1 
Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City  
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
2nd Regular Session  
HOUSE BILL NO. ____________ 
___________________________________________________________________________
__  
Introduced by Hon. Julienne “Jam” L. Baronda 
___________________________________________________________________________
___ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
 It is the policy of the State to protect and advance the right of the Filipino people 
to a balanced and healthful ecology through the rational allocation, utilization, 
development and management of the country's land and resources therein that is 
consistent with the principles of sustainable development and inclusive growth.  
Acting on this, this representation is filing this measure which seeks to 
institutionalize land use and physical planning as a mechanism to ensure protection of 
our prime agricultural lands, water resources, and preservation of Filipino historical and 
cultural heritage. This will also ensure improved access to affordable, livable and 
resilient housing by increasing land supply through direct land allocation and land 
banking, better access to unutilized lands. Put simply, this measure will be a guide on 
how to properly and efficiently use our resources. 
One of the key features of this measure is the formulation of Physical Framework 
and Land use plans. With these, there will be identification of programs, projects and 
activities needed to achieve the desired development for a local government unit. 
This representation believes that this measure will greatly aid in spurring the 
development of the country. 
Based on the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
Julienne “Jam” L. Baronda 
District Representative 
Lone District of Iloilo City 
April 22, 2021
2:11 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City  
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
2nd Regular Session  
HOUSE BILL NO. ____________ 
AN ACT INSTITUTING A NATIONAL LAND USE POLICY, PROVIDING 
THE 
IMPLEMENTING 
MECHANISMS 
AND 
APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS 
THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
CHAPTER I 
INTRODUCTORY PROVISIONS 
SEC. 1.  Title. - This Act shall be known as the "National Land Use Act of the 
Philippines." 
SEC. 2.  Declaration of Policies and Principles. -  It is the policy of the State to protect 
and advance the right of the Filipino people to a balanced and healthful ecology through the 
rational allocation, utilization, development and management of the country's land and 
resources therein that is consistent with the principles of sustainable development and inclusive 
growth.  
Toward this end, the State shall institutionalize land use and physical planning as a 
mechanism for identifying and evaluating alternative land use patterns that promote and 
ensure: 
a) Settlements, transportation and other infrastructure development in support of
global urban competitiveness and inclusive growth;
b) Improved access to affordable, livable and resilient housing through various means
such as by increasing land supply through direct land allocation and land banking,
better access to unutilized lands, including unutilized government-owned lands, and
promotion of multiple uses and higher densities, where appropriate;
c) Energy security and energy resiliency;
d) Protection of prime agricultural lands, i.e., Strategic Agricultural and Fisheries
Development Zones (SAFDZ), for food security in rice, corn and other basic food
commodities;
e) Protection of water resources, including critical watersheds and watershed
reservations, in support of water and food security;
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f) Protection and proper utilization and management of the country’s natural 
resources; 
g) Protection and conservation of the country’s natural heritage and biodiversity; 
h) Protection and preservation of Filipino historical and cultural heritage; 
i) Integration of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation 
(CCA) in land use and physical planning; 
j) Market orientation within the framework of intergenerational factors in achieving 
efficiency in land use allocation;  
k) Public-Private Partnership where government provides the appropriate policy, legal 
and institutional framework to guide the private sector’s use of land; 
l) Equitable access of basic sectors to the country's land by regulating land valuation 
to prevent land pricing speculation;  
m) Respect for and recognition and protection of the rights of the Indigenous Cultural 
Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) to their ancestral domains, 
compliance with Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) of ICCs/IPs as well as 
recognition of customary laws and sustainable traditional resource use and 
management, indigenous knowledge systems, and practices in ancestral domains; 
and 
n) Community participation in the management and protection of land resources. 
 
It is also the policy of the State to ensure that local government units (LGUs) share with 
the national government the responsibility of managing and maintaining ecological balance 
within their territorial jurisdiction as stated in the Constitution and Republic Act (RA) 7160 or 
the 1991 Local Government Code (LGC). 
            
Further, it is the policy of the State to encourage landowners to develop and conserve 
their lands and make them productive and supportive of sustainable development and 
environmental stability guided by the principle that the use of land bears a social function and 
that all economic agents shall contribute to the common good. 
 
SEC. 3.  Scope. -  This Act shall apply to all lands, whether public, private, government-
owned, and/or in the possession of individuals, communities, indigenous peoples, or private 
groups, including corporations, and shall guide and govern the use, allocation, and 
management of land, including such activities that bear impact on said resources. 
 
CHAPTER II 
DEFINITIONS 
 
SEC. 4.  Definitions. -  As used in and for purposes of this Act, the following terms 
shall mean: 
 
a) “Adaptation” refers to the adjustment in natural or human systems in response 
to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects, which moderates harm or 
exploits beneficial opportunities; 
 
b) “Agricultural land” refers to lands devoted to or suitable for the cultivation of 
the soil, planting of crops, growing of fruit trees, raising of livestock, poultry, 
fish or aqua-culture production, including the harvesting of such farm products, 
and other farm activities and practices performed in conjunction with such 
farming operations done by persons whether natural or juridical and not 


 
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classified by law as national parks, mineral land, forest land, residential land, 
commercial land, or industrial land; 
 
c) “Agricultural land use conversion” refers to the undertaking of any 
development activity which modifies or alters the physical characteristics of 
agricultural lands to render them suitable for specific non-agricultural use as 
indicated in the approved order of conversion; 
 
d) “Agricultural land reclassification” refers to the act of specifying how 
agricultural lands shall be utilized for non-agricultural uses such as residential, 
industrial, commercial, as embodied in the land use plan, subject to the 
requirements and procedure for land use conversion, undertaken by the Local 
Government Unit (LGU) in accordance with Section 20 of RA No. 7160; 
 
e) “Agro-industries” are those industries that involve the processing of raw 
materials from agricultural production, or those industries under the 
manufacturing sector where value is added to agricultural raw materials through 
processing and handling operations; 
 
f) “Alienable and disposable lands” refer to lands of the public domain which have 
been delineated, classified, and certified as such and are available for disposition 
under Commonwealth Act No.141, otherwise known as the "Public Land Act,” 
as amended. No land of the public domain eighteen percent (18%) in slope or 
over shall be classified as alienable and disposable lands, subject to the 
provisions of Presidential Decree No. 705, otherwise known as the Revised 
Forestry Code of the Philippines; 
 
g) “Ancestral Domain” refer to all areas generally belonging to ICCs/IPs subject 
to property rights within ancestral domains already existing and/or vested upon 
the effectivity of RA 8371 or the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997, 
comprising lands, inland waters, coastal areas, and natural resources therein, held 
under a claim of ownership, occupied or possessed by ICCs/IPs by themselves 
or through their ancestors, communally or individually since time immemorial, 
continuously to the present, except when interrupted by war, force majeure or 
displacement by force, deceit, stealth, or as a consequence of government 
projects or any voluntary dealings entered into by government and private 
individuals, corporations, and which are necessary to ensure their economic, 
social and cultural welfare. It shall include ancestral lands, forests, pasture, 
residential, agricultural, and other lands individually owned whether alienable or 
disposable or otherwise, hunting grounds, burial grounds, worship areas, bodies 
of water, mineral and other natural resources, and lands which may no longer be 
exclusively occupied by ICCs/IPs but from which they are traditionally had 
access to, for their subsistence and traditional activities, particularly the home 
ranges of ICC/IPs who are still nomadic and/or shifting cultivators; 
 
h) “Ancestral Domain Sustainable Development and Protection Plan 
(ADSDPP)” refers to a plan formulated and pursued in accordance with the 
rights of ICCs/IPs to manage and develop the land as well as natural and human 
resources within their ancestral domains based on their indigenous knowledge 
systems and practices on the principle of self-determination and self-governance; 


 
5 
 
 
 
i) “Biodiversity” refers to the variability among living organisms from all sources 
including terrestrial, marine, and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological 
complexes of which they are part. This includes diversity within species and of 
ecosystems; 
 
j) “Coastal Area/Zone” refers 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; 
 
k) “Comprehensive Land Use Plan” (CLUP) refers to the document, formulated 
by the local government in consultation with its stakeholders, that defines or 
provides guidelines on the allocation, utilization, development and management 
of all lands, including coastal land, shores, and river banks, within a given 
territory or jurisdiction according to the inherent qualities of the land itself and 
supportive 
economic, 
demographic, 
socio-cultural 
and 
environmental 
objectives;  
 
l) “Climate Change” refers to a change in climate that can be identified by changes 
in the mean and/or variability of its properties and that persists for an extended 
period typically decades or longer, whether due to natural variability or as a result 
of human activity; 
 
m) “Climate change adaptation” refers to the adjustment in natural or human 
systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects, which 
moderates harm or exploits beneficial opportunities; 
 
n) “Critical watershed” refers to a drainage area of a river system supporting 
existing and proposed hydroelectric power, domestic water consumption, and 
irrigation works needing immediate rehabilitation as it is being subjected to fast 
denudation causing accelerated erosion and destructive floods; 
 
o) “Cultural heritage” refers to the totality of cultural properties preserved and 
developed through time and passed on for posterity; 
 
p) “Development plan” refers to a document that defines the activities or measures 
that the national government or LGUs intend to implement in order to achieve a 
defined set of development goals.  It integrates the socioeconomic and sectoral 
plans of the national government or its instrumentality or a particular LGU with 
spatial plans such as land use or physical framework plans.   It includes an 
analysis of problems and resources, definition of goals and objectives, policy 
guidelines, project and target achievements, and an implementation mechanism 
which defines the roles and contributions expected from the government and the 
private sector.  Development plans include the national-level Philippine 


