FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
Republic of the Philippines ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S. No. 
2673 
'11 
FeD -2 P 3 :40 
Introduced by Senator JUAN MIGUEL F. ZUBIRI 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
A national land use policy is a primary tool to achieve national development and 
social equity. It is envisioned to provide a policy for the rational, holistic and just 
allocation, utilization, management and development of our land resources. It includes 
the parameters that will guide planning at the natidnal and local levels. 
This proposed national land use policy also provides for guidelines in major 
areGlS, as follows: agricultural lands, forestlands and watersheds, coastal zones, mineral 
lands, energy resource lands, settlements development areas, industrial development 
areas, tourism development and heritage areas. Umd use and physical planning shall at 
all times adhere to important policies and principles that promote: 
a) sustainable development and just management of resources; 
b) environmental integrity and stability; 
, 
c) disaster risk-reduction and climate change resiliency; 
d) food security; 
, 
e) protection of prime agricultural lands; 
f) water security; 
g) rational settlements development; 
,h) physical and economic integration; 
i) agrarian reform, urban land reform and rural development; 
j) private-public partnership; 
k) people empowerment, decentralization, social justice and equity; 
I) respect and protection of the rights of indigenous cultural communities and 
indigenous peoples; 
m) protection of the rights of basic sectors; 
n) deeper understanding of our history and culture; 
0) energy security; and 
p) market orientation within the framework of ecological and intergenerational 
factors. 
Planning processes at all levels shall include mandatory consultation in a bottom-
up, top-down approach. Meanwhile, plans shall b'e subject to review and shall include 
clear timelines for their approval and adoption. The proposed national land use measure 
addresses the vital issues of agrarian reform, climate change, the completion of a 
national database and geo-hazard mapping· and disaster risk reduction and 
management. These issues had emerged and exerted great impact on the Philippines 
since Congress had first initiated the crafting of a national land use policy, more than 
two decades ago. 


The proposed national land use policy will also harmonize existing laws 
governing the allocation, utilization, development and management of land resources. 
Furthermore, conflicting land uses and interests of our growing population over limited 
land resources show the need to institutionalize a comprehensive national land use 
policy. 
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this,measure is earnestly urged. 
• 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
'11 
FEB -2 P3 :40 
SENATE, 
2673 
s. No.,.--:~....:...:=:.. 
Introduced by SENATOR JUAN MIGUEL F. ZUBIRI 
AN ACT 
INSTITUTING 
A 
NATIONAL 
LAND 
USE' POLICY, 
PROVIDING 
THE 
IMPLEMENTING MECHANISMS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Represertatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
1 
CHAPTER I 
2 
INTRODUCTORY PROVISIONS 
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SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known and cited as the "National Land 
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Use Act of the Philippines of 2011". 
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SEC. 2. Declaration of Policies and Principles. - It is the policy of the State 
o 
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to provide for a rational, holistic, and just allocation, utilization, management, and 
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development of the country's land resources to ensure their optimum use, consistent 
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with the principle of sustainable development and inclusive growth. 
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The State shall recognize the need for. rational, optimal and sustainable 
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settlements development and shall allocate lands for urban uses and new town 
, 
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development, consistent with the principles of environmental management and 
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equitable access to land and security. 
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Toward this end, the State shall institutionalize land use and physical planning as 
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mechanisms for identifying, determining, and evaluating alternative land use and 
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allocation patterns that promote and ensure: 
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a) Sustainable and just management and u'tilization of natural resources; 
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b) Maintenance and preservation of environmental integrity and stability; 
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c) Disaster risk-reduction and climate change resiliency; 
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d) Food security in basic food commodities with emphasis on self-sufficiency in 
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rice and corn production through efficient and sustainable use of land resources, 
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consistent with the principles of sound agricultural development, natural resources 
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development, and agrarian reform; 
" 
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e) Protection of prime agricultural lands for food production activities and highest 


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priority to tHe finalization of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), 
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provided un<jler Republic Act No. 6657 or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, as 
amended byi Republic Act No. 9700; 
f) Water security through sustainable development and management of water 
resources; I 
g) RAtional population distribution and settlements development that shall 
ensure adeJuate land allocation for government mass housing programs; 
I 
h) S atial integration that links consumption and production areas to achieve 
physical and economic integration through appropri'ate infrastructure systems; 
" 
i) 
E uitable and sustainable economic growth and balanced and dispersed 
industrial an 
tourism development guided by the' principles of agrarian reform, urban 
land reform, and rural development; 
• 
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j) Pr vate-public partnership where government provides the appropriate policy, 
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legal and institutional framework to guide the. private sector's management of 
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resources; 
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k) H rmony between the rights and the varied interests of every Filipino within 
the framewo k of people empowerment, decentralization, social justice, and equity; 
I) R spect for and protection of the sustainable traditional resource rights of the 
Indigenous Cultural Communitiesllndigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) to their ancestral 
, 
domains to nsure their economic, social, and cultural well-being as well as recognition 
of the appli ability of customary laws and sustainable traditional resource use and 
manage me t, knowledge, and practices in ancestral domains; 
m) P otection of the rights of basic sectors'to equitable access to the country's 
land and o~her resources through State regulation of land valuation to prevent 
uncontrolle~lland speculation resulting in tremendous increase in land priCing; 
n) p~otection, conservation and preservation of the Filipino historical, cultural 
and built cUl1~ral heritage and resources for the deeper understanding of our history and 
culture as a reoPle; 
, 
0) Attainment of energy security or energy self-sufficiency through sustainable 
and priority evelopment of indigenous energy resources; and 
p) M rket orientation where the interplay of market forces within the framework 
of ecologic I and intergenerational factors is encouraged and adopted as the basic 
parameter i 
It is 
achieving efficiency in land use and allocation. 
, 
Iso the policy of the State to ensure that local government units (LGUs) 
35 
share with he national government the responSibility of managing and maintaining 
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ecological b lance within their territorial jurisdiction as stated in the 1987 Constitution 
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and the 199 Local Government Code (LGC) or Republic Act 7160. 
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Guid d by the principle that the use of land bears a social function and that all 
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economic agents shall contribute to the common good, landowners, land tenure 
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holders, in the case of forestlands, be it an. indivipual, communal, corporate or group 
shall be held responsible for developing and conser;ving their lands thereby making their 
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lands productive and supportive of environmental stability. 
SEC. 3. 
Scope.· This Act shall apply to all lands whether public, private, 
government-owned, and/or in the possession of individuals, communities, indigenous 
people, or groups of people, to guide and govern the use, allocation, development and 
management of land resources including such ,activities that bear impact on said 
resources. 
