types of buildings and residential units, walls, fences, 
structures, or construction of all kinds of fixed character or are adhered to the soil but shall not 
include trees, plants, growing fruits, and other fixtures that are mere superimpositions on the land, 
and the value of improvements shall not be less than fifty percent (50%) of the assessed value of 
the property;  
 
jj) “Inclusive growth” refers to ensuring that the economic opportunities created by growth 
are available to all, particularly the poor, to the maximum possible extent;  
 
kk) “Indigenous cultural communities/indigenous peoples (ICCs/IPs)” shall refer to 
groups of people or homogenous societies identified under Republic Act No. 8371 or the 
“Indigenous People's Rights Act (IPRA)”;  
 
ll) “Indigenous energy resources” shall refer to energy resources, which originate or occur 
naturally in the Philippines;  


 
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mm.) “Inland waters” shall refer to waters, which are not coastal and marine waters not 
subject to acquisitive prescription consistent with the provisions of Presidential Decree No. 1067, 
otherwise known as the "Water Code of the Philippines";  
 
nn) “Inter-tidal sand flat” shall refer to a juvenile fish-feeding area and habitat for 
crustaceans. The littoral gravel and sand biotopes are also used as important wintering grounds 
and roosting/feeding grounds of indigenous migratory birds;  
 
oo) “Integrated watershed management” shall refer to a planning strategy or program for 
watershed areas that complement environmentally-sound soil and water management practices 
with mechanisms for ensuring greater responsibility, involvement, or participation of individuals, 
groups, communities, and other stakeholders benefiting from these areas and waterrelated 
infrastructure;  
 
pp) “Key biodiversity areas” shall refer to sites that are nationally and globally significant 
for biodiversity conservation primarily containing species that require site-scale conservation to 
prevent extinction in the short-term and medium term. Such species may be nationally and globally 
threatened, restricted-range, and/or nationally and globally significant congregations of species;  
 
qq) “Lagoon” shall refer to a semi-enclosed coastal basin with limited freshwater input, 
high salinity, and restricted circulation which often lies behind sand dunes. It is often highly 
productive and a habitat for a variety of plants and animals, serves as nurseries of prawns and 
shrimps and is also the site for the harbor, aquaculture, industry, and recreation; 
 
 rr) “Land” shall refer to resources, both natural and man-made, found on the surface, 
below, and above the ground including inland waters and the air therein;  
 
ss) “Land use” shall refer to the manner of utilization of land, including its allocation, 
development, and management;  
 
tt) “Land use classification” shall refer to the act of delineating or allocating lands 
according to protection land use, production land use, settlements development, and infrastructure 
development as defined and provided for in this Act;  
 
uu) “Land sub-classification” shall refer to the act of determining and assigning specific 
uses of classified lands of the public domain, such as forest or timber lands, alienable or disposable 
agricultural lands, national parks, and mineral lands in accordance with existing laws, and this Act;  
 
vv) “Mandatory public hearings/consultations” shall refer to the mechanism to ensure 
the active participation of concerned sectors in all affected areas in land use planning from the 


 
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local to the national level. It involves giving effective notice of hearing/consultation to concerned 
sectors within an affected area through direct written invitations, using regular mail or electronic 
means, publication/posting in conspicuous places, the conduct of a reasonable number of hearings 
in or proximate to the specific area affected, and solicitation of positions and the public 
presentation and public confirmation of the planning results in the specific area affected before the 
final adoption of the plans;  
 
ww) “Minerals” shall refer to all naturally occurring inorganic substances in solid, gas, 
liquid, or intermediate state excluding energy materials such as coal, petroleum, natural gas, 
radioactive materials, and geothermal energy;  
 
xx) “Mineral exploration” shall refer to the systematic searching or prospecting for 
mineral resources;  
 
yy) “Mineral lands” shall refer to lands where mineral resources are found;  
 
zz) “Mineral resources” shall refer to any concentration of minerals/rocks with potential 
economic value;  
 
aaa) “Mud flat” shall refer to a wetland type that is usually an unvegetated area, dominated 
by the muddy substrate which provides rich feeding grounds for vertebrates such as fish and water 
birds and is also important in preventing soil erosion;  
 
bbb) “National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS)” shall refer to the 
classification and administration of all designated protected areas to maintain essential ecological 
processes and life-support systems, to preserve genetic diversity, to ensure sustainable use of 
resources found therein, and to maintain their natural conditions to the greatest extent possible;  
 
ccc) “National Land Use Commission (NLUC)” shall refer to the highest land use policy-
making body created under Section 14 of this Act;  
 
ddd) “National Parks” shall refer to a forest reservation essentially of natural wilderness 
character which has been withdrawn from settlement, occupancy or any form of exploitation 
except in conformity with the approved management plan and set aside as such exclusively to 
conserve the area or preserve the scenery, the natural and historic objects, wild animals and plants 
therein and to provide enjoyment of these features in such areas;  
 
eee) “National physical framework plan” shall refer to an indicative plan containing the 
policy areas promoting the most appropriate and rational use of land and other physical resources 
as but not limited to protection, production, settlement, and infrastructure land use. It provides 


 
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policy guidelines for all decisions relating to land use and environmental management, to prevent 
and mitigate the adverse effects of inappropriate resource utilization on the country's food security 
and food self-sufficiency on rice and corn, the people's welfare, and their environment. It embodies 
both policies and strategies necessary to carry out the goals and objectives of this Act;  
 
fff) “Network of Protected Areas for Agriculture and Agro-industrial Development 
(NPAAAD)” shall refer to agricultural areas identified by the Department of Agriculture through 
the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) in coordination with the National Mapping 
and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA) in order to ensure the efficient utilization of land 
for agriculture and agro-industrial development and promote sustainable growth. The NPAAAD 
covers all irrigated areas, all irrigable lands already covered by irrigation projects with firm 
funding commitments, all alluvial plains, land highly suitable for agriculture whether irrigated or 
not, agro-industrial croplands or lands planted to industrial crops that support the validity of 
existing agricultural infrastructure and agro-based enterprises, highlands or areas located at an 
elevation of five hundred (500) meters or above and have the potential for growing semi-temperate 
and high-value crops, all agricultural lands that are ecologically fragile the conversion of which 
will result in serious environmental degradation, and all mangrove areas and fish sanctuaries;  
 
ggg) “Non-agricultural land use conversion” shall refer to the act of changing the current 
use of a piece of non-agricultural land into some other uses;  
 
hhh) “Non-government organization” shall refer to a private and non-profit voluntary 
organization that is committed to the task of political, socio-economic, physical, cultural, and 
environmental development and established primarily to provide service to marginalized sectors 
in these areas;  
 
iii) “Patrimonial properties” refer to all the properties belonging to the State that are not 
intended for public use or for public service for the development of national wealth; 
 
jjj) “People's organization” shall refer to a private, non-profit, voluntary, and community-
based organization with a membership constituency established primarily to provide service to its 
members and the community in general;  
 
kkk) “Physical framework plans” shall refer to indicative plans based on comprehensive 
land use plans (CLUPs) and national policies whether national, regional, or provincial which 
provide policy guidelines for all decisions relating to land use and environmental management to 
prevent or mitigate the adverse effects of inappropriate resource utilization on food security, the 
people's welfare and their environment, it embodies both policies and strategies necessary to carry 
out development goals and objectives;  
 


 
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lll) “Premature or illegal conversion of agricultural lands” shall refer to any activity that 
modifies or alters the physical characteristics of agricultural lands to render them suitable for non-
agricultural purposes without an approved order of conversion from the DAR Secretary;  
 
mmm)“Prime agricultural lands” shall refer to all irrigated areas; all irrigable lands 
already covered by irrigation projects with firm funding commitments; all rain-fed areas planted 
to rice and other crops; all alluvial plain lands highly suitable for agriculture whether irrigated or 
not, agro-industrial croplands or lands presently planted to industrial crops that support the 
viability of existing agricultural infrastructure and agro-based enterprises, highlands, or areas 
located at elevation of 500 meters or above and have the potential for growing semi-temperate and 
high value crops; all agricultural lands that are ecologically fragile, the conversion of which will 
result in serious environmental degradation, and mangrove areas and fish sanctuaries;  
 
nnn) “Production land use” shall refer to the direct and indirect utilization of land to 
generate outputs resulting from the following activities, but not limited to agricultural, fish, 
farming or aquaculture, timber production, agro-forestry, grazing and pasture, mining, indigenous 
energy resource development, industry, and tourism;  
 
ooo) “Protected areas” shall refer to portions of land set aside by reason of their unique 
physical and biological significance, managed to enhance biological diversity, and protected 
against destructive human exploitation. For purposes of this Act, it shall include agricultural lands 
identified and delineated under Section 29 hereof;  
 
ppp) “Protection land use” shall refer to the utilization of land primarily for food, water 
and energy security, rehabilitation, conservation, and protection purposes for the promotion of the 
country's ecological and life-support systems;  
 
qqq) “Public domain” shall refer to lands that belong to the State which may be any of the 
following: agricultural, forest or timber, mineral, or national park as provided for in the 
Constitution;  
 
rrr) “Public lands” shall refer to lands that have not been subject to private property rights 
or subject to sale or other modes of acquisition or concession under the general laws, and are 
devoted to public use;  
 
sss) “Reclamation” shall refer to deliberate process of converting foreshore land, 
submerged areas or bodies of water into permanent land by filling or other means using dredge fill 
and other suitable materials for specific purposes.;  
 