 
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Development Plan (PDP) and its counterpart plans at the regional, provincial and 
local levels called the Regional Development Plan (RDP), the Provincial 
Development and Physical Framework Plan (PDPFP) 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;   
 
q) “Disaster risk reduction” refers to the concept and practice of reducing disaster 
risks through systematic efforts to analyze and manage the causal factors of 
disasters, including through reduced exposure to hazards, lessened vulnerability 
of people and property, wise management of land and the environment, and 
improved preparedness for adverse events; 
 
r) “Ecologically-fragile lands” refer to lands within the critical watershed, 
brackish and freshwater wetlands, pasture lands, and croplands which require 
rehabilitation and whose continued unsustainable use would lead to land 
degradation and adversely affect the productivity of lowland agricultural areas 
and the stability of the upland system;  
 
s) “Energy resource lands” refer to lands where naturally occurring or indigenous 
energy resources exist; 
 
t) “Energy resources” 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 energy resources such as biomass, 
geothermal, solar, hydro, ocean, wind and other similar resources which serve 
the same purpose;  
 
u) “Environmentally-critical areas” refer to areas that are exposed to hazards, 
perform vital environmental service functions, historically and archaeologically 
important, ecologically unique, socio-culturally important, habitat of endangered 
or threatened species where such areas need to be protected, conserved and 
monitored;  
 
v) “Exhausted mineral resources” refer to a situation where the mineral resources 
in specific sites are no longer in sufficient quantity to justify additional 
expenditure for extraction or utilization; 
 
w) “Food security” refers to the policy objective of making food available, 
accessible, and affordable to meet the requirements of the present and future 
generations of Filipinos through sustainable local production and importation;  
 
x) “Flood plain” refers to portion of river valley adjacent to river channel which is 
covered with water when river overflows its banks at flood stages; the plain 
usually consists of silt deposited by the stream; 
 
y) “Flood-prone areas” 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 artificial 


 
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interference with the natural processes; 
 
z) “Forest lands” refer to lands of the public domain which have been classified 
and declared as such and all unclassified lands of the public domain; 
 
aa) “Foreshore land” refers to a string of land margining a body of water; the part 
of a seashore between the low-water line usually at the seaward margin of a low 
tide terrace and the upper limit of wave wash at high tide usually marked by a 
beach scarp or berm;  
 
bb) “Free, Prior and Informed Consent” refers to 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; 
 
cc) “Geo-hazards” refer to geological processes/phenomenon that may cause loss 
of life, injury or other health impacts, property damage, loss of livelihoods and 
services, social and economic disruption or environmental damage. This includes 
internal earth processes such as earthquakes and volcanic activities, and 
geophysical processes like mass movements, landslides, surface collapses, 
debris, and mud flow; 
 
dd) “Hazard-prone areas” refer to areas frequently visited and/or vulnerable or 
prone to experience weather/climatic, hydrologic, geologic, and other natural 
calamities; 
 
ee) “Heritage Zones” refer 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 Institute, pursuant 
to RA 10066 or the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009;  
 
ff) “Human Settlements” comprise of (i) physical components of shelter and 
infrastructure; and (ii) services to which the physical elements provide support, 
such as community services which include education, health, culture, welfare, 
recreation and nutrition; 
 
gg) “Idle or Abandoned Land” refers to any agricultural land not cultivated, tilled 
or developed to produce any crop nor devoted to any specific economic purpose 
continuously for a period of three (3) years immediately prior to the receipt of 
notice of acquisition by the government as provided under RA 6657 or 
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) as amended by RA 9700. It 
does not include land that has become permanently or regularly devoted to non-
agricultural purposes as well as land which has become unproductive by reason 
of force majeure or any other fortuitous event, provided that prior to such event, 
such land was previously used for agricultural or other economic purpose; 
 
hh) “Illegal conversion” refers to conversion of agricultural land by its landowner, 
or persons acting on the landowner’s behalf, into any non-agricultural use 
without filing an application for reclassification and conversion;  


 
8 
 
 
 
ii)  “Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs)” refers to 
groups of people or homogenous societies identified under RA 8371 or the IPRA; 
 
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) “Integrated watershed management” refers to a planning strategy or program 
for watershed areas that complement environmentally-sound soil and water and 
other natural resources management practices with mechanisms for ensuring 
greater responsibility, involvement, or participation of individuals, groups, 
communities and other stakeholders benefiting from these areas and water-
related infrastructure; 
 
ll) “Land” refers to a solid surface of the earth that is not permanently covered by 
water. The vast majority of human activity throughout history has occurred in 
land areas that support agriculture, habitat and various natural resources; 
 
mm) 
“Land banking” refers to the acquisition of land at values based on 
existing use in advance of actual need to promote planned development and 
socialized housing programs;    
 
nn) “Land degradation” refers to the reduction or loss of the biological or economic 
productivity and complexity of rain-fed cropland, irrigated cropland, or range, 
pasture, forest and woodlands resulting from land uses or from a process or 
combination of processes, including processes arising from human activities and 
habitation pattern; 
 
oo) “Land use” refers to the manner of utilization of land, including its allocation, 
development, and management; 
 
pp) “Mandatory consultations” refer to the mechanism to ensure the involvement 
of affected sectors and other stakeholders in land use planning from the local to 
the national level. It involves giving notice of hearing/consultation to affected 
sectors and other stakeholders through publication or posting in conspicuous 
places, conduct of a reasonable number of hearings, and solicitation of positions 
and the public presentation and validation of the planning results before the final 
adoption of the plans; 
 
qq) “Mangroves” refer to a community of intertidal plants including all species of 
trees, shrubs, vines and herbs found on coasts, swamps, or border of swamps; 
 
rr) “Marine Protected Area” refers to a defined area of the sea established and set 
aside by law, administrative regulation, or any other effective means, in order to 
conserve and protect a part of or the entire enclosed environment, through the 
establishment of management guidelines. It is a generic term that includes all 
declared areas governed by specific rules or guidelines in order to protect and 
manage activities within the enclosed area; 
 


 
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ss)  “Mineral exploration” refers to the systematic searching or prospecting for 
mineral resources, excluding energy resources; 
  
tt) “Mineral lands” refer to lands where mineral, excluding energy resources, are 
found in sufficient quantity and quality that would allow economically viable 
exploitation and utilization;  
 
uu) “Multiple use of land” refers to the utilization or management strategy for 
specific lands which allows any activity thereat, depending on the result of prior 
evaluation on its numerous beneficial uses and in accordance with priorities in 
land use allocation and planning, that will produce the optimum benefits to the 
development and progress of the area and to the public welfare without 
impairment or with the least injury to its other resources;  
 
vv) “National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS)” refers 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; 
 
ww) “National Park” refers to a land and water reservation essentially of natural 
wilderness character which has been withdrawn from settlement, occupancy or 
any form of exploitation except in conformity with approved management plan 
and set aside as such exclusively to conserve the area or preserve the scenery, 
natural and historic objects, wild animals and plants therein and to provide 
enjoyment of these features in such areas. It also refers to lands of public domain 
classified as such in the 1987 Constitution which include all areas under the 
NIPAS pursuant to RA 7586 or the National Integrated Protected Areas System 
Act of 1992 as amended by RA 11038 or the Expanded National Integrated 
Protected Areas System Act of 2018, primarily designated for the conservation 
of native plants and animals and associated habitats and cultural diversity; 
 
xx) “Native Title” refers to pre-conquest rights to lands and domains which, as far 
back as memory reaches, have been held under a claim of private ownership by 
ICCs/IPs, have never been public lands and are thus indisputably presumed to 
have been held that way since before the Spanish Conquest; 
 
yy)  “Network of Protected Areas for Agriculture and Agro-industrial 
Development (NPAAAD)” refers to agricultural areas identified by the 
Department of Agriculture (DA) 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 
 plain 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 an elevation of 500 meters or above and have the potential for 
growing semi-temperate and high-value crops; all agricultural lands that are 


