TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
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SENATE 
S.B. No.
of IM: iJ; , ■!:
25 JUL 14 P3 :52
RHCEiVED BY:
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS
AN ACT
INSTITUTING A NATIONAL LAND USE AND MANAGEMENT POLICY, 
PROVIDING THE IMPLEMENTING MECHANISMS THEREFOR, AND FOR 
OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Land—its ownership, utilization, and distribution—is a socio-political object. 
Beyond its economic benefits, it also serves as a catalyst for social change and 
differentiation. Decisions regarding land use inevitably have social, political, and 
ecological consequences. With the population rising and land resources dwindling, 
land and resource conflicts are the consequent realities. Almost always, the poor and 
the landless are at the losing end of these conflicts.
This is further exacerbated by the climate-related disasters that the Philippines 
frequently experience. Climate change heavily impacts access to resources—food, 
shelter, and water needs are constantly under threat due to the onslaught of disasters 
hitting our archipelagic state. Once again, it is the most vulnerable who bear the 
heaviest burden of climate change.
Therefore, it is imperative to institutionalize the proper utilization and 
management of land resources in order to meet the present and future needs of the 
people—especially the poor and vulnerable—which include among others the need for 
healthy environment, sustainable agricultural production and food security, decent 
and affordable housing, jobs and industry. This can only be done through a regulatory 
framework that will ensure proper utilization of land with the express intent to meet 
the development needs of the population whilst ensuring that there is still enough for 
the generations yet to be born. Only a sound regulatory framework can protect our 
scarce resources from commercial pressures and development aggression.
In this regard, we are endorsing the adoption of the proposed National Land 
Use and Management Policy. It provides guidelines and criteria for land use based on 
the assessment of the development needs of various sectors in a participatory bottom- 
up top-bottom approach.


In particular, the bill provides for the:
1. Mechanism to harmonize conflicting land laws;
2. Adherence to the principle of sustainable development and just 
management, and utilization of natural resources;
3. Clear delineation of land use categories;
4. Protection of prime agricultural lands for food security and sufficiency;
5. Integration and institutionalizing people's participation in land use planning 
and applies the combined bottom-up top-bottom approach in land use 
planning;
6. National Physical Framework Plan which shall define the national strategy 
and objective of the country's urban, rural, and regional development;
7. Creation of the National Spatial Database Information and Mapping Inter- 
Agency Support System; and
8. Final determination and ground delineation of the country's permanent 
forest line and completion the Geohazard Mapping Program to effectively 
provide adequate and up to date information necessary for land use 
planning.
It is worthy of note that this bill is the result of a painstaking process of 
consultations and validation with and among different basic sectors such as farmers, 
fisherfolk, and the urban poor, and therefore is based on the felt needs and lived 
experiences of our fellow Filipinos whose lives are intertwined with land on which they 
live and work.
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of the bill is earnestly sought.
RISA HONTIVEROS U 
Senator


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TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
S.B. No.
)
)
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SENATE
569
of Hi' £. ■ .
25 JUL 14 P3 :52
Ki:CEiy£DBV;
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS
AN ACT
INSTITUTING A NATIONAL LAND USE AND MANAGEMENT POLICY, 
PROVIDING THE IMPLEMENTING MECHANISMS THEREFOR, AND FOR 
OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTORY PROVISIONS
Section 1. Title. - This Act shall be known and cited as the "National Land 
Use and Management Act of the Philippines."
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policies and Principles. - It is the policy of the State
to:
a. Provide for a rational, holistic and just allocation, utilization, 
management, and development of the country's land and water 
resources so that their use is consistent with the principles of equity, 
social justice, environmental integrity and sustainable development 
for the common good;
b. Hold owners and users of land responsible for developing and 
conserving their lands, thereby making these productive and 
supportive of sustainable development and environmental stability 
in accordance with the principle that the use of land bears a social 
function and that all economic agents shall contribute to the 
common good;
c. Treat groups of islands, including parts of islands, interconnecting 
waters and other natural features which are so closely interrelated.


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as forming an intrinsic geographicai, economic and political entity, 
or which historically have been regarded as such entity; and
d. Strengthen the capacity of the local government units (LGUs) to 
manage and maintain ecological balance within their territorial 
jurisdiction, in partnership with the national government in 
accordance with the Philippine Constitution and Republic Act No. 
7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991.
Towards these ends, the State shall institutionalize land use and physical planning 
as a mechanism for identifying, determining, and evaluating appropriate land use 
and allocation patterns that promote and ensure:
a) Maintenance and presen/ation of environmental integrity and 
stability;
b) Sustainable and just management and utilization of natural 
resources;
c) Disaster risk reduction and climate risk-based planning;
d) Protection of prime agricultural lands for food security, with 
emphasis on self-sufficiency through efficient and sustainable use 
of land resources consistent with the principles of sound agricultural 
development, natural resources development, and agrarian reform;
e) Protection and conservation of the country's natural heritage, 
permanent forestlands, natural forests, critical watersheds and key 
biodiversity areas to ensure adequate forest cover to maintain 
ecological processes in the country;
f) Sustainable development and management of water resources;
g) Settlements, transportation and other infrastructure development in 
support of inclusive growth and rural, urban and regional 
development;
h) Improved access to affordable housing by increasing its supply 
through direct allocation, better access to unutilized lands, and 
multiple use and higher densities, where appropriate;
I) Respect for and protection of the traditional resource right of the 
Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) to


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their ancestral domains; compliance with free and prior informed
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consent of ICCs/IPs; and recognition of customary laws and
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traditional resource use and management, knowledge, and
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practices in ancestral domains;
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j) Equitable access to land through State intervention that guarantees
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its affordability to the basic sectors;
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k) Energy security or energy self-sufficiency;
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I) Preservation and conservation of parks and protected areas to keep
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the scenery, the natural and historic objects, and the biodiversity
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therein in their natural state and prevent them from being damaged
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for purposes of public recreational use and enjoyment; and
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m) Meaningful participation of the basic sectors.
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Sec. 3. Scope. - This Act shall apply to all lands and all resources therein,
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whether public, private, government-owned and/or in the possession of any person,
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whether natural or juridical, and shall guide the rational, holistic and just allocation,
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utilization, development and management of the country's land and water resources
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including such activities that bear impact on said resources.
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Sec. 4. Definition of Terms. - For the purposes of this Act, the following
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terms shall be defined as follows:
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a) Agricultural land refers to the subclass of classified agricultural lands
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devoted to or suitable for the cultivation of the soil, planting of crops,
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growing of trees, raising of livestock, poultry, fish or aquaculture
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production, including the harvesting of such farm products and other
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farm activities and practices performed in conjunction with such
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farming operations, by persons whether natural or juridical, and not
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classified as residential land, commercial land or industrial land;
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b) Agricultural land use conversion refers to the undertaking of any
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development activity which modifies or alters the physical
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characteristics of agricultural lands to render them suitable for
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nonagricultural purposes under an approved order of conversion
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issued by the appropriate government agency;


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c) Alienable and disposable lands of the public domain refer to lands of 
the public domain which have been delineated, classified, and 
certified as such and available for disposition under Commonwealth 
Act No. 141, otherwise known as the Public Land Act, as amended;
d) Ancestral domains refer to all areas generally belonging to ICCs/IPs 
as defined in Republic Act No. 8371, otherwise known as the 
Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997;
e) Ancestral Domain Sustainable Development and Protection Plan 
(ADSDPP) refers to a plan formulated and pursued in accordance with 
the rights of ICCs/IPs to manage and develop the land as well as 
natural and human resources within their ancestral domains based 
on their indigenous knowledge systems and practices on the principle 
of self-determination;
f) Classified agricultural land refers to one of the four (4) classifications
of land under the Constitution not classified by law as mineral land, 
forestland or national park and the only land classification subject to 
alienation;
g) Coastal area/zone refers to a band of dry land and the adjacent ocean 
space (water and submerged land) in which terrestrial processes and 
uses directly affect oceanic processes and uses, and vice versa. Its 
geographic extent may include areas within a landward limit of one 
(1) kilometer from the shoreline at high tide to include mangrove 
swamps, brackish water ponds, nipa swamps, estuarine rivers, sandy 
beaches and other areas within a seaward limit of two hundred (200) 
meters isobath to include coral reefs, algal flats, seagrass beds, and 
other soft-bottom areas;
h) Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) refers to a document 
embodying a set of policies, accompanied by maps and similar 
illustrations that serve as a policy guide for determining the future 
use of lands and natural resources within the territorial jurisdiction of 
the LGUs. It represents the community-desired pattern of population 
distribution and proposes future allocation of land and resources to


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various activities. It includes the processes and criteria employed in 
such determination of allocation of land and resources. It is a plan 
for the long-term management of the local territory covering a period 
of minimum of ten (10) years, reviewable not earlier than every five 
(5) years based on the four (4) categories of land use planning 
provided in Section 6 of this Act;
i) Comprehensive land use planning refers to the act of defining the
allocation, utilization, development, and management of all lands 
within a given territory or jurisdiction according to the inherent 
characteristics of the land itself and supportive of sustainable, 
economic, demographic, sociocultural and environmental objectives 
as an aid to decision-making and legislation;
j) Critical watershed refers to watersheds or forestlands that have been
identified and evaluated to provide critical and vital natural, 
ecological, environmental and physical beneficial services such as 
water, biodiversity, energy, irrigation, social and cultural, among 
others, to a specific area or community and whose existing 
biophysical condition demands immediate rehabilitation, protection 
and management to prevent its further denudation, deterioration and 
exploitation;
k) Cultural heritage refers to the totality of cultural properties, whether 
natural or human-made, preserved and developed through time, and 
passed on for posterity;
l) Customary laws refer to a body of written and/or unwritten rules,
usages, customs and practices traditionally and continually 
recognized, accepted, and observed by respective ICCs/IPs 
consistent with the IPRA;
m) Danger zones ref&c to areas with high level of threat to the lives and 
well-being of people that cannot be addressed through scientific, 
physical and engineering methods, and are therefore not suitable for 
settlement and permanent structures. Areas can only be declared as


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danger zones after conducting proper technical studies and public 
consultations with affected families;
n) Development plan refers to a document that defines the activities and 
measures that the national government or LGUs intend to implement 
over a specified period of time in order to achieve the defined set of 
development goals identified in the national or local physical 
framework plans. It integrates socioeconomic, financial, fiscal, legal 
and legislative, institutional and sectoral plans of the national 
government or any of its instrumentality or a particular LGU, 
consistent with the objectives identified in spatial plans such as land 
use plans or physical framework plans. It may include an analysis of 
problems and resources, definition of goals and objectives, policy 
guidelines, project and target achievements, and an implementation 
mechanism which defines the roles and contributions expected from 
the government and the private sector;
o) Disaster-prone areas or geo-hazard areas refer to areas frequented 
by and/or vulnerable to experience weather, climatic, hydrologic, 
geologic, and other natural disturbances or calamities;
p) Disaster risk reduction refers to the concept and practice of reducing 
disaster risks through systematic efforts to analyze and manage the 
causal factors of disasters, including reduced exposure to hazards, 
lessened vulnerability of people and property, wise management of 
land and the environment, and improved preparedness for adverse 
events;
q) Ecologically-fraglle lands refer to lands within critical watersheds, 
brackish and freshwater wetlands, pasture lands, inland rivers and 
waterways, coastal and settlement areas, and croplands which 
require rehabilitation, protection and whose continued unsustainable 
use would result in physical risks and threats to life and property, 
public health and safety, as well as adversely affect the productivity 
of lowland agricultural areas and stability of the upland system;


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r) Ecotourism refers to a form of sustainable tourism within a natural
and/or cultural heritage area where community participation, 
protection and management of natural resources, culture and 
indigenous knowledge and practices, environmental education and 
ethics, as well as economic benefits are fostered and pursued for the 
enrichment of host community and satisfaction of visitors;
s) Energy resources refer to surface or subsurface substances that serve 
as energy sources. These are traditionally mineral fuel deposits such 
as coal, petroleum, natural gas or renewable resources from 
geothermal, hydro reservoirs, or nonconventional sources including 
ocean waves, solar, wind, biomass, and other similar resources which 
serve the same purpose;
t) Energy resource lands refer to lands where naturally occurring or
indigenous energy resources exist in sufficient quantity and/or quality 
as to be economically viable for exploration, development, 
production, utilization, and distribution purposes;
u) Environmentally-critical areas refer to areas declared by law as (i) 
areas for natural parks, watershed resen/es, wildlife preserves, and 
sanctuaries; (ii) areas set aside for aesthetic and visual value; (iii) 
areas that constitute the habitat for any endangered or threatened 
species of indigenous Philippine wildlife, both flora and fauna; (iv) 
areas of unique historic, archaeological, or scientific interests; (v) 
areas that are traditionally occupied by ICCs/IPs; (vi) areas with 
critical slopes; (vii) areas frequented and/or hard hit by natural 
calamities such as, but not limited to, geologic hazards, floods, 
typhoons and volcanic activities; (viii) recharge areas of aquifers; (ix) 
mangrove areas; (x) coral reefs; (xi) mossy and virgin forests; (xii) 
rivers and riverbanks; (xiii) swamp forest and marshlands; (xiv) 
foreshore lands; (xv) protected areas pursuant to Republic Act No. 
7586 or the NIPAS Act of 1992; and (xvi) areas set aside as aesthetic 
potential tourist spots. This term shall also include other terrestrial, 
aquatic and marine areas that need special protection and


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conservation measures because they are ecologically fragile or they 
are needed for food security and food self-sufficiency as determined 
by concerned agencies and LGUs in consultation with the concerned 
stakeholders;
v) Exhausted mineral resources refer to a situation where the mineral 
resources in specific sites are no longer in sufficient quantity or 
quality to justify additional expenditure for extraction or utilization;
w) Flood plain refers to the portion of a river valley adjacent to a river 
channel which is covered with water when the river overflows its 
banks at flood stages, and which usually consists of silt deposited by 
the stream;
x) Flood-prone areas refer to low lying areas usually adjacent to large or 
active water bodies and which therefore experience regular or 
seasonal inundation as a result of changes in the mean water level 
of these bodies or because of land reclamation and other artificial 
interference with the natural processes;
y) Food security refers to the policy objective of meeting the food 
availability, accessibility, and affordability requirements of the 
present and future generations of Filipinos in a sustainable manner, 
through local production or importation in cases of shortage based 
on a micro level situation, or both, and taking into account the 
country's existing and potential resource endowments and related 
production advantages, and consistent with the overall national 
development objectives and policies;
z) Food self-sufficiency refers to the policy objective of meeting the food 
requirements through intensive local food production in a sustainable 
manner based on the country's existing and potential resources and 
related production advantages;
aa) Foreshore land refers to a string of land margining a body of water, 
the part of a seashore between the low-water line usually at the 
seaward margin of a low tide terrace and the upper limit of wave 
wash at high tide often marked by a beach scarp or berm;


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bb) Forest refers to an ecosystem or an assemblage of ecosystems 
dominated by trees and other woody vegetation; a community of 
plants and animals interacting with one another and its physical 
environment;
cc) Forestlands refer to one of the four (4) classifications of land under 
the Constitution under the public domain classified and/or 
determined as suitable for forest purposes not classified as mineral 
land, national park and classified agricultural land. These include all 
permanent forest, forest reserves, forest reservations, and all the 
remaining unclassified lands of the public domain; 
dd) Forest Land Use Plan (FLUP) refers to the allocation of forestlands 
into their appropriate uses consistent with existing biophysical 
conditions such as topography, soil type, land use, climate, water 
sources and socioeconomic, cultural and political realities. Forestland 
use planning should be able to delineate protection and production 
forests;
ee) Forestland subclassification refers to the process of determining the 
most appropriate and sustainable use of forestlands primarily as 
protection forest and production forest. They may be further 
subclassified as grazing/pasture land, recreational areas and other 
uses, taking into account ecological, social and economic 
considerations;
ff) Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) means the consensus of all 
members of the ICCs/IPs to be determined in accordance with their 
respective customary laws and practices, free from any external 
manipulation, interference and coercion, and obtained after fully 
disclosing the intent and scope of the activity, in a language and 
process understandable to the community; 
gg) Geo-hazards refer to nature and human-induced geological 
processes that have potential to cause destruction and which pose a 
threat or risk to a person's life and property. These may include, but 
are not limited to, ground, water and weather-related conditions.