 
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sss) “Reclassification of agricultural lands” shall refer to the act of specifying how 
agricultural lands shall be utilized for non-agricultural uses such as residential, industrial, or 
commercial purposes through the local planning and zoning processes pursuant to Republic Act 
No. 7160 or the “Local Government Code of 1991” and subject to the requirements and procedure 
for conversion. It is equivalent to land sub-classification, as defined in this Act for classified lands 
of the public domain, and also includes the reversion of non-agricultural lands to agricultural use; 
 
ttt) “Resettlement sites” shall refer to areas identified by the appropriate national agency 
or by the local government unit, with respect to areas within its jurisdiction which shall be used 
for the relocation of the underprivileged and homeless, as defined under Republic Act No. 7279 
or the “Urban Development and Housing Act (UDHA)”;  
 
uuu) “River basin” shall refer to the portion of land drained by a river and its tributaries. 
It encompasses the entire land surface dissected and drained by many streams and creeks that flow 
downhill into one another, and eventually into one river. The final destination is an estuary or an 
ocean;  
vvv) “Settlements” shall refer to formal and informal communities or built-up residential 
areas where people prefer to live in land areas classified, zoned, or converted for current or future 
residential or housing development purposes, including socialized housing zones for the homeless 
and underprivileged citizens;  
 
www) “Settlements development” shall refer to any improvement on existing formal or 
informal residential or housing settlements or any proposed development of certain areas for 
residential or mass housing settlement purposes. It also involves the spatial distribution of 
population, identification of the roles and functions of key urban centers, determination of 
relationships among settlement areas, and the provision of basic services and facilities of identified 
major residential or housing settlement areas or growth centers. It is also concerned with the 
interrelationship of settlements as they develop and establishes functional linkages based on their 
respective resource endowments and comparative advantages;  
 
xxx) “Shoreline” shall refer to the line where shore and water meet;  
 
yyy) “Significant caves” shall refer to caves that contain materials or possess features that 
have archaeological, cultural, ecological, historical or scientific value as determined by the 
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in coordination with the scientific 
community and the academe;  
 
zzz) “Socialized housing” shall refer to housing programs and projects undertaken by the 
government or the private sector for the underprivileged and homeless citizens which shall include 


 
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sites and services development, long-term financing, liberalized terms on interest payments, and 
such other benefits in accordance with the UDHA;  
 
aaaa) “Socialized housing zones” shall refer to lands identified and designated by local 
government units as sites for socialized housing, pursuant to Article IV of Republic Act No. 7279 
or the UDHA, and its implementing guidelines. It shall include areas that are presently occupied 
by the urban poor, as well as those identified as resettlement areas as defined herein;  
 
bbbb) “Sustainable development” shall refer to the development objective of meeting the 
needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet 
their own needs consistent with the principles of social equity, efficiency, and environmental 
integrity;  
cccc) “Stakeholder” shall refer to an individual, social group or organization that has a 
direct or indirect interest in an activity, project, resources, or decision;  
 
dddd) “Tourism development areas” shall refer to specific sites for tourism development 
located in areas identified as priorities in the national, regional, and inter-regional area-specific 
tourism master plans and other sector plans such as eco-tourism and agri-tourism sites, including 
those designated through legislative and executive issuances such as tourist spots, tourist zones 
and tourism ecozones which can be developed into tourism estates or integrated resort, leisure, and 
recreation complexes, and other tourism-related facilities; 
 
eeee) “Tourism Enterprise Zone” refers to an area designated as a tourism enterprise zone 
by the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority pursuant to the provisions of RA 
9593 otherwise known as the Tourism Act of 2009;  
 
ffff) “Tourism estates” shall refer to large tracts of land with well-defined boundaries in 
any area identified in the Philippine tourism master plan and regional tourism master plan, by 
proclamation of the President and/or by an act of Congress including local legislation. Such land 
shall be suitable for the development of an integrated tourism and resort complex including but 
not limited to accommodation facilities, food and beverage outlets, convention and meeting areas, 
sports, recreational and leisure centers and commercial outlets among others. It shall be provided 
with roads, water supply facilities, power and utilities like potable water, drainage sewerage 
disposal, solid waste disposal system and other necessary infrastructure. The estate shall be under 
one unified and continuous management;  
 
gggg) “Tourist spot” shall refer to a particular area/site/spot, human-made or natural, 
known for its unique tourist/visitor-drawing attributes and activities. It may be classified according 
to its social, cultural, natural, historical, scientific, religious, and recreational significance;  
 


 
14 
hhhh) “Tourist zone” shall refer to a geographic area with well-defined boundaries 
proclaimed as such by the President of the Philippines and/or by acts of Congress. No development 
projects for any purpose shall be initiated and introduced within the zone prior to the formulation 
of a tourism master development plan which shall be undertaken in coordination with the 
Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority 
(TIEZA). A tourist zone is established for the enhancement and/or the conservation of cultural and 
historical heritage and for the appreciation and enjoyment of the local population and its visitors;  
 
iiii) “Urban areas” shall refer to all cities regardless of their population density and to 
municipalities with population density of at least Five hundred (500) persons per square kilometer;  
 
jjjj) “Urbanizable areas” shall refer to sites and lands which, considering present 
characteristics and prevailing conditions, display marked and great potential of becoming urban 
areas within a period of five (5) years;  
 
kkkk) “Urban forestry or Green space” shall refer to the establishment and management 
of forest in urban environment for the physiological and psychological well-being of the people;  
llll) “Water security” shall refer to the sufficient access throughout the year to the 
minimum daily requirement of clean water to maintain a healthy life;  
mmmm) “Water use” shall refer to the appropriation of water for domestic, municipal, 
irrigation, power generation, inland fisheries, poultry and livestock raising, industrial and 
commercial, environmental, and recreational use and other purposes;  
nnnn) “Watershed” shall refer to a land area drained by a stream or fixed body of water 
and its tributaries having a common outlet for surface runoff;  
 
oooo) “Zoning” shall refer to the process of delineating the specific uses of lands in 
accordance with the approved Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) within the territorial 
jurisdiction of a city/municipality and specifying the conditions for their regulation; subject to the 
limitations imposed by law and competent authority; and,  
pppp) “Zoning ordinance or ZO” shall refer to a local law passed by the Sangguniang 
Bayan or Panglunsod approving the development control/zoning plan in accordance with an 
approved or adopted CLUP for the city/municipality, and providing for the regulations and other 
conditions on the uses of land including the limitation on the infrastructure that may be placed 
thereon within the territorial jurisdiction of a city or municipality. It incorporates the protected 
areas under Section 13(a) and the protected agricultural lands under Section 29 of this Act. 
 
 
 
 
 


 
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CHAPTER III  
PHYSICAL FRAMEWORK AND LAND USE PLANS 
 
 
SEC. 5. National Land Use Planning Process. - The land use and physical planning process 
shall be formulated following a combined bottom-up and top-down approach. The National Land 
Use Commission (NLUC) shall draft the National Physical Framework Plan (NPFP) which shall 
have a timeframe of thirty (30) years, with regular review and updating every ten (10) years. The 
NPFP, which guides the planning and management of the country's land and other physical 
resources at the national and sub-national levels, shall indicate broad spatial directions and policy 
guidelines on settlement development, production land use, protection land use, social services 
and utilities, and transportation and communication. The Regional Physical Framework Plans 
(RPFPs), Provincial Physical Framework and Development Plans (PPFDPs), and Comprehensive 
Land Use Plans (CLUPs), which shall also have a 30-year timeframe and cover the physical 
development of their respective territories, shall be consistent with the national physical 
framework plan: Provided, That the integration and harmonization of the physical framework 
plans at all levels shall be iterative to ensure that the concerns of both top and bottom levels of 
government are considered. The physical and land use plans prepared at all levels shall have 
internal consistency specifically on, but not limited to, the development, management, and 
conservation of forestlands found within a given territory and the linkages of the major land use 
categories to ensure their complementation in the utilization, development, and management of 
resources.  
 
The NLUC shall issue procedural guidelines which shall guide the formulation and 
integration/harmonization process: Provided, That, the National Economic and Development 
Authority (NEDA), Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB), Department of Interior 
and Local Government (DILG), and other agencies will continue to issue guidelines on the content 
of the plans consistent with their respective agency mandates. 
 
SEC. 6. City and Municipal Land Use Plans. —The City/Municipal Planning and 
Development Office (C/MPDO), in consultation with concerned sectors through mandatory 
conduct of public hearings, 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, as 
appropriate, the ancestral domain areas. The CLUP shall be consistent with the PPFDP and shall 
define the city/municipal development vision, appropriate economic, environmental and social 
development policies, densities and transportation system.  
 
The CLUP may be formulated as a component of a Comprehensive Land Use and 
Development Plan (CLUDP), which merges the traditionally separate CLUP and comprehensive 


 
16 
development plan to address the disconnect between spatial and sectoral factors and to ensure the 
complementation between the medium- and long-term concerns.  
 
The CLUP shall be translated into a zoning ordinance by the concerned Sanggunian to 
regulate the uses of land, including the limitations on height, density, and bulk of buildings and 
other infrastructure that may be placed thereon. 
 
