Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. ____ 
Introduced by Representatives Rosanna “Ria” V. Vergara, Florida “Rida” P. Robes 
and Francisco Jose “Bingo” F. Matugas II
_________________________________________________________________________ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
All lands of the public domain, waters, minerals, coal, petroleum,  mineral oils, all 
forces of potential energy, fisheries, forests or timber, wildlife, fora and fauna, and other 
natural resources are owned by the State. With the exception of agricultural lands, all 
other natural resources shall not be alienated. Thus, there is a need for rational, optimal
and sustainable settlements development, consistent with the principles of 
environmental management and equitable access to land and security. 
This bill proposes to provide the national framework for a rational, holistic, and 
just allocation, utilization, management, and development of the country's land to ensure 
their optimum use, consistent with the principle of sustainable development. Moreover, 
the bill will include mandatory consultations from the regional, provincial, city and 
municipal level. Overall, the goal of this proposed legislation is to harmonize existing 
plans, rules and regulations governing the allocation, utilization, development and 
management of land resources. 
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this measure is earnestly urged. 
March 16, 2023
5:33 pm
7652


    ROSANNA “RIA” V. VERGARA 
          FLORIDA “RIDA” P. ROBES 
          Third District of Nueva Ecija 
    Lone District, San Jose del Monte City 
FRANCISCO JOSE “BINGO” F. MATUGAS II 
First District, Surigao del Norte 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. ____ 
Introduced by Representatives Rosanna “Ria” V. Vergara, Florida “Rida” P. Robes 
and Francisco Jose “Bingo” E. Matugas  
_________________________________________________________________________ 
AN ACT 
1 
INSTITUTING A NATIONAL LAND USE POLICY, PROVIDING THE 
2 
IMPLEMENTING MECHANISMS, CREATING FOR THE PURPOSE THE 
3 
NATIONAL LAND USE COMMISSION, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS 
4 
THEREFOR 
5 
6 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
7 
Congress assembled: 
8 
9 
CHAPTER I 
10 
INTRODUCTORY PROVISIONS 
11 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “National Land 
12 
Use Act”. 
13 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Principles and Policies. – All lands of the public 
14 
domain, waters, minerals, coal, petroleum, and other mineral oils, all forces of 
15 
potential energy, fisheries, forests or timber, wildlife, fora and fauna, and other 
16 
7652


2
natural resources are owned by the State. With the exception of agricultural lands, 
1 
all other natural resources shall not be alienated. 
2 
Pursuant to the constitutional provision or mandate, it is the policy of the 
3 
State to provide for a rational, holistic, and just allocation, utilization, 
4 
management, and development of the country's land to ensure their optimum use, 
5 
consistent with the principle of sustainable development. 
6 
The State recognizes the need for rational, optimal and sustainable 
7 
settlements development, consistent with the principles of environmental 
8 
management and equitable access to land and security. 
9 
Toward this end, the State institutionalizes land use and physical planning as 
10 
mechanisms for identifying, determining, and evaluating appropriate land use and 
11 
allocation patterns that promote and ensure: 
12 
(a)
Sustainable management and utilization of natural resources;
13 
(b)
Maintenance and preservation of environmental integrity and stability
14 
specifically the perpetual protection of permanent forests and watershed for the 
15 
attainment of food, water and energy sufficiency; 
16 
(c)
Disaster risk-reduction and climate change resiliency;
17 
(d)
Protection of prime agricultural lands for food security in basic
18 
commodities with emphasis on self-sufficiency in rice and corn; 
19 


3
(e)
Water security through sustainable development and management of 
1 
water resources towards water security; 
2 
(f)
Settlements, transportation and infrastructure development in support
3 
of urban, rural and regional development and inclusive growth; 
4 
(g)
Harmony between the rights and the varied interests of every Filipino
5 
within the framework of people empowerment, decentralization, social justice, and 
6 
equity; 
7 
(h)
Respect for and protection of the sustainable traditional resource
8 
rights of the Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) to 
9 
their ancestral domains to ensure their economic, social, and cultural well-being as 
10 
well as recognition of the applicability of customary laws and sustainable 
11 
traditional resource use and management, knowledge, and practices in ancestral 
12 
domains in compliance with free and prior informed consent of ICC/IPs; 
13 
(i)
Protection of the rights of basic sectors to equitable access to the
14 
country's land; 
15 
(j)
Protection, preservation, and development of the Filipino historical,
16 
cultural and built cultural heritage and resources for the deeper understanding of 
17 
our history and culture as a people; 
18 
(k)
Attainment of energy security and self-sufficiency;
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4
(l) 
Market orientation where the interplay of market forces and fair trade 
1 
within the framework of ecological development and equity consideration is 
2 
encouraged and adopted as the basic parameter in achieving efficiency in land use 
3 
and allocation; and 
4 
(m) 
Promotion of the integrated approach to land use and urban transport 
5 
planning to effectively manage growth in urban areas and ensure that the capacity 
6 
of transport facilities can accommodate the demand for movement of passengers 
7 
and goods to, from, and within the centers of socioeconomic activities.  
8 
It is also the policy of the State to ensure that local government units (LGUs) 
9 
share with the national government the responsibility of managing and maintaining 
10 
ecological balance within their territorial jurisdiction as stated in the 1987 
11 
Constitution and Republic Act (R.A.) No. 7160, as amended, also known as the 
12 
“Local Government Code of 1991”. Guided by the principle that the use of land 
13 
bears a social function and that all economic agents contribute to the common 
14 
good, landowners, land tenure holders, in the case of forestlands, be it an 
15 
individual, communal, corporate or group is held responsible for developing and 
16 
conserving their lands thereby making their lands productive and supportive of 
17 
environmental stability. 
18 
SEC. 3.  Scope. – This Act applies to all lands and all resources in the 
19 
country, whether public, private, government-owned or in the possession of any 
20 


 
5
person, whether natural or juridical, and serves as guide for the rational, holistic 
1 
and just allocation, utilization, development and management of the land and water 
2 
resources in the country, including such activities that bear impact on those 
3 
resources. 
4 
SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. – As used in this Act: 
5 
(a) 
Agricultural land refers to land of public domain which have been 
6 
devoted to agricultural activity as defined under R.A. No. 6657, as amended, 
7 
otherwise known as the “Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law of 1998,” and not 
8 
further classified for residential, commercial or industrial use and such other uses 
9 
as may be provided by law;  
10 
(b) 
Agricultural land use conversion refers to the act or process of 
11 
changing the current physical use of a piece of agricultural land into some other 
12 
use or for another agricultural use other than the cultivation of the soil, planting of 
13 
crops, growing of trees, including harvesting of produce therefrom, as approved 
14 
exclusively by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in an order of 
15 
conversion;  
16 
(c) 
Alienable and Disposable (A&D) lands refer to lands of the public 
17 
domain which have been delineated, classified, and certified as open and available 
18 
for disposition under the provisions of Commonwealth Act No. 141, as amended, 
19 
otherwise known as “The Public Land Act;” 
20 


 
6
(d) 
Ancestral domains refer to all areas generally belonging to indigenous 
1 
cultural communities or indigenous peoples as defined in R.A. No. 8371, otherwise 
2 
known as “The Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997;” 
3 
(e) 
Basic sector refers to a group of people not referring to any organize 
4 
groups such as but not limited to women, youth, elderly, differently abled, peasants 
5 
and fisher folk; 
6 
(f) 
Coastal area or zone refers to a band of dry land and the adjacent 
7 
ocean space, water and submerged land, in which terrestrial processes and uses 
8 
directly affect oceanic processes and uses and vice versa, the geographic extent of 
9 
which includes areas within a landward limit of one (1) kilometer from the 
10 
shoreline at high tide to include mangrove swamps, brackish water ponds, nipa 
11 
swamps,  estuarine rivers, sandy beaches and other areas within a seaward limit of 
12 
two hundred (200) meters isobaths to include coral reefs, algal flats, seagrass beds, 
13 
and other soft-bottom areas; 
14 
(g) 
Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) refers to a plan embodying a 
15 
set of polices accompanied by maps and similar illustrations that serves as a policy 
16 
guide for determining the future use of lands and natural resources within the 
17 
territorial jurisdiction of the LGU, representing the community desired pattern of 
18 
population distribution and proposes future allocation of land and resources to 
19 
various activities including the processes and criteria employed in such 
20 


 
7
determination of allocation of land and resources for a long-term management of 
1 
the local territory covering a period of minimum of twelve (12) years reviewable 
2 
not earlier than every six (6) years; 
3 
(h) 
Comprehensive land use planning refers to the act of defining the 
4 
allocation, utilization, development and management of all lands within a given 
5 
territory or jurisdiction according to the inherent characteristic of the land itself 
6 
and supportive of sustainable economic, demographic, socio-cultural and 
7 
environmental objectives as an aid to decision-making and legislation; 
8 
(i) 
Critical habitats refer to areas outside protected areas as defined in 
9 
R.A. No. 7586, otherwise known as the “National Integrated Protected Areas 
10 
System Act of 1992”, that are known habitats of threatened species and designated 
11 
as such based on scientific data taking into consideration species endemicity or 
12 
richness, presence of human-made pressures or threats to the survival of wildlife 
13 
living in the area; 
14 
(j) 
Critical watershed refers to watersheds or forestlands that have been 
15 
identified and evaluated to provide critical and vital natural, ecological, 
16 
environmental and physical beneficial services such as water biodiversity, energy, 
17 
irrigation, social and cultural, among others, to a specific area or community and 
18 
whose biophysical condition demands immediate rehabilitation, protection and 
19 
management to prevent its further denudation, deterioration and exploitation; 
20 


 
8
(k) 
Cultural heritage refers to the totality of cultural properties, whether 
1 
natural or human made, preserved and developed through time and passed on for 
2 
posterity;  
3 
(l) 
Customary laws refer to a body of written or unwritten rules, usages, 
4 
customs and practices traditionally and continually recognized, accepted, and 
5 
observed by respective ICCs/IPs, consistent with R.A. 8371; 
6 
(m) 
Development plan refers to the activities and measures that the 
7 
national government or LGUs intend to implement over a specified period of time 
8 
to achieve the defined set of development goals identified in the national or local 
9 
physical framework plans integrating socio-economic, financial, fiscal, legal and 
10 
legislative institutional and sectoral plans of the national government or any of its 
11 
instrumentalities or a particular LGU, consistent with the objectives identified in 
12 
spatial plans such as land use plans or physical framework plans including an 
13 
analysis of problems and resources, definition of goals and objectives, policy 
14 
guidelines, project and target achievements and an implementation mechanism 
15 
which defines the roles and contributions expected from the government and the 
16 
private sector; 
17 
(n) 
Ecologically fragile areas refer to areas within critical watersheds, 
18 
brackish and freshwater wetlands, pasture lands, inland rivers and waterways 
19 
coastal and settlement areas, and croplands which require rehabilitation, protection 
20 


 
9
and whose continued unsustainable use would result in physical risks and threats to 
1 
life and property, public health and safety as well as adversely affect the 
2 
productivity of lowland agricultural areas and stability of the upland system;  
3 
(o) 
Ecotourism refers to a form of sustainable tourism within a natural or 
4 
cultural heritage area where community participation, protection and management 
5 
of natural resources, culture and indigenous knowledge and practices, 
6 
environmental education and ethics, as well as economic benefits are fostered and 
7 
pursued for the enrichment of host community and satisfaction of visitors; 
8 
(p) 
Energy resources refer to surface or subsurface substances that serve 
9 
as energy resources including traditionally mineral fuel deposits such as coal 
10 
petroleum, natural gas or renewable resources from geothermal, hydro reservoirs 
11 
or non-conventional sources such as ocean waves, solar, wind, biomass, and other 
12 
similar resources which serve the same purpose; 
13 
(q) 
Energy resource lands refer to lands where naturally occurring or 
14 
indigenous energy resources exist in sufficient quantity or quality as to be 
15 
economically viable for exploration, development production, utilization and 
16 
distribution purposes; 
17 
(r) 
Exhausted mineral resources refer to specific sites where the mineral 
18 
resources are no longer in sufficient quantity to justify additional expenditure for 
19 


 
10
extraction or utilization as determined by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau and 
1 
approved by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR); 
2 
(s) 
Flood plain refers to relatively smooth valley floors adjacent to and 
3 
formed by rivers, which are subject to overflows banks at blood stages. The plain 
4 
usually consist of unconsolidated fine sediments such as sand and clay; 
5 
(t) 
Flood-prone areas refer to low lying areas usually adjacent to large or 
6 
active water bodies and which therefore experience regular or seasonal inundation 
7 
as a result of changes in the mean water level of these bodies or because of land 
8 
reclamation and other artificial interference with the natural processes; 
9 
(u) 
Foreshore land refers to a string of land margining a body of water, 
10 
the part of a seashore between the low-water line usually at the seaward margin of 
11 
a low tide terrace and the upper limit of wave wash at high tide marked by a beach 
12 
scarp or berm; 
13 
(v) 
Forest refers to an ecosystem or an assemblage of ecosystems 
14 
dominated by trees and other woody vegetation or a community of plants and 
15 
animals interacting with one another and its physical environment;  
16 
(w) 
Forest lands refer to one of the four classifications of land under the 
17 
Constitution under the public domain classified or determined as suitable for forest 
18 
purposes and not classified as mineral land, national park or agricultural land such 
19 