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volcanic and earthquake induced hazards such as ground shaking, 
ground rupture, earthquake-induced landslides, liquefaction and 
tsunami;
hh) Indigenous Cuiturai Communities/Indigenous Peopies (ICCs/IPs) 
refer to groups of people or homogenous societies identified by self­
ascription and ascription by others, who have continuously lived as 
organized community on communally bounded and defined territory, 
and who have, under claims of ownership since time immemorial, 
occupied, possessed and utilized such territories, sharing common 
bonds of language, customs, traditions and other distinctive cultural 
traits, or who have, through resistance to political, social and cultural 
inroads of colonization, nonindigenous religions and cultures, became 
historically differentiated from the majority of Filipinos. ICCs/IPs shall 
likewise include peoples who are regarded as indigenous on account 
of their descent from the populations which inhabited the country, at 
the time of conquest or colonization, or at the time of inroads of 
nonindigenous religions and cultures, or the establishment of present 
State boundaries, who retain some or all of their own social, 
economic, cultural and political institutions, but who may have been 
displaced from their traditional domains or who may have resettled 
outside their ancestral domains;
ii) Iniand waters refer to waters, which are not coastal and marine 
waters, and not subject to acquisitive prescription consistent with the 
provisions of Presidential Decree No. 1067 or the Water Code of the 
Philippines;
jj) Integrated watershed management refers to a planning strategy or 
program for watershed areas that complement environmentally- 
sound soil and water management practices with mechanisms for 
ensuring greater responsibility, involvement, or participation of 
individuals, groups, communities and other stakeholders benefiting 
from these areas and water-related infrastructure;
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kk) Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) represent the most important sites for 
biodiversity conservation worldwide. These are places of international 
importance for the conservation of biodiversity through protected 
areas and other governance mechanisms. They are identified 
nationally using simple, standard criteria, based on their importance 
in maintaining species populations;
II) Land refers to resources, both artificial and natural, found on the 
surface, below, and above the ground including inland waters and 
the air therein;
mm) Land subclassification refers to the act of determining and assigning 
specific uses of classified lands such as forestlands, classified 
agricultural lands, mineral lands and national parks in accordance 
with existing laws and this Act;
nn) Land use refers to the manner of allocation, utilization, management 
and development of land;
00) Land use classification refers to the act of delineating or allocating 
lands according to protection land use, production land use, 
settlements development and infrastructure development as defined 
and provided for in this Act;
pp) Mandatory public hearings/consultations refer to the mechanism to 
ensure the involvement of concerned stakeholders and communities 
in land use planning, from the barangay to the national level, to 
ensure the social acceptability of the plans. It should involve giving 
notice of hearing/consultation to concerned stakeholders through 
publication or posting in conspicuous places, conduct of a reasonable 
number of hearings, solicitation of positions to arrive at a consensus. 
Public presentation and validation of the planning results shall also 
be undertaken before the final adoption of the plans;
qq) Marine Protected Area (MPA) refers to a defined area of the sea 
established and set aside by law, administrative reguiation or any 
other effective means in order to conserve and protect a part of or 
the entire enclosed environment, through the establishment of
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management guidelines. It includes all declared areas governed by 
specific rules or guidelines in order to protect and manage activities 
within the enclosed area;
rr) Mineral exploration refers to the systematic searching or prospecting 
for mineral resources including energy resources;
ss) Mineral lands refer to lands of the public domain, excluding those in 
permanent forestlands and protection lands, where mineral resources 
are found in sufficient quantity and quality for extraction, 
development, and utilization;
tt) Multiple use of land resources refers to the utilization or management 
strategy for any land which allows any activity involving one or more 
of its resources, depending on the result of prior evaluation on its 
numerous beneficial use, that will produce the optimum benefits to 
the development and progress of the country and the public welfare 
without impairment or with the least injury to its other resources;
uu) Municipal waters include not only streams, lakes, inland bodies of 
water and tidal waters within the municipality which are not included 
within the protected areas as defined under Republic Act No. 7586 of 
the National Integrated Protected Areas System or the NIPAS Act of 
1992, public forest, timberlands, forest reserves or fishery reserves, 
but also marine waters included between two (2) lines drawn 
perpendicular to the general coastline from points where the 
boundary lines of the municipality touch the sea at low tide and a 
third line parallel with the general coastline including offshore islands 
and fifteen (15) kilometers from such coastline. Where the territory 
of a municipality includes several islands, the outermost points of 
such islands shall be used as base points and connected by 
archipelagic baselines, irrespective of the lengths of such baselines 
from the main coastlines. Where two (2) municipalities are situated 
on opposite shores that there is less than thirty (30) kilometers of 
marine waters between them, the third line shall be equally distant 
from opposite shore of the respective municipalities;
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w) National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) refers to the 
classification and administration of all designated protected areas to 
maintain essential ecological processes and life-support systems, to 
presen/e genetic diversity, to ensure sustainable use of resources 
found therein, and to maintain their natural conditions to the greatest 
extent possible;
ww) National Land Use Policy Council (NLUPC) refers to the 
administrative, policy-making, and regulatory body created under this 
Act;
xx) National park refers to forest reservation essentially of natural 
wilderness character which has been withdrawn from settlement, 
occupancy or any form of exploitation except in conformity with 
approved management plan and set aside as such exclusively to 
conserve the area or preserve the scenery, natural and historic 
objects, wild animals and plants therein and to provide enjoyment of 
these features in such areas. It shall also refer to lands and waters 
of the public domain classified as such in the 1987 Constitution which 
include all areas under the NIPAS pursuant to the NIPAS Act of 1992, 
primarily designated for the conservation of native plants and animals 
and associated habitats and cultural diversity;
yy) Network of Protected Areas for Agriculture and Agro-industrial 
Development (NPAAAD) refers to agricultural areas identified by the 
Department of Agriculture (DA) through the Bureau of Soils and 
Water Management (BSWM), in coordination with the National 
Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA), in order to 
ensure the efficient utilization of land for agriculture and agro­
industrial development and promote sustainable growth. The 
NPAAAD covers all irrigated areas; ail irrigable lands already covered 
by irrigation projects; all alluvial plains; lands highly suitable for 
agriculture whether irrigated or not; agro-industrial croplands or 
lands planted to industrial crops that support the validity of existing 
agricultural infrastructure and agro-based enterprises; highlands or
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areas located at an elevation of five hundred (500) meters or above 
and have the potential for growing semi-temperate and high value 
crops; all agricultural lands that are ecologically fragile, the 
conversion of which will result in serious environmental degradation; 
and all mangrove areas and fish sanctuaries;
zz) Permanent forests or forest reserves refer to lands of the private or 
public domain which have been identified and determined to be 
needed for protection, conservation, preservation and management 
as forests and shall be reserved, conserved and protected into 
perpetuity for such purpose;
aaa) Permanent forestlands refer to forestlands, within public lands, that 
have been identified, determined and demarcated on the ground by 
the State to serve such purpose and shall be protected, conserved, 
preserved, maintained and managed as forestlands free from any 
form of utilization, exploitation or development, and reserved 
permanently as such for the benefit and use of future generations;
bbb) Physical framework plans refer to the national, regional or 
provincial indicative plans that outline the overall and macro-level 
physical development objectives, priorities, directions and strategies 
in its respective levels as prepared, reviewed, integrated and finalized 
by the national, regional and provincial land use councils/boards, 
respectively, based on the CLUPs of the LGUs and the national policy 
guidelines relating to land use and environmental management to 
prevent or mitigate the adverse effects of inappropriate resource 
utilization on food security, the people's welfare, and their 
environment;
ccc) Premature or illegal conversion refers to any activity that modifies 
or alters the physical characteristics of agricultural lands to render 
them suitable for nonagricultural purposes without an approved order 
of conversion from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) 
Secretary;
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ddd) Prime agricultural lands refer to all contiguous irrigated areas and 
irrigable lands already covered by irrigation projects; all alluvial plain 
lands highly suitable for agriculture, whether irrigated or not, that 
have been identified to satisfy the country's needs for food self- 
sufficiency and security; agro-industrial croplands or lands presently 
planted and suitable to industrial and high value crops; highlands, or 
areas located at elevation of five hundred (500) meters or above and 
have the potential for growing semi-temperature and high value 
crops outside of declared permanent forestlands and protection 
forests and not located in ecologically-fragile and environmentally- 
critical areas;
eee) Production forest refers to forestland located in production lands 
managed primarily for the production of timber and other tree 
products;
fff) Production land use refers to the direct and indirect utilization of land 
to generate outputs resulting from the following activities: 
agricultural, fish farming or aquaculture, timber or agro-forestry, 
grazing and pasture, mining, indigenous energy resource 
development, industry, and tourism;
ggg) Protected areas refer to portions of land and water set aside by 
reason of their unique physical and biological significance, managed 
to enhance biological diversity, and protected against human 
exploitation. For purposes of this Act, these shall also include all 
natural forests and agricultural lands identified and delineated under 
this Act;
hhh) Protection forests refer to forests and forestlands, in both public 
and private lands, that have been identified and determined by the 
State for the beneficial use of present and future generations and 
shall be preserved, conserved, protected and maintained as such free 
from any form of utilization, exploitation or development;
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iii) Protection land use refers to the use of land primarily reserved for 
rehabilitation, conservation, and protection purposes and the 
promotion of the country's ecological and life-support systems;
jjj) Public domain refers to lands belonging to the State which may be 
classified as agricultural, forest or timber, mineral, or national park 
as provided for in the Constitution;
kkk) Reciassification of agricultural lands refer to the act of specifying 
how agricultural lands shall be utilized for nonagricultural uses such 
as for residential, industrial, or commercial purposes, through the 
local planning and zoning processes, pursuant to the Local 
Government Code of 1991, and subject to the requirements and 
procedures for conversion;
III) Resettlement sites refer X.0 areas identified by the appropriate national 
agency or by the LGU, with respect to areas within its jurisdiction, 
which shall be used for the relocation of the underprivileged and 
homeless, as defined under Republic Act No. 7279 or the Urban 
Development and Housing Act (UDHA);
mmm) Restoration refers to returning forestland to its original forested 
state in terms of species' composition, structure, function and 
productivity;
nnn) Restoration zones refer to forest areas where activities are 
conducted to restore its forested state;
ooo) River basin refers to the horizontal projection of area from which a 
river and its tributaries receive surface water originating from 
precipitation;
ppp) Settlements refer to communities or built-up environment areas 
where people prefer to live in;
qqq) Settlements development refers to any improvement on existing 
settlements or any proposed development of certain areas for 
settlement purposes. It also involves the spatial distribution of 
population, identification of the roles and functions of key urban 
centers, determination of relationships among settlement areas, and
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the provision of basic services and facilities of identified major 
settlement areas or growth centers;
rrr) Shoreline refers to a strip of land covering at least one (1) kilometer 
from the point where seawater reaches during the highest high tide;
sss) Spatial data infrastructure refers to a system consisting of spatial 
data, technology, policies, practices, relationships, people and 
resources necessary to acquire, process, store and distribute spatial 
information to improve sharing and use throughout all levels of the 
government and private sector, among others, which shall be 
operationalized through electronic system that provides access to a 
network of spatial data sources and users and shall serve as the 
official linkage of the government to international and regional spatial 
data infrastructure;
ttt) Socialized housing refers to housing programs and projects covering 
homelots, houses and lots, or low-rise to medium-rise buildings, or 
high density housing projects undertaken by the government or the 
private sector for the underprivileged and homeless citizens which 
shall include sites and sen/ices development, long-term financing, 
direct subsidy programs, liberalized terms on interest payments, and 
such other benefits in accordance with the UDHA and Batas 
Pambansa Big. 220;
uuu) Socialized housing sites refer to lands identified and designated by 
LGUs as sites for socialized housing pursuant to Article IV of the 
UDHA and its implementing guidelines;
vw) Strategic Agriculture and Fisheries Development Zones (SAFDZs) 
refer to areas within the NPAAAD identified for production, agro­
processing and marketing activities to help develop and modernize, 
with the support of government, the agriculture and fisheries sectors 
in an environmentally and socioculturally sound manner;
WWW) Subclassification or reclassification of agricultural lands refers to 
the process undertaken by the LGUs of allocating declared 
agricultural lands in their respective territorial jurisdictions to specific
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uses such as residential, industrial or commercial purposes and may 
be used as a basis for application for land conversion by the owners 
thereof;
xxx) Sustainable development refers to the development objective of 
meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising 
the ability of future generations to meet their own needs consistent 
with the principles of social equity, efficiency, and environmental 
integrity;
yyy) Sustainable traditional resource rights refer to the rights of ICCs/IPs 
to sustainably use, manage, protect and conserve: (1) land, air, 
water, and minerals; (2) plants, animals and other organisms; (3) 
collecting, fishing and hunting grounds; (4) sacred sites; and (5) 
other areas of economic, ceremonial and aesthetic value in 
accordance with their indigenous knowledge, beliefs, systems and 
practices;
zzz) Tourism development areas refer to specific sites for tourism 
development located in areas identified as priorities in the national 
and regional tourism master plans as well as those designated 
through legislative and executive issuances as tourist spots and 
tourist zones which can be developed into tourism estates or 
integrated resort, leisure, recreation complexes, and other tourism- 
related facilities;
aaaa) Tourism ecozone refers to tourism development areas, outside 
protection lands, which have been granted Special Economic Zone 
status, through the Philippine Export Zone Authority (PEZA) 
registration and issuance of the required Presidential Proclamation, 
with its metes and bounds delineated by said Proclamation, pursuant 
to Republic Act No. 7916 or the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995 
(SEZA), as amended;
bbbb) Tourism estates refer to large tracts of land with well-defined 
boundaries in any area, excluding those in protection lands, identified 
in the Philippine tourism master plan and regional tourism master
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plan, by proclamation of the President of the Philippines and/or by 
acts of Congress and/or by local legislation and declared suited for 
the development of an integrated tourism and resort complex with 
prescribed carrying capacities and limits for its facilities and activities; 
cccc) Tourist spot refers to a particular area/site/spot, man-made or 
natural, known for its unique tourist/visitor-drawing attributes and 
activities and which may be classified according to its social, cultural, 
natural, historical, aesthetic, visual, scientific, religious, and 
recreational significance;
dddd) Tourist zone refers to a geographic area with well-defined 
boundaries proclaimed as such by the President of the Philippines 
and/or by acts of Congress. No development projects for any purpose 
shall be initiated and introduced within the zone prior to the 
formulation of a tourism master development plan which shall be 
undertaken in coordination with the Department of Tourism (DOT) 
and the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority 
(TIEZA). A tourist zone is established for the enhancement and/or 
the conservation of cultural and historical heritage and for the 
appreciation and enjoyment of the local population and its visitors; 
eeee) Urban areas refer to all cities regardless of their population density 
and to municipalities with a population density of at least five 
hundred (500) persons per square kilometer; 
ffff) Urbanizabie areas refer to sites and lands which, considering present 
characteristics and prevailing conditions, display marked and great 
potential of becoming urban areas within a period of five (5) years; 
9999) Urban forestry or green space refers to the establishment or 
setting-up of areas for mini-forests, ecoparks or small nature parks, 
in both public and private lands: wetlands, man-made lagoons and 
lakes systems, riverbanks and shores, grasslands, roof and rock 
gardens: lining roads and highways with trees, shrubs, or ornamental 
plants, and ground landscaping of schools, hospitals, and other
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government agencies in order to improve the environment in urban 
areas;
hhhh) Water security refers to the sufficient access throughout the year 
to the minimum daily requirement of clean water to maintain a 
healthy life;
iiii) Water use refers to the appropriation of water for domestic, 
municipal, irrigation, power generation, inland fisheries, poultry and 
livestock, industrial and commercial, environmental, and recreational 
use;
jjjj) Watershed refers to a topographically delineated area of land from 
which rainwater can drain as surface runoff vis-a-visa specific stream 
or river system to a common outlet point which may be a dam, 
irrigation system or urban water supply take-off point, or where the 
stream discharges into a river, lake, or the sea;
kkkk) Zoning refers to the regulatory tool for delineating the specific land 
uses in accordance with the approved CLUP within the territorial 
jurisdiction of a city/municipality and specifying the conditions for 
their regulation, subject to the limitations imposed by law and 
competent authority; and
IIII) Zoning ordinance refers to a local law passed by the Sangguniang 
Bayan or Sangguniang Panlungsod approving the development 
control/zoning plan in accordance with an approved or adopted CLUP 
of the city/municipality, providing for the regulations and other 
conditions on the land uses including the limitation on the 
infrastructure that may be piaced within the city's/municipality's 
territorial jurisdiction. It incorporates the protected areas, protected 
agricultural lands and ancestral lands as provided for in this Act.