SEC. 7. Provincial Physical Framework and Development Plans (PPFDP). - In 
consultation with concerned sectors, the Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) 
shall prepare a Provincial Physical Framework and Development Plan (PPFDP) which shall define 
the province's development vision, economic and social development policies, general land uses, 
and inter-city/municipal transportation system. The PPFDP shall harmonize the land use plans of 
component cities and municipalities, taking into consideration shared resources and planning 
concerns, and define the uses of land and other resources within the province consistent with the 
policies in the regional physical framework plan. The programs, projects and activities prescribed 
in the PPFDP shall be integrated into the provincial development investment program. The PPDO 
shall submit the PPFDP to the Provincial Land Use Policy Council (PLUPC), created under 
Section 20 of this Act, for review and endorsement to Sangguniang Panlalawigan, which shall 
adopt the same pursuant to Section 468 (2) (vii) of RA 7160 or the Local Government Code. 
 
SEC. 8. Regional Physical Framework Plans (RPFP). - In consultation with concerned 
sectors, the Regional Land Use Policy Council (RLUPC) shall define the desired spatial 
arrangement of land-using activities in the entire region, consolidating and harmonizing the 
provincial physical framework plans of provinces and independent cities within the territorial 
jurisdiction of the region. The regional physical framework plan, which depicts an end-state 
scenario toward which efforts and activities are directed, shall consist of spatially-based and area-
focused policies, consistent with those in the national framework for physical planning, to guide 
detailed physical, socioeconomic, sectoral, and investment planning. 
 
SEC. 9. National Physical Framework Plan (NPFP). -The National Land Use Commission 
(NLUC) created in Section 14 herein, in consultation with the concerned sectors through the 
mandatory conduct of public hearings, shall formulate, periodically update and ensure the 
implementation of a national physical framework plan that shall prescribe and influence the 
country's land use and physical development. The NPFP shall operationalize the policies provided 
in this act and will be the basis for adopting land use and physical planning-related guidelines and 
standards, including zoning and other land use control standards that will guide the formulation of 
city/municipal zoning ordinances.  
 
The policies prescribed in the NPFP shall be integrated into the MTPDP and Medium Term 
Philippine Investment Program. 


 
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CHAPTER IV  
FRAMEWORK FOR LAND USE PLANNING 
 
SEC. 10. Priorities in Land Use Allocation and Planning. - In projecting spatial allocation 
for different land uses, the LGUs shall first exclude areas under protection land use of Section 
13(a) hereof, national parks, energy resource lands, and prime agricultural lands to ensure 
ecological integrity, energy supply, and promote food security. Areas with prior rights and those 
with site-specific resources for basic services, such as but not limited to, water and indigenous 
energy resources, shall also be excluded.  
 
Spatial allocation and planning shall then proceed in accordance with Sections 12 and 13 
hereof with priorities given to integrated watershed management areas, socialized housing sites, 
fisherfolk settlement in coastal areas, and waste disposal sites. 
 
SEC. 11. Adoption of Multiple Uses of Land Resources. - The primary and alternative uses 
of a specific land resource shall be determined and evaluated prior to any decision for the 
assignment of its use. Areas feasible for sustainable land resource use may be considered multiple-
use zones wherein settlements, tourism, agriculture, forestry, agroforestry and extraction activities, 
and other income-generating or livelihood activities may be allowed: Provided, That multiple uses 
of land resources shall be excluded in areas identified as protection land use: Provided, further, 
That such land resources shall be in accordance with priorities in land use allocation and planning 
and that no reclassification shall be allowed.  
 
SEC. 12. Basic Land Use Planning Considerations. - In determining the various land uses, 
the people and their productive activities and the need for functional open spaces and preservation 
areas as well as the various interrelationships of the physical characteristics of the land and other 
elements therein shall be considered, among others, the following:  
 
(a) Availability of natural resources including indigenous energy resources for energy 
security and self-sufficiency;  
 
(b) Geology, geomorphology, geologic hazard, climate, soil, vegetative cover, 
demography, and slope;  
 
(c) Economic, environmental, cultural, social and related development activities;  
 
(d) Existing government policies on land and natural resources allocation, utilization, 
management and disposition;  
 


 
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(e) Technological changes/advancement;  
 
(f) Existing customary rights for the protection of indigenous peoples and vulnerable 
groups including women and urban poor; and  
 
(g) Inventory of prior and existing rights, to harmonize determination of land use. 
 
 
SEC. 13. Categories of Land Uses for Planning Purposes. - In determining and defining 
the national, regional, and provincial framework plans, and CLUPs, land uses shall be grouped 
into four major functional uses as follows:  
 
(a) Protection Land Use shall refer to the use of land primarily for food, water, and energy 
security, rehabilitation, conservation, and protection purposes for the promotion of the country's 
ecological and life-support systems. Planning for protection land use intends to achieve food self-
sufficiency in rice and corn, water and energy security, environmental stability and ecological 
integrity, ensure a balance between resource use and the preservation of some areas with 
environmental, aesthetic, educational, cultural, heritage, and historical significance, and protect 
people and human-made structures from the ill-effects of natural hazards. All lands, either public 
or private, under protection land use shall be permanently conserved, preserved, rehabilitated, and 
protected from all other land uses, disposition, intrusion, utilization, and development that is not 
consistent with its existing uses. Areas under this category also include those covered by Republic 
Act No. 7586 or the NIPAS Law and other coastal and marine protected areas, those areas outside 
NIPAS but nonetheless require protection because of their outstanding physical and aesthetic 
features, anthropological significance, and biological diversity, and those areas prone to natural 
hazards. Areas outside the coverage of the NIPAS law include, but are not limited to the following: 
 
a .l. Old-growth forests and mossy; 
 
 a.2. Areas with more than 50% in slope gradient; 
 
a.3. Mangrove and fish sanctuaries, pursuant to Republic Act No. 8435 or the “Agriculture 
and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1997” and Republic Act No. 8550 or “The Philippine Fisheries 
Code of 1998”;  
 
a.4. Buffer zones or strips/easements, pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 705, amending 
Presidential Decree No. 389, otherwise known as the “Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines” 
and Presidential Decree No. 1067 or the “Water Code of the Philippines”;  
 


 
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a.5. Salvage zones along foreshore areas, freshwater swamps and marshes, plazas and 
heritage/historic sites, pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 2146;  
 
a.6. Watersheds supporting domestic water supply;  
 
a.7. Utility easement like transmission lines of power companies, oil and gas facilities, cell 
sites, and domestic water lines;  
 
a.8. Amenity areas or those with high aesthetic values, pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 
2146;  
 
a.9. Natural and human-made areas/sites of cultural, historical and anthropological 
significance, which are declared as such by internationally recognized organizations and 
concerned national agencies;  
 
a. 10. Critical habitats as provided in Republic Act No. 9147 or the “Wildlife Resources 
Conservation and Protection Act”;  
 
a.11. Significant caves under Republic Act 9072 or the “National Caves and Cave 
Resources Management and Protection Act”; or  
 
a. 12. Key biodiversity areas under Executive Order 578 Series of 2006 or the “National 
Biodiversity Policy”. 
 
(b) Production Land Use shall refer to the direct and indirect utilization of land resources 
for crop, fishery, livestock and poultry production, forestry, agroforestry, mining, industry, energy 
development, indigenous energy exploration and development, and tourism. Planning for 
production land shall determine the most efficient, sustainable, and equitable manner of utilizing, 
developing, and managing land for productive purposes. Areas included in this category are 
agricultural lands, fishing grounds, coastal and marine zones, and production forests which 
comprise lands 18% to 50% in slope gradient such as residual dipterocarps, rangelands for grazing 
purposes, industrial tree plantation/Integrated Forest Management Agreement (IFMA), 
community-based forest management areas and other reforestation projects, mineral lands or 
mining areas and reservations, energy resource lands, industrial development areas, and tourism 
development areas where productive activities could be undertaken to meet the country's 
requirements for food security, economic growth, and development.  
 
(c) Settlements Development shall refer to any improvement on existing settlements in 
urban and rural areas or any proposed development of certain areas for settlement purposes 
involving the spatial distribution of population, identification of the roles and functions of key 


 
20 
urban centers, determination of relationships among settlement areas, and the provision of basic 
services and facilities to such settlement. The settlements development plan ensures for the present 
and future generations the following: i) effective integration of activities within and among 
settlements, allowing efficient movement of people and production of commodities through the 
provision of appropriate land, infrastructure, and facilities; and ii) access of the population to 
housing, education, health care, recreation, transportation and communication, sanitation, and 
basic utilities such as water, power, waste disposal, and other services. 
 
(d) Infrastructure Development shall refer to the availability or supply of basic services and 
fostering of economic and other forms of integration necessary for producing or obtaining the 
material requirements of Filipinos, in an efficient, responsive, safe and ecologically friendly built 
environment. It covers sub-sectors of transportation, communications, water resources, and social 
infrastructure: Provided, That the determination of functional uses of lands within ancestral 
domains shall consider traditional resource and management systems that do not endanger the lives 
of the people and property of the local community and neighboring areas or increase the 
vulnerability of the natural environment to the effects of natural and human-induced geological 
processes. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CHAPTER V  
IMPLEMENTING STRUCTURE AND MECHANISMS  
 
Article 1  
National Land Use Commission 
 
SEC. 14. Creation of the National Land Use Commission (NLUC). - The National Land 
Use Commission, hereinafter referred to as NLUC, is hereby created as a Commission under the 
Office of the President. It shall exercise the powers and responsibilities of the current National 
Land Use Committee which is hereby abolished.  
 