 
10 
 
 
ecologically fragile, the conversion of which will result in serious environmental 
degradation, and mangrove areas and fish sanctuaries; 
 
zz)   “On-site development” refers to the process of upgrading and rehabilitation of 
bighted and slum urban areas with a view of minimizing displacement of 
dwellers in said areas, and with provisions for basic services as provided for in 
RA 7279 or the Urban Development and Housing Act (UDHA); 
 
aaa) “Patrimonial properties” refer to all other property of the State, which is not of 
the character described as property of public dominion; when no longer intended 
for public use or for public service; all other property possessed by a province, 
city, or municipality not classified as property for public use; 
 
bbb) “Prime agricultural land” refers to areas that are covered by the Strategic 
Agriculture and Fisheries Development Zones or SAFDZs defined in this Act; 
 
ccc) “Premature conversion" refers to the conversion of agricultural land by its 
landowner, or persons acting on the landowner’s behalf, into any non-
agricultural use without the approval of the landowner’s application for 
reclassification and conversion;  
 
ddd) “Protected areas” 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 46 of 
this Act; 
 
eee)  “Public domain” refers 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 1987 Constitution; 
 
fff) “Public lands” refer to lands which 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;  
 
ggg) “Resettlement areas” refer to areas identified by the appropriate national 
agency or by the LGUs with respect to areas within its jurisdiction that shall be 
used for the relocation of the underprivileged and homeless, as defined under RA 
7279 or UDHA; 
 
hhh) “River basin” refers to the horizontal projection of area from which a river and 
its tributaries receive surface water originating from precipitation;  
 
iii) “Salvage zone” refers to lands measuring 20 meters measured landward from 
the interior limit of the shoreline for easement purposes. 
 
jjj) “Settlements development” refers to any improvement on existing formal or 
informal residential or housing settlements or any proposed development of 
certain areas for residential or housing settlement purposes.  It also involves the 
spatial distribution of population, identification of the roles and functions of key 


 
11 
 
 
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; 
 
kkk)  “Socialized housing” refers to housing programs and projects covering houses 
and lots or homelots only, or residential condominium units undertaken by the 
government or the private sector for the underprivileged and homeless citizens 
which shall include sites and services development, long-term financing, 
liberalized terms on interest payments, and such other benefits in accordance 
with the UDHA; 
  
lll) “Socialized housing zones” refer to lands identified and designed by LGUs as 
sites for socialized housing pursuant to Article IV of the UDHA and its 
implementing guidelines; 
 
mmm) 
“Subclassification of lands” refers to the act of determining and 
assigning more specific uses of lands already classified in accordance with the 
1987 Constitution and existing laws; 
 
nnn) “Strategic Agriculture and Fisheries Development Zones (SAFDZ)” - refers 
to the areas within the NPAAAD identified for production, agro-processing and 
marketing activities to help develop and modernize, with the support of 
government, the agriculture and fisheries sectors in an environmentally and 
socio-culturally sound manner; also referred to as Prime Agricultural Lands; 
 
ooo) “Strict Protection Zone” pertains to the management zones of protected areas 
consisting of natural areas with high biodiversity value closed to all human 
activities except for scientific studies and/or ceremonial or religious use by the 
ICCs/IPs. It may include habitats of threatened species, or degraded areas that 
have been designated for restoration and subsequent protection, even if these 
areas are still in various stages of regeneration; 
 
ppp) “Sustainable development” refers 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; 
 
qqq) “Tourism Enterprise Zone” refers to an area designated as 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; 
  
rrr) “Tourist spot” refers to a particular area/site/spot, man-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; 
  
sss) “Urban area” refers to a barangay which has a population size of 5,000 or at 
least one establishment with a minimum of 100 employees, or 5 or more 
establishments with 10 to 99 employees, or five or more facilities within the two-
kilometer radius from the barangay hall; 


 
12 
 
 
 
ttt) “Urban Development” refers to the process of occupation and use of land or 
space for activities such as residential, industrial, and commercial and the like or 
their combinations, necessary to carry out the functions of urban living. It entails 
the building or rebuilding of more or less permanent structure over land that is 
often withdrawn or converted from its original use, resulting in the creation of a 
built environment; 
 
uuu) “Urbanizable areas” 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; 
 
vvv) “Urban green space” refers to the establishment or setting-up of areas for mini-
forest or small nature parks, lining roads and highways with trees, shrubs, or 
ornamental plants, and ground landscaping of schools, hospitals, and other 
government agencies in order to improve the environment in urban areas; 
 
www) 
“Vulnerable areas” refer to areas exposed to natural and anthropogenic 
hazards where there are inadequate or no adaptive measures introduced; 
 
xxx) “Water security” refers to the sufficient access and availability throughout the 
year of the minimum daily requirement of clean water to maintain a healthy life; 
 
yyy) “Watershed” refers to a land area drained by a stream or fixed body of water 
and its tributaries having a common outlet for surface run-off;  
 
zzz) “Watershed and Ecosystem Management” refers to the holistic, collaborative, 
multiple uses and sustainable management of all the resources within a planning 
unit known as watershed. 
 
aaaa) 
“Watershed reservation” refers to a forest land reservation established 
to protect or improve the conditions of the water yield thereof to reduce 
sedimentation;  
 
bbbb) 
“Zoning” refers to the division of a community into districts (e.g., 
commercial, residential, industrial, institutional, etc.) in order to maximize, 
regulate and direct their use and development according to the Comprehensive 
Land Use Plan. It is also concerned primarily with the use of land and through 
imposition of building heights, bulk, open space and density in a given area; and 
 
cccc) 
“Zoning ordinance or ZO” refers to a locally enacted ordinance which 
embodies, among others, regulations affecting uses allowed or disallowed in 
each zone or district, conditions for allowing them, and deviations legally 
allowed, from the requirements of the ordinance. 
 
 
 
 


 
13 
 
 
CHAPTER III 
PHYSICAL FRAMEWORK AND LAND USE PLANS 
 
SEC. 5.  National Physical Framework Plan. -  The National Land Use Committee 
(NLUC), reconstituted in Section 14 herein, shall formulate and periodically update a National 
Physical Framework Plan (NPFP) that defines the urban, rural and regional development in the 
country.  The physical framework plan shall promote the following objectives: (a) global 
competitiveness of the national urban system that is fully integrated with the rural areas; (b) 
employment and inclusive growth; (c) sustainable use of land and water resources; (d) 
protection of environmentally-critical areas and prime agricultural lands; (e) sustainable 
communities; (f) effective social service delivery; (g) safe food production and distribution 
efficiency; (h) historic and heritage preservation and recognition of ancestral domains; and (i) 
disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA). The NPFP shall have a 
timeframe of 30 years, to be reviewed and updated every 10 years. The policies prescribed in 
the NPFP shall be integrated into the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) and the Public 
Investment Program.   
 
SEC. 6.  Regional Physical Development Framework. -  The Regional Land Use 
Policy Committee (RLUC), reconstituted under Section 17 of this Act, shall formulate and 
periodically update the regional physical development framework in a manner consistent with 
and following the objectives of the NPFP as defined in Section 5 of this Act, as applicable to 
the region.  The regional physical development framework shall guide the preparation of and 
harmonize the Provincial Development and Physical Framework Plans (PDPFPs) and 
Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUPs) of highly urbanized cities (HUCs) and independent 
component cities (ICCs) within the territorial jurisdiction of the region. It shall have a 
timeframe of 30 years, to be reviewed and updated every 12 years. The regional physical 
development framework shall serve as a spatial input in the formulation of the RDP and the 
Regional Development Investment Program.  
 
SEC. 7.  Provincial Development and Physical Framework Plans. -  The Provincial 
Development Council (PDC), through the Provincial Planning and Development Office 
(PPDO), shall formulate and periodically update the PDPFP which shall define the province’s 
development vision, economic and social development policies, general land uses, inter-
city/municipal transportation system, and DRR and CCA strategies.  The PDPFP shall 
prescribe a framework consistent with the regional physical development framework and 
define the physical development of the province in a manner that promotes the objectives of 
the NPFP defined in Section 5 of this Act. The PDPFP shall consolidate and harmonize the 
CLUPs of component cities and municipalities, taking into consideration shared resources and 
planning concerns, thus making it a key vertical influence in linking local development 
objectives with regional and national policies and priorities. The PDPFP shall have a planning 
period of 12 years, to be updated every six (6) years.  It shall serve as basis in the formulation 
of the Provincial Development Investment Program. 
 
The PDPFP shall be submitted to the Provincial Land Use Committee, defined under 
Section 19 of this Act, for review and endorsement to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, which 
shall adopt the same pursuant to Section 468 (2) (vii) of RA 7160 or the LGC. 
 
SEC. 8.  City and Municipal Land Use Plans. - The City/Municipal Development 
Council, through the City/Municipal Planning and Development Office (C/MPDO), shall 
formulate and periodically update the CLUP in accordance with national policies, standards, 


 
14 
 
 
and guidelines issued by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development 
(DHSUD). The CLUP shall define the city/municipality’s development vision, environmental 
protection, economic and social development policies, land uses, densities, and transportation 
system. The C/MPDO shall incorporate in the CLUP the updated SAFDZ maps prepared by 
the DA through BSWM pursuant to RA 8435 or the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization 
Act (AFMA).  The CLUP shall be consistent with the PDPFP; it shall define the physical 
development of the city/municipality in a manner that promotes the objectives of the NPFP 
defined in Section 5 of this Act.   
  