CHAPTER II
FRAMEWORK FOR LAND USE PLANNING
Sec. 5. Basic Land Use Considerations. - Various land uses as categorized
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in the succeeding section shall be determined in a manner that promotes the policies
2 
and principles defined in Section 2 of this Act and shall consider the following elements
3 
of the framework therefor, among others:
4 
a) Protection land use category as defined in Section 6 shall prevail over
5 
existing production land use category. The State shall undertake the
6 
necessary action in changing the classification of these production
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areas;
8 
b) Preservation, 
conservation, rehabilitation and protection to
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perpetuity of permanent forestlands, critical watersheds, key
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biodiversity areas, environmentally-critical and ecologically-fragile
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areas and prime agricultural lands from any other land use,
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conversion, disposition, intrusion, utilization and development aside
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from their determined use and limits;
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c) Protection of natural forests and natural resources ensures
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environmental stability, conserve biological diversity, improve
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ecosystem functions and provide long-term ecological and economic
17 
benefits. Designated restoration areas are designed to revive the
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ecosystem functions and services of forests as well as improve the
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economic and ecological benefits of local communities;
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d) Protection of forest and wetlands from infrastructure development to
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preserve the ecological services they provide which are essential to
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economic development. These activities include, but not limited to,
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river channelization and dredging, large-scale irrigation and river
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diversions which reduce riverine habitat and alter flood patterns and
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natural flow regimes, reduce downstream water availability for
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agriculture and contribute to salinization through saltwater intrusion
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in coastal areas;
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e) Resolution of land use conflicts which are life-threatening or
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threatening to public safety, sustainability of key production
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resources or employment activities and the delivery of basic services
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which are harmful or destructive to protected areas, flora and fauna,
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and other protected natural resources. Greater consideration shall
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be given to the human and tenurial rights of vulnerable groups in
2 
resolving land use conflicts;
3 
f) Identification of geo-hazard prone areas and high risk/danger zones
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and corresponding risk reduction measures to ensure the
5 
prioritization of life and safety: Provided, That specifically identified
6 
and assessed as extremely hazardous and high-risk/danger zones
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shall be similarly protected and cleared from all forms of human-
8 
made obstacles, obstructions and instructions to ensure and secure
9 
public health and safety;
10 
g) Respect for existing customary rights and traditional land uses of
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ICCs/IPs;
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h) Identification of settlement areas to check the demand for land and
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establish the location of employment-generating industries and basic
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services; and
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i) The availability of natural resources including indigenous energy
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resources for energy security and self-sufficiency. However,
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infrastructure energy projects such as dams with large reservoirs in
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natural ecosystems shall not be allowed if it would interrupt the
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connectivity of river systems, disrupt fish spawning and migration,
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and alter seasonal flood regimes.
21 
Sec. 6. Categories of Land Uses for Planning Purpose. - In determining and
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defining the national, regional and provincial framework plans, and CLUPs, land uses
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shall be grouped into four (4) major functional uses as follows:
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a) Protection Land Use refers to the use of land primarily for
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rehabilitation, conservation, and protection purposes and the
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promotion of the country's ecological and life-support systems.
27 
Planning for protection land use intends to achieve environmental
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stability and ecological integrity, ensure a balance between resource
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use and the preservation of some areas with environmental,
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aesthetic, educational, cultural and historical significance, aid and
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protect people and human-made structures from the ill-effects of
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natural hazards.
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Areas under this category are those covered by the NIPAS Act of 1992 
and other coastal and marine protected areas; areas outside NIPAS, 
which include, but are not limited to:
a. Natural and restored forests, which consist of:
i. All existing areas within forestland containing primary 
and secondary forests of whatever types of species;
ii. All existing areas within forestland containing secondary 
growth or residual forests of whatever type or specie;
iii. Areas identified as KBAs;
iv. Restoration areas;
V. All mangrove forests;
vi. All easement areas as defined by Presidential Decree 
No. 1067, otherwise known as the Water Code of the 
Philippines; and
vii. All other areas that would be deemed appropriate for 
protection, as designated by the Department of 
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), subject to 
the approval of the National Land Use Policy Council 
(NLUPC), created pursuant to Section 55 hereof;
b. Rehabilitated and/or reforested degraded mining areas;
c. Critical ecosystems for protection, such as:
Coral reefs;
Marshes and wetlands;
Lakes and rivers; 
iv. Caves; and 
V. Waterfalls;
d. Disaster-prone areas that include areas subject to, or may be 
subject to:
Recurrent flooding;
Liquefaction;
Tsunamis-, 
iv. Storm surges;
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V. Polar vortex;
vi. Mass wasting;
vii. Volcanic eruption;
viii. Direct impact of seismic activity;
ix. Other disasters caused by climatic conditions; and
X. Other areas that pose a high degree of hazard to human 
occupation and activity;
e. Critical watershed areas;
f. Marine protected areas;
g. All prime agricultural lands as defined under this Act;
h. Ecologically-fragile and environmentally-critical areas whose 
conversion will result to serious environmental problems and 
threats to public health and safety;
i. 
Natural and human-made areas/sites of cultural, historical and 
anthropological significance, which are declared as such by 
internationally-recognized institutions; and
j. All other areas not included and declared as production areas 
shall become protection areas.
b) Production Land Use refers to the most efficient, sustainable, and 
equitable utilization, development and management of land for 
productive purposes which are not classified for protection land use 
as defined in this section. Areas included in this category are 
agricultural lands, coastal and marine zones, production forests, 
mineral lands, energy resource lands, industrial and tourism 
development areas where productive activities could be undertaken 
to meet the country's requirements for economic growth and 
development. Production land use shall comprise of, but shall not be 
limited to:
a. Other agricultural lands not identified as prime agricultural 
lands. They shall consist of, but shall not be limited to:
i. Lands whose soils are suitable for agricultural 
development;
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ii. All alluvial plain lands that are suitable for 
agricultural production and/or can be devoted to 
food production;
Hi. All lands that are traditional sources of staple food;
iv. All croplands required to attain a certain scale of 
production to sustain the economic viability of 
existing agro-based industries in the municipality, 
city or province; and
V. All lands in areas not highly prone to natural hazards 
that are suitable for the production of tree crops and 
other cash crops;
b. Coastal, inland water and marine zones, such as fishponds;
c. Production forests, such as:
i. 
All areas within forestland not classified as protection 
forests under Section 6(a) and shall be devoted to 
the production of timber and/or non-forest products 
or the establishment of industrial tree plantations, 
tree farms, woodlots, agro-forestry, or as multiple- 
use forests;
ii. 
All areas within forestlands considered as rangelands 
for grazing purposes; and
Hi. All areas within forestlands managed under the 
community-based forest management in areas not 
classified as protection forests;
d. Rangelands for grazing;
e. Industrial development areas; and
f. Tourism development areas, including potential small islands 
for similar purposes.
c) Settlements and Institutional Land Use refers to the use of urban and 
rural lands for settlements development purposes and/or 
improvement on existing settlements involving the spatial distribution 
of population, identification of the roles and functions of key urban
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centers, determination of relationships among settlement areas, and
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the provision of basic services and facilities to such settlements.
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It shall also include lands identified for institutional uses such as
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educational, administrative, government, law enforcement, health
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care and social services. Settlements and institutional land uses
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aim to ensure for the present and future generation the: (1)
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effective integration of activities within and among settlements,
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allowing efficient movement of people and production of
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commodities through the provision of appropriate land,
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infrastructure, and facilities; and (2) access of the population to
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housing, education, health care, recreation, transportation and
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communication, sanitation, and basic utilities such as water,
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power, waste disposal, and other services.
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d) Infrastructure Land Use refers to the use of land dedicated to the
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provision of basic services that foster economic and other forms of
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integration necessary for producing or obtaining the material
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requirements of Filipinos, in an efficient, responsive, safe and
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ecologicaily friendiy built environment. It includes, among others,
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subsectors like: road networks, transportation and communication
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facilities, social services, environmental service facilities, and
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utilities.
22 
Provided, That the determination of the functional uses of lands within ancestral
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domains should be consistent with the land use categories provided for in this Act:
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Provided, further. That other subcategories of land uses in delineated ancestral
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domains may be formulated by the concerned ICCs/IPs themselves in accordance with
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their particular needs and traditional resource and management systems.
27 
Sec. 7. Land Use Pians for AncestraiDomains. - Land use plans for ancestral
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domains shall be formulated by the ICCs/IPs themselves in accordance with their
29 
particular needs and traditional resource and management systems with the
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assistance of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), the LGUs and
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civil society organizations (CSOs) concerned. Such plans shall be recognized and
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adopted in the barangay, city/municipal, provincial, regional and national physical
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framework plans.
Physical framework plans made prior to the delineation of ancestral domains included 
in such plans or ordinances shall, without prejudice to the rights of the ICCs/IPs 
concerned, adopt different land use categories in accordance with their particular 
needs and traditional resource and management systems.
In cases where there are no ADSDPPs, the LGU and the ICCs/IPs shall jointly formulate 
the land use plan within the ancestral domain until such time that the ICCs/IPs have 
formulated their ADSDPPs.
Sec. 8. Adoption of Multiple Uses of Land. - The primary and alternative uses 
of a specific land resource shall be determined and evaluated by the respective local 
land use boards prior to any decision for the assignment of its use. Areas feasible for 
sustainable land resource use may be considered multiple-use zones wherein 
settlements, tourism, agriculture, agro-forestry and extraction activities and other 
income-generating or livelihood activities may be allowed except areas under 
protection land use: Provided, That multiple uses of land resources shall be in 
accordance with priorities in land use allocation identified in the approved physical 
framework and land use plans wherein such multiple uses are compatible with the 
original land use and planning, and that no reclassification shall be allowed; Provided, 
further. That, where there are vested rights, titles, and claims prior to the enactment 
of this Act over the areas feasible for sustainable land resource use, the same shall be 
respected.
CHAPTER III
SPECIAL AREAS OF CONCERN
ARTICLE 1. LAND USE CLASSIFICATION
Sec. 9. Review of Land Use Classification. - The NLUPC shall review and 
assess the current land use classification system and definitions used in the country 
to ensure that it reflects the actual use of lands in the country.
The Land Management Bureau (LMB) shall provide the necessary technical information
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and conduct the needed assessment of the status of the existing land use classification 
and shall submit an assessment report to the NLUPC not later than ninety (90) days 
from the establishment of the latter.
Sec. 10. Consideration of Assessment Report. - Upon validation and 
affirmation by local land use boards, the land use classification assessment report 
submitted by the LMB shall be taken into consideration by the NLUPC in the 
formulation of its planning guidelines.
ARTICLE 2. NIPAS AREAS
Sec. 11. Integrated Management Strategy. - For more effective planning, 
management, and protection of protected areas at the provincial and municipal/city 
levels, the Protected Area Management Plan (PAMP) referred to in the NIPAS Law shall 
be incorporated in the Provincial Physical Framework Plan (PPFP) and CLUPs, if 
applicable, wherein protected area zoning shall be reflected.
ARTICLE 3. AGRICULTURAL LANDS
Sec. 12. Priority Areas for Agricuiturai Development - Priority areas for 
agricultural development are the areas distributed under agrarian reform, areas that 
can be covered by the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), and the 
NPAAAD. The mapping of the NPAAAD under the Agriculture and Fisheries 
Modernization Act (AFMA) shall be completed not later than one (1) year from the 
effectivity of this Act.
Sec. 13. Conversion of Agricultural Lands. - All lands considered and identified 
as prime agricultural lands shall be maintained, managed and protected for agricultural 
use and shall not be subjected to any form of conversion or reclassification.
All other agricultural lands not identified as prime agricultural lands can only be 
converted to nonagricultural uses upon issuance of a DAR conversion order: Provided, 
That such conversion shall not drastically change the nature of the overall land uses 
in the surrounding and adjacent areas from its existing land use: Provided, further.