 
11
as all permanent forest reserves, forest reservations, and all the remaining 
1 
unclassified lands of the public domain; 
2 
(x) 
Geo-hazards refer to a geological process or phenomenon that may 
3 
cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts, property damage, loss of 
4 
livelihoods and services, social and economic disruption or environmental damage.  
5 
This includes internal earth processes such as earthquakes and volcanic activities, 
6 
and geophysical processes like mass movements landslides, surface collapses, 
7 
debris and mud flow; 
8 
(y) 
Geo-hazard prone areas refer to areas frequently affected and/or are 
9 
vulnerable or at risk to weather/climatic, hydrologic, geologic and other natural 
10 
calamities; 
11 
(z) 
Illegal conversion refers to an attempt to or an actual change in the 
12 
use of land from agricultural to a residential, commercial, or industrial and other 
13 
non-agricultural activity, without a conversion grant or clearance based on the 
14 
requirements under Section 65 of R.A. 6657, as amended, and to dispossess a 
15 
tenant as provided under Section 73 (c) of R.A. No. 6657, as amended, is 
16 
established from the following instances: 
17 
1. When an agricultural land is developed without a Department of Agrarian 
18 
Reform (DAR) Conversion Order; 
19 
2. When the agricultural land being converted is irrigated or irrigable; 
20 


 
12
3. When there are farmers, farmworkers, or tenants on the landholding who 
1 
are adversely affected by the conversion; 
2 
4. When there is land activity such as, but not limited to, construction of 
3 
perimeter fence on the landholding, earth filling/dumping, earth 
4 
moving/digging, and quarrying; and 
5 
5. Other analogous activities. 
6 
(aa) Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPPs) 
7 
refer to groups of people or homogenous societies identified by self-ascription and 
8 
ascription by others, who have continuously lived as organized community on 
9 
communally bounded and defined territory, and who have, under claims of 
10 
ownership since time immemorial, occupied, possessed, and utilized such 
11 
territories, sharing common bonds of language, customs, traditions, and other 
12 
distinctive cultural traits, or who have, through resistance to political, social, and 
13 
cultural inroads of colonization, non-indigenous religions and cultures, became 
14 
historically differentiated from the majority of Filipinos including peoples who are 
15 
regarded as indigenous on account of their descent from the populations which 
16 
inhabited the country at the time of conquest or colonization, or at the time of 
17 
inroads of non-indigenous religions and cultures, or the establishment of present 
18 
state boundaries, who retain some or all of their own social, economic, cultural, 
19 


 
13
and political institutions, but who may have been displaced from their traditional 
1 
domains, or who may have resettled outside their ancestral domains;  
2 
(bb) Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) refer to the present most important 
3 
sites for biodiversity conservation worldwide which are considered places of 
4 
international importance for the conservation of biodiversity through protected 
5 
areas and other governance mechanisms and which are identified nationally using 
6 
simple standard criteria based on their importance in maintaining species 
7 
populations; 
8 
(cc) Land refers to resources, both artificial and natural, found on the 
9 
surface, below, and above the ground, including inland waters and the air therein; 
10 
(dd) Land use refers to the manner of allocation, utilization, management 
11 
and development of land; 
12 
(ee) Land use classification refers to the act of delineating or allocating 
13 
lands according to protection land use, production land use, settlements 
14 
development and infrastructure development as provided for in this Act; 
15 
(ff) 
Land use planning refers to the rational and judicious approach of 
16 
allocating available land resources to different land-using activities, such as but not 
17 
limited to agricultural, residential, industrial, commercial, institutional, forest land 
18 
uses, and for different functions consistent with the overall development 
19 
vision/goal of a particular locality; 
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14
(gg) Mandatory public hearings or consultations refer to the mechanism of 
1 
involving the concerned stakeholders and communities in land use planning, from 
2 
the barangay to the national level, to ensure the social acceptability of the plans 
3 
including giving notice of hearing or consultation to the concerned stakeholders 
4 
through publication or posting in conspicuous places, conducting a reasonable 
5 
number of hearings, and soliciting positions to arrive at a consensus through public 
6 
presentations and validation of the planning results undertaken before the final 
7 
adoption of the plans; 
8 
(hh) Local Government Units (LGUs) refer, for the purpose this Act, to 
9 
provinces, independent cities, component cities and municipalities; 
10 
(ii) 
Marine protected area refers to a defined area of the sea established 
11 
and set aside by law, administrative regulation or any other effective means to 
12 
conserve and protect a part of the entire enclosed environment, through the 
13 
establishment of management guidelines including all declared areas governed by 
14 
specific rules or guidelines to protect and manage activities within the enclosed 
15 
area; 
16 
(jj) 
Minerals refer to naturally occurring inorganic substance beneath or at 
17 
the surface of the earth whether or not under water, and includes all metallic 
18 
minerals, precious stones, industrial rocks and building stones; 
19 


15
(kk) Mineral lands refer to any area where mineral resources are found, 
1 
including areas that are established mineral reservations, areas with active mining 
2 
operations; areas with projected mining tenural rights; and areas declared by court 
3 
decisions as mineral lands; 
4 
(ll)
Mineral reservations refer to areas established and proclaimed as such
5 
by the President upon the recommendation of the Director through the Secretary 
6 
including all submerges lands within the contiguous zone and exclusive Economic 
7 
Zone. 
8 
(mm) National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) refers to the
9 
classification and administration of all designated protected areas to maintain 
10 
essential ecological processes and life-support systems, to preserve genetic 
11 
diversity, to ensure sustainable use of resources found therein, and to maintain 
12 
their natural conditions to the greatest extent possible; 
13 
(nn) National park refers to forest reservation, essentially of natural 
14 
wilderness character, which has been withdrawn from settlement, occupancy or 
15 
any form of exploitation, except in conformity with the approved management plan 
16 
and set aside as such exclusively to conserve the area or preserve the scenery, 
17 
natural and historic objects, wild animals and plants therein, and to provide 
18 
enjoyment of these features in such areas including lands and waters of the public 
19 
domain classified as such in the 1987 Constitution such as all areas under the 
20 


 
16
NIPAS primarily designated for the conservation of native plants and animals and 
1 
associated habitats and cultural diversity; 
2 
(oo) Network of Protected Areas for Agriculture and Agro-Industrial 
3 
Development refers to agricultural areas identified by the Department of 
4 
Agriculture (DA), through the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM), 
5 
in coordination with the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority 
6 
(NAMRIA), in order to ensure the efficient utilization of land for agriculture and 
7 
agro-industrial development and to promote sustainable growth, covering all 
8 
irrigated areas, all irrigable lands already covered by irrigation projects, all alluvial 
9 
plains, lands highly suitable for agriculture, whether irrigated or not, agro-
10 
industrial croplands or lands planted with industrial crops that support the validity 
11 
of existing agricultural infrastructure and agro-based enterprises, highlands or 
12 
areas located at an elevation of five hundred meters (500) or above and have the 
13 
potential for growing semi-temperate and high value crops, all agricultural lands 
14 
that are ecologically fragile, the conversion of which may result in serious 
15 
environmental degradation, and all mangrove areas and fish sanctuaries; 
16 
(pp) Physical framework plans refer to the national, regional or provincial 
17 
indicative plans that outline the over-all and macro-level physical development 
18 
objectives, priorities, directions and strategies in its respective levels as prepared, 
19 
reviewed, integrated and finalized by the national, regional and provincial land use 
20 


 
17
councils or boards respectively based on the CLUPs of the LGUs and the national 
1 
policy guidelines relating to land use and environmental management to prevent or 
2 
mitigate the adverse effects of inappropriate resource utilization on food security, 
3 
the welfare of the people and their environment; 
4 
(qq) Physical Planning is the process of organizing physical activities and 
5 
land uses, including settlements, environmental protection, economic activities, 
6 
and infrastructure to ensure sustainable, orderly, and optimal siting and 
7 
coordination of land uses; 
8 
(rr) 
Prime agricultural lands refer to all contiguous irrigated areas and 
9 
irrigable lands already covered by irrigation projects, including all alluvial plain 
10 
lands highly suitable for agriculture, whether irrigated or not that have been 
11 
identified to satisfy the need for self-sufficiency and security and agro-industrial 
12 
croplands or lands presently planted and suitable to industrial and high value crops, 
13 
highlands or areas located at an elevation of five hundred meters (500) or above, 
14 
and have potential for growing semi-temperate and high value crops outside of 
15 
declared permanent forestlands and protections forests, and are not located in 
16 
ecologically fragile and environmentally critical areas; 
17 
(ss) 
Production land use refers to the most efficient, sustainable, and 
18 
equitable utilization, development and management of land for productive 
19 
purposes which are not classified for protection land use;  
20 


18
(tt) 
Protected areas refer to portions of land and water set aside by reason 
1 
of their unique physical and biological diversity and protected against human 
2 
exploitation including all natural forests and agricultural lands identified and 
3 
delineated under this Act; 
4 
(uu) Reclassification of agricultural lands refer to the act of specifying 
5 
how agricultural lands are classified or used for non-agricultural uses such as 
6 
residential, industrial or commercial purposes, as embodied in the land use plan 
7 
subject to the requirements and procedure for reclassification undertaken by the 
8 
Local Government Unit (LGU) in accordance with Section 20 of R.A No. 7160; 
9 
(vv)
Resettlement areas refer to areas identified by the appropriate national
10 
agency or by the LGU with respect to areas within its jurisdiction which are used 
11 
for the relocation of the underprivileged and homeless, as defined under R.A. No. 
12 
7279, otherwise known as the “Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992;” 
13 
(ww) River basin refers to the horizontal projection of area from which a 
14 
river and its tributaries receive surface water originating from precipitation; 
15 
(xx)
Settlements refer to communities or built-up environment areas where
16 
people prefer to live in; 
17 
(yy) Settlements development refers to any improvement on existing 
18 
settlements or any proposed development of certain areas for settlement purposes 
19 
involving the spatial distribution of population, identification of the roles and 
20 


 
19
functions of key urban centers, determination of relationships among settlement 
1 
areas, and the provision of basic services and facilities of identified major 
2 
settlement areas of growth centers; 
3 
(zz) Shoreline refers to a strip of land covering of at least one (1) kilometer 
4 
from the point where seawater reaches during the highest high tide; 
5 
(aaa) Sustainable development refers to the development objective of 
6 
meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of 
7 
future generations to meet their own needs consistent with the principles of social 
8 
equity, efficiency and environmental integrity; 
9 
(bbb) Tourism development areas refer to specific sites for tourism 
10 
development located in areas identified as priorities in the national and regional 
11 
tourism master plans and those designated through legislative and executive 
12 
issuances as tourist spots and tourist zones which may be developed into tourism 
13 
estates or integrated resort, leisure, recreation complexes, and other tourism related 
14 
facilities; 
15 
(ccc) Tourism ecozone refers to tourism development areas, outside of 
16 
protection lands which have been granted special economic zone status through the 
17 
Philippine Export Zone Authority (PEZA) registration and issuance of the required 
18 
Presidential Proclamation, with its metes and bounds, delineated by said 
19 


 
20
proclamation, pursuant to R.A. No. 7916, as amended, otherwise known as “The 
1 
Special Economic Zone Act of 1995”; 
2 
(ddd) Tourism estates refer to large tracts of land with well-defined 
3 
boundaries in any area, excluding those protection lands, identified in the 
4 
Philippine tourism master plan and regional tourism by proclamation of the 
5 
President or by acts of Congress or by local legislation and declared suited for the 
6 
development of an integrated tourism and resort complex with prescribed carrying 
7 
capacities and limits for its facilities and activities; 
8 
(eee) Tourist spot refers to a particular area, site or spot, man-made or 
9 
natural, known for its unique tourist or visitor-drawing attributes and activities and 
10 
which may be classified according to its social, cultural, natural, historical, 
11 
aesthetic, visual, scientific, religious, or recreational significance; 
12 
(fff) Tourist zone refers to a geographic area with well-defined boundaries 
13 
proclaimed as such by the President of the Philippines or by acts of Congress 
14 
where development projects for any purpose are initiated and introduced prior to 
15 
formulation of a tourism master development plan which are undertaken in 
16 
coordination with the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Tourism 
17 
Infrastructure Enterprise Zone (TIEZA) for the enhancement or the conservation of 
18 
cultural and historical heritage, and for the appreciation and enjoyment of the local 
19 
population and its visitors; 
20 