The NLUC shall act as the highest policy-making body on land use and resolve land use 
policy conflicts between or among agencies, branches, or levels of the government. It shall 
integrate efforts, and monitor developments relating to land use and the evolution of policies. It 
may also establish Regional Offices. 
 


 
21 
SEC. 15. Composition of the NLUC. - The NLUC shall be composed of the following.  
 
a) The Secretary of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) as 
Chairperson; 
 
b) The Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources as Vice-
Chairpersons;  
 
The members shall be;  
 
c) The Secretaries of the Departments of Finance, Justice, Agriculture, Public Works and 
Highways, National Defense, Trade and Industry, Agrarian Reform, Interior and Local 
Government, Tourism, Transportation, Science and Technology, Energy, Information and 
Communications Technology, and Human Settlements and Urban Development;  
 
d) The Chairperson of the National Commission in Indigenous Peoples; 
 
The Department Secretaries and the Chairperson of the NCIP may designate 
representatives with a rank not lower than Assistant Secretary and Commissioner, respectively: 
Provided, That the designated representative shall be engaged on a permanent basis.  
 
d) The Presidents of the Leagues of Provinces, Cities, and Municipalities, or their 
designated representatives; 
 
e) A representative each from four (4) basic sectors directly involved in land use, namely: 
urban poor, farmer-peasants, fisherfolk, and indigenous peoples who shall be appointed based on 
the nomination and recommendation of the respective sectoral councils of the National Anti-
Poverty Commission (NAPC). At least two (2) sectoral representatives shall be women;  
 
f) Two (2) representatives from private subdivisions, and housing developers; and  
 
g) Two (2) representatives from the accredited association of professionals dealing with 
land use such as but not limited to urban and regional planners, environmental planners, architects, 
geologists, and geodetic engineers;  
 
A consultative body shall likewise be convened by the NLUC at least once a year or as 
often as may be necessary. It shall be composed of representatives from the Leagues of 
Municipalities, Cities, and Provinces, other government agencies not represented in the NLUC, 
and from non-government sectors such as the private sector, non-government organizations 
(NGOs) and people's organizations (POs) and the academic community. 


 
22 
 
SEC. 16. Powers and Functions. - The NLUC shall have the following powers and 
functions:  
a) Advise the President of the Philippines and the NEDA Board on all matters concerning 
land use and physical planning; 
 
b) 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;  
 
c) Formulate policies and endorse land use and physical planning-related policies that may 
be formulated by the Regional Land Use Policy Council (RLUPC), created under Section 22 of 
this Act, and concerned agencies as well as promulgate zoning and other land use control standards 
and guidelines which shall guide the formulation of land use plans and zoning ordinances by local 
governments;  
 
d) 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;  
 
e) Review and endorse all land use and physical planning related guidelines;  
 
f) Monitor and coordinate the gathering of data, the conduct of studies pertaining to land 
use planning including studies on the management of identified land uses and such other studies 
not undertaken by other government agencies;  
 
g) Recommend to the President of the Philippines the adoption, passage, or amendment of 
laws to ensure that sectoral programs, plans, projects, and activities, including local government 
initiatives affecting land use are consistent with national development objectives, including the 
endorsement of land use projects of national significance;  
 
h) Coordinate with and assist other government agencies and LGUs in planning, 
developing, and implementing their land use classification programs, and provide, to the extent 
possible, technical assistance and guidance; 
 
i) Monitor and coordinate the activities of concerned agencies and entities of the 
government, as well as LGUs, in the enforcement and implementation of policies and regulations 
relating to land use and resource management and development;  
 


 
23 
j) Monitor and coordinate activities in the establishment of a national land resource 
information and management system of concerned agencies that shall integrate and process 
information on land use and allocation generated by the various national government agencies; 
define information requirements at various levels; and standardize information inputs and outputs 
including scales and symbols used in territorial and sectoral maps;  
 
k) Be the repository of all RPFPs, PDPFPs and CLUPs and all data and information 
pertaining to land and land use;  
 
l) Call on any department, bureau, office, agency, or instrumentality of the government, 
and or private entities and organization for cooperation, support, and assistance in the performance 
of its functions;  
 
m) 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);  
 
n) Adopt rules of procedures for the orderly and expeditious conduct of meetings and other 
business of the Council; and  
 
o) Perform such other acts and functions and exercise such other powers as may be 
necessarily implied, inherent, incident, or related to the foregoing. 
 
SEC. 17. NLUC TECHNICAL SECRETARIAT (NLUC-TS). - A Technical Secretariat shall 
be created to provide technical support to the NLUC. It shall be headed by an Executive Director 
and composed of:  
 
a. Representatives of the member agencies/institutions of the NLUC, who shall have a rank 
not lower than Director level; and  
 
b. The representatives of NLUC members as enumerated in Section 15 (d), (e), (f) and (g) 
of this Act.  
 
SEC. 18. The NLUC Technical Secretariat Executive Director. — The Executive Director 
shall supervise the operations of the NLUC Technical Secretariat and assist the NLUC Chairperson 
or his/her designated CEO. In the absence of the CEO, he/she shall preside over the meetings of 
the NLUC-TS. He shall also perform such other functions as may be tasked by the Chairperson or 
CEO-Vice Chairperson.  
 


 
24 
SEC. 19. Offices, Units and Staff Support. - The NLUC-TS Executive Director shall 
establish the NLUC-TS offices and organize appropriate staffing. The staffing pattern shall be 
drafted by the NLUC in coordination with the DBM and Civil Service Commission. Other 
government agencies may also be called upon for staff support. 
 
Article 2  
Local Development Councils as Local Land Use Policy Councils 
 
SEC. 20. City/Municipal Land Use Policy Council (C/MLUPC). - The City/Municipal 
Development Council (C/MDC), created under Section 106 of the Local Government Code, shall 
act as the City/Municipal Land use Policy Council (C/MLUPC) that will tackle land use concerns 
whenever necessary. A duly authorized representative from the DAR, the DENR and the DA shall 
be included in the composition of the C/MLUPC. In addition to the functions enumerated in 
Section 109 of the LGC, the C/MLUP shall:  
 
a. Advise the Sangguniang Bayan or Sangguniang Panlungsod on all matters pertaining to 
land use and physical planning;  
 
b. Review and endorse to the Sangguniang Bayan or Sangguniang Panlungsod for 
adoption, the CLUP prepared and periodically updated by the City/Municipal Planning and 
Development Office and other land use and physical planning-related policies; and  
 
c. Decide and resolve policy conflicts on land use planning, classification, and allocation 
that may arise between and among barangays and any unresolved land use conflict at the barangay 
level regarding the violation of zoning ordinances including opposition to applications for 
locational clearances, permits or certificates.  
 
For purposes of this Act, the City/Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator 
(C/MPDC) shall: (a) act on all applications for locational clearances for all projects except those 
of vital and national economic or environmental significance; and (b) monitor on-going/existing 
projects within their respective jurisdictions and issue notices of violation to owners, developers, 
or managers of projects that are violative of zoning ordinances. The C/MLUPC may call upon any 
local official concerned such as C/MPDC, City/Municipal Agriculturist, City/Municipal 
Environment and Natural Resources Officer, City/Municipal Engineer, City/Municipal Assessor, 
or any official of national agencies during discussions on land use and physical planning concerns. 
Local government units without operational C/MDC as mandated by the 1991 LGC shall activate 
their respective Councils within six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act.  
 
SEC. 21. Provincial Land Use Policy Council (PLUPC). - The Provincial Development 
Council (PDC), created under Section 106 of the LGC, shall act as the Provincial Land Use Policy 


 
25 
Council that will tackle land use concerns whenever necessary. A duly authorized representative 
from the DENR, DAR, and DA shall be included in the composition of the PLUPC. In addition to 
the functions enumerated in Section 109 of the LGC, the PLUPC shall: 
 
 a. Advise the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on all matters pertaining to land use and physical 
planning;  
 
b. Review and endorse to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for adoption, the provincial 
physical framework plans, prepared and periodically updated by the Provincial Planning and 
Development Office and other land use and physical planning-related policies;  
 
c. Assist the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in reviewing the CLUPs of component 
cities/municipalities to ensure consistency with the provincial physical framework plans and 
compliance with the limits prescribed under the 1991 LGC for reclassifying agricultural lands; and  
 
d. Decide and resolve policy conflicts on land use planning, classification, and allocation 
that may arise between or among cities/municipalities and any unresolved land use conflicts at the 
city/municipal level.  
 
The PLUPC may call upon any local official concerned such as the Provincial Planning 
and Development Coordinator, Provincial Agriculturist, Provincial Environment and Natural 
Resources Officer, Provincial Engineer, Provincial Assessor, or any official of national agencies 
and other relevant agencies during discussions on land use and physical planning concerns. 
 