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That consistent with the State policy on giving priority to the completion of the CARP, 
those lands covered under compulsory acquisition/voluntary offer to sell, production 
or profit-sharing subject to CARP shall also be protected from conversion pending the 
distribution and/or installation of the farmer beneficiaries: Provided, finally, That 
pending the completion of mapping activities of the specific areas under the NPAAAD 
and the SAFDZs under the AFMA and their incorporation in the National Physical 
Framework Plan (NPFP), the application for conversion of these areas shall not be 
given due course by the appropriate government agency.
ARTICLE 4. ANCESTRAL DOMAIN
Sec. 14. Priority Areas for Agricultural Development Within Ancestral 
Domain. — Agricultural lands within ancestral domain shall be developed in accordance 
with their ADSDPP.
Sec. 15. Respect for Ancestral Domains. - The Ancestral Domain 
Management Plan (ADMP) or ADSDPP shall be adopted in the CLUP and/or other plans 
that the LGU is mandated to produce. The extent of the ancestral domains shall be 
reflected in the land use plan and shall be zoned as such in the zoning ordinance. It 
shall be co-managed by the LGU and IP community. Additionally, the ADSDPP shall be 
included in the investment plans of the LGU.
Sec. 16. Ancestral Domain Policy Adoption. - Ancestral domain policies 
shall be adopted in the LGU's land use policy framework. However, in the event that 
the ADMP/ADSDPP is still in the formulation stage or remains to be formulated, the 
right to self-determination and traditional resource and management systems and 
processes shall be upheld at all times as provided for by the IPRA of 1997.
ARTICLE 5. FORESTLANDS AND RESERVATION OF WATERSHED
Sec. 17. Permanent Forestlands. - All forestlands are classified as forest or 
timberlands. Titles, settlements, permits, leases, and/or agreements within critical 
habitats, critical watershed areas, protected areas and KBAs shall be reviewed, and 
their legality affirmed. All erroneous titles, settlements, permits, leases, and/or
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agreements within permanent forestlands shall be cancelled or revoked in due course.
2 
Noncompliance with and violations of these instruments shall be grounds for their
3 
cancellation or revocation: Provided, That the applicable provisions of the IPRA of
4 
1997 shall be respected.
5 
Upon recommendation by the LGU, or the Forest Board, the DENR Secretary shall
6 
revoke the abovementioned instruments.
7 
Sec. 18. Additional Areas to be Included as Permanent Forestlands. - The
8 
following lands are needed for environmental protection and forestry purposes and
9 
shall not be reclassified as agricultural lands or for any other land use:
10 
a) Isolated patches of forest, regardless of size and/or area, with rocky
11 
terrain or which protect a spring/water source for communal use;
12 
b) All mangroves and swamplands including twenty (20)-meter wide
13 
strips facing oceans, lakes and other bodies of water not yet classified
14 
as alienable and disposable lands;
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c) Ridge tops and plateaus regardless of size found within or surrounded
16 
wholly or partially by forestlands where headwaters emanate;
17 
d) Twenty (20)-meter wide strips of land from the edge of the normal
18 
high waterline of rivers and streams with channels of at least five (5)
19 
meters width which are not yet classified as alienable and disposable;
20 
e) Areas needed for public interest such as research or experimental
21 
purposes; and
22 
f) Areas considered as environmentally-critical because of their
23 
vulnerability to damage from landslides, volcanic eruptions, and other
24 
natural causes.
25 
Sec. 19. Reversion of Alienable and Disposable Lands to Forestlands. - Upon
26 
the recommendation of the DENR Secretary, duly reviewed and endorsed by the
27 
NLUPC, and after due consultations with the concerned LGUs and the affected parties,
28 
Congress may authorize the reversion of alienable and disposable lands of the public
29 
domain or portion thereof to forestlands.
30 
Sec. 20. Critical Watershed Areas. - The DENR, in coordination with the DA,
31 
the LGUs concerned, and other government agencies, including government-owned
32 
and -controlled corporations, and after mandatory public hearings/consultations, shall
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identify and delineate critical watershed areas that need to be protected, rehabilitated, 
enhanced, and/or withdrawn from uses that contribute to their further degradation.
Sec. 21. Formulation and Implementation of Integrated Watershed 
Management Plans. - With the assistance of the DENR and upon mandatory 
consultations with the concerned sectors and communities, the LGUs, through their 
locai land use boards, shall prepare their watershed management pians which shali be 
integrated into their respective CLUPs. The formulation and integration of the plan 
shall be guided, among others, by the principle of the management and development 
of inland water resources at the watershed level and shall be consistent with the 
National Forestry Master Plan (NFMP).
The DENR and the LGUs concerned shall jointly implement the watershed 
management plan subject to regular consultations with and involvement of the 
community and other stakeholders in the implementation of the plan.
Sec. 22. Establishment and Management of National Parks. - All areas 
proclaimed by the President of the Philippines and Congress to be under the NIPAS, 
unless disestablished, including those identified initial components of the NIPAS as 
KBAs shall comprise the national parks classification of the public domain. The DENR 
and the LGUs concerned shall ensure that such areas are integrated in the CLUP and 
physical framework plans: Provided, however, That the preparation of management 
plans of protected areas/national parks shall be in accordance with the provisions of 
the NIPAS Act and other laws establishing or declaring specific areas as protection 
areas.
Sec. 23. Establishment of Restoration Zones. - Restoration areas shall be 
designated in the management plan as such. Designation of restoration zones is 
compulsory in all forest management plans and for all LGUs.
ARTICLE 6. COASTAL ZONES
Sec. 24. Criteria for the Allocation and Utilization of Lands Within the Coastal 
Zones. - The allocation and utilization of lands within the coastal zones shall be subject 
to the following guidelines:
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a) Areas vegetated with mangrove species shall be protected, preserved 
and managed as mangrove forestland and shall not be converted to 
other uses;
b) Areas that meet all accepted criteria on elevation, soil type, soil depth 
topography, supply for successful fishpond development, and are not 
identified as mangrove protected areas shall be utilized for 
aquaculture purposes as long as a 4:1 ratio for mangroves and 
fishponds is maintained to support ecological processes in mangrove 
ecosystems;
c) Areas subclassified as mangrove and still suitable for use as such, or 
due to environmental conditions, need to be preserved as mangroves 
but are devoid of mangrove stands, shall not be converted to other 
uses. The DENR shall ensure that these lands shall be reforested 
within a given period of time;
d) Areas accessible to the sea and identified for fisherfolk settlement 
and housing but are not part of or are not within any protected land 
use areas shall be allocated to traditional fisherfolk who are 
inhabitants of the coastal communities and/or members of registered 
fisherfolk organizations and/or holders of stewardship lease contracts 
or titles to ancestral domains or any form of property right 
arrangements who participate in coastal resource management 
initiatives, subject to the usual census procedures of the Housing and 
Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC): Provided, That 
the government shall issue marine tenurial rights to organizations 
concerned based on a criteria to be established by the NLUPC;
e) Areas that are neither subclassified as mangrove, fisherfolk 
settlement nor fishpond may be devoted to recreational or tourism 
purposes: Provided, That such undertaking will not result in 
environmental degradation and displacement of small fisherfolks;
f) Areas which are considered as traditional fishing grounds shall be 
used primarily for such purpose;
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g) Areas shall be allocated for small infrastructure needed by municipal
2 
fisherfolk and for fishing gear, boats, and post-harvest facilities; and
3 
h) Areas which form part of foreshore lands as defined in this Act,
4 
including those under lease agreements or arrangements, shall
5 
undergo zoning and evaluation so their boundaries, actual sizes and
6 
corresponding uses can be determined while ensuring that mangrove
7 
protection or restoration zones are considered to keep the required
8 
4:1 ratio between mangroves and fishponds.
9 
Sec. 25. Coastal Land Zone Subclassification. - All public lands in the coastal
10 
zones shall be subclassified into any of the following: fishponds, mangroves, protection
11 
from tidal surge for preservation of biodiversity, habitats and sanctuaries for
12 
endangered wildlife, fisherfolk settlement, or recreational/tourism areas.
13 
No subclassification of coastal zones to different uses shall be done without the
14 
following:
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a) Conduct of a comprehensive inventory and resource and
16 
environmental assessment by the DENR with respective LGUs and
17 
accredited nongovernment 
organizations/peoples organizations
18 
(NGOs/POs) within their jurisdiction. The result of such assessment
19 
along with a list of all existing applications and expired foreshore
20 
lease agreements shall be posted in three (3) conspicuous places in
21 
the affected localities; and
22 
b) Prior consultation with local Fisheries and Aquatic Resource
23 
Management Councils (FARMCs) formed pursuant to Republic Act No.
24 
8550 or the Fisheries Code.
25 
Sec. 26. Zoning of Coastal Areas. - LGUs, in coordination with the DENR, the
26 
FARMCS, local fisherfolk organizations and other concerned stakeholders such as
27 
women and youth, shall prepare the Coastal Zoning Resource Management Plan
28 
(CZRMP) which shall be incorporated in the CLUP. Management zones defined in the
29 
CZRMP should be reflected in the CLUP and the subsequent zoning ordinance (ZO).
30 
Sec. 27. Tourism and Recreation Zone. - The designation of areas for
31 
tourism and resorts near to or over fishery areas or ports thereof shall be with the
32 
consent of the concerned LGUs and FARMCs, and subject to the policies and guidelines
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set forth in this Act.
2 
Sec. 28. Protection of Waterways, Easements and Flood Plains. -Structures
3 
of any kind shall not be built in waterways and easements. Pursuant to Presidential
4 
Decree No. 1067 or the Water Code of the Philippines, the banks of rivers and streams
5 
and the shores of the seas and lakes throughout their entire length and within a zone
6 
of three (3) meters in urban areas, twenty (20) meters in agricultural areas and forty
7 
(40) meters in forest areas, along their margins, are subject to the easement of public
8 
use only in the interest of recreation, navigation, floatage, fishing and salvage.
9 
The protection of flood plains shall adopt a river basin management approach, in order
10 
to come up with integrated flood mitigation interventions. Development within flood
11 
plains and other flood-prone areas must be controlled or, if allowed, must be so sited,
12 
constructed and serviced that life of occupants are not put at risk and that disruptions
13 
during floods are minimized. The identification and characterization of flood-prone
14 
areas and flood plains shall be an integral part of the CLUP preparation. Through the
15 
CLUPs and ZOs, LGUs shall establish land use regulations to mitigate flood risks.
16 
To promote the best interest and the coordinated protection of flood plains, the
17 
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), in coordination with the
18 
Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the DENR, shall declare flood
19 
control areas, as necessary, and shall prohibit or control activities that could damage
20 
or cause deterioration of lakes and dikes, obstruct the flow of water, change the
21 
natural flow of rivers, increase flood losses or aggravate flood problems pursuant to
22 
the Water Code of the Philippines.
23 
Sec. 29. Disposition of Public Lands for Fishponds. - Upon the effectivity of
24 
this Act, but subject to existing rights and the preceding section, no Fishpond Lease
25 
Agreement (FLA) shall be issued for tidal swamps, mangroves and oilier swamps,
26 
marshes, ponds, foreshore lands, and coastal areas within public lands, including those
27 
presently declared available for fishpond development. The Land Use Policy Council
28 
(LUPC), in coordination with the DENR, the DA, the FARMCs and the LGUs, shall set
29 
aside a portion of available public lands for fish propagation, fish sanctuary,
30 
conservation, ecological purposes and fisherfolk settlement areas. Fishponds covered
31 
by existing FLAs but are abandoned or are not operating efficiently and are found
32 
suitable for mangroves, shall be reforested with mangroves.
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Sec. 30. Immediate Restoration of Converted Mangrove Areas. - The DENR, 
in coordination with the FARMCs and other concerned agencies, shall immediately take 
steps in the restoration of all abandoned, undeveloped and underutilized fishponds to 
their original state as mangrove forests.
ARTICLE 7. MINERAL LANDS
Sec. 31. Poiicies on Mineral Lands. - Land use policies for mineral lands shall 
be geared towards the rational, ecologically sound, and sustainable use of mineral 
resources which shail promote economic growth for the local economy and uphold the 
human rights of IPs and locai communities in the affected areas.
Sec. 32. Criteria for the Utilization and Allocation of Land for Mining Purposes. 
- The allocation and utilization of iands for mining purposes shall be guided by the 
following:
a) The principles of sustainable development;
b) In case of small-scale mining, adequate and acceptabie safeguards 
shail be instituted by the holders of mining rights or permits to prevent 
environmental degradation of the mining sites and adjacent areas;
c) Mineral reservations which have become nonoperational for more than 
ten (10) years, as determined by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau 
(MGB), shall be placed under appropriate surface management by the 
DENR; and
d) Ancestral domains declared as protected by virtue of their ADSDPP as 
well as all watershed areas shall be closed to mining.
Sec. 33. Reversion of Mineral Lands. - All mineral lands with exhausted mineral 
resources, as determined by the MGB, shall automatically revert to their original land 
classification, that is, as forestiand or agricultural land. The concerned mining 
companies shall bear the full cost of rehabilitation of these areas.
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ARTICLE 8. ENERGY RESOURCES
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Sec. 34. Guidelines for the Utilization and Allocation of Lands for Energy
4 
Resource Exploration, Development, Production, Utilization, and Distribution Purposes.
5 
- To ensure that the objectives of maintaining ecological balance and maximizing the
6 
power potential from indigenous energy resources in the most economical and
7 
environmentally-acceptable means are realized, the allocation and utilization of lands
8 
shall be guided by the following, consistent with existing regulations and laws on
9 
energy resources:
10 
a) Indigenous energy resource exploration and development for the
11 
purpose of creating a National Energy Resource Inventory and
12 
Database as well as an Energy Resource Block Map shall be allowed
13 
subject to the implementation of complementary watershed and
14 
other land management plans;
15 
b) Indigenous energy resource exploration, development production,
16 
utilization, and distribution shall be subject to the appropriate
17 
requirements and processes of the Philippine Environmental Impact
18 
Statement (EIS) system. Each project shall secure an Environmental
19 
Compliance Certificate (ECC) prior to project implementation to
20 
ensure that adequate and appropriate environmental management
21 
measures and optimum methods for resource access and recovery
22 
are used;
23 
c) Protected areas defined in Section 6 shall be closed to any kind of
24 
energy resource development;
25 
d) Energy reservations or portions thereof which have become or have
26 
been established to be non-economically viable to operate or are no
27 
longer used for energy purposes shall be reclassified to other land
28 
uses, subject to existing laws covering energy reservations; and
29 
e) Renewable energy shall be preferred over other energy resource.
30 
Sec. 35. Reversion of Energy Resource Lands. - All exhausted indigenous
31 
energy resource lands, as determined by the Department of Energy (DOE), which are
32 
not covered by proclamations shall automatically revert to the category of forestlands
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or agricultural lands open to disposition, whichever is appropriate, unless the DENR
2 
shall classify such areas for other purposes. Exhausted energy resource lands shall
3 
refer to specific energy resource sites whose energy reserves of the desired type/s are
4 
no longer in sufficient quantity or quality to justify additional expenditure for their
5 
extraction and utilization.