The spatial directions prescribed in the CLUP shall be the basis for the CDP and local 
development investment program.  The CLUP shall be enacted into a Zoning Ordinance (ZO) 
by the Sangguniang Panlunsod/ Pambayan to regulate the uses of land, including limitations 
on height, density and bulk of buildings, and other infrastructure that may be placed thereon.  
 
SEC. 9.  Physical Framework and Land Use Planning Process. -  The physical 
framework and land use planning process shall be iterative following a combined bottom-up 
and top-down approach, with mandatory consultations conducted in all levels, and shall 
consider available and updated multidisciplinary scientific information of land uses.  The 
NPFP shall guide planning at the national and subnational levels. The regional physical 
development framework and, consequently, the PDPFPs and CLUPs, shall be consistent with 
the NPFP; Provided that the integration and harmonization of physical and land use plans at 
all levels shall be iterative to ensure that the concerns of both top and bottom levels of 
government are considered in the NPFP, regional development physical frameworks, PDPFPs, 
and CLUPs.  The physical and land use plans prepared at all levels shall have internal 
consistency to ensure complementation in the utilization, development and management of 
land.  
 
 
SEC. 10.  Revision of Existing Planning Guidelines. – The existing planning 
guidelines on the NPFP, regional development physical framework and PDPFP shall be 
reviewed and revised pursuant to Sections 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 of this Act.  
 
 
CHAPTER IV   
FRAMEWORK FOR LAND USE/PHYSICAL PLANNING 
 
SEC. 11. Basic Objective of Land Use/Physical Framework Planning. -  The 
primary objective of a physical framework plan is to describe existing land uses and to identify 
an integrating physical framework—including an overall vision, policies on social and 
economic development and environmental protection and supporting transportation and other 
infrastructure facilities—that will define future development. Its output includes the 
identification of programs, projects and activities needed to achieve the desired development, 
and which will serve as inputs to the investment program. In the case of the CLUP, it is also 
intended to provide specific development and building guidelines and parameters that will be 
implemented through a ZO.  
 
SEC. 12.  Approach to Land Use/Physical Framework Planning. -  In general, the 
land use/physical framework planning process shall include a description of existing land uses 
and land use trends, as well as the physical, demographic, economic, social and environmental 
conditions that have shaped and are likely to shape future land use and physical developments. 
It shall then derive a land use plan/physical framework by matching, reconciling or integrating 


 
15 
 
 
the demand for land (the need for land given future projections and requirements) with the 
supply of land (the land available for specific uses). The resulting land use plan/physical 
framework shall be the basis for identifying necessary policies, programs, projects and 
activities, and development controls to guide future development. The land use plan/physical 
framework must be holistic in nature and not emanate from specific individual or corporation 
which, in essence, constitutes as spot zoning. 
  
 
SEC. 13.  Basic Land Use/Physical Planning Considerations. -  The following are 
some basic land use planning considerations: 
 
a) Priority shall be given to life and safety, and thus identifying hazard prone areas and 
corresponding risk reduction measures as part of the DRR and CCA objective. Areas 
identified to be available for other land uses shall then be planned accordingly; 
 
b) Multiple uses of land is possible and even desirable in order to promote sustainability 
and efficiency. The CLUPs should identify the dominant uses for specific areas, 
however, utmost consideration to environmental protection should be a primordial 
concern; 
 
c) Environmentally-critical areas, SAFDZ as prime agricultural lands, IP culturally 
significant lands and strict protection zones shall be protected from land use conversion 
or reclassification. ; 
 
d) The identification of network of settlements and settlement and non-settlement areas is 
key in determining the demand for land because this establishes the location of 
employment-generating industries and services as well as housing. Once identified, 
other support uses such, as transportation and other infrastructure facilities as well as 
social services can be determined; 
 
e) In general, economic growth and poverty reduction are enhanced by land uses which 
promote a globally competitive national urban system that is fully integrated with the 
rural areas. The specific roles of individual cities and municipalities in this system will 
vary depending on their demographic trends, the competitiveness of existing and 
potential economic activities, physical environment and resource endowments, quality 
of external linkages and internal integration, infrastructure and technological capacities;  
 
f) Ancestral domain and native titles shall be recognized and respected and protected, with 
the ADSDPP in harmony with physical/land use and development plans at the regional 
and local levels. The rights of ownership and possession of ICCs/IPs to their ancestral 
domains, as provided under the IPRA, shall be recognized and protected; 
 
g) Sustainable development should be integrated into protection as well as in other urban 
and rural land uses; 
 
h) Physical characteristics such as soil, land cover, slope, topography, elevation, geology, 
geography, climate, and resulting vulnerability to land degradation and, hazard prone 
areas are basic considerations in identifying allowable or preferred land uses, 
transportation systems and other support infrastructure facilities;  
 


 
16 
 
 
i) Land use conflicts are likely to increase and intensify as population increases. Greater 
consideration should be given to those that are life-threatening or are direct threats to 
public safety; harmful or destructive to protected areas, flora, fauna, and other protected 
natural resources and ecosystems; and  
 
j) All levels of physical and land use plans shall be directly linked and aligned with each 
other and consistent with the objectives of the Philippine Development Plan and other 
government policies, plans and frameworks. 
 
 
CHAPTER V 
IMPLEMENTING STRUCTURE AND MECHANISM 
 
Article 1 
Land Use Policy Committee 
 
SEC. 14.  Reconstitution of the National Land Use Committee (NLUC). – The 
National Land Use Committee under the NEDA Board is hereby reconstituted as the highest 
policy making body on land use. It shall integrate efforts and monitor developments relating 
to land use.  It shall harmonize land use policies between and among agencies and ensure that 
such policies are aligned with the development goals and objectives of the country.  
  
SEC. 15.  Composition of the NLUC. -  The NLUC shall be composed of five (5) 
members. 
 
a) The Secretary of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) as 
Chairperson; 
b) The Secretaries of the Departments of Environment and Natural Resources, 
Agriculture, Agrarian Reform, the Interior and Local Government, and Human 
Settlements and Urban Development as members;  
       
The NLUC may call upon relevant agencies to serve as resource person/s on 
issues/topics especially on land use and physical planning under their respective 
mandate/s. 
 
SEC. 16.  Powers and Functions. - The NLUC shall have the following powers and 
functions: 
 
a) Advise the President on matters concerning land use and physical planning; 
b) Formulate a national physical framework plan and other inter-sectoral policies and 
programs that guide the rational utilization and management of the country’s land and 
other physical resources, and the preparation of sub-national physical framework plans. 
The national physical framework plan shall integrate relevant sectoral as well as 
regional socio-economic and physical framework plans and policies; 
c) Promote the integration of land use and physical planning policies, plans and programs, 
including disaster risk management, into national socio-economic plans and programs; 


 
17 
 
 
d) Decide and resolve land use policy conflicts among agencies of the national 
government; 
e) Establish and maintain, in conjunction with the various appropriate government 
agencies, a database system which would identify and classify the present and possible 
uses of specific land areas, public and private, comprising the total land resources of 
the nation; and 
f) Provide policy directions to the Regional Land Use Committees in the performance of 
their physical planning functions. 
g) 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; 
    
h) Adopt rules of procedures for the orderly and expeditious conduct of meetings and other 
business of the Committee; and 
 
i) 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.  Regional Land Use Committee (RLUC). - At the regional level, the RLUC 
under the Regional Development Council (RDC) will be reconstituted and institutionalized 
replacing the Regional Land Use Committee. The RLUC will replicate the NLUC structure 
and composition. The RLUC shall have the following functions: 
 
a) Formulate and periodically update the Regional Physical Framework Plan (RPFP), 
taking into consideration national, interregional, regional and local plans and policies; 
b) Promote the integration of land use and physical planning policies, plans and programs, 
including disaster risk management into the regional socio-economic plans and 
programs; 
c) Decide and resolve region-specific land use policy conflicts among government 
agencies; 
d) Review and recommend appropriate actions to the NB-NLUC on land use policy 
conflicts between or among national government agencies; 
e) Assess changes in land use and other physical resources in the regional and the 
implementation of RPFP policies; 
f) 
 Evaluate consistency of major programs and projects with the RPFP and their impact 
on land use and the environment; 
g) Undertake the gathering, updating and maintenance of a regional database system; and 
h) Perform other related functions as may be directed by the NB-NLUC. 


 
18 
 
 
 
SEC. 18.  Offices, Units and Staff Support.  - The Regional Development Staff of the 
NEDA Central Office shall continue to provide core secretariat services to NLUC.  On the 
other hand, the respective NEDA Regional Offices shall provide the core secretariat services 
to the RLUC.  Other agencies may be called on for support as needed.     
 
 
Article 2 
Local Land Use Committees 
 
SEC. 19.  Provincial Land Use Committee (PLUC). - The Provincial Land Use 
Committee created under Executive Order No. 72 s. 1993 in all provinces is hereby 
reconstituted and strengthened to tackle land use concerns whenever necessary.    
 