CHAPTER II 
DEFINITIONS 
SEC. 4. Definition of Terms.· As used 'in and for purposes of this Act, the 
following terms shall mean: 
a) "Agricultural land" shall refer to land devoted to agricultural activity as 
defined in Republic Act No. 6657, as amended E\nd not classified as mineral, forest, 
residential, commercial or industrial land; 
b) "Agricultural land use conversion" ~hall refer to the undertaking of any 
development activity which modifies or alters the physical characteristics of agricultural 
lands to render them suitable for non-agricultural purposes with an approved order of 
conversion issued exclusively by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR); 
c) "Alienable and disposable (A&D) lands" shall refer to lands of the public 
domain which have been delineated, classified, and certified as open and available for 
, 
disposition under the provisions of Commonwealth Act No.141, otherwise known as the 
"Public Land Act," as amended; 
d) "Ancestral domains" shall refer to all areas generally belonging to ICCs/IPs 
, 
as defined in Republic Act No. 8371, otherwise known as the "Indigenous Peoples 
Rights Act (IPRA) of 1998;" 
• 
e) "Basic Sector" shall refer to a group o~ people not referring to any organized 
groups such as but not limited to women, youth, elderly, differentiy-abled, peasants and 
fisher folk; 
f) "Basic Shelter" shall refer to any subdivision unit, housing unit or 
condominium satisfying the barest minimum shelter reqUirements under the minimum 
design standards of Batas Pambansa Big. 220; 
g) "Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP)" shall refer to a document 
embodying a set of policies, accompanied by maps and similar illustrations, that serves 
as principal basis for determining the future land use of lands and natural resources for 
production and protection purpose within the territorial jurisdiction of the city or 
municipality. It represents the community-desired' pattern of population distribution and 
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proposes future allocation of land resources to various land··using activities. It identifies 
the allocation, character, and extent of the areas of land resources to be used for 
different purposes and includes the processes and the criteria employed in the 
determination of the land use. 
It has a long-term perspective, encompassing a 
minimum of three (3) terms of local elective officials; 
h) "Comprehensive land use planning" shall refer to the act of defining the 
allocation, utilization, development and management of all lands within a given territory 
or jurisdiction according to the inherent characteristic of the land itself and supportive of 
sustainable, economic, demographic, socio-cultural and environmental objectives as an 
aid to decision-making and legislation; 
i) 
"Coastal area/zone" shall refer to a ,band of dry land and the adjacent 
ocean space (water and submerged land) in which terrestrial processes and uses 
directly affect oceanic processes and uses, and vi~e versa. Its geographic extent may 
include areas within a landmark limit of one (1) kilometer from the shoreline at high tide 
, 
to include mangrove swamps, brackish water ponds, nipa swamps, estuarine rivers, 
sandy beaches and other areas within a seaward limit of 200 meters isobath to include 
• 
coral reefs, algal flats, seagrass beds, and other. soft-bottom areas. For purposes of 
initiating and implementing sustainable coastal resources protection and management, 
" 
it shall include foreshore lands; 
j) 
"Critical habitats" shall refer to areas outside protected areas as defined in 
Republic Act No. 7586, otherwise known as the "National Integrated Protected Areas 
System Act of 1992", that are known habitats of threatened species and designated as 
such based on scientific data taking into consideration species endemicity and/or 
richness, presence of human-made pressureslthreats to the survival of wildlife living in 
the area, among others; 
k) "Critical watershed" shall refer to a drainage area of a river system 
supporting existing and proposed hydro-electric power, domestic water consumption, 
irrigation works or existing water facilities needing immediate protection and 
rehabilitation as it is being subjected to fast denudation causing accelerated erosion, 
destructive floods and polluted water. It shall be closed for logging until it is fully 
rehabilitated; 
I) 
"Cultural heritage" shall refer to the totality of cultural properties preserved 
and developed through time and passed on for posterity; 
m) "Customary laws" shall refer to a body of written andl or unwritten rules, 
usages, customs and practices traditionally and continually recognized, accepted, and 
observed by respective ICCs/IPs, consistent with the IPRA; 
n) "Development plan" shall refer to a document that defines the activities or 
measures that the national government or local government units (LGU's) intend to 
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implement in order to achieve a defined set of development goals. It integrates the 
, 
socio-economic and sectoral plans of the national government or its instrumentality or a 
particular LGU with spatial plans such as land use ?r 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. 
Development plans include the natio'nal-Ievel 
Medium-Term Philippine 
'. 
Development Plan (MTPDP) and its counterpart plans at the regional, provincial and 
local levels called the Medium-Term Regional Development Plan (MTRDP), the 
Provincial 
Development 
and 
Physical 
Framework 
Plan 
(PDPFP) 
and 
the 
Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP). These plans are translated into medium-
term investment programs, also prepared at the, national, regional and local levels, 
where programs, projects and activities derived from the development plans are ranked, 
prioritized, and matched with investment financing capacities. ; 
0) "Ecologically-fragile lands" shall refer to lands within the critical watershed, 
brackish and freshwater wetlands, pasture lands, and croplands which require 
rehabilitation and whose continued unsustainable use would adversely affect the 
productivity of lowland agricultural areas and the stability of the upland ecosystem; 
p) "Ecotourism" shall refer to sustainable "tourism or travel to a given natural 
area with exotic or threatened ecosystems or a heritage area to observe wildlife or to 
help preserve nature, in the process providing for community participation, protection 
and management of natural resources, culture and indigenous knowledge systems and 
practices, environmental education and ethics, as well as economic benefits fostered 
and pursued for the enrichment of host communities and the satisfaction of visitors; 
q) Energy resource lands" shall refer to lands where naturally occurring or 
indigenous energy resources exist in sufficient qU(!lntity or quality as to be economically 
viable for exploration, development, production, utilization, and distribution process; 
, 
r) "Energy resources" shall refer to surface or subsurface substances that 
serve as energy sources. These are traditionally mineral fuel deposits such as coal, 
petroleum, natural gas or renewable resources from geothermal, hydro reservoirs, or 
non-conventional sources such as ocean waves, solar, wind, biomass, and other similar 
• 
resources which serve the same purpose; 
s) "Environmentally critical areas" shall 'refer to areas declared by law as: (a) 
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protected areas pursuant to Republic Act No. 7586 or the NIPAS Act of 1992; (b) areas 
for natural parks, watershed reserves, wildlife preserves, and sanctuaries; (c) areas set 
aside as aesthetic potential tourist spots; (d) areas which constitute the habitat of any 
endangered or threatened species or indigenous Philippine wildlife (flora and fauna); (e) 
areas of unique historic, archaeological, or scientific interests; (f) areas which are 
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traditionally occupied by ICCs/IPs; (g) areas with' critical slopes; (h) areas frequently 
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visited and/or hard hit by natural calamities (geologic hazards, floods, typhoons and 
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volcanic activities); (i) prime agricultural lands; Ul recharge areas of aquifers; (k) water 
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bodies; (I) mangrove areas; (m) coral reefs; (n) mqssy and virgin forests; (0) rivers and 
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river banks; (p) swamp forest and marshlands; and (q) foreshore lands. This term shall 
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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 
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food security and food self sufficiency as determined by concerned agencies and LGUs 
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in consultation with the concerned sectors; 
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t) "Estuary" shall refer to a wetland type where the river mouth widens into a 
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marine ecosystem, the salinity of which is intermediate between salt and freshwater 
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where tidal action is an important biophysical regulator; 
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u) "Exhausted energy resource lands" shall refer to specific energy resource 
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sites whose energy reserves of the desired type(s) are no longer in sufficient quantity 
IS 