6
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ARTICLE 9. SETTLEMENTS DEVELOPMENT
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Sec 36. Municipalities, Cities, and Settlements Development - The
10 
development of municipalities, cities, and settlements through the CLUP and
11 
implemented by the ZOs of cities and municipalities shall be guided by urban zoning
12 
standards designed to maximize existing urban spaces, taking into account studies of
13 
pertinent government agencies on climate change.
14 
Sec. 37. Settlements Within Geo-hazard Areas and/or High Risk/Danger Zones.
15 
- Settlements within geo-hazard areas and/or high risk/danger zones shall not be
16 
allowed. In cases where there are existing settlements within geo-hazard areas and/or
17 
high risk/danger zones, the concerned government agencies shall provide assistance
18 
to concerned LGUs and settlers in instituting safety and corrective measures to address
19 
the potential danger or risk.
20 
Sec. 38. Designation of Waste and Environment Management Site. - Each city
21 
or municipality shall identify and designate an area to serve as waste and environment
22 
management, waste disposal, and facilities within one (1) year from the effectivity of
23 
this Act. The LGUs, in coordination with the DENR or any other competent authority,
24 
shall identify sanitary landfill in order to fast-track the conduct of the Environment
25 
Impact Assessment (EIA) study and to facilitate the processing of the ECC. The site
26 
or area shall be identified in the city's or municipality's CLUP. For this purpose, cities
27 
and municipalities shall establish their solid waste management program, pursuant to
28 
Republic Act No. 9003, otherwise known as the "Ecological Solid Waste Management
29 
Act of 2000". Likewise, as provided under Section 33 of the Local Government Code
30 
of 1991, cities and municipalities may, through appropriate ordinances, bind
31 
themselves towards the establishment of a common solid waste management
32 
program.
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Within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act, the DENR, in coordination with
2 
concerned agencies, shall promulgate the necessary guidelines and standards for the
3 
formulation and establishment of solid waste management programs by cities and
4 
municipalities, and shall submit the same to the NLUPC for review and approval.
5 
Sec. 39. Designation and Zoning of Sociaiized Housing Sites. - Each city
6 
or municipality in urban, urbanizable and rural areas shall designate through the CLUP
7 
adequate lands for housing or residential purposes, including socialized housing and
8 
resettlement areas, for the immediate and future needs of the local population as well
9 
as the underprivileged and homeless in their territory, pursuant to existing laws and
10 
regulations. In order to ensure adequate availability of land for the housing needs of
11 
the local population, the CLUP may be revised at the minimum of ten (10) years, and
12 
reviewable not earlier than every five (5) years.
13 
The designated sites for socialized housing shall be located in residential zones, and
14 
shall be zoned as socialized housing zones that are integrated in the city's or
15 
municipality's ZO, duly approved by the NLUPC, pursuant to existing laws and
16 
regulations. Preference shall be given to lands proximate to public transportation
17 
facilities which may include inter aiia railways and public terminals.
18 
The location of resettlement areas may either be on-site or off-site and may be within
19 
the city or municipality: Provided, That designated settlement and socialized housing
20 
areas shall consider the proximity and accessibility of the affected community to
21 
employment, economic activities and social services.
22 
Within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act, the NLUPC, in coordination
23 
with concerned agencies, pursuant to HUDCC Resolution No. 521, series of 1992;
24 
Executive Order No. 124, series of 1993; and other pertinent guidelines on the matter,
25 
shall promulgate the necessary guidelines for the identification and designation of
26 
socialized housing sites. All cities and municipalities in urban and urbanizing areas
27 
shall identify and designate their socialized housing sites within one (1) year from the
28 
effectivity of this Act and must submit the list of these sites and their respective areas
29 
to the HUDCC. These sites shall be used exclusively for socialized housing as defined
30 
in the UDHA.
31 
Sec. 40. Zoning of Identified Sites for Socialized Housing. - The identified
32 
sites for socialized housing shall be located in residential zones identified by the city's
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or municipality's CLUP and ZO duly approved by the NLUPC. However, for cities and
2 
municipalities where the identified sites are not within the said residential zones, the
3 
location shall be within the priority sites and conform with the suitability criteria as
4 
defined in Sections 6.3 and 6.4 of the Guidelines in HUDCC Resolution No. 521, series
5 
of 1992, or as may be defined in subsequent issuances. The identified sites shall be
6 
zoned as socialized housing zones as defined herein.
7 
The current ZO of LGUs shall be reviewed and revised such that the socialized housing
8 
component shall be integrated thereto.
9 
Sec. 41. Valuation of Lands for Socialized Housing. - Equitable land
10 
valuation guidelines for socialized housing shall be set by the Department of Finance
11 
(DOF) on the basis of the market value reflected in the zonal valuation or, in 
its
12 
absence, on the latest real property tax declaration. For sites already occupied by
13 
qualified beneficiaries under the UDHA, and sites identified as socialized housing zones
14 
as defined in this Act, the DOF shall factor into the valuation, the blighted status of
15 
the land as certified by the LGU or the National Housing Authority (NHA).
16 
Sec. 42. Guidelines for Identification of Settlement Sites. - In identifying
17 
settlement areas, prospective sites should be:
18 
a) Within alienable and disposable lands but not in environmentally-
19 
critical, geo-hazard or other protection areas;
20 
b) Along established urban growth directions;
21 
c) With provisions for or can be provided with basic services and
22 
utilities;
23 
d) Within the 0-8% slope range; and
24 
e) Accessible from existing built-up areas 
and other employment
25 
centers through existing 
or proposed roads and other
26 
transportation facilities.
27 
Sec. 43. Urban Forest or Green Space. - Each city or highly-urbanizing
28 
municipality shall identify, designate, and allocate lands owned by the city or
29 
municipality as urban forest or green space, based on the guidelines and standards to
30 
be issued by the DENR and approved by the NLUPC.
31 
Sec. 44. Protection of Ecological Harmony. - To ensure the ecological
32 
harmony of towns, cities and settlements, certain projects that can alter the present
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use of a zoned area shall not be issued a building permit, business permit, and/or 
development permit. The identification of these projects shali be done in coordination 
with the LGU concerned. Aii LCDs shaii be required to designate restoration areas in 
their forestiand use pians.
ARTICLE 10. INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AREAS/SITES
Sec. 45. Criteria for Designating Industriai Development Areas. - The 
identification and estabiishment of industrial development areas shall conform to the 
provisions of the SEZA, the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARL), the IPRA, 
the UDHA, the Fisheries Code and the AFMA, taking into consideration the following:
a) Identified network of areas for agricultural development and 
protected agricultural areas pursuant to the AFMA;
b) National policies on the regional dispersal of industries and agri- 
based industrial development;
c) Identified growth areas and corridors in the National Development 
Plan;
d) NIPAS and non-NIPAS areas such as, but not limited to, KBAs and 
restored areas that require protection;
e) National and Urban Development and Housing Framework;
f) Identified socialized housing zones; and
g) National Framework for Physical Planning and other existing national 
programs and policies.
The designated industrial development areas shall be located only in production land 
use areas and shall become an integral part of the land use plan and ZO of the city or 
municipality where these areas are located. The laws on CARP Extension with Reforms 
(CARPER), the IPRA, the UDHA, the Fisheries Code, the AFMA and the Local 
Government Code shall apply to all special economic zones and freeports.
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ARTICLE 11. TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AREAS
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Sec. 46. Designating Tourism Deveiopment Areas. - The identification,
4 
selection, and development of tourism development areas, and Tourism Enterprise
5 
Zones (TEZs) shall be done in consultation and coordination with the concerned LGUs,
6 
TIEZA, DOT, and other concerned national government agencies, the private sector
7 
and the affected communities, subject to the provisions of Republic Act No. 9593 or
8 
the Tourism Act of 2009. Tourism development areas shall likewise include those
9 
covered by legislative and executive issuances such as tourist spots, tourist zones and
10 
tourism ecozones which can be developed into tourism estates or integrated resort,
11 
leisure and recreation complexes and other tourism-related facilities as well as those
12 
identified in the national, regional, and area-specific tourism master plans and other
13 
sector plans, such as ecotourism and agri-tourism sites: Provided, That such sites
14 
designated for tourism development are outside of areas identified for protection land
15 
use. As much as practicable, community-based tourism shall be the principal mode of
16 
tourist spot operation. The laws on CARPER, IPRA, UDHA, the Fisheries Code, AFMA,
17 
the Local Government Code and National Ecotourism Strategy shall likewise apply to
18 
all tourist zones and tourist development areas.
19 
Designated areas for tourism development shall become part of the CLUPs and ZOs
20 
of the cities or municipalities where these are located.
21 
Sec. 47. Identification and Preservation of Cuiturai Heritage. - In accordance
22 
with Republic Act No. 10066 or the National Cultural Fleritage Act of 2009, the National
23 
Flistorical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), the National Museum (NM), and the
24 
National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), in coordination with other
25 
concerned agencies, local communities, and the private sector, shall identify and
26 
declare areas and structures which shall be protected and preserved as part of
27 
Philippine cultural heritage.
28 
The NHCP and the NM, in consultation with the NCCA and the Housing and Land Use
29 
Regulatory Board (HLURB), shall designate heritage zones to protect the historical and
30 
cultural integrity of a geographical area that is significant to national history.
31 
The LGUs, in consultation with the NHCP, the NM, and the NCCA, shall designate
32 
heritage zones to protect the historical and cultural integrity of geographical areas and
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cultural spaces of intangible cultural properties, which are significant to a city or 
municipality and the community.
ARTICLE 12. INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT
Sec. 48. Allocation and Use of Land for Infrastructure Development - Land, 
whether public or private, shall be allocated and utilized for priority infrastructure 
projects that are supportive of national or local development objectives. The National 
Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), in consultation with the concerned 
national government agencies, LGUs, and the private sector, shall identify and 
periodically review, update and/or revise the list of priority infrastructure projects 
under an overall national strategic infrastructure development plan subject to the 
provisions of this Act, AFMA and IPRA: Provided, That such national strategic 
infrastructure development plan shall be consistent and integrated in the objectives 
and directions of the NPFP.
In determining and evaluating the list of priority infrastructure projects, consideration 
shall be given to those that:
a) Respond to immediate and vital requirements of the national and 
regional economy with priority to improving production-market 
integration, inter-modal transport, conveyance and logistics linkages, 
rural infrastructure and the development of the agriculture and 
fisheries sectors;
b) Upgrade existing facilities to international public safety standards;
c) Address the need for sustainable settlements development; and
d) Mitigate the destructive effects of natural disaster-causing 
phenomena or those that shall serve as alternatives to existing 
infrastructure found in natural hazard-prone areas.
Provided, That the provision and implementation of infrastructure support shall be 
made compatible with existing environmental conditions and the physical, whether 
natural or human-made, and cultural character of the area. Mandatory public 
consultations pursuant to existing laws and regulations shall be held prior to the
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conduct of all infrastructure projects that will necessarily involve dislocation or 
displacement of people in the area:
Provided, further. That the proponent of the infrastructure project shall follow the 
rules on just and humane eviction or demolition under Section 28 of the UDHA as a 
last resort, notwithstanding the provisions of Republic Act No. 8975, prohibiting lower 
courts from issuing temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions, or 
preliminary mandatory injunctions, and that the proponent shall follow provisions of 
the IPRA, particularly those pertaining to the rights of ICCs/IPs in case of 
displacement:
Provided, finally. That national government infrastructure projects shall provide 
budgetary allocations for the adequate relocation of displaced communities.
Sec. 49. Infrastructure Projects Within Geo-hazard Areas. - Construction of 
priority infrastructure projects within hazard-prone areas shall be allowed: Provided, 
That mitigating and/or preventive measures are adopted and implemented to address 
the potential adverse economic, sociocultural, and environmental impacts that will 
emanate from these infrastructure projects, subject to the findings and 
recommendations of a feasibility study/EIA in accordance with Presidential Decree No. 
1586 (EIS System) and Republic Act No. 4846 or the Cultural Properties Preservation 
and Protection Act.
Existing projects that were undertaken without the required EIA and which pose a 
threat to the environment, or to the integrity of historic, archaeological, or scientifically 
significant areas, or impinge on critical ecosystems, may be terminated immediately, 
or gradually phased-out and relocated, or maintained up to their life span, subject, 
however, to mitigating measures: Provided, That the rules on mandatory public 
hearings/consultations and just and humane eviction or demolition shall also be 
observed prior to the termination, gradual phase-out, or relocation of projects that will 
necessarily involve dislocation or displacement of people in the area.
CHAPTER IV
PHYSICAL FRAMEWORK AND LAND USE PLAN
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Sec. 50. National Land Use Planning Process. - The physical framework and
2 
land use planning process shall be participatory, following a combined bottom-up and
3 
top-down approach, with mandatory public hearings/consultations conducted at all
4 
levels, and shall consider available and updated multidisciplinary scientific information
5 
of land uses.
6 
A set of national policy guidelines and standards for physical planning shall be
7 
formulated by the NLUPC. These shall guide the preparation and formulation of the
8 
national, regional and provincial physical framework plans.
9 
These standards shall give due consideration to conflicting uses and areas being used,
10 
declared or designated for agrarian reform, protected areas, coastal resource
11 
management and/or ancestral domains.
12 
The NPFP shall define the national strategy and objectives of the country's urban, rural
13 
and regional development. It shall guide the rational distribution of population, access
14 
to economic opportunities and social services, sustainable utilization of resources, and
15 
maintenance of environmental integrity.
16 
Furthermore, it shall consider the existing regional physical framework plans (RPFPs)
17 
and PPFPs.
18 
The RPFPs, the PPFPs and the CLUPs, which cover the physical development of their
19 
respective territories, shall be consistent with the NPFP: Provided, That the integration
20 
and harmonization of physical framework plans at all levels shall be iterative to ensure
21 
that the concerns of both top and bottom levels of government are considered in the
22 
NPFPs, RPFPs, PPFPs and CLUPs.
23 
The physical framework and land use plans prepared at all levels shall be consistent
24 
with each other, specifically on the linkages of the major land use categories to ensure
25 
their complementation in the utilization, development and management of resources.
26 
The period of coverage of the national, regional and provincial framework plans shall
27 
be thirty (30) years with regular review and updating every ten (10) years.
28 
Sec. 51. National Physical Framework Plan. - The NPFP shall guide the
29 
planning and management of the country's land and other physical resources at the
30 
national and subnational levels, and indicate broad spatial directions and policy
31 
guidelines on protection land use, production land use, settlement development and
32 
infrastructure development. The NPFP shall be the basis for adopting the land use and
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physical planning-related guidelines, including zoning and other land use control
2 
standards that will guide the formulation of city/municipal ZOs.
3 
The NLUPC, in consultation with concerned sectors and communities, shall update the
4 
NPFP after such period that objectives and goals set by the NPFP have been
5 
substantially achieved. It shall also formulate and issue the appropriate planning
6 
guidelines and standards through which all physical planning, land use and
7 
management of resources shall be reviewed, prepared, formulated and monitored.
8 
The resulting land use plan/physical framework shall be the basis for the identification,
9 
formulation and development of national and local development plans, programs,
10 
projects and activities of the government at all levels.