 
21
(ggg) Urban areas refer to all cities regardless of their population density 
1 
and to municipalities with a population density of at least five hundred (500) 
2 
persons per square kilometer; 
3 
(hhh) Urbanizable areas refer to sites and lands which, considering present 
4 
characteristics and prevailing conditions, display great potential of becoming urban 
5 
areas within a period of five (5) years from the effectivity of this Act; 
6 
(iii) 
Urban forest or green space refers to the establishment or setting up 
7 
of areas for mini-forest, eco-parks or small nature parks, in both public and private 
8 
lands, wetlands, man-made lagoons and lakes systems, riverbanks and shores, 
9 
grasslands, roof and rock gardens, lining roads and highways with trees, shrubs, or 
10 
ornamental plants, and ground landscaping of schools, hospitals, and other 
11 
government agencies in order to improve the environment in urban areas; 
12 
(jjj) 
Water security refers to the sufficient access throughout the year to 
13 
the minimum daily requirement of clean water to maintain a healthy life; 
14 
(kkk) Water use refers to the appropriation of water for domestic, municipal, 
15 
irrigation, power generation, inland fisheries, poultry and livestock, industrial and 
16 
commercial, environmental, and recreational use; 
17 
(lll) 
Watershed refers to a topographically delineated area of land from 
18 
which rainwater can drain as surface run-off vis-a-vis a specific stream or river 
19 
system to a common outlet point which may be a dam, irrigation system or urban 
20 


 
22
water supply take off point, or where the stream discharges into a river, lake, or the 
1 
sea; 
2 
(mmm) 
Zoning refers to the regulatory tool for delineating the specific 
3 
land uses in accordance with the approved CLUP within the territorial jurisdiction 
4 
of a city or municipality and specifying the conditions for their regulation, subject 
5 
to the limitations imposed by law and competent authority; and 
6 
(nnn) Zoning ordinance refers to a local law passed by the Sangguniang 
7 
Bayan or Panlungsod approving the development control or zoning plan in 
8 
accordance with an approved or adopted CLUP of the city or municipality, 
9 
providing for the regulations and other conditions on the land uses, including the 
10 
limitation on the infrastructure that may be placed within the territorial jurisdiction 
11 
of the city or municipality, incorporating the protected areas, protected agricultural 
12 
lands and ancestral lands as provided for in this Act.  
13 
 
14 
CHAPTER II 
15 
PHYSICAL FRAMEWORK AND LAND USE PLAN 
16 
SEC. 5. National Physical Framework Plan. – The National Land Use 
17 
Commission (NLUC) created under Section 17 herein shall draft the National 
18 
Physical Framework Plan (NPFP), which shall have a timeframe of thirty (30) 
19 
years, with regular review and updating every ten (10) years. The NPFP, which 
20 


 
23
guides the planning and management of the country's land and other physical 
1 
resources at the national and sub-national levels, shall indicate broad spatial 
2 
directions and policy guidelines on settlements development, production land use, 
3 
protection land use, social services and utilities, and transportation and 
4 
communication. The Regional Physical Framework Plans (RPFPs), Provincial 
5 
Physical Framework and Development Plans (PPFDPs), and CLUPs, which shall 
6 
also have a 12-year timeframe and cover the physical development of their 
7 
respective territories, shall be consistent with the NPFP: Provided, That the 
8 
integration and harmonization of the physical framework plans at all levels shall be 
9 
iterative to ensure that the concerns of both top and bottom levels of government 
10 
are considered. The physical and land use plans prepared at all levels shall have 
11 
internal consistency specifically on, but not limited to, the development, 
12 
management and conservation of forestlands found within a given territory and the 
13 
linkages of the major land use categories to ensure their complementation in the 
14 
utilization, development and management of resources. The NLUC shall issue 
15 
procedural guidelines which shall guide the formulation and integration or 
16 
harmonization process: Provided, That the National Economic Development 
17 
Authority (NEDA), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), 
18 
Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), 
19 
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and other agencies will 
20 


 
24
continue to issue guidelines on the content of the plans consistent with their 
1 
respective agency mandates. 
2 
SEC. 6. Regional Physical Framework Plans. – In consultation with 
3 
concerned sectors, the Regional Land Use Policy Council (RLUPC) shall define 
4 
the desired spatial arrangement of land and land-using activities in the entire 
5 
region, consolidating and harmonizing the Provincial Development and Physical 
6 
Framework Plans (PDPFP) of provinces and independent cities within the 
7 
territorial jurisdiction of the region. The Regional Physical Framework Plan 
8 
(RPFP), which depicts an end-state scenario toward which efforts and activities are 
9 
directed, shall consist of spatially-based and area-focused policies, consistent with 
10 
those in the national framework for physical planning, to guide detailed physical, 
11 
socio-economic, sectoral and investment planning. 
12 
SEC. 7. Provincial Physical Framework and Development Plans. – In 
13 
consultation with concerned sectors, the Provincial Planning and Development 
14 
Office (PPDO) shall prepare a Provincial Physical Framework and Development 
15 
Plan (PPFDP), which shall define the province's development vision, economic 
16 
and social development policies, general land uses, and inter-city/municipal 
17 
transportation system. The PPFDP shall harmonize the land use plans of 
18 
component cities and municipalities, taking into consideration shared resources 
19 
and planning concerns, and define the uses of land and other resources within the 
20 


 
25
province consistent with the policies in the regional physical framework plan. The 
1 
programs, projects and activities prescribed in the PPFDP shall be integrated into 
2 
the provincial development investment program. The PPDO shall submit the 
3 
PPFDP to the Provincial Land Use Policy Council (PLUPC), created under Section 
4 
23 of this Act, for review and endorsement to Sangguniang Panlalawigan, which 
5 
shall adopt the same pursuant to Section 468 (2) (vii) of R.A. No. 7160. 
6 
SEC. 8. City/Municipal Land Use Plans. – The City/Municipal Planning 
7 
and Development Office (C/MPDO), in consultation with concerned sectors 
8 
through mandatory conduct of public hearings and with the use of technology-
9 
based systems such as, but not limited to, the Community-Based Monitoring 
10 
System (CBMS) required to be established in every city and municipality under 
11 
Republic Act No. 11315, shall prepare the CLUP to determine the specific uses of 
12 
land and other physical resources therein including areas co-managed with the 
13 
national government and, as appropriate, the ancestral domain areas. The CLUP 
14 
shall be consistent with the PPFDP and shall define the city or municipal 
15 
development vision, appropriate economic, environmental and social development 
16 
policies, densities and transportation system. The CLUP shall have a planning 
17 
period of twelve (12) years to be updated every six (6) years or when deemed 
18 
necessary.  The C/MPDO shall also use, among others, the CBMS in the updating 
19 
of the CLUPs. 
20 


 
26
The CLUP may be formulated as a component of a Comprehensive Land 
1 
Use and Development Plan (CLUDP), which merges the traditionally separate 
2 
CLUP and comprehensive development plan to address the disconnect between 
3 
spatial and sectoral factors and to ensure the complementation between the 
4 
medium- and long-term concerns. The CLUP shall be translated into a zoning 
5 
ordinance by the concerned Sanggunian to regulate the uses of land, including the 
6 
limitations on height, density and bulk of buildings and other infrastructure that 
7 
may be placed thereon. 
8 
SEC. 9.  Physical Framework and Land Use Planning Process. – The land 
9 
use and physical planning process shall be formulated following a combined 
10 
bottom-up and top-down approach. The NLUC, in consultation with the concerned 
11 
sectors through the mandatory conduct of public hearings, shall formulate, 
12 
periodically update and ensure the implementation of the NPFP that shall prescribe 
13 
and influence the country’s land use and physical development. The NPFP shall 
14 
operationalize the policies provided in this act and will be the basis for adopting 
15 
land use and physical planning-related guidelines and standards, including zoning 
16 
and other land use control standards that will guide the formulation of 
17 
city/municipal zoning ordinances. The policies prescribed in the NPFP shall be 
18 
integrated into the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan and Medium-Term 
19 
Philippine Investment Program. 
20 


 
27
SEC. 10.  Revision of Existing Planning Guidelines. – The existing 
1 
planning guidelines on the NPFP, RPFP and PDPFP shall be reviewed and revised 
2 
pursuant to Sections 5, 6, 7, and 9 of this Act. 
3 
 
4 
CHAPTER III 
5 
FRAMEWORK FOR LAND USE PLANNING 
6 
SEC. 11. Basic Objective of Land Use or Physical Framework Planning. –  
7 
The primary objective of a physical framework plan is to describe existing land 
8 
uses and to identify an integrating physical framework, including an overall vision, 
9 
policies on social and economic development and environmental protection and 
10 
supporting transportation and other infrastructure facilities, that will define future 
11 
development. Its output includes the identification of programs, projects and 
12 
activities needed to achieve the desired development, and which will serve as 
13 
inputs to the investment program. In the case of the CLUP, it is also intended to 
14 
provide specific development and building guidelines and parameters that will be 
15 
implemented through a zoning ordinance. 
16 
SEC.  12. Priorities in Land Use Allocation and Planning. – In projecting 
17 
spatial allocation for different land uses, the LGUs shall first exclude areas under 
18 
protection land use of Section 16 (a) hereof, national parks, energy resource lands, 
19 
and prime agricultural lands to ensure ecological integrity, energy supply, and 
20 


 
28
promote food security. Areas with prior rights and those with site-specific 
1 
resources for basic services, such as but not limited to, water and indigenous 
2 
energy resources, shall also be excluded. Spatial allocation and planning shall then 
3 
proceed in accordance with Sections 15 and 16 hereof with priorities given to 
4 
integrated watershed management areas, socialized housing sites, fisherfolk 
5 
settlement in coastal areas, and waste disposal sites. 
6 
SEC. 13.  Approach to Land Use and Physical Framework Planning. –  In 
7 
general, the land use or physical framework planning process shall include a 
8 
description of existing land uses and land use trends, as well as the physical, 
9 
demographic, economic, social and environmental conditions that have shaped and 
10 
are likely to shape future land use and physical developments. It shall then derive a 
11 
land use plan or physical framework by matching, reconciling or integrating the 
12 
demand for land with the supply of land. The resulting land use plan or physical 
13 
framework shall be the basis for identifying necessary policies, programs, projects 
14 
and activities, and development controls to guide future development. The land use 
15 
plan or physical framework must be holistic in nature and not emanate from 
16 
specific individual or corporation which, in essence, constitutes as spot zoning. 
17 
SEC. 14. Adoption of Multiple Uses of Land Resources. – The primary and 
18 
alternative uses of a specific land resource shall be determined and evaluated prior 
19 
to any decision for the assignment of its use. Areas feasible for sustainable land 
20 


 
29
resource use may be considered multiple-use zones wherein settlements , tourism, 
1 
agriculture, forestry, agro-forestry and extraction activities and other income-
2 
generating or livelihood activities may be allowed: Provided, That multiple uses of 
3 
land resources shall be excluded in areas identified as protection land use: 
4 
Provided, further, That such land resources shall be in accordance with priorities in 
5 
land use allocation and planning and that no reclassification shall be allowed. 
6 
SEC. 15. Basic Land Use Planning Considerations. – In determining the 
7 
various land uses, the people and their productive activities and the need for 
8 
functional open spaces and preservation areas as well as the various 
9 
interrelationships of the physical characteristics of the land and other elements 
10 
therein shall be considered, among others, the following: 
11 
(a) 
Availability of natural resources including indigenous energy 
12 
resources for energy security and self-sufficiency; 
13 
(b) 
Geology, geomorphology, geologic hazard, climate, soil, vegetative 
14 
cover, demography and slope; 
15 
(c) 
Economic, environmental, cultural, social and related development 
16 
activities; 
17 
(d) 
Existing government policies on land and natural resources allocation, 
18 
utilization, management and disposition; 
19 
(e) 
Technological changes or advancement; 
20 


 
30
(f) 
Existing customary rights for the protection of indigenous peoples and 
1 
vulnerable groups including women and urban poor; and 
2 
(g) 
Inventory of prior and existing rights, to harmonize determination of 
3 
land use. 
4 
SEC. 16. Categories of Land Uses for Planning Purposes. – In determining 
5 
and defining the national, regional and provincial framework plans, and CLUPs, 
6 
land uses shall be grouped into four major functional uses as follows: 
7 
(a) 
Protection land use wherein the use of land primarily for food, water 
8 
and energy security, rehabilitation, conservation, and protection purposes to 
9 
promote the country’s ecological and life-support systems. Planning for protection 
10 
land use intends to achieve food self-sufficiency in rice and corn, water and energy 
11 
security, environmental stability and ecological integrity, ensure a balance between 
12 
resource use and the preservation of some areas with environmental, aesthetic, 
13 
educational, cultural, heritage and historical significance, and protect people and 
14 
human- made structures from the ill-effects of natural hazards. All lands, either 
15 
public or private, under protection land use shall be permanently conserved, 
16 
preserved, rehabilitated and protected from all other land uses, disposition, 
17 
intrusion, utilization and development that is not consistent from its existing uses. 
18 
Areas under this category also include those covered by R.A. 7586, otherwise 
19 
known as the “NIPAS Act”, as amended, and other coastal and marine protected 
20 