The PLUC shall: 
 
a) Advise the Local Development Council and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on 
all matters pertaining to land use and physical planning; 
b) Review proposed policies, rules, and programs related to land use planning, 
including land reclassification and land use conversion, and such other related 
matters that may arise at the provincial level and those between or among 
component cities/municipalities, and recommend actions to the Local 
Development Council and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan; 
c) Promote cooperation and sharing of resources between and among component 
cities and municipalities of the province to address land use and physical 
development concerns, including those related to natural hazards and risks; 
d) Formulate and periodically update the PDPFP and endorse the same to the Local 
Development Council, for its adoption, and subsequent approval by  the 
Sangguniang Panlalawigan; and 
e) Assist the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in reviewing the CLUPs and Zoning 
Ordinances of component cities/municipalities to ensure consistency with the 
PDPFP.  
 
The Provincial Land Use Committee established under EO 72 s. 1993 is hereby 
reconstituted and strengthened. Consistent with Section 112 of RA 7160, otherwise known as 
the Local Government Code of 1991, local land use committees shall be established at the 
provincial, city and municipal levels. The Provincial, City and Municipal LUCs shall have the 
following composition: 
 
Chairperson:  The respective Provincial, City, or Municipal Local Planning and     
     
 
Development Officer/Coordinator 
Members:  
The respective Provincial, City, or Municipal  
Agriculturist,  
Engineer,  
Tourism Officer,  
Assessor, 
Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer 
Economic and Investment Promotions Officer, and 
Agrarian Reform Program Officer,  
 


 
19 
 
 
the DENR’s Environment and Natural Resources Officer in the LGU (i.e., the 
Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer in the case of Provincial LUCs, and the 
Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer for City LUCs and Municipal LUCs), 
 
and representatives from the respective Regional Offices of the following agencies:  
DAR  
DHSUD  
DA  
DILG 
 
 
SEC. 20.  City/Municipal Land Use Committee (C/MLUC). - A City/Municipal 
Land Use Committee (C/MLUC) is hereby created in all cities and municipalities to tackle land 
use concerns whenever necessary.    
 
The C/MLUC shall: 
 
a) Advise the Local Development Council and the Sangguniang Pambayan or 
Sangguniang Panlunsod on all matters pertaining to land use and physical 
planning; 
b) Formulate and periodically update the CLUP and endorse the same to the Local 
Development Council, for its adoption for subsequent approval by the 
Sangguniang Pambayan or Sangguniang Panlunsod; and 
 
c) Review proposed policies, programs and related concerns on land use planning, 
including land reclassification and conversion, and such other related matters 
that may arise at the city or municipal level and recommend actions to the Local 
Development Council and the Sangguniang Panlunsod / Pambayan. 
 
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 new projects and 
(b) monitor ongoing/existing projects within their respective jurisdictions and issue notices of 
violation to owners, developers, or managers of projects that are violative of ZOs. 
 
The C/MLUC shall replicate the PLUC structure and composition. The C/MLUC may 
call upon any official of national, regional, and provincial agencies/offices and other relevant 
agencies during discussions on land use and physical planning concerns.  
 
LGUs shall activate their respective C/MLUCs within six (6) months from the 
effectivity of this Act.   
 
Article 3 
Adoption, Approval and Review of Land Use Plans 
 
SEC. 21.  Component Cities and Municipalities. -  As prescribed under existing laws 
and issuances, the component cities and municipalities, through their respective Sangguniang  
Pambayan/ Panlungsod, shall adopt their CLUPs and enact ZOs, subject to the power of review 
and approval by their respective Sangguniang Panlalawigan.  
 
SEC. 22.  Review of CLUPs/ PDPFPs of Provinces, Highly Urbanized Cities and 


 
20 
 
 
Municipalities, and Independent Component Cities. -  Provinces, HUCs and ICCs shall 
have the power and authority to adopt and approve their respective PDPFP, CLUPs, and ZOs, 
as the case may be, through their respective Sanggunian. The PDPFP and CLUP shall be 
reviewed by the RLUC prior to the adoption by the respective Sanggunian. For the cities and 
municipality of Metro Manila, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, together with 
the DHSUD, shall review their CLUPs.  
 
SEC. 23. Expanding the Powers of the Department of Human Settlement and 
Urban Development (DHSUD) - The DHSUD shall formulate and prescribe land use 
planning and zoning standards and regulations for the guidance of cities and municipalities in 
the formulation of their respective CLUPs, as provided under Chapter III, Section 4.II (e) of 
RA 11201, or the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development Act of 2019, 
with the following modifications:   
 
a) CLUPs and PDPFPs shall have a time frame of 12 years with a mandatory mid-
term review and updating; 
b) The DHSUD shall issue the guidelines on the formulation of the PDPFPs;  
c) Provinces shall integrate the salient contents of the CLUPs of  cities and 
municipalities as well as those of the independent and highly urbanized cities and 
municipalities into their PDPFPs, for approval by their respective Sangguniang 
Panlalawigan, and ratification by DHSUD; 
d) The DHSUD shall ratify the CLUPs of highly urbanized and independent cities 
and municipalities, and the PDPFPs; and 
e) The DHSUD shall design, establish and maintain an information and management 
system for monitoring the agricultural land reclassification and conversion as 
contained in the CLUPs. 
 
The jurisdiction of the Human Settlements Adjudication Commission as defined under 
Chapter IV, Sections 15-20 of RA 11201 or the DHUSD Act, is hereby amended to include 
cases involving disputes on the conversion of agricultural lands. In relation to this, the Human 
Settlements Adjudication Commission as is renamed as the Land Use and Human Settlements 
Adjudication Commission. 
 
SEC. 24.  Submission of Annual Report on the Implementation of CLUPs. -  The 
C/MLUCs shall submit an annual report on the implementation of their land use plans to the 
PLUC, which shall in turn integrate the provincial reports for submission to the DHSUD 
regional office. The analysis and related reports on the implementation of CLUPs shall then be 
submitted by the DSHUD to theNLUC.  
 
Article 4 
Responsibilities of the National Government Agencies and LGUs 
 
SEC. 25. Forest Land Boundary Delineation. - Within two (2) years after the 
effectivity of this Act, the DENR shall complete the delineation on the ground of forest lands 
and national parks, and submit the same to Congress for enactment into law pursuant to Section 
4 Article XII of the 1987 Constitution. The result of forest boundary delineation shall be made 
available to the public. 
 
As a result of forest boundary delineation and assessment, alienable and disposable 
lands with slopes of eighteen percent (18%) and above which have not yet been enacted by 


 
21 
 
 
Congress may be reclassified as forest lands which shall have restricted use for public interest 
in consideration of environmental and hazard risk mitigation. In the event that said alienable 
and disposable lands are titled prior to the approval of this Act, a new title shall be issued by 
the DENR to incorporate provisions, to be defined by DENR, relating to the application of 
disaster/hazard mitigation measures, such as soil and water conservation measures, effective 
vegetation cover, and other related measures. 
 
SEC. 26.  National Geospatial Information Program. - Within two (2) years upon 
the effectivity of this Act, the NAMRIA, in coordination with BSWM, Forest Management 
Bureau (FMB), Land Management Bureau, Biodiversity Management Bureau, Mines and 
Geosciences Bureau (MGB), Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology 
(PHIVOLCS), DAR, the National Water Resources Board, National Commission on 
Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), Department of Energy (DOE), NEDA and other concerned 
government agencies/bureaus shall complete the updating of base maps. These base maps and 
corresponding geospatial data shall be shared and disseminated to all agencies and LGUs which 
shall serve as a basis for delineating boundaries within and among LGUs and shall serve as 
reference in defining the planning area for land use planning, local development planning and 
other planning activities.  
 
SEC. 27.  Delineation and Mapping of Hazard-prone and Vulnerable Areas. - 
Within two (2) years upon the effectivity of this Act, the BSWM, MGB, FMB,  DENR- 
Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau, PHIVOLCS, PAGASA, DOE, and NAMRIA, 
in coordination with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the 
Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils, the Climate Change 
Commission, and other concerned government agencies shall delineate and continuously 
update the geo-hazard, vulnerable area, hydrometeorological hazard maps and the 
corresponding geospatial data. 
 
These maps shall be shared and disseminated to LGUs which shall subsequently guide 
them in the preparation of their own hazards-constrained development and physical framework 
and land use plans.  
 
SEC. 28.  Basic and Applied Research for Science and Technology Development. 
- Within one (1) year from the effectivity of this Act, the Department of Science and 
Technology, in coordination with concerned agencies, shall formulate a research agenda that 
will support physical framework and land use planning. 
 
SEC. 29.  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 respective sectoral/development plans and other relevant up-to-date data 
and maps and render technical support if called upon by the NLUC relative to the 
implementation of the provisions of this Act. 
 
 
SEC. 30. National Land Resource Information and Management System. - The 
NAMRIA shall establish a national land resource information and management system shall 
also (a) integrate, process and share information on land use and allocation generated by the 
various national government agencies; (b) define information requirements at various levels; 
and (c) standardize information inputs and outputs including scales and symbols used in 
territorial and sectoral maps. The system shall be developed in coordination with DHSUD, DA, 


 
22 
 
 
DAR, DENR, DILG, NEDA, League of Provinces, League of Cities, League of Municipalities 
and other concerned national government agencies. 
 