or quality to justify additional expenditure for their extraction and utilization; 
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v) "Exhausted mineral lands" shall refer to specific sites whose mineral 
, 
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deposits are no longer in sufficient quantity or quality to justify additional expenditure for 
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their extraction and utilization; 
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w) "Exhausted mineral resources" shall refer to a situation where the mineral 
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resources in specific sites are no longer in SUfficient quantity or quality to justify 
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additional expenditure for extraction or utilization; , 
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x) "Flood plain" shall refer to the portior]: of a river valley adjacent to a river 
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channel which is covered with water when river overflows its banks at flood stages. The 
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plain usually consists of silt deposited by the stream; 
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y) "Flood-prone areas" shall refer to low lying areas usually adjacent to large 
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or active water bodies and therefore experience regular or seasonal inundation as a 
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result of changes in the mean water level of' these bodies or because of land 
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reclamation and other artificial interference with the natural processes; 
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z) "Food security" shall refer to the policy objective of meeting the food 
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availability, accessibility, quality and affordability rE;quirements of the present and future 
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generations of Filipinos in a sustainable manner, through local production or 
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importation, only when there is shortage established based on a micro level situation, or 
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both, based on the country's existing and potential resource endowments and related 
, 
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production advantages, and consistent with the overall national development objectives 
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and policies; 
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aa) 
"Food self-sufficiency" shall refer to the policy objective of meeting the 
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food requirements through intensive local food production in a sustainable manner 
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based on the country's existing and potential resource endowments and related 
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production advantages; 
bb) 
"Forestlands" shall refer to those lands of the public domain which have 
been subjected to land evaluation and classification and have been legally designated 
as such for production forest and/or protection/amenity forest. They include the public 
forest, the permanent forest or forest reserves, and forest reservations; 
, 
cc) 
"Foreshore land" shall refer to a string of land margining a body of water, 
the part of a seashore between the low-water line usually at the seaward margin of a 
low tide terrace and the upper limit of wave wash at high tide usually marked by a 
beach scarp or berm; 
dd) 
"Framework for physical planning" shall refer to an indicative plan 
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promoting the most appropriate and rational use Qf land and other physical resources. 
It provides policy guidelines for all decisions relating to land use and environmental 
management, to prevent and mitigate the adverse effects of inappropriate resource 
utilization of the country's food security and food self-sufficiency on rice and corn, the 
people's welfare and their environment. It embodies both pOlicies and strategies 
necessary to carry out goals and objectives of this Act; 
eel 
Free and Prior Informed Consent - refers to consensus of all members 
of the ICCs/IPs or local community to be determined in accordance with their respective 
customary laws and practices, free from any extwnal 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; 
ff) 
"Geo-hazards" shall refer to natural and human-induced geological 
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processes that have potential to cause destruction and pose a threat or risk to human 
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life and property; 
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gg) 
"Geo-hazard areas or disaster-prone areas" shall refer to areas 
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frequently visited and/or vulnerable or prone to experience weather/climatic, hydrologic, 
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geologic, and other natural calamities; 
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hh) 
"Heritage Zones" refer to historical, anthropological, archaeological and 
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artistic geographical areas and settings that are culturally significant to the country as 
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declared by the National Museum and/or National Historical Institute, pursuant to R.A. 
31 
No.1 0066 or the National Cultural Heritage Act of ,2009; 
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ii) 
"lItegal conversion" shall refer to any activity that modifies or alters the 
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physical characteristics of agricultural lands to render them suitable for non-agricultural 
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purposes without an approved order of conversion from the DAR Secretary; 
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jj) 
"Improvements" shall refer to all types of buildings and residential units, 
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walls, fences, structures or construction of all kinds of fixed character or are adhered to 
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the soil but shall not include trees, plants, growing fruits, and other fixtures that are 
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mere super impositions on the land, and the value of improvements shall not be less 
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than fifty percent (50%) of the assessed value of the property; 
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kk) 
"Inclusive growth" refers to ensuring that the economic opportunities 
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created by growth are available to all, particularly the poor, to the maximum possible 
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extent; 
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II) 
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"Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (lCCs/IPs)" 
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shall refer to groups of people or homogenous societies identified under Republic Act 
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No. 8371 or the "Indigenious People's Rights Act (IPRA),,; 
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mm) 
"Indigenous energy resources" shall refer to energy resources, which 
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originate or occur naturally in the Philippines; 
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nn) 
"Inland waters" shall refer to waters, which are not coastal and marine 
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waters not subject to acquisitive prescription: consistent with the provisions of 
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Presidential Decree No.1 067, otherwise known as the "Water Code of the Philippines"; 
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00) 
"Inter-tidal sand flat" shall refer .to a juvenile fish-feeding area and 
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habitat for crustaceans. The littoral gravel and sand biotopes are also used by important 
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wintering ground and roosting/feeding grounds of indigenous migratory birds; 
16 
pp) 
"Integrated watershed management" shall refer to a planning strategy 
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or program for watershed areas that complement enVironmentally-sound soil and water 
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management 
practices 
with 
mechanisms 
for ensuring 
greater 
responsibility, 
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involvement, or participation of individuals, groups'; communities and other stakeholders 
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benefiting from these areas and water-related infra,structure; 
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qq) 
"Key biodiversity areas" shall refer to sites that are globally significant 
22 
for biodiversity conservation primarily containing species that require site-scale 
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conservation to prevent extinction in the short-term and medium-term. Such species 
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may be globally threatened , restricted-range and/or globally significant congregations 