 
31
areas, those areas outside NIPAS but nonetheless require protection because of 
1 
their outstanding physical and aesthetic features, anthropological significance, and 
2 
biological diversity, and those areas prone to natural hazards, such as but not 
3 
limited to the following: 
4 
(1) 
Old-growth forests and mossy; 
5 
(2) 
Areas with more than 50% in slope gradient; 
6 
(3) 
Mangrove and fish sanctuaries, pursuant to R.A. No. 8435, or 
7 
the “Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1997”, and R.A. No. 
8 
8550, or “The Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998”; 
9 
(4) 
Buffer zones or strips/easements, pursuant to Presidential 
10 
Decree (P.D.) No. 705, amending P.D. No. 389, otherwise known as the 
11 
“Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines” and P.D. No. 1067, or the 
12 
“Water Code of the Philippines”; 
13 
(5) 
Salvage zones along foreshore areas, freshwater swamps and 
14 
marshes, plazas and heritage or historic sites, pursuant to P.D. No. 2146; 
15 
(6) 
Watersheds supporting domestic water supply; 
16 
(7) 
Utility easement like transmission lines of power companies, oil 
17 
and gas facilities, cell sites, and domestic water lines; 
18 
(8) 
Amenity areas or those with high aesthetic values, pursuant to 
19 
P.D. No. 2146; 
20 


 
32
(9) 
Natural and human-made areas/sites of cultural, historical and 
1 
anthropological significance, which are declared as such by internationally 
2 
recognized organizations and concerned national agencies; 
3 
(10) 
Critical habitats as provided in R.A. No. 9147, otherwise 
4 
known as the “Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act”; 
5 
(11) 
Significant caves under R.A. No. 9072, otherwise known as the 
6 
“National Caves and Cave Resources Management and Protection Act”; or 
7 
(12) 
Key biodiversity areas under Executive Order No. 578, Series 
8 
of 2006, otherwise known as the “National Biodiversity Policy”. 
9 
(b) 
Production Land Use wherein there is a direct and indirect utilization 
10 
of land resources for crop, fishery, livestock and poultry production, forestry, 
11 
agroforestry, mining, industry, energy development, indigenous energy exploration 
12 
and development, and tourism. Planning for production land determines the most 
13 
efficient, sustainable, and equitable manner of utilizing, developing and managing 
14 
land for productive purposes. Areas included in this category are agricultural lands, 
15 
fishing grounds, coastal and marine zones, production forest, which can be made 
16 
available for timber and agroforestry production, rangelands for grazing and other 
17 
forest lands special uses, and other reforestation projects, mineral lands or mining 
18 
areas and reservations, energy resource lands, industrial development areas, and 
19 


 
33
tourism development areas where productive activities may be undertaken to meet 
1 
the country's requirements for food security, economic growth and development. 
2 
(c) 
Settlements development wherein any improvement on existing 
3 
settlements in urban and rural areas or any proposed development of certain areas 
4 
for settlement purposes involves the spatial distribution of population, 
5 
identification of the roles and functions of key urban centers, determination of 
6 
relationships among settlement areas, and the provision of basic services and 
7 
facilities to such settlement. The settlements development plan ensures for the 
8 
present and future generation the following: (1) effective integration of activities 
9 
within and among settlements, allowing efficient movement of people and 
10 
production of commodities through the provision of appropriate land, 
11 
infrastructure, and facilities; and (2) access of the population to housing, education, 
12 
health care, recreation, transportation and communication, sanitation, and basic 
13 
utilities such as water, power, waste disposal, and other services. 
14 
(d) 
Infrastructure development includes the availability or supply of basic 
15 
services and fostering of economic and other forms of integration necessary for 
16 
producing or obtaining the material requirements of Filipinos, in an efficient, 
17 
responsive, safe and ecologically friendly built environment. It covers sub-sectors 
18 
of transportation, communications, water resources, and social infrastructure: 
19 
Provided, That the determination of functional uses of lands within ancestral 
20 


 
34
domains shall consider traditional resource and management systems that do not 
1 
endanger the lives of the people and property of the local community and 
2 
neighboring areas or increase the vulnerability of the natural environment to the 
3 
effects of natural and human-induced geological processes. 
4 
CHAPTER IV 
5 
IMPLEMENTING STRUCTURE AND MECHANISM 
6 
SEC. 17. Creation of the National Land Use Commission. – The National 
7 
Land Use Commission (NLUC) is hereby created as a Commission under the 
8 
Office of the President. It shall exercise the powers and responsibilities of the 
9 
current National Land Use Committee, which is hereby abolished. The NLUC shall 
10 
be chaired by a Commissioner to be appointed by the President. The Commissioner 
11 
will have the rank of a Cabinet Secretary. The Commissioner shall be a qualified 
12 
professional in any of the fields of land use, physical planning, environmental 
13 
management, engineering, public governance or law. 
14 
 The NLUC shall act as the highest policy making body on land use and 
15 
resolve land use policy conflicts between or among agencies, branches, or levels of 
16 
the government. It shall integrate efforts, monitor developments relating to land 
17 
use and the evolution of policies. 
18 
SEC. 18. Composition of the NLUC. – The NLUC will be composed of the 
19 
following: 
20 


 
35
         
1 
(a) Commissioner of NLUC as Chairperson; 
2 
(b) The Secretary of the National Economic and Development 
3 
Authority (NEDA) as Vice-Chairperson; 
4 
As Ex-Officio Members:  
5 
(c) The Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural 
6 
Resources (DENR); 
7 
(d) The Secretary of the Department of Human Settlement and Urban 
8 
Development (DHSUD); 
9 
(e) The Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA); 
10 
(f) The Secretary of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR); 
11 
(g) The Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways 
12 
(DPWH); 
13 
(h) The Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government 
14 
(DILG); and 
15 
(i) A Representative from the Local Government Units (LGUs). 
16 
The Department Secretaries may designate a representative with a rank not 
17 
lower than Assistant Secretary; Provided, That the designated representative shall 
18 
be on a permanent basis. The Representative from the LGUs shall come from the 
19 
Leagues of Provinces, Cities and Municipalities. 
20 


 
36
SEC. 19.  Powers and Functions. – The NLUC shall have the following 
1 
powers and functions: 
2 
(a) 
Advise the President of the Philippines on all matters concerning land 
3 
use and physical planning; 
4 
(b) 
Integrate and harmonize all laws, guidelines and policies relevant to 
5 
land use and physical planning to come up with a rational, cohesive, and 
6 
comprehensive national land use framework;  
7 
(c) 
Formulate policies and endorse land use and physical planning-related 
8 
policies that may be formulated by the Regional Land Use Policy Council 
9 
(RLUPC), created under Section 22 of this Act, and concerned agencies as well as 
10 
promulgate zoning and other land use control standards and guidelines which shall 
11 
guide the formulation of land use plans and zoning ordinances by local 
12 
governments; 
13 
(d) 
Prepare, periodically review and if necessary, update the national 
14 
framework for physical planning to provide the general framework for the spatial 
15 
development directions for the entire country and sub-national levels; 
16 
(e) 
Review and endorse all land use and physical planning related 
17 
guidelines; 
18 


 
37
(f) 
Monitor and coordinate the gathering of data, the conduct of studies 
1 
pertaining to land use planning including studies on the management of identified 
2 
land uses and such other studies not undertaken by other government agencies; 
3 
(g) 
Recommend to the President of the Philippines the adoption, passage, 
4 
or amendment of laws to ensure that sectoral programs, plans, projects, and 
5 
activities, including local government initiatives affecting land use are consistent 
6 
with national development objectives; 
7 
(h) 
Coordinate with and assist other government agencies and LGUs in 
8 
planning, developing, and implementing their land use classification programs, and 
9 
provide, to the extent possible, technical assistance and guidance; 
10 
(i) 
Monitor and coordinate the activities of concerned agencies and 
11 
entities of the government, as well as LGUs, in the enforcement and 
12 
implementation of policies and regulations relating to land use and resource 
13 
management and development; 
14 
(j) 
Monitor and coordinate activities in the establishment of a national 
15 
land resource information and management system of concerned agencies that 
16 
shall integrate and process information on land use and allocation generated by the 
17 
various national government agencies; define information requirements at various 
18 
levels; and standardize information inputs and outputs including scales and 
19 
symbols used in territorial and sectoral maps; 
20 


 
38
(k) 
Be the repository of all RPFPs, PDPFPs and CLUPs and all data and 
1 
information pertaining to land and land use; 
2 
(l) 
Call on any department, bureau, office, agency, or instrumentality of 
3 
the government, and or private entities and organization for cooperation, support, 
4 
and assistance in the performance of its functions; 
5 
(m) 
Decide and resolve policy conflicts and territorial jurisdiction on land 
6 
use between or among agencies, branches, or levels of the government and act on 
7 
unresolved land use policy conflicts at the regional level elevated by the Regional 
8 
Land Use Policy Council (RLUPC); 
9 
(n) 
Adopt rules of procedures for the orderly and expeditious conduct of 
10 
meetings and other business of the Council; and 
11 
(o) 
Perform such other acts and functions and exercise such other powers 
12 
as may be necessarily implied, inherent, incident, or related to the foregoing. 
13 
SEC.  20.  National Land Use Office (NLUO). –. The National Land Use 
14 
Office (NLUO) is hereby created under the Office of the President, which will 
15 
serve as technical secretariat to the NLUC. The NLUO will be headed by the 
16 
NLUC Commissioner with two (2) Deputy Commissioners with the rank of 
17 
Undersecretary. 
18 


 
39
The NLUO will have an Executive Director. The Director of the DHSUD – 
1 
Environmental, Land Use and Urban Planning and Development Bureau (DHSUD-
2 
ELUPDB) will serve as the Executive Director of the NLUO.  
3 
Further, the NLUO will have services units for planning and policy 
4 
formulation, operations and information systems management, and special land use 
5 
concerns. The staffing pattern of the NLUO shall be approved by the Department 
6 
of Budget and Management. 
7 
SEC. 21. Regional Land Use Office. – A Regional Land Use Office 
8 
(RLUO) is hereby created in each Region. The Regional Director of the DHSUD – 
9 
Environmental, Land Use and Urban Planning and Development Bureau (DHSUD-
10 
ELUPDB) will serve as the Regional Director of the RLUO. 
11 
CHAPTER V 
12 
REGIONAL AND LOCAL LAND USE POLICY BODIES 
13 
SEC. 22. Regional Land Use Policy Council (RLUPC). – At the regional 
14 
level, the Regional Land Use Policy Council (RLUPC) shall be institutionalized, 
15 
replicating the NLUC structure and composition with DHSUD representative as 
16 
Chairperson, NEDA representative as Vice-Chairperson and with a duly authorized 
17 
representative from the DENR, DA, DAR, DPWH, DILG and LGU as members. 
18 
The RLUPC shall have the following functions: 
19 


 
40
(a) 
Formulate and adopt regional policies on land use and physical 
1 
planning; 
2 
(b) 
Prepare and periodically update a Regional Physical Framework Plan 
3 
(RPFP) taking into consideration national polices and lower-level plans; 
4 
(c) 
Assist the provinces in preparing and periodically updating its 
5 
physical framework plans to ensure consistency with the regional and national 
6 
plans and policies and to facilitate its integration to the regional plans; 
7 
(d) 
Review, prior to adoption by respective Sanggunians, the PDPFP, and 
8 
CLUPs of highly urbanized and independent component cities, to ensure 
9 
consistency with the RPFP and national policies set forth by the NLUC and 
10 
compliance with limits prescribed under R.A. No. 7160 for reclassifying 
11 
agricultural lands; 
12 
(e) 
Decide and resolve policy conflicts on land use planning, 
13 
classification, and allocation that may arise between or among regional line 
14 
agencies, provinces and cities or municipalities; 
15 
(f) 
Monitor changes in land use and other physical resources in the 
16 
region; 
17 
(g) 
Evaluate consistency of major programs and projects with the regional 
18 
physical framework plans and their impact on land use and the environment; 
19 


 
41
(h) 
Undertake the gathering of regional data for the Land Resource 
1 
Information and Management System; and 
2 
(i) 
Perform other related functions as may be directed by the NLUC.  
3 
SEC. 23. Provincial Land Use Policy Council (PLUPC). – The Provincial 
4 
Development Council (PDC), created under Section 106 of R.A. No.7160, shall act 
5 
as the Provincial Land Use Policy Council that will tackle land use concerns 
6 
whenever necessary. A duly authorized representative from the DENR, DHSUD, 
7 
DAR, DA, DILG and DPWH shall be included in the composition of the PLUPC. 
8 
In addition to the functions enumerated in Section 109 of R.A. No. 7160, the 
9 
PLUPC shall: 
10 
(a) 
Advise the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on all matters pertaining to 
11 
land use and physical planning; 
12 
(b) 
Review and endorse to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for adoption, 
13 
the provincial physical framework plans, prepared and periodically updated by the 
14 
Provincial Planning and Development Office and other land use and physical 
15 
planning-related policies; 
16 
(c) 
Decide and resolve policy conflicts on land use planning, 
17 
classification, and allocation that may arise between or among cities or 
18 
municipalities and any unresolved land use conflicts at the city or municipal level. 
19 
The PLUPC may call upon any local official concerned such as provincial 
20 