SEC. 22. Regional Land Use Policy Council (RLUPC). - At the regional level, the Regional 
Land Use Policy Council (RLUPC) shall be institutionalized, replicating the NLUC structure and 
composition which shall include a duly authorized representative from the NEDA, the DENR, DA 
and the DAR. The RLUPC shall have the following functions:  
 
a. Formulate and adopt regional policies on land use and physical planning;  
 
b. Prepare and periodically update a regional physical framework plan, taking into 
consideration national policies and lower-level plans;  
 
c. Assist the provinces in preparing and periodically updating their physical framework 
plans to ensure consistency with the regional and national plans and policies and to facilitate its 
integration into the regional plans;  
 
d. Review, prior to adoption by respective Sanggunians, the provincial physical framework 
plan and CLUPs of highly urbanized and independent component cities to ensure consistency with 


 
26 
the regional physical framework plan and national policies set forth by LUPC and compliance with 
limits prescribed under the 1991 LGC for reclassifying agricultural lands;  
 
e. Decide and resolve policy conflicts on land use planning, classification, and allocation 
that may arise between or among regional line agencies, provinces, and cities/municipalities;  
 
f. Monitor changes in land use and other physical resources in the region;  
 
g. Evaluate consistency of major programs and projects with the regional physical 
framework plans and their impact on land use and the environment;  
 
h. Undertake the gathering of regional data for the Land Resource Information and 
Management System; and 
 
 i. Perform other related functions as may be directed by the NLUC. 
 
Article 3  
Adoption, Approval and Review of Land Use Plans  
 
SEC. 23. Component Cities and Municipalities. - Component cities and municipalities shall 
have the power and authority to adopt and approve their respective CLUPs and ZOs through their 
respective Sanggunian subject to the power of review of their respective provinces only with 
respect to the consistency of the CLUPs and ZOs with Section 8 hereof on the preparation of the 
provincial physical framework plan. Upon adoption and approval of the CLUP and ZO by the 
Sanggunian, all land areas zoned for residential purposes or for settlements development shall 
cease to be covered by the CARP and therefore, shall not be required to secure further order of 
land conversion or exemption certificates from the DAR, except for the payment of disturbance 
compensation if applicable, as well as the requirements pertaining to the issuance of environmental 
compliance certificate (ECC) by the DENR.  
 
SEC. 24. Provinces and Independent and Highly Urbanized Cities. - Provinces and 
independent and highly urbanized cities shall have the power and authority to adopt and approve 
their respective CLUPs, ZOs, or PDPFP, as the case may be, through their respective Sanggunian 
but subject to the review of the RLUPC as provided in Section 22 of this Act. 
 
Article 4  
Responsibilities of the National Government Agencies and LGUs 
 
SEC. 25. National Base Mapping Program. - A national mapping program shall be 
implemented, coordinated, and monitored through the creation of an Interagency Technical 


 
27 
Committee (ITC) composed of the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority 
(NAMRIA), as the lead agency, the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM), the Forest 
Management Bureau (FMB), the Land Management Bureau (LMB), 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 shall be initiated, within thirty (30) days from the effectivity of this Act. 
The agencies mentioned in this Section shall endeavor to finish their base mapping program within 
two (2) years upon the effectivity of this Act. For purposes of uniformity and standardization, the 
LGUs, to be assisted by the appropriate agencies of the national government, shall likewise prepare 
their respective territorial maps using scales, symbols, and other indicators to be prescribed in 
accordance with this Act. The completed maps shall be integrated into the national physical 
framework plan pursuant to Section 5 of this Act.  
 
SEC. 26. National Geo-hazard Mapping Program. - Within thirty (30) days from the 
effectivity of this Act, a nationwide geo-hazard mapping program shall be initiated jointly thru the 
NLUC by the PHIVOLCS, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services 
Administration (PAGASA), the NAMRIA, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), BSWM, 
and 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. The program shall include the generation of indicative geo-
hazard zoning maps that will outline areas in the Philippines that are 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.  
 
For purposes of uniformity and standardization and in order to develop a safe-built 
environment, the LGUs shall subsequently incorporate and integrate the generated geo-hazard 
zoning maps in their respective CLUPs. Said geo-hazard maps shall serve as a guide for all the 
LGUs in the preparation of their own hazards-constrained development plans. The national 
framework physical planning, pursuant to Section 5 hereof, shall incorporate these geo-hazard 
maps.  
 
All infrastructure activities including real estate and subdivision projects and the 
development of tourist spots requiring an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) shall be 
required to submit an Engineering Geological and Geo-hazard Assessment Report (EGGAR).  
 
SEC. 27. Scope and Nature of Responsibilities of Other National Government Agencies. - 
All concerned national government agencies/bodies shall periodically report to the NLUC on the 
various activities and accomplishments relative to land use. Likewise, they shall provide their 


 
28 
respective sectoral/development plans and render technical and administrative support if called 
upon by the NLUC relative to the implementation of the provisions of this Act.  
 
SEC. 28. Submission of Annual Report on the Implementation of CLUPs. - The C/MLUPC 
shall submit an annual report on the implementation of their land use plans to the PLUPC, which 
shall integrate the same for submission to the RLUPC, which shall in turn integrate the provincial 
reports for submission to the NLUC. 
 
CHAPTER VI  
SPECIAL AREAS OF CONCERN  
 
Article I  
Agricultural Lands 
 
SEC. 29. Priority Areas for Agricultural Development. - Priority areas for agricultural 
development shall be those agricultural areas covered under Republic Act No. 6657 or the CARP, 
as amended, and those covered under Network of Protected Areas for Agricultural and Agro-
Industrial Development (NPAAAD), defined in Section 4 of this Act and in R.A. No. 8435 or the 
“Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act.”  
 
SEC. 30. Conversion of Agricultural Lands. - Agricultural lands are deemed converted to 
non-agricultural uses upon approval by the DAR of the application for conversion. Prime 
agricultural lands and specific types of lands to the extent necessary for attaining food self-
sufficiency in rice and corn and food security in other basic commodities, as determined by the 
DA, subject to mandatory consultation with the LCDs, the private sector, the NGOs, and POs, 
shall be protected from conversion, which shall include but not limited to areas under the 
NPAAAD: Provided, That all irrigated and irrigable lands, all lands developed or possessing the 
potential for development of high value crops, and all agricultural lands that are ecologically 
fragile and whose conversion will result in serious environmental problems shall be given full 
protection from conversion, the areas under which are subject to review every seven (7) years by 
the DA, with the mandatory public consultations: Provided, further, That consistent with the State 
policy on giving priority to the completion of the CARP, all lands subject to CARP including those 
lands covered under the notice of compulsory acquisition/voluntary offer to sell, production or 
profit-sharing, or commercial farm deferment shall also be protected from conversion pending the 
distribution and installation of the farmer beneficiaries, but thereafter. Section 22 of R.A. No. 9700 
or “CARP Extension” shall apply: Provided, furthermore, That the conversion of agricultural lands 
for use of priority government projects for basic services such as, but not limited to, irrigation and 
power shall be allowed only upon the recommendation of the Secretaries of the DA and the DAR: 
Provided, finally, That the mapping of the NPAAAD under the AFMA shall be completed within 
two (2) years from the effectivity of this Act.  


 
29 
 
Lands defined under Section 10 of R.A. No. 6657 shall remain exempted and excluded 
from the coverage of CARP.  
 
SEC. 31. Sub-classification or Re-classification of Agricultural Lands by LGUs. - 
Subclassification or re-classification of agricultural lands to other uses under Section 20 of the 
LGC of 1991 shall exclude the protected agricultural lands as stated in the preceding section. 
Moreover, such sub-classification/reclassification is not synonymous to conversion. The DA and 
DAR shall provide the LGUs with a complete list and maps of protected agricultural lands within 
their territorial jurisdictions. 
 
Article 2  
Forest Lands and Watershed Management  
 
SEC. 32. Reversion of Alienable and Disposable Lands to Forestlands. - Upon the 
recommendation of the Secretary of the DENR, duly reviewed and endorsed by the NLUC, and 
after due consultations with the concerned LGUs and affected parties, Congress may authorize the 
reversion of alienable and disposable lands of the public domain or portion thereof to forestlands. 
Thereafter, said lands shall be included in the preparation of land use plans within forestlands.  
 
SEC. 33. Critical Watershed Areas. - The DENR, in coordination with the DA, LGUs, and 
other government agencies, including government-owned and controlled corporations, and with 
mandatory public consultations, shall identify and delineate critical watershed areas that need to 
be protected, rehabilitated, enhanced, and/or withdrawn from uses that contribute to their further 
degradation.  
 
SEC. 34. Formulation and Implementation of Integrated Watershed Management Plans. - 
In the absence of a law on the protection and sustainable management of our forests, the LGUs 
through their local land use committees and upon mandatory consultations with the concerned 
sectors, and with the assistance of DENR, shall prepare their watershed management plans which 
shall be integrated with their respective CLUPs. The formulation and integration of the plan shall 
be guided, among others, by the principle that the management and development of inland water 
resources shall be at the watershed level. A nationwide mapping of watersheds in the country shall 
be implemented.  
 
In cases where the watershed areas transcend the boundaries of a particular municipality, 
an inter-LGU committee composed of representatives from local land use committees of the LGUs 
where the watershed area is located shall be formed. With the assistance of the DENR and upon 
mandatory consultations with the concerned sectors, the inter-LGU committee shall formulate the 
watershed management plan for the said watershed area.  


 
30 
 
The DENR and the concerned LGUs shall jointly implement the watershed management 
plan subject to regular consultations with and involvement of the community and other 
stakeholders in the implementation of the plan. The preparation of forest land use plans shall make 
use of the watershed as the basic planning unit. 
 