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of species; 
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rr) 
"Lagoon" shall refer to a semi-enclosed coastal basin with limited 
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freshwater input, high salinity and restricted circulation which often lies behind sand 
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dunes. It is often highly productive and habitat for variety of plants and animal, serves 
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as nurseries of prawns and shrimps and also site for harbor, aquaculture, industry and 
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recreation; 
, 
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ss) 
"Land" shall refer to resources, both human-made and natural, found on 
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the surface, below, and above the ground including inland waters and the air therein. In 
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its broadest sense, it shall include all uses, improvements and developments of such 
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resources and may be viewed as a resource, as space, as location, as property and as 
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factor of production or capital; 
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ttl 
"Land use" shall refer to the manner of utilization of land, including its 
37 
allocation, development, and management; 
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uu) 
"Land use classification" shall refer to the act of delineating or allocating 
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lands according to protection land use, production land use, settlements development, 
and infrastructure development as defined and provided for in this Act; 
vv) "Land sub-classification" shall refer to the act of determining and 
assigning specific uses of classified lands of the public domain, such as forest or timber 
lands, alienable or disposable agricultural lands, national parks, and mineral lands in 
accordance with existing laws and this Act; 
ww) "Land use plan" shall refer to a document embodying a set of policies 
, 
accompanied by maps and similar illustrations which represents the community-desired 
pattern of population distribution and a proposal fGlr the future allocation of land to the 
various land using activities. It identifies the allocation, character and extent of the areas 
of land resources to be used for different purposes and includes the process and the 
criteria employed in the determination of the land use; 
xx) 
"Land use planning" shall refer to' the act of defining the allocation, 
utilization, development, and management of all lands within a given territory or 
, 
jurisdiction according to the inherent qualities of the land itself and supportive of 
sustainable economic, demographic, socio-cultural and environmental objectives as an 
aid to decision-making and legislation; 
yy) 
"Land Use Policy Council" shall refer to the highest land use policy 
making body created under Section 14 of this Act; , 
zz) 
"Mandatory public hearings/consultations" shall refer to the mechanism 
to ensure the involvement of affected sectors in land use planning from the local to the 
national level. It involves giving notice of hearing/consultation to affected sectors 
through publication or posting in conspicuous places, conduct of a reasonable .number 
of hearings, and solicitation of positions and the public presentation and validation of 
the planning results before the final adoption of the plans; 
aaa) "Mass housing" shall refer to residflntial subdivision and condominium 
projects covered by development permits and licenses to sell, catering to the homeless 
population to include socialized, economic/ldw-cost and medium-cost housing 
beneficiaries with affordabilities as defined from time to time by the Housing and Urban 
Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC); 
bbb) "Minerals" shall refer to all naturally occurring inorganic substance in solid, 
gas, liquid or intermediate state excluding energy materials such as coal, petroleum, 
natural gas, radioactive materials and geothermal energy; 
, 
ccc) "Mineral exploration" shall refer' to the systematic searching or 
prospecting for mineral resources; 
ddd) "Mineral lands" shall refer to lands in which minerals exist in sufficient 
quantity or quality to justify the investment necessary for their extraction and/or 
development; 
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eee) "Mudflat" shall refer to a wetland type that is usually an unvegetated area, 
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dominated by muddy substrate which provides ~ich feeding grounds for vertebrates 
such as fish and water birds and also important in preventing soil erosion; 
fff) 
"Multiple use of land resources" shall refer to the utilization or 
management strategy of public lands, which allows any activity thereat, involving one or 
more of its resources, depending on the result of prior evaluation on its numerous 
beneficial uses, that will produce the optimum benefits to the development and progress 
of the country and to the public welfare without impairment or with the least injury to its 
other resources; 
ggg) 
"National integrated protected areas system (NIPAS)" shall refer to 
the classification and administration of all designated protected areas to maintain 
essential ecological processes and life-support systems, to preserves genetics diversity, 
to ensure sustainable use of resources found therein, and to maintain their natural 
conditions to the greatest extent possible; 
hhh) "National Parks"shall refer to land of.,the public domain classified as such 
in the 1987 Philippine Constitution which include all areas under the National Integrated 
Protected Areas System, pursuant to Republic Act No, 7586 or the "NIPAS" Act of 
1992; 
iii) 
"Network of Protected Areas for Agriculture and Agro-industrial 
Development (NPAAAD)" shall refer to agricultural areas identified by the Department 
of Agriculture through the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) in 
coordination with the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA) 
, 
in order to ensure the efficient utilization of land for agriculture and agro-industrial 
development and promote sustainable growth, The NPAAAD covers all irrigated areas, 
all irrigable lands already covered by irrigation projects with firm funding commitments, 
all alluvial plains, land highly suitable for agricuiture whether irrigated or not, agro-
industrial croplands or lands planted to industrial crops that support the validity of 
existing agricultural infrastructure and agro-ba~ed enterprises, highlands or areas 
located at an elevation of five hundred (500) meter.s 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 deg radation, and all 
mangrove areas and fish sanctuaries; 
jjj) 
"Non-agricultural land use conversion" shall refer to the act of changing 
the current use of a piece of non-agricultural land into some other uses; 
, 
kkk) "Non-government organization" shall refer to a private and non-profit 
voluntary organization which is committed to the task of political, socio-economic, 
physical, cultural and environmental development and established primarily to provide 
service to marginalized sectors in these areas; 
10 


1 
III) 
"Patrimonial properties" refer to all the properties belonging to the State 
2 
that are not intended for public use or for public service for the development of national 
3 
wealth; 
4 
mmm) "People's organization" shall refer to a private, non-profit, voluntary and 
5 
community-based organization established primarily to provide service to its members 
6 
and the community in general; 
7 
nnn) "Physical framework plans" shall refer to indicative plans based on 
8 
comprehensive land use plans (CLUPs) and national policies whether national, 
9 
regional, or provincial which provide policy guidelines for all decisions relating to land 
10 
use and environmental management to prevent or mitigate the adverse effects of 
11 
inappropriate resource utilization on food security, the people's welfare and their 
12 
environment. it embodies both policies and strategies necessary to carry out 
13 
development goals and objectives; 
14 
000) "Premature or illegal conversion" shall refer to any activity that modifies 
, 
15 
or alters the physical characteristics of agricultural lands to render them suitable for 
16 
non-agricultural purposes without an approved order of conversion from the DAR 
17 
Secretary; 
18 
ppp) "Prime agricultural land" shall refer to all irrigated areas; all irrigable 
, 
19 
lands already covered by irrigation projects with firm funding commitments; all alluvial 
20 
plain lands highly suitable for agriculture whether irrigated or not, agro-industrial 
21 
croplands or lands presently planted to industrial crops that support the viability of 
22 
existing agricultural infrastructure and agro-based enterprises, hig hlands, or areas 
23 
located at elevation of 500 meters or above and ,have the potential for growing semi-
24 
temperate and high value crops; all agricultural lands that are ecologically fragile, the 
25 
conversion of which will result in serious environmental degradation, and mangrove 
26 
areas and fish sanctuaries; 
27 
qqq) "Production land use" shall refer to the direct and indirect utilization of 
28 
land to generate outputs resulting from the following activities: agricultural, fish, farming 
29 
or aquaculture, timber or agro-forestry, grazing and pasture, mining, indigenous energy 
30 
resource development, industry, and tourism; . 