 
42
planning and development coordinator, provincial agriculturist, provincial 
1 
environment and natural resources officer, provincial engineer, provincial assessor, 
2 
or any official of national agencies and other relevant agencies during discussions 
3 
on land use and physical planning concerns; and, 
4 
(d) 
Assist the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in reviewing the CLUPs of 
5 
component cities or municipalities to ensure consistency with the provincial 
6 
physical framework plans and compliance with the limits prescribed under R.A. 
7 
No. 7160 for reclassifying agricultural lands. 
8 
SEC. 24. City/Municipal Land Use Policy Council (C/MLUPC). – The 
9 
City/Municipal Development Council (C/MDC), created under Section 106 of 
10 
R.A. No. 7160, shall act as the City/Municipal Land Use Policy Council 
11 
(C/MLUPC) that will tackle land use concerns whenever necessary. A duly 
12 
authorized representative from the DHSUD, DAR, DA, DENR, DPWH and DILG 
13 
shall be included in the composition of the C/MLUPC. In addition to the functions 
14 
enumerated in Section 109 of R.A. No. 7160, the C/MLUP shall:  
15 
(a) 
Advise the Sangguniang Bayan or Sangguniang Panlungsod on all 
16 
matters pertaining to land use and physical planning; 
17 
(b) 
Review and endorse to the Sangguniang Bayan or Sangguniang 
18 
Panlungsod for adoption, the CLUP prepared and periodically updated by the 
19 


 
43
City/Municipal Planning and Development Office and other land use and physical 
1 
planning-related policies; and 
2 
(c) 
Decide and resolve policy conflicts on land use planning, 
3 
classification, and allocation that may arise between and among barangays and any 
4 
unresolved land use conflict at the barangay level regarding the violation of zoning 
5 
ordinances including opposition to applications for locational clearances, permits 
6 
or certificates. 
7 
For purposes of this Act, the City/Municipal Planning and Development 
8 
Coordinator (C/MPDC) shall: (a) act on all applications for locational clearances 
9 
for all projects except those of vital and national economic or environmental 
10 
significance; and (b) monitor on-going/existing projects within their respective 
11 
jurisdictions and issue notices of violation to owners, developers, or managers of 
12 
projects that are violative of zoning ordinances.  
13 
The C/MLUPC may call upon any local official concerned such as 
14 
C/MPDC, city/municipal agriculturist, city/municipal environment and natural 
15 
resources officer, city/municipal engineer, city/municipal assessor, or any official 
16 
of national agencies during discussions on land use and physical planning 
17 
concerns. Local government units without operational C/MDC as mandated by 
18 
R.A. No. 7160 shall activate their respective councils within six (6) month from 
19 
the effectivity of this Act. 
20 


 
44
CHAPTER VI 
1 
ADOPTION, APPROVAL AND REVIEW OF LOCAL LAND USE 
2 
AND PHYSICAL FRAMEWORK PLANS 
3 
SEC. 25.  Approval and Review of PPFP and CLUPs. – The PDPFP and 
4 
CLUPs of the respective LGUs, including highly urbanized cities and independent 
5 
component cities, shall be submitted by the local land use boards to the local 
6 
development councils for transmission to the local Sanggunian for approval.  
7 
SEC. 26. Provinces and Independent and Highly Urbanized Cities. – 
8 
Provinces and independent and highly urbanized cities shall have the power and 
9 
authority to adopt and approve their respective CLUPs, zoning ordinances or 
10 
provincial physical framework plan, as the case may be, through their respective 
11 
Sanggunian but subject to the review of the RLUPC as provided in Section 22 (d) 
12 
of this Act. 
13 
CHAPTER VII 
14 
MAPPING AND DATA MANAGEMENT FOR LAND USE 
15 
PLANNING 
16 
SEC. 27. National Base Mapping Program. – A national mapping program 
17 
shall be implemented, coordinated, and monitored through the creation of an Inter-
18 
agency Technical Committee (ITC) composed of the National Mapping and 
19 
Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA), as the lead agency, the Bureau of 
20 


 
45
Soils and Water Management (BSWM), the Forest Management Bureau (FMB), 
1 
the Land Management Bureau (LMB), the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau 
2 
(PAWS), the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), the Philippine Institute of 
3 
Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), DAR, the National Water Resources 
4 
Board (NWRB), DOE, NEDA and other concerned government agencies/bureaus. 
5 
The ITC shall be constituted, and the mapping program shall be initiated, within 
6 
thirty (30) days from the effectivity of this Act. The agencies mentioned in this 
7 
Section shall endeavor to finish their base mapping program within one (1) year 
8 
upon the effectivity of this Act. 
9 
 
For purposes of uniformity and standardization, the LGUs, to be assisted by 
10 
the appropriate agencies of the national government, shall likewise prepare their 
11 
respective territorial maps using scales, symbols, and other indicators to be 
12 
prescribed in accordance with this Act. The completed maps shall be integrated in 
13 
the National Physical Framework Plan (NPFP) pursuant to Section 5 of this Act. 
14 
SEC. 28.  National Geospatial Information Program. – Within one (1) year 
15 
upon the effectivity of this Act, the NAMRIA, in coordination with BSWM, FMB, 
16 
LMB, Biodiversity Management Bureau, MGB, PHIVOLCS, DAR, NWRB, 
17 
National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), Department of Energy 
18 
(DOE), NEDA and other concerned government agencies or bureaus shall 
19 
complete the updating of base maps. These base maps and corresponding 
20 


 
46
geospatial data shall be shared and disseminated to all agencies and LGUs to serve 
1 
as reference in plan preparation and other planning activities. 
2 
SEC. 29. National Geo-hazard Mapping Program. –  Within thirty (30) 
3 
days from the effectivity of this Act, a nationwide geo-hazard mapping program 
4 
shall be initiated jointly through the NLUC by the PHIVOLCS, the Philippine 
5 
Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), 
6 
the NAMRIA, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), BSWM, and DOE, in 
7 
coordination with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council 
8 
(NDRRMC), the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council 
9 
(RDRRMC), and other concerned government agencies. The program shall include 
10 
the generation of indicative geo-hazard zoning maps that will outline areas in the 
11 
Philippines which are prone to liquefaction, landslides, severe flooding, lahar, 
12 
ground rupturing, tsunami, river erosion, coastal erosion, sinkhole collapse, 
13 
earthquake, lava flow, pyroclastic flow, base surge, and other natural hazards. 
14 
For purposes of uniformity and standardization and in order to develop a 
15 
safe-built environment, the LGUs shall subsequently incorporate and integrate the 
16 
generated geo-hazard zoning maps in their respective CLUPs. Said geo-hazard 
17 
maps shall serve as guide for all the LGUs in the preparation of their own hazards-
18 
constrained development plans. The NPFP, pursuant to Section 5 hereof, shall 
19 
incorporate these geo-hazard maps. 
20 


 
47
All infrastructure activities including real estates and subdivision projects 
1 
and the development of tourist spots requiring an Environmental Compliance 
2 
Certificate (ECC) shall be required to submit an Engineering Geological and Geo-
3 
hazard Assessment Report (EGGAR). 
4 
SEC. 30.  Basic and Applied Research for Science and Technology 
5 
Development. – Within one (1) year from the effectivity of this Act, the 
6 
Department of Science and Technology, in coordination with concerned agencies, 
7 
shall formulate a research agenda that will support physical framework and land 
8 
use planning. 
9 
SEC. 31.  Scope and Nature of Responsibilities of Other National 
10 
Government Agencies. – All concerned national government agencies shall 
11 
periodically report to the NLUC on the various activities and accomplishments on 
12 
land use, including their respective sectoral or development plans. The NLUC may 
13 
call upon the agencies for technical and administrative support. 
14 
SEC. 32. Monitoring of CLUP Implementation. – The DHSUD shall design 
15 
and install an information system for monitoring the actual use of land resources, 
16 
the reclassification of agricultural lands authorized by cities and municipalities, 
17 
and the implementation of CLUPs of LGUs with a view to ensuring the 
18 
compliance with national policies, standards and guidelines: Provided, That the 
19 
system shall be developed in coordination with DA, DAR, DILG, DENR, DILG, 
20 


 
48
DPWH, NEDA, league of provinces, league of cities, league of municipalities and 
1 
other concerned national government agencies. 
2 
SEC. 33. Submission of Annual Report on the Implementation of CLUPs. 
3 
– The C/MLUPC shall submit an annual report on the implementation of their land 
4 
use plans to the PLUPC, which shall integrate the same for submission to the 
5 
RLUPC, which shall in turn integrate the provincial reports for submission to the 
6 
NLUC. 
7 
CHAPTER VIII 
8 
SPECIAL AREAS OF CONCERN 
9 
Article 1  
10 
Forest Lands and Reservation of Watershed 
11 
SEC. 34. Reversion of Alienable and Disposable Lands to Forestlands. – 
12 
Upon the recommendation of the Secretary of the DENR, duly reviewed and 
13 
endorsed by the NLUC, and after due consultations with the concerned LGUs and 
14 
affected parties, Congress may authorize the reversion of alienable and disposable 
15 
lands of the public domain or portion thereof to forestlands.  Thereafter, said lands 
16 
shall be included in the preparation of land use plans within forestlands. 
17 
SEC. 35.  Critical Watershed Areas. – The DENR, in coordination with the 
18 
DA, LGUs and other government agencies, including government-owned and 
19 
controlled corporation, and after mandatory public hearings or consultations, shall 
20 


 
49
identify and delineate critical watershed areas that need to be protected, 
1 
rehabilitated, enhanced or withdrawn from uses that contribute to their further 
2 
degradation.  
3 
SEC. 36. 
Formulation and Implementation of Integrated Watershed 
4 
Management Plans. – In the absence of a law on the protection and sustainable 
5 
management of our forests, the LGUs through their local land use committees and 
6 
upon mandatory consultations with the concerned sectors, and with the assistance 
7 
of DENR, shall prepare their watershed management plans which shall be 
8 
integrated with their respective CLUPs. The formulation and integration of the 
9 
plan shall be guided, among others, by the principle that the management and 
10 
development of inland water resources shall be at the watershed level. A 
11 
nationwide mapping of watersheds in the country shall be implemented. 
12 
In cases where the watershed areas transcend the boundaries of a particular 
13 
municipality, an inter-LGU committee composed of representatives from local 
14 
land use committees of the LGUs where the watershed area is located shall be 
15 
formed. With the assistance of the DENR and upon mandatory consultations with 
16 
the concerned sectors, the inter-LGU committee shall formulate the watershed 
17 
management plan for the said watershed area. The DENR and the concerned LGUs 
18 
shall jointly implement the watershed management plan subject to regular 
19 
consultations with and involvement of the community and other stakeholders in the 
20 


 
50
implementation of the plan. The preparation of forest land use plans shall make use 
1 
of the watershed as the basic planning unit. 
2 
SEC. 37.  Establishment and Management of National Parks. – All areas 
3 
proclaimed by the President of the Philippines and Congress of the Philippines to 
4 
be under the NIPAS, unless disestablished, including those identified as initial 
5 
components of the NIPAS as KBAs, shall comprise the national parks 
6 
classification of the public domain.  The DENR and concerned LGUs shall ensure 
7 
that such areas are integrated in the CLUP and physical framework plans.  The 
8 
preparation of management plans of protected areas and national parks shall be in 
9 
accordance with the provisions of R.A. No. 7586 and other laws establishing or 
10 
declaring specific areas as protected areas.  
11 
Article 2 
12 
 Coastal Zones 
13 
SEC. 38. Criteria on the Allocation and Utilization of Lands within the 
14 
Coastal Zones. – The allocation and utilization of lands within the coastal zones 
15 
shall be guided by the following: 
16 
(a) 
Areas vegetated with mangrove species shall be preserved for 
17 
mangrove production and shall not be converted to other uses; 
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51
(b) 
Areas which meet all accepted criteria on elevation, soil type, soil 
1 
depth, topography, supply for successful fishpond development, and are not 
2 
identified as mangrove protected areas, shall be utilized for aquaculture purposes; 
3 
(c) 
Areas sub-classified as mangrove and still suitable for use as such, or 
4 
due to environmental conditions need to be preserved as mangrove, but is devoid 
5 
of mangrove stands shall not be converted to other uses. The DENR shall ensure 
6 
that these lands shall be reforested within a given period of time; 
7 
(d) 
Areas accessible to the sea and identified for fisherfolk settlement and 
8 
housing shall be allocated to traditional fisherfolk who are inhabitants of the 
9 
coastal communities and members of legitimate fisherfolk organizations and/or 
10 
holders of stewardship lease contracts or titles to ancestral domains or any form of 
11 
property right arrangements who participate in coastal resource management 
12 
initiatives, subject to the usual census procedures of the DHSUD. 
13 
(e) 
Areas which are neither sub-classified as mangrove, fisherfolk 
14 
settlement nor fishpond may be devoted to recreational or tourism purposes: 
15 
Provided, that such undertaking will not result in environmental degradation and 
16 
displacement of small fishers; 
17 
(f) 
Areas which are considered as traditional fishing grounds shall be 
18 
used primarily for such purpose; 
19 