11 
Sec. 52. Regional Physical Framework Plan. - The RPFP shall provide broad
12 
spatial directions and policy guidelines on protection land use, production land use,
13 
settlement development, and infrastructure development at the regional level and
14 
guide the formulation of the PPFPs. The RPFP shall consider the existing PPFPs and
15 
the CLUPs of LGUs within the territorial jurisdiction of the region.
16 
The Regional Land Use Policy Council (RLUPC), created under Section 59 of this Act,
17 
shall formulate and periodically update the RPFP based on the guidelines issued by
18 
the NLUPC, in a manner consistent with and following the objectives of the NPFP.
19 
Likewise, the Medium-Term Regional Development Plan (MTRDP) and the Medium-
20 
Term Regional Development Investment Program (MTRDIP) shall be guided by and
21 
made consistent with the objectives identified in the RPFP.
22 
Sec. 53. Provincial Physical Framework Plan. -The PPFP shall determine the
23 
physical development of the entire provincial territory, consolidate and harmonize the
24 
comprehensive land use plans of component cities and municipalities, consistent with
25 
the RPFP. It shall reflect the indicative land use management and physical
26 
development direction of the province.
27 
Further, the PPFP shall serve as basis for other sectoral and development plans related
28 
to land, natural resources, and infrastructure facilities, including the development plan
29 
of the province; reconciliation and rationalization of land use proposals among
30 
component cities and municipalities and with the higher level framework plan; guiding
31 
development agencies and private developers, particularly those that undertake large-
32 
scale projects; and providing a basis for resolving conflicts arising from the
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implementation of iand use pians and development projects involving two (2) or more
2 
municipalities.
3 
The PPFP shall serve as the basis for the preparation of the Provincial Development
4 
Plan (PDP) and Provincial Development Investment Program (PDIP). The PPFP, PDP,
5 
PDIP and/or Provincial Physical Framework and Development Plan (PPFDP) shall serve
6 
as the basis for the formulation of sectoral action plans of national government
7 
agencies in the province and all LCDs within its jurisdiction. The province may opt to
8 
prepare their PDP alongside the preparation of the PPFP and consolidate them into a
9 
PPFDP: Provided, That PPFDP shall remain consistent with the PPFP: Provided,
10 
further. That any review or changes in the PPFP shall coincide with the overall review
11 
process of the NPFP.
12 
The Provincial Land Use Planning and Management Board (PLUPMB), created under
13 
this Act, shall ensure that the PPFP is consistent with the national and regional
14 
planning framework and guidelines issued by the NLUPC/RLUPC. The PPFP shall be
15 
presented to the Provincial Development Council (PDC) for endorsement to the
16 
Sangguniang Panlalawigan, who shall formally adopt and approve the PPFP. The
17 
approved PPFP shall be submitted to the RLUPC for consolidation and integration into
18 
the RPFP.
19 
Under the general supervision of the PLUPMB, the Provincial Planning and
20 
Development Office/Coordinator (PPDO/PPDC) shall provide technical, secretariat and
21 
administrative support in the preparation, consultation, integration and formulation
22 
process of the PPFP.
23 
Sec. 54. City and Municipai Land Use Pians. - All barangays shall provide
24 
their sectoral, temporal and spatial data for the CLUP which shall serve as the
25 
foundation for the formulation of the city/municipal CLUPs. The data shall be provided
26 
by the Sangguniang Pambarangay through stakeholder consultations. The CLUP shall
27 
determine the specific uses of land and other physical and natural resources, both
28 
private and public, within their territorial jurisdiction including areas co-managed with
29 
the national government and, as appropriate, management plans for ancestral
30 
domains, critical watersheds, river basins, and protected areas.
31 
The CLUP shall delineate actual boundaries on the ground within the territorial
32 
jurisdiction, embody the desired land use patterns of the barangay, city or
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municipality, translate and integrate sectoral plans, and provide appropriate policies 
for each of the four (4) land use planning categories. The spatial directions prescribed 
in the CLUP shall serve as the basis for the preparation and formulation of the 
Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) and the Local Development Investment 
Programs (LDIP) of the LCDs.
Consistent with the national standards and guidelines prescribed in Section 50, the 
cities and municipalities shall, in consultation with the concerned sectors, prepare their 
respective CLUPs. The City/Municipal Land Use Planning and Management Board 
(C/MLUPB), created under this Act, shall be responsible for the preparation and 
formulation of the CLUP and ensure its consistency with national and regional physical 
planning guidelines and standards. Under the general supervision of the respective 
C/MLUPB, the City/Municipal Planning and Development Office/Coordinator 
(C/MPDO/PDC) shall provide technical, secretariat and administrative support in the 
preparation, consultation, integration and formulation process of the respective CLUPs 
of each city or municipality.
The CLUPs shall be submitted by the city/municipal local development councils (LDC) 
for adoption and approval of the Sangguniang Bayan. The approved CLUPs shall be 
submitted to the province for integration into the PPFP.
CHAPTER V
IMPLEMENTING STRUCTURE AND MECHANISM
Sec. 55. Creation of the NLUPC - The National Land Use Committee (NLUC) 
under the NEDA Board (NB) is hereby abolished and, in its stead, the NLUPC shall be 
created. It shall exercise the powers and responsibilities identified under this Act and 
assume the functions of the NEDA Board-National Land Use Committee (NB-NLUC). It 
shall further exercise the powers and functions pertaining to land use planning vested 
by law to the HLURB, except the following:
a) Formulate land use planning guidelines in the preparation of the CLUPs 
and ZOs of LGUs to ensure compliance with the national policies, 
objectives, priorities and directions set by the NLUPC;
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b) Provide technical and other forms of planning assistance to, including
2 
capacity building for, LGUs and zoning boards; and
3 
c) Act as the appellate body on decisions of local zoning bodies on
4 
locational clearance applications and/or oppositions thereto and other
5 
zoning issues involving private rights.
6 
The NLUPC shall act as the highest policy-making body on land use and shall resolve
7 
land use policy conflicts between or among agencies, branches, or levels of the
8 
government. It shall integrate efforts, monitor developments relating to land use and
9 
the evolution of policies.
10 
Sec. 56. Composition of the NLUPC - The NLUPC shall be headed by the
11 
Secretary of the NEDA as Chairperson. It shall choose a Vice Chairperson from among
12 
the members of the Council, who shall assume the functions of the Chairperson in
13 
case of absence. The NLUPC shall meet at least once every quarter.
14 
The members of the Council shall be the following:
15 
a) The Secretary of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR);
16 
b) The Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA);
17 
c) The Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural
18 
Resources (DENR);
19 
d) The Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local
20 
Government (DILG);
21 
e) The Chairperson of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples
22 
(NCIP);
23 
f) The Chairperson of the Housing and Urban Development
24 
Coordinating Council (HUDCC);
25 
g) The Chief Executive Officer of the Housing and Land Use Regulatory
26 
Board (HLURB);
27 
h) The Administrator of the National Mapping and Resource
28 
Information Authority (NAMRIA);
29 
i) President of the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP);
30 
j) President of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP);
31 
k) Two (2) representatives each from four (4) basic sectors directly
32 
involved in land use, namely: urban poor, peasants, fisherfolk, and
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indigenous peoples who shall be appointed by the respective
2 
National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) sectoral councils. Of the
3 
eight (8) sectoral representatives, at least four (4) shall be women:
4 
Provided, That one of whom shall be from the Moro sector;
5 
I) Four (4) representatives from the developers' associations; the
6 
accredited associations of professionals dealing with land use such
7 
as, but not limited to, urban and regional planners, environmental
8 
planners, architects, geologists and geodetic engineers; the
9 
business or private sectors; and
10 
m) The Head of the NLUPC Secretariat shall be a nonvoting ex officio
11 
member.
12 
Cabinet Secretaries who are members of the Council may designate their duly
13 
authorized and permanent representatives whose ranks shall in no case be lower than
14 
Undersecretary.
15 
Sec. 57. Powers and Functions of the NLUPC - The NLUPC shall have the
16 
following powers and functions:
17 
a) Guide the determination and identification of the country's strategic
18 
land use development and physical planning objectives, priorities
19 
and direction, as well as recommend the adoption, passage, or
20 
amendment of laws to ensure that plans, programs, projects, and
21 
activities, including local government initiatives affecting land use
22 
are consistent with national development objectives;
23 
b) Formulate the necessary national policy guidelines in the
24 
preparation of the country's physical framework plans, including the
25 
setting of limits/target key land uses needed for protection,
26 
production, settlements and infrastructure for present and future
27 
needs;
28 
c) Ensure that policies, guidelines and standards on land use and
29 
physical planning, including zoning, shall be followed by the RLUPC,
30 
local land use boards and concerned national agencies, and that the
31 
RPFP, PPFP and CLUPs shall be consistent with the NPFP;
32 
d) Ensure the consistency of other national development and sectoral
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plans and programs, including the medium-term Philippine 
Development Plan and Public Investment Program (PIP), with the 
NPFP;
e) Integrate and harmonize all laws and policies relevant to land use 
in order to come up with a rational, cohesive, and comprehensive 
national land use framework and, if warranted, recommend to 
Congress the adoption, passage or amendment of laws to ensure 
that sectoral plans, projects and activities, including local 
government initiatives affecting land use are consistent with 
national development objectives;
f) Resolve policy conflicts on land uses between or among agencies, 
branches, or levels of government and unresolved land use policy 
conflicts at the regional level;
g) Issue locational clearance for projects of national significance;
h) Call on any department, bureau, office, agency, or instrumentality 
of the government and or private entities and organization for 
cooperation, support, and assistance in the performance of its 
functions;
i) Review the NPFP every ten (10) years;
j) Advise the President of the Philippines and the NEDA Board on all 
matters concerning land use and physical planning;
k) Adopt rules of procedures for the orderly and expeditious conduct 
of meetings and other business of the Council; and
l) Perform such other acts and functions and exercise such other 
powers as may be necessarily implied, inherent, incident, or related 
to the foregoing.
SEC. 58. The NLUPCSecretariat - The existing unit of the NEDA in charge 
of Land Use and Physical Planning Division shall act as the NLUPC Secretariat which 
shall perform functions such as, but not limited to, managing information, gathering 
of data, coordinate the monitoring of government agencies and LGUs, ensuring multi­
stakeholder participation towards formation of local land use policy boards, sharing of 
database and mapping systems, and reinforcing relevant assessment tools and
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capability-building programs.
2
3 
CHAPTER VI
4 
REGIONAL AND LOCAL LAND USE POLICY BODIES
5
6 
Sec. 59. The Regional Land Use Policy Council (RLUPC). - At the regional level,
7 
the Regional Land Use Committee (RLUC) is hereby abolished and, in its stead, the
8 
RLUPC shall be created. The RLUPC shall be institutionalized, replicating the NLUPC
9 
structure and composition. It shall be chaired by the NEDA Regional Director and shall
10 
exercise the following functions:
11 
a) Formulate regional policies and guidelines which are consistent with the
12 
national planning guidelines issued by the NLUPC in the preparation and
13 
formulation of the respective provincial physical planning and
14 
comprehensive land use plans of LGUs within its jurisdiction;
15 
b) Prepare and periodically update the RPFP, taking into consideration
16 
national polices and lower level plans;
17 
c) Review, prior to adoption by the respective sanggunians, the PPFPs and
18 
CLUPs of highly-urbanized and independent component cities to ensure
19 
consistency with the RPFP and national policies set forth by the NLUPC;
20 
d) Decide and resolve policy conflicts on land use planning, classification,
21 
and allocation that may arise between or among regional line agencies,
22 
provinces and cities/municipalities;
23 
e) Monitor changes in land use and other physical resources in the region;
24 
f) Coordinate and monitor the land use activities of regional line agencies
25 
and LGUs;
26 
g) Evaluate consistency of major programs and projects of regional
27 
agencies and entities with the RPFP and their impact on land use and
28 
the environment; and
29 
h) Perform other related functions as may be directed by the NLUPC.
30 
In forestland use management, where the watershed area/continuum covers several
31 
municipalities across different provinces, an inter-LGU task force composed of
32 
representatives from the RLUPC and the concerned municipal local government units
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1 
where the watershed area is located shall be formed. With the assistance of the DENR
2 
and upon mandatory consultations with the concerned sectors, the inter-LGU task
3 
force shail formulate the watershed management plan for the said watershed area.
4 
Sec. 60. The Provincial Land Use Planning and Management Board
5 
(PLUPMB). - The Provincial Land Use Committee (PLUG) is hereby abolished. The
6 
PLUPMB is created in all provinces under this Act to oversee the preparation,
7 
integration, adoption and approvai of the PPFP and shall ensure its consistency with
8 
approved nationai and regional planning guidelines. The PLUPMB shail also be directly
9 
responsible for the effective management and implementation of the approved PPFP
10 
and ensure that any existing and future development initiatives, programs and
11 
projects introduced within its jurisdiction are consistent with and supportive of the
12 
land use resource management and physical planning objectives, directions and
13 
character identified in the approved PPFP.
14 
Sec. 61. Powers and Responsibilities of the PLUPMB. - The foilowing are the
15 
powers and responsibilities of the PLUPMB:
16 
a) Formuiate necessary provincial planning guidelines and/or
17 
implementing policies for the preparation and formulation of the
18 
respective CLUPs within its jurisdiction consistent with approved
19 
nationai and regional planning poiicies and guidelines;
20 
b) Submit to the PDC the draft CLUP for its transmission to the
21 
Sangguniang Panlaiawigan and for the PDC to use it as reference
22 
for consistency and complementation with other deveiopment
23 
plans;
24 
c) Review, monitor and assess the implementation and
25 
operationalization of the approved CLUP and its consistency with
26 
physicai planning and land use management objectives and goais
27 
identified in the CLUP;
28 
d) After an appropriate period of time or upon instruction and advice
29 
by the NLUPC, conduct and initiate a progress review of the PPFP
30 
and the achievement of its stated objectives and goals, and update
31 
the PPFP;
32 
e) Decide and resolve policy conflicts on land use planning.
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classification, and allocation that may arise between or among
2 
cities/municipalities and facilitate the resolution of any unresolved
3 
land use conflict, including political boundary conflicts, at the
4 
city/municipality level;
5 
f) Advise the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on all matters pertaining to
6 
land use and physical planning;
7 
g) Promote cooperation and sharing of resources between and among
8 
component LGUs of the province or with neighboring LCDs to
9 
address common land use and development issues including those
10 
related to geo-physical hazards, watershed and river basin
11 
management, coastal and marine waters, climate change impact
12 
and disaster risks; and
13 
h) Assist the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in reviewing the submitted
14 
CLUPs of component cities/municipaiities to ensure consistency with
15 
the PPFP.
16 
In cases where the watershed areas transcend the boundaries of a particular
17 
municipality, an inter-LGU task force composed of representatives from the PLUPMB
18 
of the municipai iocal government units where the watershed area is located shall be
19 
formed.