31 
rrr) 
"Protected areas" shall refer to portions of land set aside by reason of 
32 
their unique physical and biological significance, managed to enhance biological 
33 
diversity, and protected against destructive human exploitation. For purposes of this 
34 
Act, it shall include agricultural lands identified and delineated under Section 28 hereof; 
35 
sss) 
"Protection 
land use" shall 
refer 
to 
the 
utilization 
of 
land 
36 
primarily for rehabilitation, conservation, and protection purposes and the promotion of 
37 
the country's ecological and life-support systems; • 
38 
ttt) 
"Public domain" shall refer to lands that belong to the State which may 
11 


1 
be any of the following: agricultural, forest or timber, mineral, or national park as 
2 
provided for in the Constitution; 
3 
uuu) "Public lands" shall refer to lands wrich have not been subject to private 
4 
property rights or subject to sale or other modes of acquisition or concession under the 
5 
general laws, and are devoted to public use; 
6 
vvv) 
"Reclassification of agricultural' lands" shall refer to the act of 
7 
specifying how agricultural lands shall be utilized for non-agricultural uses such as 
" 
8 
residential, industrial, or commercial purposes through the local planning and zoning 
9 
processes pursuant to Republic Act No. 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991 
10 
and subject to the requirements and procedure for conversion. It is equivalent to land 
11 
sub-classification, as defined in this Act for classified lands of the public domain and 
12 
also includes the reversion of non-agricultural lands to agricultural use; 
13 
www) 
"Resettlement sites" shall refer to areas identified by the appropriate 
14 
national agency or by the local government unit, with respect to areas within its 
15 
jurisdiction that shall be used for the relocation of the underprivileged and homeless, as 
16 
defined under Republic Act No. 7279 or the "Urban Development and Housing Act 
17 
(UDHA)"; 
18 
xxx) 
"River basin" shall refer to the horizontal projection of area from which a 
19 
river and its tributaries receive surface water Originating from precipitation; 
20 
yyy) 
"Settlements" shall refer to formal and informal communities or built-up 
21 
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residential areas where people prefer to live in 'and land areas classified, zoned, or 
converted for current or future residential or housing development purposes, including 
socialized housing zones for the homeless and underprivileged citizens; 
zzz) 
"Settlements development" shall refer to any improvement on existing 
formal or informal residential or housing settlements or any proposed development of 
certain areas for residential or mass housing seUlement purposes. It also involves the 
spatial distribution of population, identification of the roles and functions of key urban 
o 
centers, determination of relationships among settlement areas, and the provision of 
basic services and facilities of identified major residential or housing settlement areas or 
growth centers. It is also concerned with the interrelationship of settlements as they 
develop and establish functional linkages based on their respective resource 
• 
endowments and comparative advantages; 
aaaa) "Shoreline" shall refer to the line where shore and water meet. "Shore" is 
" 
the narrow strip of land in immediate contact with any body of water, including the area 
between high and low .water lines; 
bbbb) "Significant caves" shall refer to caves which contain materials or 
possess features that have archaeological, cultural, ecological, historical or scientific 
value as determined by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 
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in coordination with the scientific community and the academe; 
cccc) "Socialized housing" shall refer to housing programs and projects 
undertaken by the government or the private sector for the underprivileged and 
homeless citizens which shall include sites and services development, long-term 
financing, liberalized terms on interest payments, and such other benefits in accordance 
with the UDHA; 
dddd) "Socialized housing zones" shall refer to lands identified and 
designated by local government units as sites for socialized housing, pursuant to Article 
IV of Republic Act No. 7279 or the UDHA, and its implementing guidelines. It shall 
include areas that are presently occupied by the urban poor, as well as those identified 
as resettlement areas as defined herein; 
eeee) "Sub·classification or reclassification of agricultural lands" shall refer 
to the process undertaken by the LGUs of allocating in their respective territorial 
jurisdictions the declared agricultural land to specific uses such as residential, industrial 
or commercial purposes. It is only one of the bas~s for application for land conversion 
by the owners thereof and shall constitute the power of LGUs to reclassify lands under 
Section 20 of R.A. No. 7160 or the Local Governm'~nt Code of 1991, consistent with the 
provisions of this Act; 
ffff) 
"Sustainable development" shall refer to the development objective of 
meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future 
• 
generations to meet their own needs consistent with the principles of social equity, 
efficiency, and environmental integrity; 
'. 
gggg) "Stakeholder" shall refer to an individual, social group or organization 
that has a direct or indirect interest in an activity, project, resources, or decision; 
hhhh) "Tourism development areas" shall refer to specific sites for tourism 
development located in areas identified as priorities in the national, regional, and inter-
regional area specific tourism master plans and other sector plans such as eco-tourism 
and agri-tourism sites, including those designated through legislative and executive 
issuances such as tourist spots, tourist zones and tourism ecozones which can be 
developed into tourism estates or integrated resort, leisure, and recreation complexes, 
and other tourism related facilities; 
iiii) 
"Tourism Enterprise Zone" refers to an area designated as tourism 
enterprise zone by the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority pursuant to 
the provisions of RA 9593 otherwise known as the"Tourism Act of 2009; 
jjjj) 
"Tourism estates" shall refer to ,large tracts of land with well-defined 
boundaries in any area identified in the Philippine tourism master plan and regional 
tourism master plan, by proclamation of the President and/or by an act of Congress 
38 
including local legislation. 
Such land shall be suitable for the development of an 
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integrated tourism and resort complex including but not limited to accommodation 
facilities, food and beverage outlets, convention and meeting areas, sports, recreational 
and leisure centers and commercial outlets among others. It shall be provided with 
roads, water supply facilities, power and utilities like potable water, drainage sewerage 
disposal, solid waste disposal system and other necessary infrastructure. The estate 
, 
shall be under one unified and continuous management; 
I 
kkkk) "Tourist spot" shall refer to a particular area/site/spot, hurj1an-made or 
natural, known for its unique tourist/visitor-drawing attributes and activities. It may be 
classified according to its social, cultural, natural, historical, scientific, religious, and 
recreational significance; 
, 
1111) 
"Tourist zone" shall refer to a ,.geographic area with well-defined 
boundaries proclaimed as such by the President of the Philippines and/or by acts of 
Congress. No development projects for any purpose shall be initiated and introduced 
within the zone prior to the formulation of a tourism master development plan which 
shall be undertaken in coordination with the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the 
Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA). 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; 
mmmm) 
"Urban areas" shall refer to <)11 cities regardless of their population 
density and to municipalities with population density of at least Five hundred (500) 
persons per hectare; 
nnnn) "Urbanizable areas" shall refer to sites and lands which, considering 
, 
present characteristics and prevailing conditions, display marked and great potential of 
becoming urban areas within a period of five (5) years; 
0000) "Urban forestry or green space" shall refer to the establishment or 
setting-up of areas for mini-forest or small nature parks, lining roads and highways with 
trees, shrubs, or ornamental plants, and ground landscaping of schools, hospitals, and 
other government agencies in order to improve the environment in urban areas; 
pppp) "Water security" shall refer to the sufficient access throughout the year 
to the minimum daily requirement of clean water to maintain a healthy life; 
qqqq) "Water use" shall refer to the appropriation of water for domestic, 
, 
municipal, irrigation, power generation, inland fisheries, poultry and livestock, industrial 
and commercial, environmental, and recreational use; 
rrrr) 
"Watershed" shall refer to a topographically delineated area of land from 
which rainwater can drain as surface run-off vis-a-vis a 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; 
ssss) 
"Zoning" shall refer to the regulatory tool for delineating the specific uses 
14 


" 
1 
of lands in accordance with the approved Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) within 
2 
the territorial jurisdiction of a city/municipality and specifying the conditions for their 
3 
regulation; subject to the limitations imposed by law and competent authority; and, 
4 
tttt) 
"Zoning ordinance or ZO" shall refer to a local law passed by the 
5 
6 
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38 
, 
Sangguniang Pambayan or Panglunsod approving the development control/zoning plan 
in accordance with an approved or adopted CLUP for the city/municipality, and 
providing for the regulations and other conditions on the uses of land including the 
limitation on the infrastructure that may be placed thereon within the territorial 
jurisdiction of a city or municipality. It incorporates the protected areas under Section 
13(a) and the protected agricultural lands under Section 29 of this Act. 