 
52
(g) 
Areas which have been allocated for small infrastructure needed by 
1 
fisherfolk shall be allowed; and 
2 
(h) 
Areas which form part of foreshore lands as defined in this Act 
3 
including those which are under lease agreements or arrangements shall undergo 
4 
zoning and evaluation to determine their boundaries and actual sizes and 
5 
corresponding uses. 
6 
SEC. 39.  Coastal Land Zone Sub-classification. – All public lands in the 
7 
coastal zones are sub-classified into any of the following: fishponds, mangroves, 
8 
protection from tidal surge for preservation of biodiversity, habitats and sanctuaries 
9 
for endangered wildlife, fisherfolk, settlement, or recreational or tourism areas. No 
10 
sub-classification of coastal zones to different uses may be done without the 
11 
following:  
12 
(a) 
Conduct 
of 
a 
comprehensive 
inventory 
and 
resource 
and 
13 
environmental assessment by the DENR with the respective LGUs and accredited 
14 
non-government organizations (NGOs) or peoples organization (POs) within their 
15 
territorial jurisdiction. The result of the assessment along with a list of all existing 
16 
applications and expired foreshore lease agreements must be posted in three (3) 
17 
conspicuous places in the affected localities; and 
18 
(b) 
Prior consultation with the local Fisheries and Aquatic Resource 
19 
Management Councils (FARMCs) pursuant to R.A. No. 8850, as amended. 
20 


 
53
SEC. 40. Zoning of Foreshore Areas. – Local government units, in 
1 
coordination with the DENR, shall conduct zoning of their respective foreshore 
2 
areas to assist government and community fishers identify priority areas for 
3 
conservation and development, and to enable them to set targets for mangrove 
4 
reforestation and rehabilitation. 
5 
SEC. 41.  Protection of Waterways, Easements and Flood Plains. – 
6 
Structures of any kind may not be built in waterways and easements. Pursuant to 
7 
P.D. No. 1067, the banks of rivers and streams and the shores of the seas and lakes 
8 
throughout their entire length and within a zone of three (3) meters in urban areas, 
9 
twenty (20) meters in agricultural areas and forty (40) meters in forest areas along 
10 
their margins are subject to the easement of public use only in the interest of 
11 
recreation, navigation, floatage, fishing and salvage.  
12 
The protection of flood plans shall adopt a river basin management approach 
13 
to come up with integrated flood mitigation interventions.  Development within 
14 
flood plains and other flood-prone areas must be controlled or, if allowed, must be 
15 
so sited, constructed and serviced that the lives of occupants are not put at risk and 
16 
that disruptions during floods are minimized. The identification and 
17 
characterization of flood-prone areas and flood plains must be an integral part of 
18 
the CLUP preparation. The LGUs shall establish land use regulations to mitigate 
19 
flood risks through the CLUPs and zoning ordinances. 
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54
To promote the best interest and coordinated protection of flood plains, the 
1 
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), in coordination with the 
2 
Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and DENR shall declare flood 
3 
control areas as necessary and shall prohibit or control activities that may damage 
4 
or cause deterioration of lakes and dikes, obstruct the flow of water, change the 
5 
natural flow of rivers, increase flood losses or aggravate flood problems, pursuant 
6 
to P.D. No. 1067. 
7 
Article 3 
8 
Settlements Development 
9 
SEC. 42.  Municipalities, Cities, and Settlements Development. – The 
10 
development of municipalities, cities and settlements through CLUP and 
11 
implemented by the zoning ordinances of cities and municipalities are guided by 
12 
the urban zoning standards designed to maximize existing urban spaces, taking into 
13 
account studies of pertinent government agencies on climate change.  
14 
SEC. 43. Settlements within Geo-hazard Areas. – Settlements, in particular 
15 
housing or residential developments, within geo-hazard areas may be allowed 
16 
provided that mitigating or protective measures are adopted to address the potential 
17 
danger or risk to lives and property within such settlements. In coordination with 
18 
the concerned agencies of the government, the NLUC shall provide assistance to 
19 
concerned LGUs and settlers in instituting safety and corrective measures to 
20 


 
55
address the potential danger or risk. Residential zones as designated in the CLUP 
1 
shall be considered as outside the geo-hazard areas. For this purpose, housing 
2 
projects within such areas shall be exempt from the ECC as well as the EGGAR 
3 
and maybe implemented without the need for any further certificate of exemption 
4 
from the DENR or any other government regulatory agency. 
5 
          SEC. 44.  Designation of Waste and Environment Management Site. – 
6 
Each city or municipality shall identify, designate and allocate an area within their 
7 
territorial jurisdiction to serve as sanitary landfill within one (1) year from the 
8 
effectivity of this Act. 
9 
SEC. 45. Network of Settlements. – The framework and policies for the 
10 
development of network of settlements shall be provided by the National Physical 
11 
Framework Plan formulated by the NLUC. Individual settlements shall be planned 
12 
as part of a national network of settlements. The network shall be based on existing 
13 
and potential settlements; production activities, particularly those that involve 
14 
highly competitive industries and services and generate local employment; 
15 
environmental constraints and sustainability considerations.   Individual cities and 
16 
municipalities shall be integrated through transportation and other infrastructure 
17 
support facilities. 
18 
SEC. 46. Criteria for Settlement Sites. –  The following shall be the criteria 
19 
for identifying settlement areas:  
20 


 
56
(a) 
Within A&D lands but not in environmentally-critical, hazard-prone 
1 
or other protection areas;  
2 
(b) 
Along established urban growth directions;  
3 
(c) 
Are already or can be provided with basic services and utilities;  
4 
(d) 
Ideally within the 0-8% slope range, but with mitigating measures 
5 
from slope 9-17%;  
6 
(e) 
Reasonably accessible from existing built up areas and other 
7 
employment centers through existing or proposed roads and other transportation 
8 
facilities.  
9 
(f) 
Identified ICCs/IPs settlement areas shall be located within ancestral 
10 
domains. 
11 
Hazard-prone areas shall be defined, delineated and mapped by the DENR 
12 
and other the mandated government agencies. As such, new settlements within 
13 
high-risk areas shall not be allowed. In cases where there are existing settlements 
14 
within geo-hazard areas or high risk areas, mitigating or protective measures shall 
15 
be adopted to address the potential danger or risk to lives and property within such 
16 
settlements.  In coordination with the concerned agencies of the government, the 
17 
NLUC, through the RLUPC and PLUPC, shall provide assistance to concerned 
18 
LGUs and settlers in instituting safety and corrective measures to address the 
19 
potential danger or risk. New developments within geo-hazard areas shall be 
20 


 
57
required to submit an ECC and EGGAR consistent with the Revised Procedural 
1 
Manual for DENR Administrative Order (DAO) No. 2003-30 otherwise known as 
2 
the “Implementing Rules and Regulations of PD 1586 establishing an 
3 
Environmental Impact Statement System” and DAO No. 2000-28 otherwise known 
4 
as the “Implementing Guidelines on Engineering Geological and Geohazard 
5 
Assessment as Additional Requirement for ECC Applications covering Subdivision, 
6 
Housing and other Land Development and Infrastructure Projects”. 
7 
SEC. 47. Sustainable Communities. –  Each city or municipality or cluster 
8 
of cities or municipalities, as appropriate, shall seek to follow the basic features of 
9 
sustainable communities, as guided by the National Urban Development and 
10 
Housing Framework: transit-oriented, pedestrian-biased, and multiple use, with 
11 
systems and practices that promote water use efficiency, energy efficiency, waste 
12 
segregation, recycling, and adequate community facilities.  Cities and 
13 
municipalities or clusters thereof shall identify, designate and allocate areas within 
14 
their territorial jurisdiction to serve as waste disposal site following the provisions 
15 
of R.A. No. 9003, otherwise known as the “Ecological Solid Waste Management 
16 
Act of 2000”.   
17 
SEC. 48. Designation and Zoning of Socialized Housing Zones. – Each 
18 
city or municipality in urban, urbanizable and rural areas shall designate through 
19 
the CLUP adequate lands for housing or residential purposes, including socialized 
20 


 
58
housing and resettlement areas for the immediate and future needs of the local 
1 
population as well as the underprivileged and homeless in their territory, pursuant 
2 
to existing laws and regulations. In order to ensure adequate availability of land for 
3 
the housing needs of the local population, the CLUP shall be updated, at 
4 
maximum, every twelve (12) years for provinces, cities and municipalities. 
5 
The designated sites for socialized housing shall be located in residential 
6 
zones, and shall be zoned as socialized housing zones that are integrated in the city 
7 
or municipality’s zoning ordinance, pursuant to existing laws and regulations. 
8 
Fisherfolk settlements and housing in coastal municipalities shall be zoned 
9 
near the sea for easy access to their livelihood as provided under Section 38 (d) of 
10 
this Act. 
11 
The housing or residential lands designated in the CLUPS and zoning 
12 
ordinances of cities and municipalities shall, on one hand, not be subject to further 
13 
land reclassification by the LGU or land conversion procedure under DAR. On the 
14 
other hand, agricultural lands as designated in the CLUP which are no longer 
15 
economically feasible for agricultural use may be subject to land reclassification or 
16 
conversion to housing or residential purposes and such conversion, as the case may 
17 
be, shall be exempt from the coverage of any moratorium on land conversion. 
18 
SEC. 49. Urban Forest or Green Space. – Each city or highly urbanizing 
19 
municipality shall identify, designate, and allocate lands owned by the city or 
20 


 
59
municipality as urban forest or green space based on the guidelines and standards 
1 
to be issued by the DENR and approved by the NLUC. 
2 
Article 4 
3 
NIPAS Areas 
4 
SEC. 50.  Integrated Management Strategy. – For more effective planning, 
5 
management, and protection of protected areas at the provincial, city or municipal 
6 
levels, the Protected Area Management Plan (PAMP) referred to in R.A. No. 7586 
7 
must be incorporated in the Provincial Physical Framework Plan and CLUPs, if 
8 
applicable, wherein the protected area zoning must be reflected.  
9 
Article 5 
10 
Agricultural Lands 
11 
SEC. 51. Priority Areas for Agricultural Development. – Priority Areas for 
12 
agricultural development shall be those agricultural areas covered under R.A. No. 
13 
6657 and those covered under Network of Protected Areas for Agricultural and 
14 
Agro-Industrial Development (NPAAAD), defined in Section 4 of this Act and in 
15 
R.A. No. 8435 or the “Agriculture and  Fisheries Modernization Act” 
16 
SEC. 52. Conversion of Agricultural Lands. – Prime agricultural lands and 
17 
specific types of lands to the extent necessary for attaining food self-sufficiency in 
18 
rice and corn and food security in other basic commodities, as determined by the 
19 
DA, subject to mandatory consultation with the LGUs, the private sector, the 
20 