SEC. 35. Establishment and Management of National Parks. – All areas proclaimed by the 
President and Congress under the NIPAS, pursuant to RA 7586 as amended by RA 11038, 
including those identified as component of the NIPAS, shall comprise the National Parks 
classification of the public domain. The DENR and concerned LGUs shall ensure that such areas 
are integrated in the CLUP and physical framework plans; Provided, however, that the preparation 
of the management plans of the protected areas and national parks shall be in accordance with the 
provisions of RA 7586 as amended by RA 11038 and other laws establishing or declaring a specific 
area as permanent component of the NIPAS.  
 
Article 3  
Coastal Zone 
 
SEC. 36. Criteria on the Allocation and Utilization of Lands within the Coastal Zones. - 
The allocation and utilization of lands within the coastal zones shall be guided by the following:  
 
a) Areas vegetated with mangrove species shall be preserved for mangrove production and 
shall not be converted to other uses;  
 
b) Areas which meet all accepted criteria on elevation, soil type, soil depth, topography, 
supply for successful fishpond development, and are not identified as mangrove protected areas, 
shall be utilized for aquaculture purposes;  
 
c) Areas sub-classified as mangrove and still suitable for use as such, or due to 
environmental conditions need to be preserved as mangrove, but is devoid of mangrove stands 
shall not be converted to other uses. The DENR shall ensure that these lands shall be reforested 
within a given period of time;  
 
d) Areas accessible to the sea and identified for fisherfolk settlement and housing shall be 
allocated to traditional fisherfolk who are inhabitants of the coastal communities and members of 
legitimate fisherfolk organizations and/or holders of stewardship lease contracts or titles to 
ancestral domains or any form of property right arrangements who participate in coastal resource 
management initiatives, subject to the usual census procedures of the HUDCC.  
 


 
31 
e) Areas that are neither sub-classified as mangrove, fisherfolk settlement nor fishpond 
may be devoted to recreational or tourism purposes: Provided, That such undertaking will not 
result in environmental degradation and displacement of small fishers;  
 
f) Areas which are considered as traditional fishing grounds shall be used primarily for 
such purpose;  
 
g) Areas which have been allocated for small infrastructure needed by fisherfolk shall be 
allowed; and  
 
h) Areas which form part of foreshore lands, including reclamation areas, as defined in this 
Act including those which are under lease agreements or arrangements shall undergo zoning and 
evaluation to determine their boundaries and actual sizes and corresponding uses. 
 
SEC. 37. Coastal Land Zone Sub-classification. - All public lands in the coastal zones shall 
be sub-classified into any of the following: estuaries, lagoons, inter-tidal flats, mudflats, fishponds, 
mangroves, protection from tidal surge, for the preservation of biodiversity, habitats, and 
sanctuaries for endangered wildlife, fisherfolk settlement, reclamation or recreational/tourism 
areas. No subclassification of coastal zones to different uses shall be done without the following:  
 
a) Conduct of a comprehensive resource and environmental assessment by the DENR and 
respective LCDs and accredited NGOs and POs within their jurisdiction; and  
 
b) Prior consultation with the Local Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management Councils 
(FARMCs) formed under Republic Act No. 8550 or the “Philippine Fisheries Code.” 
 
SEC. 38. Zoning of Foreshore Areas. – Local government units, in coordination with the 
DENR, shall conduct zoning of their respective foreshore areas to assist government and 
community fishers identify priority areas for conservation and development, and to enable them 
to set targets for mangrove reforestation and rehabilitation.  
 
SEC. 39. Protection of Waterways Easements and Flood Plains. - Structures of any kind 
shall not be built in waterways easements. Pursuant to PD 1067 or the “Water Code”, the banks of 
rivers and streams and the shores of the seas and lakes throughout their entire length and within a 
zone of ten (10) meters in urban areas, twenty (20) meters in agricultural areas and forty (40) 
meters in forest areas, along their margins, are subject to the easement of public use only in the 
interest of recreation, navigation, floatage, fishing, and salvage.  
The protection of flood plains shall adopt a river basin management approach in order to 
come up with integrated flood mitigation interventions. Development within flood plains and other 
flood-prone areas must be controlled or, if allowed, must be so sited, constructed, and serviced 


 
32 
that the life of occupants is not put at risk and that disruptions during floods are minimal. The 
identification and characterization of flood-prone areas and flood plains shall be an integral part 
of CLUP preparation. Through the CLUPs and zoning ordinances, LGUs shall establish land use 
regulations to mitigate flood risks.  
 
The DPWH, in coordination with DOST and DENR, shall declare flood control areas, as 
necessary, and prohibit or control activities that could damage or cause deterioration of lakes and 
dikes, obstruct the flow of water, change the natural flow of rivers, increase flood losses or 
aggravate flood problems pursuant to PD 1067. 
 
Article 4  
Mineral Lands  
 
SEC. 40. Criteria for the Utilization and Allocation of Land for Mining Purposes. - 
Consistent with Section 6 of this Act and the provisions of Republic Act No. 7942 or the “Mining 
Act of 1995”, and to ensure that the objectives of maintaining ecological balance and maximizing 
economic returns to mining operations are realized, the allocation and utilization of lands for 
mining purposes shall be guided by the following:  
 
a) The principles of sustainable development and responsible mining;  
 
b) In case of small-scale mining, adequate and acceptable safeguards shall be instituted by 
the holders of mining rights or permits to prevent environmental degradation of the mining sites 
and adjacent areas;  
 
c) Mineral reservations which have become non-operational for more than five (5) years 
as determined by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) shall be placed under appropriate 
surface management by the DENR; and  
 
d) Consistent with the Mining Act of 1995, areas closed to mining operations shall be 
periodically reviewed through mineral exploration to be undertaken by the DENR for the purpose 
of determining whether or not their continued closure is consistent with the national interest and, 
if warranted, recommend their reclassification as mineral lands. 
 
e) Protection forestlands and agricultural lands shall be exempt from mining activities to 
minimize the effect of natural calamities and to protect food security respectively. The small to 
large-scale mining operations shall yield from and recognize the tenurial instrument given by the 
government such as original certificate of title (OCT), transfer certificate of title (TCT), certificate 
of the ancestral domain title (CADT), emancipation patent-certificate of land ownership award 
(EP-CLOA) and other instruments. If these be present, no mining activity shall be conducted. 


 
33 
 
SEC. 41. Reversion of Mineral Lands. - All mineral lands with exhausted mineral 
resources, as determined by the MGB upon the recommendation of the DENR, shall revert to its 
original land classification, that is, as forestland or agricultural land. In the case of forestlands, the 
DENR may classify such areas for other purposes in consultation with concerned LGUs, the 
Department of Tourism (DOT), and other national government agencies. 
 
Article 5  
Energy Resource Lands 
 
SEC. 42. Guidelines for the Utilization and Allocation of Lands for Energy Resource 
Exploration, Development, Production, Utilization, and Distribution Purposes. - To ensure that 
the objectives of maintaining ecological balance and maximizing the power potential from 
indigenous energy resources in the most economical and environmentally acceptable means are 
realized, the allocation and utilization of lands for said purposes shall be guided by the following, 
consistent with existing regulations and laws on energy resources:  
 
a) Indigenous energy resource exploration and development for the purpose of a National 
Energy Resource Inventory and Data Base as well as Energy Resource Block Map shall be allowed 
subject to the implementation of complementary watershed and other land management plans;  
 
b) Indigenous energy resource exploration, development, production, utilization, and 
distribution shall be subject to the appropriate requirements and processes of the Philippine 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) system. Each project shall secure an Environmental 
Compliance Certificate (ECC) prior to project implementation to ensure adequate and appropriate 
environmental management measures and optimum methods for resource access and recovery are 
utilized; and  
 
c) Energy reservations or portions thereof which have become or have been established to 
be non-economically viable to operate or are no longer used for energy purposes shall be released 
to give way to other land uses, subject to existing laws covering energy reservations.  
 
SEC. 43. Reversion of Energy Resource Lands. - All exhausted indigenous energy resource 
lands not covered by proclamations shall automatically revert to the category of forestlands or 
agricultural lands open to disposition, whichever is appropriate. Exhausted energy resource lands 
shall refer to specific energy resource sites whose energy reserves of the desired type/s are no 
longer in sufficient quantity or quality to justify the additional expenditure for their extraction and 
utilization. 
 
CHAPTER VII  


 
34 
SETTLEMENTS DEVELOPMENT 
 
SEC. 44. Town, City, and Settlements Development. - The development of towns, cities, 
and settlements through the zoning ordinances of cities and municipalities shall be guided by 
CLUPs and urban zoning standards designed to maximize existing urban spaces. Socialized 
housing and settlement areas shall be established only on alienable and disposable lands in order 
to avoid further degradation of forestlands. 
 
SEC. 45. Settlements within Geo-hazard Areas. - Settlements, in particular housing or 
residential developments, within geo-hazard areas may be allowed. Provided, That mitigating 
and/or protective measures are adopted to address the potential danger or risk to lives and property 
within such settlements. In coordination with the concerned agencies of the government, the LUPC 
shall provide assistance to concerned LGUs and settlers in instituting safety and corrective 
measures to address the potential danger or risk.  
 