 
 
CHAPTER VI 
SPECIAL AREAS OF CONCERN 
 
Article 1 
Forest Lands, Watershed Reservations and National Parks 
 
 
SEC. 31. 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, with slope of 18 percent or higher, 
of the public domain or portion thereof to forest lands. Geohazard conditions shall be 
considered prior to LGU issuances of permits and clearances in forestlands. Regardless of any 
government agency issuing a land title, the DENR together with NAMRIA shall review those 
designated forestlands with non-conforming uses and recommend measures on how to address 
these.  
 
SEC. 32.  Critical Watershed and Sub-Watershed Areas. -  The DENR, in 
coordination with the DA, NIA, LGUs, and other government agencies, including government-
owned and-controlled corporations, shall update information on location and condition of 
existing and proclaimed watersheds. The DENR shall further identify potential watershed areas 
and delineate critical watershed and sub-watershed areas that need to be protected, 
rehabilitated, enhanced, and/or withdrawn from inappropriate and unsustainable uses that 
contribute to their further degradation. 
 
SEC. 33.  Formulation and Implementation of Integrated Watershed Management 
Plans. - The Watershed Management Planning Team or Watershed Management Council, 
composed of the DENR, the LGUs and other NGAs and stakeholders concerned shall prepare 
their integrated watershed management plans (IWMP), which shall be considered in the 
formulation of LGUs’ CLUPs, DRR/CCA plans, and ADSDPPs. The formulation of the IWMP 
shall be guided, among others, by the principles of sustainable management and watershed and 
ecosystem management.  
  
In cases where a particular watershed straddles two or more regions, the region which 
covers the largest portion shall lead in the preparation of the IWMP.  
 
The DENR, LGUs, NGAs and major stakeholders concerned shall jointly implement 
the integrated watershed management plan subject to regular consultations with and 
involvement of the local communities and other stakeholders. 
 
SEC. 34. 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 initial 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 


 
23 
 
 
preparation of management plans of protected areas/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 2 
Coastal Zones, Marine Resources and Waterways Easements 
 
SEC. 35.  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. Violation of this provision shall be subject 
to the penalties imposed under Sec. 99 of RA 10654 amending RA 8550 otherwise 
known as the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998; 
b) Subject to clearance from the DENR, areas that meet all accepted criteria on 
elevation, soil type, soil depth, topography, supply for successful fishpond 
development, except mangrove protected areas, shall be utilized for aquaculture 
purposes; 
c) Areas subclassified 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 and must be 
rehabilitated/reforested; intrusion to such areas shall be a ground for eviction and 
imposition of appropriate penalties to be prescribed by the DENR. Violation of this 
provision shall be subject to the penalties imposed under Sec. 99 of RA 10654 
amending RA 8550;  
d) Subject to DENR guidelines, areas accessible to the sea and identified for fisherfolk 
settlement and housing shall be allocated to traditional fisherfolks 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 provisions under Article 51 of PD 
1067; 
e) Consistent with the DENR guidelines, areas that are neither subclassified 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, provided, that such practice will not defeat the purpose of 
establishing marine protected areas; 
g) In compliance with the DENR guidelines, foreshore areas which have been 
allocated for small infrastructure needed by fisherfolks shall be allowed: Provided, 
that such undertaking will not result in environmental degradation; and  
h) With primary environmental consideration, areas which form part of foreshore 
lands as defined in this Act including those that are under lease agreements or 
arrangements shall be zoned according to its designated use and evaluated to 
determine their boundaries and actual sizes. 
 
SEC. 36.  Coastal Land Zone Subclassification. -  All public lands in the coastal 
zones shall be subclassified into any of the following: fishponds, mangroves, protection from 


 
24 
 
 
tidal surge, for preservation of biodiversity, habitats and sanctuaries for endangered wildlife, 
fisherfolk settlement, 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 LGUs and accredited non-government organizations 
(NGOs) and private organizations (POs) within their jurisdiction; and 
b) Prior consultation with local Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management 
Councils formed under RA 8550. 
 
SEC. 37.  Zoning of Foreshore Areas. -   LGUs, with the technical assistance from 
the DENR, shall  zone  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. Zoning of foreshore areas shall take into 
consideration ancestral domains that include ancestral waters.  
 
SEC. 38. Coastal and Marine Resources. - The exploration, development and use of 
coastal and marine resources in Philippine waters shall be reserved exclusively to Filipinos. 
Management of these resources shall be in accordance with existing relevant laws including, 
but not limited to the PD 1067, RA 8550 as amended by RA 10654, RA 7586 as amended by 
RA 11038, and RA 8435. To promote harmony in the management of land, coastal, and marine 
resources, CLUPs of coastal LGUs shall incorporate integrated coastal management of their 
municipal waters.   
 
SEC. 39.  Protection of Waterways Easements and Flood Plains. -  Structures of any 
kind shall not be built in waterways easements.  The banks of rivers and streams and the shores 
of the seas and lakes throughout their entire length and within a zone of 10 meters in urban 
areas, 20 meters in agricultural areas and 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 floodplains 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 that life of occupants are 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 ZOs, LGUs shall establish land use 
regulations including the implementation of RA 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste 
Management Act of 2000 to mitigate flood risks.  
 
To promote the best interest and the coordinated protection of flood plains, 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. As such, any plan, intervention or utilization specified in 
this Section should be cleared and issued appropriate permits by the concerned LGU provided 
herein, including imposition of penalties against identified violators. 
 
Article 3 
Settlements Development 


 
25 
 
 
 
SEC. 40.  Town, City, and Settlements Development. -  Guided by the framework 
for land use planning in Chapter IV of this Act and the National Urban Development and 
Housing Framework, the CLUPs and ZOs shall direct the physical development of settlement 
areas towards the overall goal of economic development and inclusive growth while 
maintaining environmental integrity. 
 
SEC. 41. Network of Settlements. - The framework and policies for the development 
of network of settlements shall be provided by the National Physical Framework Plan 
formulated by the NLUC. Individual settlements shall be planned as part of a national network 
of settlements. The network shall be based on existing and potential settlements; production 
activities, particularly those that involve highly competitive industries and services and 
generate local employment; environmental constraints and sustainability considerations.   
Individual cities and municipalities shall be integrated through transportation and other 
infrastructure support facilities.    
 
SEC. 42. Criteria for Settlement Sites. -  The following shall be the criteria for 
identifying settlement areas:  
 
a) 
Within A&D lands but not in environmentally-critical, hazard-prone or other 
protection areas;  
b) 
Along established urban growth directions;  
c)       Are already or can be provided with basic services and utilities;  
d)      Ideally within the 0-8% slope range, but with mitigating measures from slope 9-
17 percent;  
e)      Reasonably accessible from existing built up areas and other employment centers 
through existing or proposed roads and other transportation facilities;  
f)     Identified ICCs/IPs settlement areas shall be located within ancestral domains 
based on the ADSDPP. 
 
Hazard-prone (or high-risk) areas shall be defined, delineated and mapped by the 
DENR and other the mandated government agencies. As such, new settlements within high-
risk areas shall not be allowed. In cases where there are existing settlements within geo-hazard 
areas and/or high risk areas, mitigating and/or protective measures shall be 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 NLUC, through the RLUC and PLUC, shall 
provide assistance to concerned LGUs and settlers in instituting safety and corrective measures 
to address the potential danger or risk. New developments within geo-hazard areas shall be 
required to submit an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) and Engineering 
Geological and Geo-hazard Assessment Report (EGGAR) consistent with the Revised 
Procedural Manual for DENR Administrative Order (DAO) No. 2003-30 or the Implementing 
Rules and Regulations of PD 1586 establishing an Environmental Impact Statement System  
and DAO No. 2000-28 or the “Implementing Guidelines on Engineering Geological and 
Geohazard Assessment as Additional Requirement for ECC Applications covering 
Subdivision, Housing and other Land Development and Infrastructure Projects.” 
 
SEC. 43. Sustainable Communities. -  Each city/municipality or cluster of 
cities/municipalities, as appropriate, shall seek to follow the basic features of sustainable 
communities, as guided by the National Urban Development and Housing Framework: transit-
oriented, pedestrian-biased, and multiple use, with systems and practices that promote water 


 
26 
 
 
use efficiency (including water harvesting and recycling), energy efficiency, waste 
segregation, recycling, and adequate community facilities.  Cities and municipalities or clusters 
thereof shall identify, designate and allocate areas within their territorial jurisdiction to serve 
as waste disposal site following the provisions of RA 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste 
Management Act of 2000.   
 