CHAPTER III 
, 
PHYSICAL FRAMEWORK AND LAND USE PLANS 
SEC. 5. National Framework for Physical Planning.-
The Land Use Policy 
Council (LUPC) created in Section 14 herein, in consultation with the concerned sectors 
through the mandatory conduct of public hearings, shall formulate, periodically update 
and ensure the implementation of a national framework for physical planning that shall 
serve as the general long-term framework for the spatial development directions of the 
entire country. A NFPP shall be the basis for adopting land use and physical planning-
related guidelines and standards, including zoning. and other land use control standards 
that will guide the formulation of city/municipal zoning ordinances. 
• 
The policies prescribed in the NPFP shall' be integrated into the MTPDP and 
Medium-Term Philippine Investment Program. 
SEC. 6. National Land Use Planning Process. - The land use and physical 
planning process shall be formulated following a combined bottom-up and top-down 
approach. The national framework for physical planning, which guides the planning and 
, 
management of the country's land and other physical resources at the national and sub-
national levels, shall indicate broad spatial directions and policy guidelines on 
settlements development, production land use, protection land use and infrastructure 
development. The regional and provincial framework plans and Comprehensive Land 
Use Plans (CLUPs), which cover the physical development of their respective 
• 
territories, shall be consistent with the national framework for physical planning: 
Provided, That the integration and harmonization of physical framework plans at all 
levels shall be iterative to ensure that the concerns of both top and bottom levels of 
government are considered in the national, region.al and physical framework plans and 
CLUPs. The phYSical and land use plans prepared at all levels shall have internal 
consistency specifically on but not limited to the development, management and 
conservation of forestlands found within a given ~erritory and the linkages of the major 
land use categories to ensure their complementation in the utilization, development and 
15 


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2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
management of resources. 
SEC. 7. Regional Physical Framework Plans.- In consultation with concerned 
sectors, the Regional Land Use Policy Council (RLUPC) shall define the desired spatial 
arrangement of land-using activities in the entire region, consolidating and harmonizing 
the provincial physical framework plans of provinces and independent cities within the 
territorial jurisdiction of the region. The regional physical framework plan, which depicts 
an end-state scenario toward which efforts and activities are directed, shall consist of 
, 
spatially-based and area-focused policies, consistent with those in the national 
framework for physical planning, to guide detailed physical, socio-economic, sectoral 
and investment planning. 
11 
SEC. 8. 
Provincial Physical Framework Plans. -
In consultation with 
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38 
concerned sectors, the Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) shall 
prepare a provincial physical framework plan to determine the physical development of 
the entire provincial territory, consolidating and' harmonizing the land 'use plans of 
, 
component cities and municipalities, and defining the uses of land and other resources 
within the province consistent with the policies in the regional physical framework plan. 
It shall submit the provincial physical framework pl.an to the Provincial Land Use Policy 
Council (PLUPC), created under Section 20 of this Act, for review and endorsement to 
the Sangguniang Panla/awigan, which shall adopt the same pursuant to Section 468 (2) 
(vii) of the LGC. 
SEC. 9. City and Municipal Land Use Plans.- The City/Municipal Planning and 
Development Office (C/MPPOO), in consultation with concerned sectors through 
mandatory conduct of public hearings, shall prepare the CLUP to determine the specific 
uses of land and other physical resources therein including areas co-managed with the 
national government and, as appropriate, the ancestral domain areas .. The CLUP shall 
be consistent with the POPFP and shall embody the desired land use patterns and 
mixes of the city or municipal territory and provide appropriate pOlicies for each of the 
four land use planning categories that shall guide and serve as framework for more 
detailed development and sectoral planning. 
The CLUP shall be translated into a zoning ordinance by the concerned 
sanggunian to regulate the uses of land, including the limitations on height, density and 
bulk of buildings and other infrastructure that may be placed thereon. 
SEC. 10. Revision of Existing Planning Guidelines. - The existing planning 
, 
guidelines inconsistent with this Act shall be revised pursuant to Sections 5, 6, 7, 8 and 
9 of this Act which redefines the NPFP, RPFP, POPFP and CLUP. 
SEC. 11. 
CHAPTER IV 
FRAMEWORK FOR LAND USE PLANNING 
Priorities in Land Use Allocation and Planning.-
In projecting 
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spatial allocation for different land uses, the LGUs shall first exclude areas under 
• 
protection land use of Section 13(a) hereof, nation,al parks, energy resource lands, and 
prime agricultural lands to ensure ecological integrity, energy supply, and promote food 
security. Areas with prior rights and those with site~specific resources for basic services, 
such as but not limited to, water and indigenous energy resources, shall also be 
excluded. 
Spatial allocation and planning shall then proceed in accordance with 
Sections 12 and 13 hereof with priorities given to integrated watershed management 
areas, socialized housing sites, fisherfolk settlement in coastal areas, and waste 
, 
disposal sites. 
SEC. 12. Adoption of Multiple Uses of Land Resources. - The primary and 
altemative uses of a specific land resource shall be determined and evaluated prior to 
any decision for the assignment of its use. Areas feasible for sustainable land resource 
use may be considered multiple-use zones wherein settlements, tourism, agriculture, 
agro-forestry and extraction activities and other income-generating or livelihood 
activities may be allowed: Provided, That multipl61 uses of land resources shall be in 
accordance with priorities in land use allocation and planning and that no 
reclassification shall be allowed. 
SEC. 13. BaSic Land Use Planning Considerations. -
In determining the 
various land uses, the people and their productive activities and the need for functional 
open spaces and preservation areas as well as the various interrelationships of the 
physical characteristics of the land and other elements therein shall be considered, 
among others, the following: 
, 
(a) 
Availability of natural resources including indigenous energy resources for 
energy security and self-sufficiency; 
(b) 
Geology, geomorphology, geologic hazard, climate, soil, vegetative cover, 
demography and slope; 
(c) 
(d) 
Economic, environmental, social and related development activities; 
• 
Existing government policies on lard and natural resources allocation, 
utilization, management and disposition; 
(e) 
(f) 
. 