 
60
NGOs, and POs, shall be protected from conversion, which shall include but not 
1 
limited to areas under the NPAAAD: Provided, That all irrigated and irrigable 
2 
lands, all lands developed or possessing the potential for development of high 
3 
value crops, and all agricultural lands that are ecologically fragile and whose 
4 
conversion will result in serious environmental problems shall be given full 
5 
protection from conversion, the areas under which are subject to review every 
6 
seven (7) years by the DA, with the mandatory public consultations: Provided 
7 
further, That consistent with the State policy on giving priority to the completion 
8 
of the comprehensive agrarian reform program, all lands subject to the 
9 
comprehensive agrarian reform program including those lands covered under the 
10 
notice of compulsory acquisition or voluntary offer to sell, production or profit-
11 
sharing, or commercial farm deferment shall also be protected from conversion 
12 
pending the distribution and installation of the farmer beneficiaries, but thereafter, 
13 
Section 22 of R.A. No. 9700 shall apply: Provided furthermore, That the 
14 
conversion of agricultural lands for use of priority government projects for basic 
15 
services such as, but not limited to, irrigation and power shall be allowed only 
16 
upon the recommendation of the Secretaries of the DA and the DAR: Provided 
17 
finally, That the mapping of the NPAAAD under the AFMA shall be completed 
18 
within one (1) year from the effectivity of this Act. Lands defined under Section 10 
19 
of R.A. No. 6657 shall remain exempted and excluded from the coverage of the 
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61
comprehensive agrarian reform program. With due consideration of the above-
1 
mentioned conditions that provides for the full protection of prime agricultural 
2 
land, only then, upon approval by the DAR of the application for conversion, 
3 
agricultural lands are deemed converted to non-agricultural uses. 
4 
SEC. 53. Sub-classification or Re- classification of Agricultural Lands by 
5 
LGUs. – Sub-classification or re-classification of agricultural lands to other uses 
6 
under Section 20 of R.A. No. 7160 shall exclude the protected agricultural lands as 
7 
stated in the preceding section. Moreover, such sub-classification or  
8 
reclassification is not synonymous to conversion. The DA and DAR shall provide 
9 
the LGUs with complete list and maps of protected agricultural lands within their 
10 
territorial jurisdictions. 
11 
SEC. 54. Criteria for the Utilization and Allocation of Land for Mining 
12 
Purposes. – Consistent with this Act and the provisions of R.A. No. 7942, 
13 
otherwise known as the “Philippine Mining Act of 1995”, and to ensure that the 
14 
objectives of maintaining ecological balance and maximizing economic returns to 
15 
mining operations are realized, the allocation and utilization of lands for mining 
16 
purposes shall be guided by the following:                                                                                       
17 
(a) 
The principles of sustainable development and responsible mining; 
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62
(b) 
In case of small-scale mining, adequate and acceptable safeguards 
1 
shall be instituted by the holders of mining rights or permits to prevent 
2 
environmental degradation of the mining sites and adjacent areas; 
3 
(c) 
Mineral reservations which have become non-operational as 
4 
determined by the MGB shall be placed under appropriate surface management by 
5 
the DENR;  
6 
(d) 
Consistent with R.A. No. 7942, areas closed to mining operations 
7 
shall be periodically reviewed through mineral exploration to be undertaken by the 
8 
DENR for the purpose of determining whether or not their continued closure is 
9 
consistent with the national interest and, if warranted, recommend their 
10 
reclassification as mineral lands; and  
11 
(e) 
Protection forestlands and agricultural lands shall be exempt from 
12 
mining activities to minimize the effect of natural calamities and to protect food 
13 
security respectively. The small to large scale mining operations shall yield from 
14 
and recognize the tenurial instrument given by the government such as original 
15 
certificate of title (OCT), transfer certificate of title (TCT), certificate of ancestral 
16 
domain title (CADT), emancipation patent-certificate of land ownership award 
17 
(EP-CLOA) and other instruments. If these be present, mining activity shall be 
18 
allowed subject to clearances and consent. 
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63
SEC. 55. Reversion of Mineral Lands. – All mineral lands with exhausted 
1 
mineral resources, as determined by the MGB upon the recommendation of the 
2 
DENR, shall revert to its original land classification, that is, as forestland or 
3 
agricultural land. In the case of forestlands, the DENR may classify such areas for 
4 
other purposes in consultation with concerned LGU's, the Department of Tourism 
5 
(DOT), and other national government agencies. 
6 
Article 6 
7 
Energy Resources 
8 
SEC. 56.  Guidelines for the Utilization and Allocation of Lands for 
9 
Energy Resource Exploration, Development, Production, Utilization, and 
10 
Distribution Purposes. – To ensure that the objectives of maintaining ecological 
11 
balance and maximizing the power potential from indigenous energy resources in 
12 
the most economical and environmentally-acceptable means are realized, the 
13 
allocation and utilization of lands are be guided by the following, consistent with 
14 
the existing regulations and laws on energy resources:  
15 
(a) 
Indigenous energy resource exploration and development for the 
16 
purpose of creating a national energy resource inventory and data base as well as 
17 
an energy resource block map are allowed, subject to the implementation of 
18 
complementary watershed and other land management plans; 
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64
(b) 
Indigenous energy resource exploration, development, production, 
1 
utilization, and distribution are subject to the appropriate requirements and 
2 
processes of the Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) system. Each project must 
3 
secure an ECC prior to project implementation to ensure that adequate and 
4 
appropriate environmental management measures and optimum methods for 
5 
resource access and recovery are used; 
6 
(c) 
Protected areas defined in Section 16 of this Act are closed to any 
7 
kind of energy resource development; 
8 
(d) 
Energy reservations or portions thereof which have become or have 
9 
been established to be non-economically viable to operate or are no longer used for 
10 
energy purposes must be reclassified to other land uses, subject to existing laws 
11 
covering energy reservations; and 
12 
(e) 
Renewable energy is preferred over other energy resource.  
13 
SEC. 57.  Reversion of Energy Resource Lands. – All exhausted indigenous 
14 
energy resource lands, as determined by the Department of Energy (DOE), which 
15 
are not covered by proclamations must automatically revert to the category of 
16 
forestlands or agricultural lands, open to disposition, whichever is appropriate, 
17 
unless the DENR classifies such areas for other purposes.  Exhausted energy 
18 
resource lands are specific energy resource sites that the energy reserves of the 
19 


 
65
desired type or types are no longer in sufficient quantity or quality to justify 
1 
additional expenditure for its extraction and utilization. 
2 
Article 7  
3 
Industrial Development Areas or Sites 
4 
SEC. 58.  Criteria for Designating Industrial Development Areas. – The 
5 
identification and establishment of industrial development areas shall conform to 
6 
the provisions of R.A. No. 7916, R.A. No. 6657, R.A. No. 8371, R.A. No. 7279, 
7 
R.A. No. 8550, and R.A. No. 8435, taking into consideration the following:  
8 
(a) 
Identified network of areas for agricultural development and protected 
9 
agricultural areas pursuant to the R.A. No. 8435; 
10 
(b) 
National policies on the regional dispersal of industries and agri-based 
11 
industrial development; 
12 
(c) 
Identified growth areas and corridors in the National Development 
13 
Plan; 
14 
(d) 
NIPAS and non-NIPAS areas such as KBAs and restored areas that 
15 
require protection; 
16 
(e) 
National and Urban Development and Housing Framework; 
17 
(f) 
Identified socialized housing zones; and 
18 
(g) 
National Framework for Physical Planning and other existing national 
19 
programs and policies. 
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66
The designated industrial development areas must be located only in 
1 
production land uses areas and shall form as an integral part of the land use plan 
2 
and zoning ordinance of the city or municipality where these areas are located. 
3 
R.A. No. 6657, R.A. No. 8371, R.A. No. 7279, R.A. No. 855, R.A. No. 8435 and 
4 
R.A. No. 7160, as amended. 
5 
Article 8 
6 
Tourism Development Areas 
7 
SEC. 59.  Designating Tourism Development Areas. – The identification, 
8 
selection, and development of tourism development areas, and Tourism Enterprise 
9 
Zones (TEZs) shall be done in consultation and coordination with the LGUs, the 
10 
Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, Department of Tourism and 
11 
other national government agencies, the private sector and the affected 
12 
communities subject to the provisions of R.A. No. 9593, otherwise known as “The 
13 
Tourism Act of 2009.”  Tourism development areas include those covered by 
14 
legislative and executive issuances such as tourist spots, tourist zones and tourism 
15 
ecozones which can be developed into tourism estates or integrated resort, or 
16 
integrated resort leisure and recreation complexes.  Other tourism-related facilities 
17 
and those identified in the national, regional and area-specific tourism master plans 
18 
and other sector plans, such as ecotourism and agri-tourism sites are also 
19 
considered as tourism development areas.  The sites designated for tourism 
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67
development must be outside of the areas identified for protection land use.  As 
1 
much as practicable, community-based tourism shall be the principal mode of 
2 
tourist spot operation. R.A. No. 6657, R.A. No. 8371, R.A. No. 7279, R.A. No. 
3 
8435, R.A. No. 7160 and Executive Order No. 111, Series of 1999, which provided 
4 
for the national ecotourism strategy, shall apply to all tourist zones and tourist 
5 
development areas.  
6 
Designated areas for tourism development form part of the CLUPs and zoning 
7 
ordinances of the cities or municipalities where these areas are located. 
8 
SEC. 60. Identification and Declaration of Areas for Protection, 
9 
Conservation and Preservation of Cultural Heritage. – Pursuant to R.A. No. 
10 
10066, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) or the 
11 
National Museum in coordination with National Commission for Culture and the 
12 
Arts, DHSUD and other concerned agencies, local communities, and the private 
13 
sector, shall identify declared areas and structures which shall be protected and 
14 
preserved as part of the Philippine cultural heritage. 
15 
The LGUs in coordination with the NHCP, the National Commission for 
16 
Culture and Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) shall 
17 
designate historical zones to protect the historical integrity of said geographical 
18 
areas and cultural space of intangible cultural properties. 
19 
Article 9 
20 


 
68
Infrastructure Development 
1 
SEC. 61.  Strategic Transport Network. –  The national government, 
2 
through the Department of Transportation, shall establish a strategic and 
3 
sustainable multimodal transport network that provides connectivity within the 
4 
national network of settlements.  Such connectivity shall include linkages among 
5 
existing and proposed priority urban centers, rural areas, production hubs and 
6 
tourism zones, distribution centers and markets, and key international points of 
7 
entry.  It shall be developed to promote network efficiency and social service 
8 
delivery, to catalyze areas identified critical for economic growth, while 
9 
minimizing negative impacts to environmentally-critical and protected areas. 
10 
The national network of settlements, as defined in the NPFP, shall guide the 
11 
development of a multi-modal transportation network. The network shall be 
12 
designed and implemented to provide seamless connectivity among the various 
13 
modes of transportation. The RPFPs, PDPFPs and city or municipal CLUPs shall 
14 
focus on the transportation network that corresponds to their respective 
15 
jurisdictions while maintaining consistency with the overall national networks.  
16 
SEC. 62.  Allocation and Use of Land for Infrastructure Development. – 
17 
Land, whether public or private, shall be allocated and utilized for priority 
18 
infrastructure projects that are supportive of national or local development 
19 
objectives.  The National Economic and Development Agency (NEDA), in 
20 


 
69
consultation with the national government agencies, LGUs and the private sector, 
1 
shall identify and periodically review, update or revise the list of priority 
2 
infrastructure projects under an over-all national strategic infrastructure 
3 
development plan subject to the provisions of this Act, R.A. No. 8435 and R.A. 
4 
No. 8371.  The national strategic infrastructure development plan must be 
5 
consistent and integrated in the objectives and directions of the National Physical 
6 
Framework Plan (NPFP).  
7 
In determining and evaluating the list of priority infrastructure projects, 
8 
consideration shall be given to those that:  
9 
(a) 
Respond to immediate and vital requirements of the national and 
10 
regional economy with priority to improving production-market integration, inter-
11 
modal transport, conveyance and logistics linkages, rural infrastructure and the 
12 
development of the agriculture and fisheries sectors; 
13 
(b) 
Upgrade existing facilities to international public safety standards; 
14 
(c) 
Address the need for sustainable settlement development; and 
15 
(d) 
Mitigate the destructive effects of natural disaster-causing phenomena 
16 
or serve as alternatives to existing infrastructure found in natural hazard-prone 
17 
areas. 
18 
The provision and implementation of infrastructure support must be made 
19 
compatible with existing environmental conditions and the physical, whether 
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70
natural or human-made, and cultural character of the area. Mandatory public 
1 
consultations pursuant to existing laws and regulations must be held prior to the 
2 
conduct of all infrastructure projects that necessarily involve dislocation or 
3 
displacement of people in the area.  
4 
The proponent of the infrastructure project shall follow the rules on just and 
5 
humane eviction or demolition under Section 28 of R.A. No. 7279 as a last resort, 
6 
notwithstanding the provisions of R.A. No. 8975, prohibiting lower courts from 
7 
issuing temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions or preliminary 
8 
mandatory injunctions. The proponent shall also follow the provisions of R.A. No. 
9 
8371, particularly those pertaining to the rights of IPs or ICCs in case of 
10 
displacement. The national government infrastructure projects shall, after 
11 
determining that displacement is unavoidable, include the budgetary requirements 
12 
for the adequate relocation of displaced communities.  
13 
SEC. 63.  Infrastructure Projects within Geo-hazard Areas. – Construction 
14 
of priority infrastructure projects within hazard-prone areas are allowed.  However, 
15 
mitigating or preventive measures must be adopted and implemented to address the 
16 
potential adverse economic, socio-cultural and environmental impacts that emanate 
17 
from these infrastructure projects, subject to the findings and recommendations of 
18 
a feasibility study or environment impact assessment in accordance with P.D. No. 
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71
1586 and R.A. No. 4846, otherwise known as the “Cultural Properties 
1 
Preservation and Protection Act.”  
2 
Existing projects that were undertaken without the required environmental 
3 
impact assessment and which pose a threat to the environment, or to the integrity 
4 
of historic, archeological or scientifically significant areas, or impinge on critical 
5 
ecosystems may be terminated immediately or gradually phased-out and relocated.  
6 
If the existing project is to be maintained within their life span, mitigating 
7 
measures must be adopted and implemented. The rules on mandatory public 
8 
hearings or consultations and just and humane eviction or demolition shall also be 
9 
observed prior to the termination, gradual phase-out, or relocation of projects that 
10 
necessarily involve dislocations or displacement of the people in the area.  
11 
Article 10 
12 
Agro-Industrial Development 
13 
 
14 
SEC. 63. Land Consolidation for Agro-industrial Development. - The 
15 
consolidation of small-scale agricultural landholdings shall be promoted to take 
16 
advantage of economies of scale in agricultural production, to promote value chain 
17 
development, and to increase farm incomes and improve the quality of life of 
18 
farmers. A Land Consolidation and Utilization Program under the DA shall be 
19 
established. The program shall implement the following: 
20 