SEC. 44. Socialized Housing Zones. - In accordance with the UDHA, each 
city/municipality shall designate and delineate adequate land for housing or residential 
purposes, including socialized housing and resettlement areas, for the immediate and future 
needs of the local population as well as those identified as settlers on high-risk areas, 
underprivileged and homeless within their jurisdiction.  The designated and delineated sites for 
socialized housing, which may include patrimonial properties, shall be zoned as socialized 
housing areas in the city’s or municipality's ZO, pursuant to existing laws and regulations.  The 
State shall encourage on-site development and shall consider accessibility of affected 
community to employment, economic activities and social services. Socialized housing and 
resettlement areas identified and delineated by the city or municipality shall be registered with 
the DHSUD. 
 
SEC. 45. Urban Forest or Green Space. -  Each city or highly urbanizing municipality 
shall identify, designate, and allocate lands owned by the barangay, city or municipality as 
urban forest or green space based on guidelines and standards to be formulated by DHSUD 
and adopted by the NLUC. 
 
Article 4 
Agricultural Lands 
 
SEC. 46.  Priority Areas for Agricultural Development. - Priority areas for 
agricultural development are those covered by the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program 
(CARP) and the SAFDZ as defined in the in Section 4 of this Act.  
 
Prime agricultural lands or SAFDZs which are necessary for attaining food security in 
rice and corn and other basic commodities, as determined by the DA, subject to mandatory 
public hearings/ consultations with the LGUs and endorsed by the PLUC, the private sector, 
NGOs and POs shall be protected from conversion. 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 not be converted, the areas under which are subject to review 
every six years by the DA. Provided further that in line with the principle of balancing food 
security with economic efficiency, land use conversion may be allowed when the land, as 
determined by the DA ceases to be economically feasible and sound for agricultural purposes, 
or when the locality has become urbanized and the land will have a greater economic value for 
residential, commercial or industrial purposes.  
 
 
SEC. 47. Reclassification of Agricultural Lands. - LGUs may reclassify agricultural 
lands to non-agricultural uses subject to the limits set forth under Sec. 20 of the LGC, as 
follows: a) 15 percent of the total agricultural land area for highly urbanized and independent 
component cities; b) 10 percent of the total agricultural land area for component cities and first 
to third class municipalities; and c) five percent of the total agricultural land area for fourth to 
sixth class municipalities; Provided, that reclassification shall only be allowed during the 


 
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preparation or updating of the CLUP and shall be reflected in the CLUPs/ PDPFs; Provided 
further, that the that the total agricultural land area where the limits for reclassification apply 
shall be based on the total area of lands zoned as agricultural at the time of the ratification of 
the CLUP/ PDPFPs by the DHSUD.  
 
SEC. 48. Conversion of Agricultural Lands. Agricultural lands reclassified into non-
agricultural uses by the LGUs may be applied for conversion with the DHSUD. The DHSUD 
shall review and decide on the application for land conversion based on the ratified CLUPs 
which have undergone prior review by the RLUC and approval by their respective Sanggunian. 
 
The powers and functions of the DAR to review and approve applications for the 
conversion of agricultural lands to non-agricultural uses, as provided under Sec. 65 of RA 6657 
or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, as amended, Executive Order 129-A, series of 
1987 or the DAR Reorganization Act, and Paragraph (13), Sec. (3), Title XI of the Revised 
Administrative Code of 1987 are hereby abolished. 
 
SEC. 49. Land Consolidation for Agro-Industrial Development. - The consolidation 
of small-scale agricultural landholdings shall be promoted to take advantage of economies of 
scale in agricultural production and to promote value chain development in order to increase 
farm incomes and improve the quality of life of farmers. Priority shall be the consolidation of 
unused, underutilized and underdeveloped lands into an area comprising at least fifty (50) 
hectares through usufruct and/or long term lease of rights. 
 
A Land Consolidation and Utilization Program under the Department of Agriculture 
shall be established under this Act. The objectives of the program are as follows:   
a) To consolidate small contiguous landholdings into bigger agricultural estates 
for farm operations and agro-industries; 
b) To craft a comprehensive plan and study the optimum utilization and long term 
productivity of bigger landholdings; 
c) To enable private sector participation in agricultural production and 
management through adequate security, incentives and reasonable return on 
investments; 
d) To develop and adopt a cooperative system that will increase the participation 
and protection of small farmers; 
e) To support consolidated farms with to farm-to-market roads, irrigation, utilities, 
logistics, processing facilities, upgrading of basic social amenities, and 
marketing assistance to farmers.  
 
Article 5 
Mineral Lands 
 
SEC. 50.  Criteria for the Utilization and Allocation of Land for Mining Purposes. 
-  Consistent with Section 5 of this Act and the provisions of RA 7942 or the Mining Act of 
1995, subject to FPIC of ICCs/IPs, and to ensure that the objectives of maintaining ecological 
balance and maximizing economic returns to mining operations are realized, the utilization and 
allocation 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 


 
28 
 
 
the mining sites and adjacent areas pursuant to RA 7076 or the People’s Small-Scale 
Mining Act of 1991; No small-scale mining shall be undertaken outside a declared 
Minahang Bayan and no entity shall engage in small-scale mining without a 
corresponding mining contract, pursuant to RA 7076; 
c) Mineral reservations which have become non-operational for at least 10 years as 
determined by the MGB shall be placed under appropriate surface management by 
the DENR or under the control and management of IPs/ICCs for those under ancestral 
domain areas; 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 MGB 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 or ancestral domain subject to RA 8371. 
e) In addition to areas indicated in RA 7942, applications for mineral, contracts, 
concessions and agreements shall not be allowed by in NIPAS areas, prime 
agricultural lands and lands covered by CARP, tourism development areas, and 
critical ecosystems as determined by the DENR.   
 
SEC. 51.  Reversion of Mineral Lands. -  All mineral lands with exhausted mineral 
resources, as determined by the MGB upon the approval of the DENR, shall revert to its 
original land classification, that is, as forestland, agricultural land, or ancestral domain and 
shall be turned over to the concerned agency. Provided that the private entity/organization that 
undertook mining activities shall be responsible for the rehabilitation of the mineral lands 
consistent with RA 7942.  In the case of forestlands, the DENR may classify such areas for 
other purposes in consultation with concerned LGUs, the DOT, and other national government 
agencies. 
 
Article 6 
Energy Resource Lands 
 
SEC. 52. 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 database as well as energy resource block 
map shall be allowed subject to the implementation of complementary watershed 
and other land management plans; 
b) 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 ECC, 
as applicable, 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 


 
29 
 
 
energy reservations. 
 
SEC. 53.  Reversion of Energy Resource Lands. -  All exhausted indigenous energy 
resource lands, as determined by the DOE, not covered by proclamations shall automatically 
revert to its original land classification, that is, as forestlands or agricultural lands, or ancestral 
domains, and shall be turned over to the concerned agency. 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 additional expenditure for their extraction and 
utilization. 
 
Article 7 
Industrial Development Areas 
 
SEC. 54.  Criteria for Designating Industrial Development Areas. -  Industrial 
development areas shall be integrated into the national network of settlements defined by the 
NPFP, given that industrial areas are major centers of employment and therefore require 
residential and other community services and facilities. Regardless of their location, industrial 
areas shall be connected  to large cities and other settlements which serve as market and service 
centers of industries. 
 
The identification and establishment of industrial development areas shall conform to 
the provisions of RA 7916, otherwise known as the Philippine Economic Zone Act; RA 6657 
as amended by RA 9700, RA 8371 or the IPRA, RA 7279 or the UDHA, RA 8345 or AFMA, 
taking into consideration that those industrial areas shall, to the extent possible: 
 
a) Be based on economic activities where host communities have existing or potential 
industrial advantages (e.g. labor skills, resource inputs, marketing or distribution 
advantages);  
b) Maximize opportunities for local employment; 
c) Provide for or link to a mix of other land uses with support activities and services such 
as residential, educational, transportation and other social services.; and 
d) Consider the areas’ carrying capacity and respect identified SAFDZ pursuant to the 
AFMA, environmentally-critical, geo-hazard and other protected areas. 
 
Locational guidelines for Industrial Development Areas shall be promulgated by the 
DHSUD, in coordination with concerned agencies.  The designated industrial development 
areas shall become an integral part of the CLUP and ZO of the city or municipality where these 
areas are located. 
 
Article 8 
Tourism and Heritage Areas 
 
SEC. 55. Tourism Enterprise Zones (TEZs). - The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise 
Zone Authority (TIEZA) shall designate TEZs, upon concurrence of the LGU or private entity 
or joint ventures between the public and the private sectors, subject to the provisions of RA 
9593 or Tourism Act of 2009 and requirements set by the TIEZA. Any geographic area with 
the following characteristics may be designated as a Tourism Enterprise Zone: 
a. The area is capable of being defined into one contiguous territory; 


 
30 
 
 
b. It has historical and cultural significance, environmental beauty, or existing or 
potential integrated leisure facilities within its bounds or within reasonable distances 
from it; 
c. It has, or it may have, strategic access through transportation infrastructure, and 
reasonable connection with utilities infrastructure systems; 
d. It is sufficient in size, such that it may be further utilized for bringing in new 
investments in tourism establishments and services; and 
e. It is in a strategic location such as to catalyze the socio-economic development of 
neighboring communities. 
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 and DHSUD. 
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 of this 
Act.  
The designated TEZs shall become an integral part of the CLUP and ZO of the city or 
municipality where these areas are located.  
 