' 
Technological changes/advancement; 
Existing customary rights for the protection of indigenous peoples and 
32 
vulnerable groups including women and urban poor; and 
33 
(g) 
Inventory of prior and existing rights, to harmonize determination of land 
34 
use. 
35 
SEC. 14. Categories of Land Uses for Planning Purposes. In determining 
36 
and defining the national, regional and provincial framework plans, and CLUPs, land 
37 
uses shall be grouped into four major functional u~es as follows: 
38 
(a) 
Protection Land Use shall refer to the use of land primarily for 
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26 
rehabilitation, conservation, and protection purposes and the promotion of the country's 
ecological and life-support systems. Planning for protection land use intends to achieve 
environmental stability and ecological integrity, ensure a balance between resource use 
and the preservation of some areas with environmental, aesthetic, educational, cultural 
and historical significance, and protect people and human-made structures from the ill-
effects of natural hazards. Areas under this categ9ry are those covered by Republic Act 
No. 7586 or the NIPAS Law and other coastal and marine protected areas, those areas 
outside NIPAS but nonetheless require protection because of their outstanding physical 
and aesthetic features, anthropological Significance, and biological diversity, and those 
areas prone to natural hazards. Areas outside the coverage of the NIPAS law include, 
but are not limited to the following: 
a.1. Reserved old-growth forests above 1,000 meters in elevation and 
those 50% in slope gradient; 
a.2. Mangrove and fish sanctuaries, pursuant to Republic Act No. 8435 or 
the "Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1997." and Republic Act No. 
8550 or "The Philippine Fisheries Code of 1})98; 
a.3. Buffer zones or strips/easements, pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 
'. 
705, amending Presidential Decree No. 389, otherwise known as the "Forestry 
Reform Code of the Philippines" and Presidential Decree No.1 067 or the 'Water 
Code of the Philippines"; 
a.4. Salvage zones along foreshore areas, freshwater swamps and 
, 
marshes, plazas and heritage/historic sites, pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 
2146; 
a.5. Watersheds supporting domestic water supply; 
a.6. Utility easement like transmission lines of power companies, oil and 
gas facilities, cell sites, and domestic water lines; 
27 
a.7. Amenity areas or those with', high aesthetic values, pursuant to 
28 
Presidential Decree No. 2146; 
29 
a.8 Natural and human-made areas/sites of cultural, historical and 
30 
anthropological significance, which are declared as such by internationally 
31 
recognized organizations and concerned national agencies; 
32 
a.9 
Critical habitats as provided in Republic Act No. 9147 or the 
33 
"Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protjlction Act"; 
34 
a.10 
Significant caves under Republic Act 9072 or the "National Caves 
, 
18 


1 
and Cave Resources Management and Protection Act"; or 
2 
a.11 Key biodiversity areas under Executive Order 578 Series of 2006 or 
3 
the "National Biodiversity Policy". 
4 
(b) Production Land Use shall refer to the direct and indirect utilization of land 
• 
5 
resources for crop, fishery, livestock and poultry production, agroforestry, mining, 
6 
industry, energy development, and tourism. Planning for production land shall determine 
, 
7 
the most efficient, sustainable, and equitable manner of utilizing, developing and 
8 
managing land for productive purposes. Areas included in this category are agricultural 
9 
lands, fishing grounds, coastal 'and marine zones, production forest which comprise 
10 
lands 18% to 50% in slope gradient such as: 
residual dipterocarps, rangelands for 
11 
grazing purposes, industrial tree plantation/lntegr?ted Forest Management Agreement 
12 
(IFMA), community based forest management areas and other reforestation projects, 
13 
mineral lands or mining areas and reservations, energy resource lands, industrial 
14 
development areas, and tourism development areas where productive activities could 
15 
be undertaken to meet the country's requirements for food security, economic growth 
16 
and development. 
17 
(c) 
Settlements Development shall refer to any improvement on existing 
, 
18 
settlements in urban and rural areas or any proposed development of certain areas for 
19 
settlement purposes involving the spatial distribution of population, identification of the 
20 
roles and functions of key urban centers, determination of relationships among 
21 
settlement areas, and the provision of basic services and facilities to such settlement. 
22 
The settlements development plan ensures for the present and future generation the 
23 
following: i) effective integration of activities within and among settlements, allowing 
24 
efficient movement of people and production of commodities through the provision of 
25 
appropriate land, infrastructure, and facilities; Imd ii) access of the population to 
26 
housing, education, health care, 
recreation, transportation and communication, 
• 
27 
sanitation, and basic utilities such as water, power,'·waste disposal, and other services. 
, 
28 
(d) 
Infrastructure Development shall refer to the availability or supply of basic 
29 
services and fostering of economic and other forms of integration necessary for 
• 
30 
producing or obtaining the material requirements 9f Filipinos, in an efficient, responsive, 
31 
safe and ecologically friendly built environment. It, covers sub-sectors of transportation, 
32 
communications, indigenous energy exploration ahd development, water resources, and 
33 
social infrastructure. 
34 
Provided, That the determination of functional uses of lands within ancestral 
35 
domains shall consider traditional resource and management systems that do not 
36 
endanger the lives of the people and property of the local community and neighboring 
, 
19 


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areas or increase the vulnerability of the natural environment to the effects of natural 
2 
and human-induced geological processes. 
3 
CHAPTER V 
4 
IMPLEMENTING STRUCTUij.E AND MECHANISM 
5 
ARTICLE I 
6 
LAND USE POLICY COUNCIL 
7 
SEC. 15. Creation of the Land Use Policy Council (LUPC). - The LUPC is 
8 
hereby created as a committee under Nationai Economic Development Authority 
9 
(NEDA) Board. It shall exercise the powers and .responsibilities of the National Land 
10 
Use Committee (NLUC). The LUPC shall act as tlie highest policy making body on land 
11 
use and resolve land use policy conflicts between or among agencies, branches, or 
12 
levels of the government. It shall integrate efforts, monitor developments relating to 
13 
land use and the ev,olution of policies. 
14 
SEC. 16. Composition of the LUPC. - The LUPC shall be composed of the 
15 
following. 
16 
a) The Secretary-General of the National Economic and Development Authority 
• 
17 
(NEDA) as Chairperson; 
18 
b) The Secretaries of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources 
19 
(DENR) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Chairperson of the Housing 
20 
and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) as Vice-Chairpersons; 
21 
The members shall be: 
, 
22 
c) The Secretaries of 
the Department of 
Agrarian Reform (DAR), the 
23 
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Public Works and Highways 
24 
(DPWH), the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), the 
25 
Department of Tourism (DOT), the Department of Interior and Local Government 
26 
(DILG), the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Department of Science and Technology 
27 
(DOST), the Department of Finance (DOF) and the Department of Energy (DOE); 
28 
d) A representative each from four (4) basic sectors directly involved in land use, 
29 
namely: urban poor, peasants, fisherfolk, and indigenous peoples who shall be 
30 
appointed by the President of the PhilippinEis based on the nomination and 
31 
recommendation of the respective sectoral councils of the National Anti-Poverty 
32 
Commission (NAPC). At least two (2) sectoral representatives shall be women; 
33 
e) Two (2) representatives from private subdivision, and housing developers; 
, 
34 
and 
35 
f) A representative from the indigenous peoples through the National 
36 
Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP.) 