 
72
 
1 
(a) 
Consolidation of small contiguous landholdings into bigger 
2 
agricultural estates for farm operations and agro-industries; 
3 
(b) 
Crafting of a comprehensive plan and study of the optimum utilization 
4 
and long-term productivity of bigger landholdings; 
5 
(c) 
Private 
sector 
participation 
in 
agricultural 
production 
and 
6 
management through adequate security, incentives and reasonable return on 
7 
investments, within limits set by existing laws; 
8 
(d) 
Development and adoption of cooperative systems that will increase 
9 
the participation and protection of small farmers; and 
10 
(e) 
Provision of support to consolidated farms in such forms as farm-to-
11 
market roads, irrigation, utilities, logistics, processing facilities, upgrading of basic 
12 
social amenities, and marketing assistance to farmers. 
13 
 
14 
 
15 
CHAPTER IX 
16 
TRAINING, EDUCATION AND VALUES FORMATION 
17 
SEC. 65.  Values Formation. – In order to develop a well-informed, 
18 
responsible and committed citizenry, who value the protection, conservation and 
19 
development of the limited land and other physical resources of the country, the 
20 
DepEd and Commission on Higher Education are hereby mandated to include a 
21 


 
73
sustainable land use education or any subject related thereto in the curricula of 
1 
primary, secondary and tertiary education. 
2 
SEC. 66.  Information or Education Campaign and Capacity Building. – 
3 
The NLUC shall spearhead a nationwide information or education campaign on 
4 
land use and physical planning together with the local and national government 
5 
agencies.  The DILG and concerned agencies shall formulate and implement a land 
6 
use management capability building program for national and local government 
7 
officials, community leaders, representatives of NGOs, POs, the religious sector 
8 
and the general public.  
9 
CHAPTER X 
10 
INCENTIVES, SANCTIONS AND PENALTIES 
11 
Article 1 
12 
INCENTIVES 
13 
SEC. 67. Formulation of a System of Incentives and Awards. – The NLUC 
14 
shall come out with a system of incentives and awards to LGUs that regularly 
15 
update their CLUPs within the prescribed period, as follows: 
16 
(a) 
Provinces, highly urbanized cities, and independent component cities 
17 
once every nine (9) years; and 
18 
(b) 
Component cities and municipalities once every nine (9) years. 
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74
SEC. 68.  Priority in Giving Technical Assistance to LGUs. – In providing 
1 
technical assistance and other forms of support related to land use management and 
2 
the implementation of development plans, the national government agencies shall 
3 
give priority to cities and municipalities with approved CLUPs. 
4 
Article 2 
5 
SANCTIONS AND PENALTIES 
6 
SEC. 69. Failure to Formulate, Enforce, or Implement the CLUPs.                  
7 
– Within three (3) years the effectivity of this Act, all LGUs shall complete the 
8 
formulation of their CLUPs.  Failure to formulate, enforce or implement the 
9 
CLUPs shall be subject to the penalties and sanctions to be imposed by DHSUD 
10 
pursuant to R.A. No. 11201 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations. The 
11 
DILG, consistent with due process, shall investigate, review, and impose 
12 
appropriate action regarding local chief executives and other local officials and 
13 
employees responsible for the formulation, enforcement, and/or implementation of 
14 
the CLUPs in case of any of the following: 
15 
(a) 
Failure to implement and enforce the CLUP due to negligence of 
16 
duty; 
17 
(b) 
Failure to provide appropriate budgetary allocation to effect its 
18 
implementation; and, 
19 


 
75
(c) 
Failure to complete the preparation of the CLUP despite the 
1 
availability of funds, resources, and support by the Sanggunian concerned. 
2 
SEC. 70.  Causing Irrigated Agricultural Lands to be Idle. –  Any person 
3 
or juridical entity who shall cause any irrigated lands whether contiguous or not, 
4 
within the protected areas for agricultural development, to lie idle and 
5 
unproductive for a period exceeding one (1) year, unless due to force majeure, 
6 
shall be subject to an idle land tax equivalent to five percent (5%) of the value of 
7 
the agricultural land as appearing in its real property tax declaration. In addition, 
8 
the violator shall be required to put back such lands to productive agricultural use. 
9 
Should the continued agricultural inactivity, unless due to force majeure, exceed 
10 
period of two (2) years, the land shall be subject to escheat proceedings. 
11 
SEC. 71. Person Abetting Illegal Conversion. – Any person initiating, 
12 
causing, inducing, or abetting illegal conversion shall, upon conviction, be 
13 
imprisoned from seven (7) to twelve (12) years and imposed a fine of not less than 
14 
One hundred thousand (Pl00,000.00) pesos, or both at the discretion of the court: 
15 
Provided, That if the offender is a public official or employee, whether elected or 
16 
appointed, the penalty shall, in addition thereto, include dismissal through 
17 
permanent separation from the service and forfeiture of all benefits and 
18 
entitlements accruing to the public position and perpetual disqualification to run or 
19 
apply for any elective or appointive public office: Provided further, That if the 
20 


 
76
offender is a juridical person, the penalty of imprisonment shall be imposed on the 
1 
president, chief executive officer, manager, chairperson and all the members of the 
2 
board, and other responsible officers thereof, and the fine shall be equivalent to the 
3 
zonal value of the land or forty percent (40%) of the shareholders equity, as 
4 
determined at the time of judgment whichever is higher, plus forfeiture of the land 
5 
in favor of the State for sale though public auction, the proceeds of which shall 
6 
automatically accrue to the Agrarian Reform Fund as provided for in Section 77 of 
7 
this Act. 
8 
SEC. 72. Fine for Non-Completion and Non-Commencement of 
9 
Development of Agricultural Lands with Approved Order of Conversion. – A 
10 
landowner and designated developer or duly authorized representative who fails to 
11 
commence or complete the development of agricultural lands with approved order 
12 
of conversion shall be penalized, jointly or severally, with any of the following 
13 
fines based on the zonal value of the land at the time the fine is imposed: 
14 
(a) 
On failure to commence within one (1) year from the date of 
15 
conversion order: 
16 
(1) 
Six percent (6%) of the zonal value of the subject land for the 
17 
first three (3) hectares; 
18 
(2) 
Fifteen percent (15%) of the zonal value of the subject land for 
19 
the next three hectares, and 
20 


 
77
(3) 
Thirty percent (30%) of the zonal value of the subject land for 
1 
the remaining area: Provided, That the order of conversion shall be deemed 
2 
revoked automatically and the land shall revert to its original agricultural use 
3 
and covered automatically and the land shall revert to its original agricultural 
4 
use and covered.  
5 
(b) 
On failure to complete fifty percent (50%) of the approved conversion 
6 
plan within a specified time frame. Fifty percent (50%) of the zonal value of the 
7 
subject land and the revocation of the conversion plan on the undeveloped portion 
8 
which shall automatically revert to its original use as agricultural land. The same 
9 
shall be covered under the CARP and processed for land distribution as soon as 
10 
possible. 
11 
SEC. 73. Change of use from the Previously Authorized Conversion Order. 
12 
– The landowner and future landowners of the property approved for conversion 
13 
shall not change its use to another use not authorized under the Conversion Order 
14 
without prior consent from the DAR.  This prohibition extends to changes in 
15 
housing standards, changes in selling schemes, changes from social housing to 
16 
open market housing or vice-versa, and all other similar changes. Violation of 
17 
which shall be penalized with revocation of Conversion Order and forfeiture of 
18 
cash bond. 
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78
SEC. 74. Payment of Disturbance Compensation. – Following the order of 
1 
priority as enumerated in Section 22 of R.A. No. 6657, as amended, as amended, 
2 
qualified beneficiaries such as agricultural lessees and share tenants, regular farm 
3 
workers, seasonal farm workers, other farm workers, actual tillers or occupants of 
4 
public lands, collective, or cooperative of the above-mentioned beneficiaries, and 
5 
others directly working on the land affected by agricultural land use conversion 
6 
shall be entitled to the payment of disturbance compensation equivalent to five (5) 
7 
times the average of the gross harvests on the landholding during the last five (5) 
8 
preceding calendar years or a certain percentage of the converted land, whichever 
9 
is higher, as determined by the DAR. 
10 
SEC. 75. Authority to Impose Fine. – The DAR shall impose the penalty 
11 
provided for under the preceding section. 
12 
SEC. 76.  Withdrawal of Local Development Permits or Licenses. – Upon 
13 
receipt of notice from the DAR of illegal conversion, the concerned agencies, city 
14 
or municipality shall withdraw or revoke any development permit or license issued 
15 
to illegally converted agricultural lands.  
16 
SEC. 77.  Penalty for Reclassification of Protected Agricultural Lands and 
17 
Exceeding the Limit of Areas Allowed for Reclassification. – Any person 
18 
initiating, causing, inducing or abetting the reclassification to non-agricultural uses 
19 
of protected agricultural areas as defined in this Act shall be punished with 
20 


 
79
imprisonment of twelve (12) years or a fine of not less than One hundred thousand 
1 
Pesos (P100,000.00), or both, at the discretion of the court.  
2 
If the offender is a public official or employee, whether elected or appointed, 
3 
the penalty includes dismissal from the service, forfeiture of entitlements accruing 
4 
to the public position, and perpetual disqualification to run or apply for any 
5 
elective or appointive position.  
6 
If the offender is a juridical person, the president, chief executive officer, 
7 
manager, chairperson, members of the board and other officers who directly 
8 
participated in the violation of this Section shall be held liable. 
9 
The same penalty is applicable to persons who are responsible for exceeding 
10 
the limits set forth under Section 20 of R.A. No. 7160 pertaining to reclassification 
11 
of lands.  
12 
SEC. 78.  Utilization of Fines. – The fines collected under Sections 71, 72 
13 
and 77 of this Act shall accrue to the Agrarian Reform Fund and shall be used for 
14 
the purpose for which the fund is established. 
15 
CHAPTER XI 
16 
TRANSITORY AND FINAL PROVISIONS 
17 
SEC. 79. Convening of the NLUC. – Within thirty (30) days from the 
18 
effectivity of this Act, the chairperson shall convene the NLUC. 
19 


 
80
SEC. 80. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within six (6) months 
1 
from the effectivity of this Act, the NLUC shall promulgate the rules and 
2 
regulations to implement the provisions of this Act. Said rules and regulations shall 
3 
be submitted to the Congressional Oversight Committee for approval. 
4 
SEC. 81.  Congressional Oversight Committee on the Land Use Act. – 
5 
There is hereby created a joint congressional oversight committee to monitor the 
6 
implementation of this Act. The committee shall be composed of seven (7) 
7 
senators and seven (7) representatives to be appointed by the Senate President and 
8 
Speaker of the House of Representatives, respectively.  The members from the 
9 
Senate shall be appointed based on proportional representation of the parties or 
10 
coalitions therein, with at least two (2) senators representing the minority.  
11 
Likewise, the representatives from the House of Representatives shall be appointed 
12 
based on proportional representation of the parties or coalitions therein with at 
13 
least two (2) Members representing the minority.  
14 
The mandate given to the joint congressional oversight committee under this 
15 
Act shall be without prejudice to the performance of the duties and functions by 
16 
the respective existing oversight committees of the Senate and the House of 
17 
Representatives.  The secretariat of the committee shall be drawn from the existing 
18 
secretariat personnel of the committees comprising the oversight. 
19 


 
81
SEC. 82.  Appropriations. – The amount necessary for the initial 
1 
implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current year appropriations 
2 
of the NEDA Board – National Land Use Committee.  Thereafter, such sums as 
3 
may be necessary for the continued implementation of this Act shall be included in 
4 
the budget of participating national government agencies in the annual General 
5 
Appropriations Act. 
6 
SEC. 83.  Review of the Existing Land Use Plans. – Provinces, cities, and 
7 
municipalities with existing land use plans shall review, revise, reconcile, and 
8 
harmonize their respective land use plans in accordance with the guidelines and 
9 
standards issued by the National Land Use Commission (NLUC) within one (1) 
10 
year form the effectivity of this Act. 
11 
SEC. 84.  Repealing Clause. – Sections 10 and 11 of R.A. No. 8435, 
12 
Sections 447 (a2vii) and 458 (a2viii) of R.A. No. 7160, the pertinent provisions of 
13 
Executive Order No. 648, Series of 1991, Executive Order No. 72, Series of 1993, 
14 
Executive Order No. 770, Series of 2008, Letter of Instruction No. 1350, Series of 
15 
1983, Presidential Proclamation No. 2282, Series of 1983 are hereby repealed, 
16 
amended or modified accordingly. 
17 
All other laws, orders issuance, rules and regulations inconsistent herewith 
18 
are repealed or modified accordingly. 
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82
SEC. 85.  Non-impairment Clause. – Nothing in this Act shall be construed 
1 
as to diminish or impair the rights recognized granted, or available to marginalized 
2 
or the basic sectors under existing laws. 
3 
SEC. 86.  Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act is declared 
4 
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provisions not affected thereby 
5 
shall remain in full force and effect. 
6 
SEC. 87.  Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
7 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
8 
Approved,  
9