SEC. 55.  Identification and Declaration of Areas for Protection, Conservation and 
Preservation of Cultural Heritage. -  Pursuant to RA 10066, the National Historical Institute 
and/or the National Museum in consultation with the National Council for Culture and the Arts, 
NCIP, DHSUD, other concerned agencies and LGUs shall designate heritage zones to protect 
the historical and cultural integrity of a geographical area. Proposed developments adjacent to 
the declared local, national and world heritage site shall not obstruct or diminish the character 
of the heritage site. 
 
Article 9 
Transportation and Other Infrastructure Development 
 
SEC. 56.  Strategic Transport Network. -   The national government, through the 
Department of Transportation, shall establish a strategic and sustainable multimodal transport 
network that provides connectivity within the national network of settlements.  Such 
connectivity shall include linkages among existing and proposed priority urban centers, rural 
areas, production hubs and tourism zones, distribution centers and markets, and key 
international points of entry.  It shall be developed to promote network efficiency and social 
service delivery, to catalyze areas identified critical for economic growth, while minimizing 
negative impacts to environmentally-critical and protected areas. 
 
The national network of settlements, as defined in the NPFP, shall guide the 
development of a multi-modal transportation network. The network shall be designed and 
implemented to provide seamless connectivity among the various modes of transportation. The 
RPFPs, PDPFPs and city/municipal CLUPs shall focus on the transportation network that 
corresponds to their respective jurisdictions (internal integration) while maintaining 
consistency with the overall national networks (external linkages). 
 
SEC. 57.  Allocation and Use of Land for Infrastructure Development. - Land, 
whether public or private, shall be allocated and utilized for priority transportation and other 
infrastructure projects such as communication facilities, power lines, and water pipes.  Lands 
dedicated to right-of-way for government facilities either established by statutes, or acquisition 
shall be devoted to public use.  Once implemented or defined in the physical framework and 
land use plans, existing and proposed government infrastructure rights-of-way shall be 


 
31 
 
 
protected from incompatible uses, such as informal settlements, barangay hall, outposts, 
waiting sheds and other obstructions, by national agencies and the local governments 
concerned. 
 
SEC. 58.  Transportation and other Infrastructure Facilities and Utilities Within 
Geo-hazard Areas. -  Construction of new infrastructure facilities within geo-hazard areas 
shall be allowed: Provided, That mitigating and/or preventive measures are adopted to address 
the potential adverse economic, socio-cultural, and environmental impacts that will emanate 
from these infrastructure facilities, subject to the findings and recommendations contained in 
the ECC as a result of the environmental impact assessment/statement and EGGAR prepared 
in accordance with DAO 2003-30 and DAO 2000-28 and other applicable laws.  
 
Existing facilities that did not go through the process of an environmental impact 
assessment and pose threats to the environment, integrity of historic, archeological, or 
scientifically significant areas; or are impinging on critical ecosystems, may be terminated 
immediately, or gradually phased-out and relocated, or 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 VII 
TRAINING, EDUCATION, AND VALUE FORMATION 
 
SEC. 59.  Value Formation. -  In order to create a well-informed, responsible and 
committed citizenry who values the protection, conservation, management 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 as well as technical and vocational education programs.  
 
SEC. 60. Information and Education Campaign. -  The NLUCshall undertake a 
nationwide education information campaign in land use and physical planning to be 
implemented by local and national government agencies. Concerned agencies shall formulate 
and implement a land use management capability-building program for national and local 
government officials, community leaders, NGOs, POs, religious sector, and the general public. 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
SANCTIONS AND PENALTIES 
 
SEC. 61.  Failure to Formulate, Enforce, and/or Implement the CLUPs. -  Within 
three (3) years after the effectivity of this Act, all LGUs shall complete the formulation of their 
CLUPs. Failure to formulate, enforce and/or implement the CLUPs shall be subject to the 
penalties and sanctions to be imposed by the DHSUD pursuant to RA 11201 and its 
Implementing Rules and Regulations. The DSHUD shall monitor the formulation and 
implementation of the CLUPs by the LGUs. Consistent with due process, the DHSUD shall 
evaluate and file charges against local chief executives and other local officials and employees 
responsible for the following: a) non-formulation of the CLUPs despite the availability of 
funds, resources, and support the by the Sanggunian concerned; and b) failure to implement 
the Zoning Ordinance due to neglect of duty. 
 


 
32 
 
 
 
Any public official or employee, whether elected, appointed or holding 
office/employment in a causal, temporary, holdover, permanent, or regular capacity, found to 
be responsible for any of the foregoing acts shall be punished with forfeiture of salaries and 
allowances, and suspension from: 
 
a. Three (3) to six (6) months, in case of non-completion of the CLUP; 
b. Six (6) to nine (9) months, in case of non-implementation of the CLUP 
 
 
SEC. 62.  Causing Irrigated Agricultural Lands to be Idle. -  Any person or juridical 
entity who shall cause any irrigated lands whether contiguous for not, within the protected 
areas for agricultural development, to lie idle and unproductive for a period exceeding one (1) 
year, unless due to force majeure, shall be subject to an idle land tax equivalent to five percent 
(5%) of the value of the agricultural land as appearing in its real property tax declaration. In 
addition, the violator shall be required to put back such lands to productive agricultural use. 
Should the continued agricultural inactivity, unless due to force majeure, exceed period of two 
(2) years, the land shall be subject to escheat proceedings. 
 
SEC. 63. Exceeding the Limits for the Reclassification of Agricultural Lands. Any 
member of the M/C/PLUCs, LDCs or Sanggunian who reclassifies protected agricultural lands 
or exceeds the limits for their reclassification shall be penalized with imprisonment of twelve 
(12) years, and/or a fine at the discretion of the courts. 
 
SEC. 64. Illegal or Premature Conversion of Agricultural Lands. - Any person 
found guilty of premature or illegal conversion shall be penalized with imprisonment of two 
(2) to six (6) years, or a fine equivalent to one hundred percent (100%) of the government’s 
investment cost, or both, at the discretion of the courts, and an accessory penalty of forfeiture 
of the land and any improvement thereon.  
 
Those found guilty of abetting illegal conversion could potentially suffer imprisonment 
and be fined an amount to be determined by the courts. 
 
SEC. 65.  Non-Commencement and Non-Completion 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 the 
development of the land after two (2) years or complete the development after five (5) years 
from the issuance of the Conversion Order shall be penalized with revocation of Conversion 
Order and forfeiture of cash bond.     
 
SEC. 66.  Payment of Disturbance Compensation. - Payment of disturbance 
compensation shall be provided to those working on the land affected by agricultural land use 
conversion.   
 
SEC. 67.   Setting of Rules and Regulations, and Fines. - The Land Use and Human 
Settlements Adjudication Commission shall formulate the detailed rules and regulations on 
cases on agricultural land use reclassification and conversion. The cases which cannot be 
settled by the Land Use and Human Settlements Adjudication Commission will be filed with 
the courts. 
The amount of fines for all violations under this Act shall be determined by the courts. 
 


 
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CHAPTER IX 
TRANSITORY AND FINAL PROVISIONS 
 
SEC. 68.  Convening of the NLUC. - Within thirty (30) days from the effectivity of 
this Act, the NLUC shall be convened by the Secretary of NEDA as the Committee Chair.  
 
SEC. 69.  Implementing Rules and Regulations. -   Within ninety (90) days from the 
effectivity of this Act, the NLUC shall promulgate the rules and regulations to implement the 
provisions of this Act. The said rules and regulations shall be submitted to the Congressional 
Oversight Committee for approval upon compliance with publication requirements. 
 
SEC. 70.  Congressional Oversight Committee on the Land Use Act. -  There is 
hereby created a Congressional Oversight Committee composed of seven (7) members each 
from the Senate and House of Representatives to be appointed by the Senate President and the 
House Speaker. 
 
The Oversight Committee shall, in aid of legislation, review the implementation of this 
Act, especially the applicability of the sanctions and penalties, at least once in every six (6) 
years and as often as it may deem necessary. 
 
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 House of Representatives and the Senate. 
 
SEC. 71.  Appropriations. -  The appropriations for the National Land Use Committee 
under NEDA under the current General Appropriations Act (GAA) shall be used to carry out 
the initial operations of NLUC.  Thereafter, additional sums as may be necessary for the full 
implementation of NLUC’s function shall be included in the annual GAA. 
 
SEC. 72.  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 
revised guidelines and standards set forth under Section 10 of this Act within three (3) years 
from the effectivity of this Act. 
 
SEC. 73.  Repealing Clause. -   All republic acts, 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. 74.  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 RA Nos. 7076, 7160, 7279, 7586 as 
amended by RA 11038, 7942, 8371, 8550, and 6657 as amended by RA 7881 and 9700, RA 
9729, and RA 10121. 
 
SEC. 75.  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. 76.  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 


 
34 
 
 
circulation. 
 
Approved.