20 
Sec. 62. Composition of the PLUPMB. - The PLUPMB shall be composed
21 
of the following fifteen (15) members to be selected based on the rules to be
22 
formulated by the NLUPC as provided in this Act:
23 
a) Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator (PPDC);
24 
b) Chairperson of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on
25 
Environment and 
Natural Resources;
26 
c) Provincial Chapter President-League of Municipalities and/or League
27 
of Cities;
28 
d) Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer (PARO);
29 
e) Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO);
30 
f) Provincial Agricultural Officer 
(PAO);
31 
g) NCIP Provincial Officer;
32 
h) HLURB Regional Officer;
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i) Three (3) representatives from the local business or private sector;
2 
the developers' association and accredited associations of
3 
professionals dealing with land use such as, but not limited to, urban
4 
and regional planners, environmental planners, architects,
5 
geologists, geodetic engineers; and chamber of commerce, who
6 
shall be appointed from among the accredited organizations within
7 
their respective development councils;
8 
j) Four (4) representatives from the basic sector groups (urban poor,
9 
fisherfolk, farmers and indigenous peoples): Provided, That at least
10 
two (2) representatives shall be women: Provided, further. That the
11 
representatives shall be appointed from among the accredited
12 
organizations within their respective development councils:
13 
Provided, finaiiy. That, in predominantly Muslim areas, one of whom
14 
shall be from the Moro sector; and
15 
k) Designated Board Chairperson, to be chosen among the members.
16 
Except for ex officio members, the members of the PLUPMB shall be appointed for a
17 
term of three (3) years, subject, however, to the elected office held, government
18 
employment and/or official designation of the LGU, national agency and/or local
19 
business/private sector association or basic sector group representation in the board.
20 
The NLUPC, within ninety (90) days from its establishment, shall formulate the rules
21 
for the selection of the Chairperson and the members in the PLUPMB. The PPDO/PPDC
22 
shall provide technical secretariat and administrative support and resources for the
23 
effective operation of the PLUPMB.
24 
Aside from the PPDO, the PLUPMB may call upon other local and national government
25 
offices and agencies such as the local Engineer, Assessor, and local field
26 
representatives of the DA, DPWH, the Department of Transportation and
27 
Communications (DOTC), DOT, DENR, DAR, the Department of Education (DepEd),
28 
NCIP and other concerned national agencies to assist the PLUPMB in the performance
29 
of its roles and mandates.
30 
Appropriations for the regular operation and activities of the PLUPMB shall be included
31 
in the annual budget proposal of the PPDO: Provided, That other funds and resources,
32 
including grants, applicable service fees and charges collected, contributions.
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donations, and other funds to support its operations and activities may be accepted 
and received by the PLUPMB, subject to existing auditing and reporting procedures.
Sec. 63. City/Municipal Land Use Planning and Management Board 
(C/MLUPMB). - A C/MLUPMB is hereby created under this Act in all municipalities and 
cities, including highly-urbanized and component cities, to oversee the preparation, 
integration, adoption and approval of their respective CLUPs. It shall issue a Certificate 
of Compliance prior to the submission of the CLUP to the sanggunian to ensure the 
consistency of such plans with approved national, regional and provincial planning 
guidelines. The C/MLUPMB shall also be directly responsible for the effective 
management and implementation of the approved CLUP and for ensuring that existing 
and future local policies, including ZOs, development initiatives, programs and projects 
introduced within its jurisdiction, are consistent with and supportive of the land use 
resource management and physical planning objectives, directions and character 
identified by the approved CLUP.
Sec. 64. Powers and Responsibilities of the C/MLUPMB. - The C/MLUPMB 
shall exercise the following powers and functions:
a) Ensure the inclusion of the input of the barangays within the 
jurisdiction of the respective city/municipality on sectoral, temporal 
and spatial dimensions of the plan and its consistency with approved 
national, regional and provincial planning guidelines;
b) Review, monitor and assess the implementation and 
operationalization of the approved CLUP and its consistency with 
physical planning and land use management objectives and goals 
identified in the CLUP;
c) Issue a Certificate of Compliance to the sanggunian as proof that 
the CLUP is compliant with national land use polices, guidelines and 
standards;
d) Submit to the LDC the draft CLUP for its transmission to the 
sanggunian and for the LDC to use it as basis for consistency and 
complementation with other development plans;
e) Decide and resolve policy conflicts on land use planning, 
classification, and allocation that may arise between or among
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barangays and facilitate the resolution of any unresolved land use
2 
conflict, including boundary conflicts, involving barangays;
3 
f) Based on the CLUP, review and endorse for approval/disapproval
4 
applications for locational clearances, building and zoning permits
5 
and/or other planning-related requirement for any project, both
6 
private and public, that is submitted to the LGU for issuance;
7 
g) Advise the sangguniang bayan on all matters pertaining to land use
8 
and physical planning; and
9 
h) Promote cooperation and sharing of resources between and among
10 
its barangays and neighboring LGUs to address common land use
11 
and development issues, including those related to geo-physical
12 
hazards, watershed and river basins, coastal and marine waters,
13 
climate change impact and disaster risks.
14 
Sec. 65. Composition of the C/MLUPMB. - The C/MLUMPPB shall be
15 
composed of the following thirteen (13) members and shall be headed by a
16 
Chairperson:
17 
a) City/Municipai Planning and Deveiopment Coordinator (C/MPDC);
18 
b) Chairperson, Sangguniang Bayan Committee on Environment and
19 
Natural Resources;
20 
c) President of the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC);
21 
d) Municipal Agrarian Reform Officer (MARO);
22 
e) LGU Environment and Natural Resources Officer (City/Municipal
23 
ENRO);
24 
f) Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO);
25 
g) Three (3) representatives from the local business/private sector; the
26 
developers' associations; the accredited associations of professionals
27 
dealing with land use such as, but not limited to, urban and regional
28 
planners, environmental planners, architects, geologists and geodetic
29 
engineers; and association/chamber of commerce, who shall be
30 
appointed from among the accredited organizations within their
31 
respective development councils;
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h) Four (4) representatives from the basic sector groups (urban poor, 
fisherfolk, farmers and indigenous peoples): Provided, That at least 
two (2) representatives shali be women: Provided, further. That the 
representatives shall be appointed from among the accredited 
organizations within their respective development councils: 
Provided, finally. That, in predominantly Muslim areas, one of whom 
shall be from the Moro sector; and
i) Designated Board Chairperson, to be chosen among the members. 
Except for ex officio members, the members of the C/MLUPMB shall be appointed for 
a term of three (3) years, subject, however, to the elected office held, government 
employment and/or official designation in the LGU, national agency and/or local 
business/private sector association or basic sector group representation in the board. 
The NLUPC, within ninety (90) days from its establishment, shaii formulate the rules 
for the selection of the Chairperson and members of the C/MLUPMB. The 
City/Municipai Planning and Development Office/Coordinator (C/MPDO/C) shall 
provide technical secretariat and administrative support and resources for the effective 
operation of the C/MLUPMB.
Aside from the C/MPDO/C, the C/MLUPMB may cali upon other iocal and national 
government offices and agencies, such as the iocal Engineer, Assessor, and locai field 
representatives of the DA, DPWH, DOTC, DOT, DENR, DAR, DepEd and other 
concerned national agencies, to assist the C/MLUPMB in the performance of its roies 
and mandates.
Annual appropriations for the operation and activities of the C/MLUPMB shali be 
inciuded in the annual budget proposal of the C/MPDO/C: Provided, That other funds 
and resources, including grants, applicable service fees and charges collected, 
contributions, donations, and other funds to support its operations and activities may 
be accepted and received by the PLUPMB, subject to existing auditing and reporting 
procedures.
LGUs shall create and/or activate their respective C/MLUPMB, upon guideiines issued 
by the NLUPC for such purposes, not iater than six (6) months from the effectivity of 
this Act.
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CHAPTER VII
ADOPTION, APPROVAL AND REVIEW OF LOCAL LAND USE 
AND PHYSICAL FRAMEWORK PLANS
Sec. 66. Approval and Review of the PPFP and the CLUPs. - The PPFP and the 
CLUPs of the respective city/municipal LCDs, including highly urbanized cities and 
independent component cities, shall be submitted by the local land use boards to the 
LDCs for transmission to the local sanggunian for approval.
Sec. 67. Approval of the RPFP and the NPFP. - The RPFP and the NPFP shall 
be submitted for review and approval of the RLUPC and the NLUPC, respectively, upon 
the conduct of appropriate stakeholder and agency consultations: Provided, That such 
processes and guidelines shall be prepared and issued by the NLUPC within six (6) 
months from effectivity of this Act.
CHAPTER VIII
MAPPING AND DATA MANAGEMENT FOR 
LAND USE PLANNING
Sec. 68. National Mapping and Spatial Data Infrastructure Program (NMSDIP). 
- A national mapping program shall be implemented, coordinated and monitored 
through the creation of the Inter-Agency Technical Committee (ITC) composed of the 
NAMRIA as the lead agency, the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM), the 
Forest Management Bureau (FMB), the LMB, the Land Registration Authority (LRA), 
the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB), the MGB, the Philippine Institute of 
Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the DAR, the DA, the NCIP, the National 
Water Resources Board (NWRB), the Department of Energy (DOE), the National 
Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), the NEDA, and other 
concerned government agencies. The ITC shall be constituted, and the mapping and 
spatial data infrastructure program shall be initiated within thirty (30) days from the 
effectivity of this Act. The program shall be responsible for the production of base and 
decision maps and associated spatial databases for all planning levels based on the 
guidelines of the NLUPC.
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Under the program, all government stakeholders concerned in the production of maps
2 
of various themes shall collaboratively formulate the government's spatial data
3 
infrastructure master plan and respective government agency/stakeholders' spatial
4 
data infrastructure plans which shall be the basis for subsequent funding and eventual
5 
project implementation and/or operation.
6 
All pertinent and updated thematic maps/data from supporting agencies of the
7 
program shall be submitted to the NAMRIA for compilation and integration into a
8 
national geospatial database established under the program.
9 
The NAMRIA shall finish its base mapping program within two (2) years upon the
10 
effectivity of this Act and provide updates thereof to support the implementation of
11 
the spatial data infrastructure program.
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The spatial and non-spatial data generated by these activities shall be transmitted to
13 
the LGU as soon as practicable. Existing land information data available to the national
14 
government agencies as of the effectivity of this Act shall be immediately transmitted
15 
to the LGUs.
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For purposes of uniformity and standardization, the LGUs, assisted by the appropriate
17 
agencies of the national government, shall likewise prepare their respective maps
18 
using scales, symbols, and other indicators to be prescribed in accordance with this
19 
Act. The completed maps shall be integrated in the NPFP, pursuant to Section 51 of
20 
this Act.
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Sec, 69. Maps for Planning. - Within one (1) year after the NLUPC's
22 
approval of the Guidelines and Standards for planning at all levels, available NAMRIA
23 
maps and all maps made available to the NAMRIA by supporting agencies shall be
24 
submitted to the NLUPC for national, provincial, cities and municipalities planning. The
25 
NLUPC shall forward these maps to the respective PLUPMBs and C/MLUPMBs after it
26 
has reviewed and approved them.
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Pertinent maps to be produced through the NMSDIP shall include, among others:
28 
a) Topographic maps;
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b) Geologic maps;
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c) Hydrologic maps;
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d) Climate maps;
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e) Soils maps;
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f) Slope maps;
g) Mineral resource maps;
h) Existing land use maps;
i) Land suitability maps for:
a. Settlements;
b. Agriculture;
c. Industrial areas; and
d. Others;
j) Agricultural maps:
a. Network of NPAAAD;
b. Commodity specific development guide maps;
c. Land limitation maps;
d. Cropping system zones maps;
e. Hydro-ecological conditions maps; and
f. Irrigation systems maps;
k) Land classification maps;
l) Municipal waters delineation maps and MPAs;
m) Geo-hazards maps:
a. Flood-prone areas;
b. Hazard zonation maps for volcanoes;
c. Map of fault systems;
d. Tsunami^roue areas; and
e. Erosion-prone areas;
n) Tourism maps;
o) Transportation maps;
p) Traffic flow;
q) Maps designating areas served by:
a. Power;
b. Telecommunications; and
c. Water;
r) Maps indicating the following facilities: 
a. Health;
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b. Education; and
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c. Power;
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s) Domestic water supply;
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t) Industrial areas;
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u) Population distribution map;
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v) Ancestral domain map;
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w) NIPAS areas;
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x) Areas suitable for urban expansion;
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y) Watershed areas; and
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z) Forestlands:
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a. Protection areas;
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b. Production areas; and
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c. Restoration areas:
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i. 
Key biodiversity areas; and
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Marine protected areas.
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Sec. 70. Ground Delineation of the Country's Permanent Forest Line. -
17 
Pursuant to the Constitution and hereby provided for under this Act, the final
18 
determination and ground delineation of the country's permanent forest line shall be
19 
completed within one (1) year from the effectivity of this Act: Provided, That
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appropriations for the fulfillment of this provision shall be included in the annual
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appropriations of the DENR: Provided, further. That the complete report of the
22 
delineation of the country's permanent forest line shall be submitted to the NLUPC for
23 
appropriate integration in the country's strategic land use development plan and
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policies.
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Sec. 71. Completion and Updating of Existing Cadastral Surveys. - The
26 
completion of incomplete cadastral surveys of LGUs and the updating of existing
27 
surveys shall be given priority consideration and allocation of resources in the
28 
implementation of this Act. The DENR shall include in its annual appropriations the
29 
completion and updating of all incomplete and existing cadastral surveys of all LGUs
30 
in the country: Provided, That such surveys and maps shall be integrated into the
31 
national spatial database information and mapping system.
32 
In cases of ancestral domains, self-delineation by ICCs/IPs of their ancestral lands
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shall be employed to determine boundaries as provided for under the IPRA.
2 
Sec. 72. Ground Delineation of Land Use. - For effective planning to take
3 
place at the local level and for the easy enforcement of the ZO of each
4 
city/municipality, land uses must be identifiable both on the map and on the ground.
5 
A joint committee comprised of the LGU, as represented by its M/CLUPMB, and of the
6 
national government agency concerned, to be assisted by the C/MPDC, shall identify
7 
and delineate on the ground the land uses within their jurisdiction. The following shall
8 
be given priority:
9 
a) Forestlands:
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a. Protection; and
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b. Production;
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b) Ancestral domains;
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c) NIPAS areas:
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a. Strict protection zone; and
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b. Multiple-use zone;
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d) Watershed areas:
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a. Critical; and
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b. Multiple use;
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e) Network of NPAAAD;
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f) Socialized housing sites and settlement expansion areas;
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g) Extents of environmentally-constrained areas;
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h) Easement areas; and
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i) Critical coastal areas:
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a. Mangroves; and
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b. Sea grass.
26 
Critical marine resources should also be delineated both on the map and in the waters.
27 
Perimeters of critical offshore areas, such as coral reefs, shall be marked in accordance
28 
with the coastal resource management plans concerned.
29 
All maps shall be updated as new important information and data become available or
30 
as determined by urgent need. Updating of maps shall be undertaken not more often
31 
than every ten (10) years.