Residential zones as designated in the CLUP shall be considered outside the geo-hazard 
areas. For this purpose, housing projects within such areas shall be exempt from the ECC as well 
as the Engineering Geological and Geohazard Assessment Report (EGGAR) and may be 
implemented without the need for any further certificate of exemption from the DENR or any other 
government regulatory agency. 
 
SEC. 46. Designation of Sanitary Landfill. - Each city or municipality shall identify, 
designate and allocate an area within their territorial jurisdiction to serve as a sanitary landfill 
within one (1) year from the effectivity of this Act. The LGUs, in coordination with the DENR or 
any other competent authority, shall identify sanitary landfill in order to fast-track the conduct of 
the environmental impact assessment study and to facilitate the processing of the environmental 
compliance certificate. The site or area shall be identified in the city or municipality's CLUP. For 
this purpose, cities and municipalities shall establish their solid waste management program, 
pursuant to R.A. No. 9003, otherwise known as the “Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 
2000”. Likewise, as provided under Section 33 of the LGC, cities, and municipalities may, through 
appropriate ordinances, bind themselves toward the establishment of a common solid waste 
management program.  
 
Within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act, the DENR, in coordination with 
concerned agencies, shall promulgate the necessary guidelines and standards for the formulation 
and establishment of solid waste management programs by cities and municipalities, and shall 
submit the same to the LUPC for review and approval. 
 
SEC. 47. Designation and Zoning of Socialized Housing Zones. - Each city or 
municipalities in urban, urbanizable and rural areas shall designate through the CLUP adequate 


 
35 
lands for housing or residential purposes, including socialized housing and resettlement areas for 
the immediate and future needs of the local population as well as the underprivileged and homeless 
in their territory, pursuant to existing laws and regulations. In order to ensure adequate availability 
of land for the housing needs of the local population, the CLUP shall be updated, at maximum, 
every ten (10) years for provinces, cities, and municipalities. The designated sites for socialized 
housing shall be located in residential zones and shall be zoned as socialized housing zones that 
are integrated into the city or municipality's zoning ordinance, pursuant to existing laws and 
regulations.  
 
Fisherfolk settlements and housing in coastal municipalities shall be zoned near the sea for 
easy access to their livelihood as provided under Section 36 (b) of this Act.  
 
The housing or residential lands designated in the CLUPS and ZOs of cities and 
municipalities shall, on one hand, not be subject to the further land reclassification by the LGU or 
land conversion procedure under DAR. On the other hand, agricultural lands as designated in the 
CLUP which are no longer economically feasible for agricultural use may be subject to land 
reclassification or conversion to housing/residential purposes, and such conversion, as the case 
may be, shall be exempt from the coverage of any moratorium on land conversion. 
 
SEC. 48. Urban Forest or Green Space. - Each city or highly urbanizing municipality shall 
identify, designate, and allocate lands owned by the city or municipality as urban forest or green 
space based on the guidelines and standards to be issued by the DENR and approved by the NLUC. 
 
CHAPTER VIII  
INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AREAS  
 
SEC. 49. Criteria for Designating Industrial Development Areas. - The identification and 
establishment of industrial development areas shall conform with the provisions of R. A. No.7916, 
or the “Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Act”, R.A. No. 6657 or the “Comprehensive 
Agrarian Reform Program, (CARP) Act”, as amended by R.A. No. 9700 or the “Comprehensive 
Agrarian Reform Program with Extension and Reforms Act (CARPER)”, R.A. 8371 or the 
“Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA)”, R.A. No. 7279 or the “Urban Development Housing Act 
(UDHA)”, and R.A. No. 8435 or the “Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA)”, 
taking into consideration the following:  
 
a) Identified network of areas for agricultural development and protected agricultural areas 
pursuant to the AFMA;  
 
b) National policies on the regional dispersal of industries and agri-based industrial 
development;  


 
36 
 
c) Identified growth areas and corridors in the National Development Plan;  
 
d) National Protected Areas System (NIPAS) and non-NIPAS areas that require protection;  
 
e) National and Urban Development and Housing Framework;  
 
f) Identified Socialized Housing Zones; and  
 
g) National framework for physical planning and other existing national programs and 
policies.  
 
The designated industrial development areas shall become an integral part of the land use 
plan and zoning ordinance of the city or municipality where these areas are located. 
 
CHAPTER IX 
TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AND HERITAGE AREAS 
 
SEC. 50. Designating Tourism Development Areas. - The identification, selection, and 
development of tourism development areas, tourism estates, and tourism enterprise zones (TEZs) 
shall be done in consultation and coordination with the concerned LGUs, the Tourism 
Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), and the concerned national government 
agencies, the private sector, and the affected communities, subject to the provisions of R.A. No. 
9593 or “Tourism Act of 2009.” Tourism development areas shall likewise include those covered 
by legislative and executive issuances as tourist spots, tourist zones, and tourism ecozones which 
can be developed into tourism estates or integrated resorts, leisure and recreation complexes, and 
other tourism-related facilities as well as those identified in the national, regional and interregional 
tourism, and area-specific tourism master plans and other sector plans such as ecotourism and agri-
tourism sites. Designated areas for tourism development shall become part of the CLUPs of the 
cities or municipalities where these are located.  
 
Lands identified as part of a TEZ shall qualify for exemption from the coverage of RAs 
7279 and 6657 subject to rules and regulations to be crafted by the TIEZA, HUDCC, and DAR: 
Provided, That a certificate shall be obtained from the DA that said lands are no longer 
economically feasible and sound for agricultural purposes, consistent with Section 46(c) of this 
Act. 
 
SEC. 51. Identification and Declaration of Areas for Protection, Conservation, and 
Preservation of Cultural Heritage. - Pursuant to R. A. No. 10066, the National Historical 
Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) Act and/or the National Museum in coordination with the 


 
37 
National Commission for Culture and the Arts, HLURB, and other concerned agencies, local 
communities, and the private sector shall identify declared areas and structures which shall be 
protected and/or preserved as part of the Philippine cultural heritage.  
 
The LGUs in coordination with the NHCP, the National Commission for Culture and Arts 
(NCCA), and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) shall designate historical zones to 
protect the historical integrity of said geographical areas and cultural space of intangible cultural 
properties. 
 
 
CHAPTER X  
INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT  
 
SEC. 52. Allocation and Use of Land for Infrastructure Development. - Land, whether 
public or private, shall be allocated and utilized for priority infrastructure projects that are 
supportive of national or local development objectives. The NEDA, in consultation with the 
concerned national government agencies, LGUs, and the private sector shall identify and 
periodically review, update and/or revise the list of priority infrastructure projects subject to 
Sections 6 and 30 of this Act, and Section 47 of R. A. No. 8435 or AFMA. In determining and 
evaluating the list of priority infrastructure projects, consideration shall be given to those that:  
 
(a) Respond to immediate and vital requirements of the national economy with priority on 
improving rural infrastructure and the development of the agriculture and fisheries sectors;  
 
(b) Upgrade existing facilities to international standards;  
 
(c) Address the need for sustainable settlements development; and,  
 
(d) Help mitigate the destructive effects of natural disaster-causing phenomena or those 
that shall serve as alternatives to existing infrastructures found in natural hazard-prone areas: 
Provided, That the provision and implementation of infrastructure support shall be made 
compatible with existing environmental conditions and the physical, whether the natural or 
humanmade and cultural character of the area. Mandatory public consultations pursuant to existing 
laws and regulations shall be held prior to the conduct of all infrastructure projects that will 
necessarily involve dislocation or displacement of people in the area: Provided, further, That the 
proponent of the infrastructure project shall follow the rules on just and humane eviction or 
demolition under Section 28 of R.A. No. 7279 or the “Urban Development Housing Act (UDHA)”, 
notwithstanding the provisions of Republic Act No. 8975, prohibiting lower courts from issuing 
temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions, or preliminary mandatory injunctions, and 


 
38 
proponent shall follow IPRA: Provided, finally, That national government infrastructure projects 
shall allocate budget for the adequate relocation of displaced communities. 
 
SEC. 53. Infrastructure Projects Within Geo-hazard Areas. - Construction of priority 
infrastructure projects within hazard-prone areas shall be allowed: Provided, That mitigating 
and/or preventive measures are adopted to address the potential adverse economic, sociocultural, 
and environmental impacts that will emanate from these infrastructure projects, subject to the 
findings and recommendations of a feasibility study/environmental impact assessment in 
accordance with Presidential Decree No. 1586, “Establishing An Environmental Impact Statement 
System, Including Other Environmental Management Related Measures”, and R. A. No. 4846 or 
the “Cultural Properties Preservation and Protection Act”, as amended by Presidential Decree 374.  
 
Existing projects that did not go through the process of an environmental impact 
assessment and pose threats to the environment, the integrity of historic, archeological, or 
scientifically significant areas; or are impinging on critical ecosystems, may be: (a) terminated 
immediately, (b) required to implement an Environmental Management Plan; (c) gradually 
phased-out and relocated, or (d) maintained up to their life span, subject, however, to mitigating 
measures: Provided, That the rules on mandatory public consultations and just and humane 
eviction or demolition shall also be observed prior to the termination, gradual phase-out, or 
relocation of projects that will necessarily involve dislocation or displacement of people in the 
area. 
 