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Sec. 73. National Geo-hazard Mapping Program. - Within thirty (30) days
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from the effectivity of this Act, a nationwide geo-hazard mapping program shall be 
initiated jointly through the NLUPC by the PHIVOLCS, the Philippine Atmospheric 
Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the NAMRIA, the 
MGB, and the DOE, in coordination with the NDRRMC, the Regional Disaster Risk 
Reduction Management Councils, and other concerned government agencies. The 
program shall include the generation of indicative geo-hazard zoning maps that will 
outline areas in the Philippines which are prone to liquefaction, landslides, flooding, 
lahar, ground rupturing, tsunami, river erosion, coastal erosion, sinkhole collapse, 
earthquake, lava flow, pyroclastic flow, base surge, and other natural hazards.
For purposes of uniformity and standardization and in order to develop a safe-built 
environment, the LGUs shall subsequently incorporate and integrate the generated 
geo-hazard zoning maps into their respective CLUPs and ZOs. Said geo-hazard maps 
shall serve as guide for all the LGUs in the preparation of their own hazards- 
constrained development plans. The NPFP shall incorporate these geo-hazard maps. 
All entities conducting infrastructure activities, including real estate and subdivision 
projects and the development of tourist spots requiring an ECC, shall submit an 
Engineering Geological and Geo-hazard Assessment Report (EGGAR).
Sec. 74. Scope and Nature of Responsibilities of Other National Government 
Agencies. - All concerned national government agencies/bodies shall periodically 
report to the NLUPC on the various activities and accomplishments on land use. 
Likewise, they shall provide their respective sectoral/development plans and provide 
technical and administrative support if called upon by the NLUPC for the 
implementation of the provisions of this Act.
Sec. 75. Submission of Annual Report on the Implementation of CLUPs and 
ZOs. - The local land use boards shall submit their annual report on the 
implementation of their land use plans to their respective sanggunian which shall 
submit the same to the RLUPCs for consolidation. The RLUPC shall thereafter transmit 
the consolidated reports to the NLUPC for monitoring and evaluation.
CHAPTER IX
TRAINING, EDUCATION AND VALUES FORMATION
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Sec. 76. Values Formation. - In order to develop a well-informed, responsible 
and committed citizenry who value the protection, conservation and development of 
the country's limited land, and other physical resources, the State shall mandate the 
inclusion of sustainable land use education or any subject related thereto in the 
curricula of primary, secondary and tertiary education.
Sec. 77. Information/Education Campaign and Capacity Building.- The NLUPC 
shall undertake a nationwide information/education campaign on land use and 
physical planning to be implemented by local and national government agencies. The 
DILG and concerned agencies shall formulate and implement a land use management 
capability building program for national and local government officials, community 
leaders, representatives of NGOs, POs, the religious sector, and the general public.
CHAPTERX
INCENTIVES, SANCTIONS AND PENALTIES
ARTICLE 1. INCENTIVES AND AWARDS
Sec. 78. Formulation of a System of Incentives and Awards.-The NLUPC shall 
come up with a system of incentives and awards to LGUs that regularly update their 
CLUPs/ZOs once every eight (8) years.
Sec. 79. Priority in Giving Technical Assistance to LGUs. - In providing 
technical assistance and other forms of support related to land use management and 
implementation of development plans, national government agencies shall give 
priority to cities and municipalities with approved CLUPs and ZOs.
ARTICLE 2. SANCTIONS AND PENALTIES
Sec. 80. Fine for Failure to Commence or Complete the Development of 
Agricultural Lands with Approved Conversion Order. - For agricultural lands with 
approved conversion orders, the provisions of Republic Act No. 6657 (CARL), as 
amended by Republic Act No. 9700, shall apply. A landowner and/or the designated
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developer or duly authorized representative who fail to commence and/or complete 
the development plan defined in the conversion order shall be jointly and severally 
penalized. The following fines based on the zonal value or the fair market value, 
whichever is higher of the land at the time the fine shall be imposed:
a) Failure to commence within three (3) years from the date of the 
conversion order:
a. Three percent (3%) for the first three (3) hectares;
b. Ten percent (10%) for the next three (3) hectares; and
c. Fifteen percent (15%) for the remaining area.
In such case, the order of conversion shall be revoked by operation of law. The land 
shall revert to its original use as agricultural land and may be covered by the DAR 
through compulsory acquisition for distribution to qualified beneficiaries.
b) Failure to complete sixty percent (60%) of the approved conversion 
plan within a specified time frame shall result to the automatic 
revocation by the DAR of the conversion plan on the undeveloped 
portion. The land shall be reverted to its original use as agricultural 
land and may be covered under the CARP for land distribution.
Sec. 81, Persons Abetting Illegal Conversion. - Any person initiating, 
causing, inducing, or abetting illegal conversion with intent shall be punished with 
imprisonment or a fine in accordance with Act No. 3815 or Republic Act No. 3019, or 
both, at the discretion of the court.
If the offender is a public official or employee, whether elected or appointed, the 
penalty shall also include dismissal from service, forfeiture of all benefits and 
entitlements accruing to the public position, and perpetual disqualification to run or 
apply for any elective or appointive public office.
If the offender is a juridical person, the penalty of imprisonment shall be imposed on 
the president, chief executive officer, manager, chairperson and all the members of 
the board, and other responsible officers thereof. The imposable fine shall be 
equivalent to the zonal value of the land or forty percent (40%) of the shareholders 
equity, whichever is higher. Furthermore, the land shall be forfeited in favor of the 
State and sold through public auction. The proceeds of the sale shall automatically 
accrue to the Agrarian Reform Fund.
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Sec. 82. Penalty for Reclassification of Protected Agricultural Lands and
2 
Exceeding the Limit of Areas Allowed for Reclassification. - Any person initiating,
3 
causing, inducing, or abetting the reclassification to nonagricultural uses of protected
4 
agricultural areas as defined in Section 13 hereof shall be penalized with imprisonment
5 
of twelve (12) years or a fine of not less than one hundred thousand pesos
6 
(P100,000.00), or both, at the discretion of the court.
7 
If the offender is a public official or employee, whether elected or appointed, the
8 
penalty shall also include dismissal from service, forfeiture of all benefits and
9 
entitlements accruing to the public position, and perpetual disqualification to run or
10 
apply for any elective or appointive public office.
11 
If the offender is a juridical person, the penalty shall be imposed on the president,
12 
chief executive officer, manager, chairperson and all the members of the board, and
13 
other responsible officers thereof.
14 
The same penalty shall be applicable to persons who will be responsible for exceeding
15 
the limits set forth under Section 20 of the Local Government Code pertaining to
16 
reclassification of lands.
17 
Sec. 83. Payment of Disturbance Compensation. - Following the order of
18 
priority stated in Section 22 of Republic Act No. 6657, as amended by Republic Act
19 
No. 9700, agricultural lessees and share tenants, regular farm workers, seasonal farm
20 
workers, other farm workers, actual tillers or occupants of public lands, collective, or
21 
cooperative of the above beneficiaries, and others directly working on the land
22 
affected by agricultural land use conversion, shall be entitled to the payment of
23 
disturbance compensation equivalent to five (5) times the average of the gross
24 
harvests on the landholding during the preceding five (5) calendar years or a certain
25 
percentage of the converted land, whichever is higher, as determined by the DAR.
26 
Sec. 84. Authority to Impose Fines. - The DAR shall have the authority to
27 
impose the penalty provided under the preceding sections.
28 
Sec. 85. Withdrawal of Local Development Permits and/or Licenses. - Upon
29 
receipt of notice from the DAR, the concerned agencies, city or municipality shall
30 
withdraw and/or revoke any development permit and/or other licenses that may be
31 
necessary to develop the agricultural land subject of conversion.
32 
Sec. 86. Utilization of Fines. - The fines collected under Section 84 hereof
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shall automatically accrue to the Agrarian Reform Fund consistent with the provision
2 
of the CARL.
3 
Sec. 87. Failure to Formulate, Implement and/or Enforce the CLUPs andZOs.
4 
- Consistent with due process, the NLUPC, in coordination with the DILG, shall
5 
evaluate, review, and recommend the filing of charges against local chief executives
6 
and other local officials and employees responsible for the formulation,
7 
implementation and/or enforcement of the CLUPs in the following cases:
8 
a) Failure of the CLUPs/ZOs to conform to the guidelines provided in the
9 
NPFP;
10 
b) Failure to complete the preparation of the CLUP despite the availability
11 
of funds, resources, and support by the sanggunian concerned;
12 
c) Failure to provide appropriate budgetary allocation to effect its
13 
implementation; and
14 
d) Failure to implement and enforce the CLUP/ZO due to negligence of
15 
duty.
16 
Any public official or employee, whether elected, appointed or holding
17 
office/employment in a casual, temporary, holdover, permanent, or regular capacity,
18 
found to be responsible for any of the foregoing acts, shall be punished with forfeiture
19 
of salaries and allowances, and suspension from:
20 
a) Three (3) to six (6) months, in case of noncompletion of the CLUP; or
21 
b) Three (3) to six (6) months, in case of nonconformity with the NPFP;
22 
or
23 
c) Six (6) to nine (9) months, in case of non-implementation of the CLUP.
24 
Failure to comply with the provisions of the IPRA on the formulation of the CLUP shall
25 
be penalized according to Section 72 of the IPRA.
26 
Sec. 88. Illegal Conversion of City or Municipal Parks, Communal Forests,
27 
and Tree Parks in Subdivisions. - Penalties in the amount of one hundred thousand
28 
pesos (P100,000.00) to five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) or imprisonment
29 
of six (6) years and one (1) day to twelve (12) years, or both, at the discretion of the
30 
court shall be imposed for each of the following offenses:
31 
a) Illegally converting or causing the conversion of a city/municipal park,
32 
communal forests, or tree parks within subdivisions established pursuant
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to Presidential Decree No. 953 requiring the planting of trees in certain 
places into other uses, including the construction of permanent 
buildings;
b) Destroying or causing damage to the timberlands and other forest 
products found in the abovementioned forest and parks;
c) Setting the abovementioned forests and parks on fire, or negligently 
permitting a fire to be set therein; and
d) Assisting, aiding or abetting another person to commit the offenses 
stated in this section.
The offender shall likewise be imposed a fine equivalent to eight (8) times the 
commercial value of the forest products destroyed without prejudice to payment of 
the full cost of rehabilitation of the areas, as determined by the DENR.
The maximum penalty prescribed shall be imposed upon the offender who repeats the 
same offense and double the maximum penalty upon the offender who commits the 
same offense for the third time or more.
All improvements made therein, as well as all vehicles, domestic animals, and 
equipment of any kind used in the commission of the offense shall be forfeited in favor 
of the government.
If not suitable for use by the DENR, said improvements, vehicles, domestic animals 
and equipment shall be sold at public auction and the proceeds from which shall accrue 
to the Forest Conservation and Development Fund (FCDF).
CHAPTER XI
TRANSITORY AND FINAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 89. Mandatory Review Every Ten (10) Years. - The Congress shall 
undertake a mandatory review of this Act at least once every ten (10) years from its 
effectivity or as often as it may be deemed necessary to ensure that land use policies 
and guidelines remain responsive to changing circumstances.
For this purpose, the Congress may call on to the NLUPC to undertake the necessary 
researches and consultations.
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Sec. 90. Convening of the NLUPC - Within thirty (30) days from the effectivity
2 
of this Act, the Chairperson shall convene the NLUPC. The Head of the NLUPC
3 
Secretariat shall immediately assume his/her position.
4 
Sec. 91. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days from
5 
the effectivity of this Act, the NLUPC shall promulgate its implementing rules and
6 
regulations (IRR) including the rules on the selection of the members of the C/MLUPMB
7 
and the PLUPMB. It shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete publication in
8 
the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of national circulation.
9 
Sec. 92. Congressional Oversight Committee on the Land Use Act - A
10 
Congressional Oversight Committee on the Land Use Act shall be created. It shall be
11 
composed of seven (7) members from the Senate and seven (7) members from the
12 
House of Representatives. The members from the Senate shall be appointed by the
13 
Senate President based on proportional representation of the parties or coalitions
14 
therein, with at least two (2) Senators representing the minority. The members from
15 
the House of Representatives shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of
16 
Representatives, also based on proportional representation of the parties or coalitions
17 
therein, with at least two (2) members representing the minority.
18 
The Oversight Committee shall function for a period of not more than three (3) years
19 
to oversee the implementation of this Act. The secretariat of the Oversight Committee
20 
shall be drawn from the existing secretariat personnel of the committees comprising
21 
the oversight.
22 
Sec. 93. Transfer of Powers and Functions. - The functions of the HLURB
23 
on land use planning as provided for under Sections 5(a), 5(b), 5(c), 5(d), 5(e), and
24 
5(f) of Executive Order No. 648, series of 1991 and Executive Order No. 72, series of
25 
1993, shall be immediately transferred to the NLUPC and its appropriate subnational
26 
LGU structures, except as provided in Section 55 hereof. Nothing in this Act shall be
27 
construed to transfer or limit the functions embraced within the said provisions that
28 
pertain to or relate to HLURB non-planning functions.
29 
Sec. 94. Appropriations. - The amount needed for the initial
30 
implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current year's appropriations
31 
of the NB-NLUC. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the continued
32 
implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
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Sec. 95. Review of Existing Land Use Rians. - Provinces, cities, and
2 
municipalities with existing land use plans shall review, revise, reconcile, and
3 
harmonize the same with the guidelines and standards issued by the NLUPC within
4 
one (1) year from the effectivity of this Act.
5 
Sec. 96. Access to Information. - Access to records and documents
6 
pertaining to official acts, transactions, or decisions as well as to data used as basis
7 
for policy development by the NLUPC shall be made available to the public.
8 
Sec. 97. Repeaiing Cause. - Section 10 of the AFMA and Sections 447
9 
(a2vii) and 458 (a2viii) of the Local Government Code and their related laws and
10 
administrative issuances are hereby modified by Section 13 hereof. The pertinent
11 
provisions of Executive Order No. 648, Executive Order No. 72, series of 1993 and
12 
Executive Order No. 770, series of 2008, amending Letter of Instruction (LOI) No.
13 
1350, are also modified accordingly. Section 11 of the AFMA as to the penalty for
14 
agricultural inactivity and premature conversion is also modified by Section 83
15 
hereof. LOI No. 1350, series of 1983; Presidential Proclamation No. 2282, series of
16 
1983; and all other general and special laws, acts, decrees, executive orders,
17 
proclamations and administrative regulations or any part thereof which are
18 
inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
19 
All republic acts, executive orders, rules and regulations, and other issuances or parts
20 
thereof that are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or
21 
amended accordingly.
22 
Sec. 98. Non-impairment Cause. - Nothing in this Act shall be construed as
23 
to diminish or, impair rights recognized, granted, or available to marginalized or the
24 
basic sectors under existing laws including, but not limited to. Republic Acts Numbered
25 
7279; 6657, as amended by Republic Act No. 9700; 8371; 8550; and 7942.
26 
Sec. 99. Separabiiity Cause. - If, for any reason, any section or provision
27 
of this Act is declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions not
28 
affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.
29 
Sec. 100. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
30 
publication in the Officiai Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of general
31 
circulation.
Approved,
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