CHAPTER XI  
TRAINING, EDUCATION, AND VALUES FORMATION  
 
SEC. 54. Values Formation. - In order to create a well-informed, responsible, and 
committed citizenry who values the protection, conservation, and development of the country's 
limited land, and other physical resources, the State shall mandate the inclusion of sustainable land 
use education or any subject related thereto in the curricula of primary, secondary and tertiary 
education.  
 
SEC. 55. Information and Education Campaign. - The NLUC shall undertake a nationwide 
education information campaign in land use and physical planning to be implemented by local and 
national government agencies. The DILG and concerned agencies shall formulate and implement 
a land use management capability-building program for national and local government officials, 
community leaders, NGOs, POs, the religious sector, and the general public: Provided, That it 
shall be mandatory for local government officials involved in the preparation of CLUPS and 
PPFDP, including the municipal, city and provincial development officer to attend the Land Use 
Management Capability-Building Program. 
 


 
39 
CHAPTER XII  
INCENTIVES, SANCTIONS, AND PENALTIES  
 
Article 1  
Incentives and Awards  
 
SEC. 56. Formulation of a System of Incentives and Awards. - The NLUC shall come out 
with a system of incentives and awards to LGUs that regularly update their CLUPs within the 
prescribed period, as follows:  
 
(a) Provinces, Highly Urbanized Cities, and Independent Component Cities once every 
nine (9) years; and  
 
(b) Component cities and municipalities once every nine (9) years.  
 
SEC. 57. Priority in Giving Technical Assistance to LGUs. - In providing technical 
assistance and other forms of support related to land use management and the implementation of 
development plans, the national government agencies shall give priority to cities and 
municipalities with approved CLUPs. 
 
Article 2  
Sanctions and Penalties  
 
SEC. 58. Fine for Non-Completion and Non-Commencement of Development of 
Agricultural Lands with Approved Order of Conversion. - 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, jointly or 
severally, with any of the following fines based on the zonal value of the land at the time the fine 
is imposed:  
a. On failure to commence within one year from the date of conversion order:  
 
(1) Six percent (6%) of the zonal value of the subject land for the first three (3) hectares, 
 
(2) Fifteen percent (15%) of the zonal value of the subject land for the next three hectares, 
and  
 
(3) Thirty percent (30%) of the zonal value of the subject land for the remaining area: 
Provided, That 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.  


 
40 
 
b. On failure to complete fifty percent (50%) of the approved conversion plan within a specified 
time frame. Fifty percent (50%) of the zonal value of the subject land and the revocation of the 
conversion plan on the undeveloped portion shall automatically revert to its original use as 
agricultural land. The same shall be covered under the CARP and processed for land distribution 
as soon as possible. 
 
 
SEC. 59. Authority to Impose Fine. - The DAR shall impose the penalty provided for under 
the preceding section.  
 
SEC. 60. Withdrawal of Local Development Permits or Licenses. - 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.  
 
SEC. 61. Utilization of Fines. - The fines collected under Sections 57, 62, and 63 hereof 
shall automatically accrue to the Agrarian Reform Fund consistent with the provisions of the 
CARP, as amended.  
 
SEC. 62. Failure to Formulate, Enforce, and /or Implement the CLUPs. - Consistent with 
due process, the DILG shall investigate, review, and impose appropriate action regarding local 
chief executives and other local officials and employees responsible for the formulation, 
enforcement, and/or implementation of the CLUPs in case of any of the following:  
 
(a) Failure to implement and enforce the CLUP due to negligence of duty;  
 
(b) Failure to provide appropriate budgetary allocation to effect its implementation; and,  
 
(c) Failure to complete the preparation of the CLUP despite the availability of funds, 
resources, and support by the Sanggunian concerned. Any public official or employee, regardless 
of whether elected or appointed or holding office or employment in a casual, temporary, holdover, 
permanent, or regular capacity, found to be responsible for any of the foregoing acts, after due 
notice and hearing by the appropriate body or agency, shall be punished with forfeiture of salaries 
and allowances and suspension from: 1. Six (6) to nine (9) months, in case of non-implementation 
of CLUP; or 2. Three (3) to six (6) months, in case of non-completion of the CLUP.  
 
SEC. 63. Person(s) A betting Illegal Conversion. - Any person initiating, causing, inducing, 
or abetting illegal conversion shall, upon conviction, be imprisoned from seven (7) to twelve (12) 
years and imposed a fine of not less than One hundred thousand (P100,000,00) pesos, or both at 
the discretion of the court: Provided, That if the offender is a public official or employee, whether 


 
41 
elected or appointed, the penalty shall, in addition thereto, include dismissal through permanent 
separation from the service and forfeiture of all benefits and entitlements accruing to the public 
position and perpetual disqualification to run or apply for any elective or appointive public office: 
Provided, further, That if the offender is a juridical person, the penalty of imprisonment shall be 
imposed on the president, chief executive officer, manager, chairperson and all the members of the 
board, and other responsible officers thereof, and the fine shall be equivalent to the zonal value of 
the land or forty percent (40%) of the shareholders equity, as determined at the time of judgment 
whichever is higher, plus forfeiture of the land in favor of the State for sale though public auction, 
the proceeds of which shall automatically accrue to the Agrarian Reform Fund as provided for in 
Section 58 of this Act. 
 
SEC. 64. Penalty for Reclassification of Protected Agricultural Lands and Exceeding the 
Limit of Areas Allowed for Reclassification. - Any person initiating, causing, inducing, or abetting 
the reclassification of protected agricultural areas into non- agricultural uses and exceeding the 
limits set forth under Section 20 of the LGC of 1991, shall be penalized with imprisonment of 
twelve (12) years and a fine of not less than One hundred thousand (P100,000.00) pesos, or both 
at the discretion of the Court: Provided, That if the offender is a public official or employee, the 
penalty shall, in addition thereto, include dismissal through permanent separation from the service, 
whether elected or appointed, and forfeiture of entitlements accruing to the public position, and 
perpetual disqualification to run or apply for any elective or appointive public position: Provided, 
further, That if the offender is a juridical person, the penalty shall be imposed on the president, 
chief executive officer, manager, chairperson and all the members of the board, and other 
responsible officers thereof  
 
SEC. 65. Payment of Disturbance Compensation. - Following the order of priority as 
enumerated in Section 22 of the CARP, as amended, qualified beneficiaries such as agricultural 
lessees and share tenants, regular farm workers, seasonal farm workers, other farm workers, actual 
tillers or occupants of public lands, collective, or cooperative of the above-mentioned 
beneficiaries, and others directly working on the land affected by agricultural land use conversion 
shall be entitled to the payment of disturbance compensation equivalent to five (5) times the 
average of the gross harvests on the landholding during the last five (5) preceding calendar years 
or a certain percentage of the converted land, whichever is higher, as determined by the DAR. 
 
CHAPTER XIII  
TRANSITORY AND FINAL PROVISIONS  
 
SEC. 66. Convening of the NLUC. - Within thirty (30) days from the effectivity of this Act, 
the President shall convene the NLUC.  
 


 
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SEC. 67. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within six (6) months from the effectivity 
of this Act, the NLUC shall promulgate the rules and regulations to implement the provisions of 
this Act. Said rules and regulations shall be submitted to the Congressional Oversight Committee 
for approval.  
 
SEC. 68. Congressional Oversight Committee on the Land Use Act. - There is hereby 
created a Congressional Oversight Committee which shall monitor the implementation of this Act. 
It shall be composed of seven (7) members from the Senate Committee on Environment and 
Natural Resources and seven (7) members from the House of Representatives Committees on 
Natural Resources. The Chairpersons of the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural 
Resources and the House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources shall be the Chair 
and Co-Chair of the Congressional Oversight Committee, respectively. The other members from 
the Senate shall be appointed by the Senate President based on proportional representation of the 
parties or coalitions therein with at least one (1) senator representing the minority. The other 
members from the House of Representatives shall be appointed by the Speaker also based on 
proportional representation of the parties or coalitions therein with at least one (1) member 
representing the minority.  
 
The Secretariat of the Oversight Committee shall be drawn from the existing secretariat 
personnel of the committees comprising the oversight and the funding shall be taken from the 
appropriations of both the Senate and the House of Representatives. 
 
SEC. 69. Appropriations. -The appropriations for the National Land Use Commission shall 
be taken from the current year’s appropriations of the NEDA Board- National Land Use 
Committee. Thereafter, additional sums as may be necessary for the full implementation of 
NLUC's functions shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.  
 
SEC. 70. Review of Existing Land Use Plans. - Provinces, cities, and municipalities with 
existing land use plans shall review, revise, reconcile, and harmonize the same with the guidelines 
and standards set forth under this Act within three (3) years from the effectivity of this Act.  
 
SEC. 71. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, rules and regulations, and other 
issuances, or parts thereof, that are inconsistent with the provisions of this Republic Act are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly.  
 
SEC. 72. Non-impairment Clause. - Nothing in this Act shall be construed as to diminish, 
impair, or repeal rights recognized, granted, or available to marginalized or basic sectors under 
existing laws including but not limited to Republic Act Nos. 7279, 6657, 8371, and 8550.  
 


 
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SEC. 73. Separability Clause. - If for any reason or reasons, any part or provision of this 
Act shall be declared or held to be unconstitutional or invalid other parts or provisions hereof, 
which are not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.  
 
SEC. 74. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication 
in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. 
 
 
 
Approved,