37 
A consultative body shall likewise be convened by the LUPC at least once a year 
38 
or as often as may be necessary. It shall be composed of representatives from the 
20 


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Leagues of Municipalities, Cities, and Provinces, other government agencies not 
2 
represented in the LUPC, and from non-government sectors such as the private sector, 
3 
non-government organizations (NGOs) and people's organizations (POs), and the 
4 
academic community. 
5 
SEC. 17. Powers and Functions. The LUPC shall have the following powers 
6 
and fUnctions: 
7 
a) Advise the President of the Philippines ,and the NEDA Board on all matters 
8 
concerning land use and physical planning; 
9 
b) Integrate and harmonize all laws, guidelipes and policies relevant to land use 
10 
and physical planning to come up with a rational, cohesive, and comprehensive national 
11 
land use framework; 
'. 
12 
c) Formulate policies and endorse land use and physical planning-related 
13 
policies that may be formulated by the Regional Land Use Policy Council (RLUPC), 
14 
created under Section 21 of this Act, and concerned agencies as well as promulgate 
15 
zoning and other land use control standards and guidelines which shall guide the 
16 
formulation of land use plans and zoning ordinances by local governments; 
17 
d) Prepare, periodically review and if necessary, update the national framework 
18 
for physical planning to provide the general framework for the spatial development 
19 
directions for the entire country and sub-national levels; 
20 
e) Review and endorse all land use and physical planning related guidelines; 
21 
f) Monitor and coordinate the gathering of data, the conduct of studies 
22 
pertaining to land use planning inciuding studies on the management of identified land 
23 
uses and such other studies not undertaken by other government agencies; 
24 
g) Recommend to the President of the Philippines the adoption, passage, or 
25 
amendment of laws to ensure that sectoral programs, plans, projects, and activities, 
26 
including local government initiatives affecting land use are consistent with national 
27 
development objectives; 
28 
h) Coordinate with and assist other government agencies and LGUs in planning, 
29 
developing, and implementing their land use classification programs, and provide, to the 
30 
extent possible, technical assistance and guidanc~; 
31 
i) Monitor and coordinate the activities of concerned agencies and entities of 
, 
32 
the government, as well as LGUs, in the enforcement and implementation of policies 
33 
and regulations relating to land use and resource rpanagement and development; 
34 
j) Monitor and coordinate activities in the establishment of a national land 
35 
resource information and management system, of concerned agencies that shall 
36 
integrate and process information on land use and allocation generated by the various 
37 
national government agencies; define informatiorl requirements at various levels; and 
'. 
38 
standardize information inputs and outputs including scales and symbols used in 
21 


" 
I 
territorial and sectoral maps; 
2 
k) Call on any department, bureau, office, agency, or instrumentality of the 
3 
government, and or private entities and organization for cooperation, support, and 
4 
assistance in the performance of its functions; 
5 
I) 
Decide and resolve policy conflicts and territorial jurisdiction on land use 
6 
between or among agencies, branches, or levels of the government and act on 
7 
unresolved land use policy conflicts at the regional level elevated by the Regional Land 
8 
Use Policy Council (RLUPC); 
9 
m) Adopt rules of procedures for the orderly and expeditious conduct of meetings 
10 
and other business of the Council; and 
II 
n) Perform such other acts and functions and exercise such other powers as 
, 
12 
may be necessarily implied, inherent, incident, or related to the foregoing, 
13 
SEC. 18. 
LUPC-Technical Board (LUPC-TB), 
A Technical Board shall be 
14 
created to provide technical support to the LUPC. 'It shall be composed of: 
IS 
a. NEDA Deputy Director-General for Regional Development as Chairperson; 
16 
b. Representatives of the member agencies/institutions of the LUPC, who shall 
17 
have a rank not lower than Director level; and 
18 
c, The representatives of the four (4) basic sectors as enumerated in Section 4 
19 
(e) of this Act. 
20 
SEC. 19. Offices, Units and Staff Support. The NEDA Regional Development 
, 
21 
Office shall continue to provide core secretariat services to LUPC, its Technical Board 
22 
and RLUPC. Other government agencies may als0 be called upon for staff support. 
23 
24 
25 
26 
ARTICLE 2 
LOCAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCILS AS LOCAL LAND USE POLICY 
COUNCILS' , 
SEC. 20. 
City/Municipal Land Use policy Council (C/MLUPC). 
The 
27 
City/Municipal Development Council (C/MDC), created under Section 106 of the Local 
28 
Government Code, shall act as the City/Municipal Land use Policy Council (C/MLUPC) 
29 
that will tackle land use concerns whenever necessary. 
A duly authorized 
30 
representative from the DAR, the DENR and the DA shall be included in the 
31 
composition of the C/MLUPC, 
32 
In addition to the functions enumerated in Section 109 of the LGC, the C/MLUP 
33 
shall: 
34 
a. Advise the Sangguniang Bayan or Sangguniang Pan lung sod on all matters 
35 
pertaining to land use and physical planning; 
36 
b, Review and endorse to the Sangguniang Bayan or Sangguniang Pan/ungsod 
37 
for adoption, the CLUP prepared and periodically updated by the City/Municipal 
, 
38 
Planning and Development Office and other land use and physical planning-related 
22 


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policies; and 
c. Decide and resolve policy conflicts on land use planning, classification, and 
allocation that may arise between and among barEmgays and any unresolved land use 
conflict at the barangay level regarding the violation of zoning ordinances including 
opposition to applications for locational clearances, permits or certificates. 
For purposes of this Act, the City/Municipal Planning and Development 
Coordinator (C/MPDC) shall: (a) act on all applications for locational clearances for all 
projects except those of vital and national economic or environmental significance; and 
(b) monitor on-going/existing projects within their respective jurisdictions and issue 
, 
notices of violation to owners, developers, or managers of projects that are violative of 
zoning ordinances. 
The C/MLUPC may call upon any local official concerned such as C/MPDC, 
City/Municipal Agriculturist, City/Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Officer, 
City/Municipal Engineer, City/Municipal Assessor: or any official of national agencies 
, 
during discussions on land use and physical planning concerns. 
Local government units without operational C/MDC as mandated by the 1991 
LGC shall activate their respective Councils within six (6) months from the effectivity of 
this Act. 
SEC. 21. 
Provincial Land Use Policy Council (PLUPC). 
The Provincial 
Development Council (PDC), created under Section 106 of the LGC, shall act as the 
Provincial Land Use Policy Council that will tackle land use concems whenever 
necessary. 
A duly authorized representative from the DAR, the DENR and the DA 
shall be included in the composition of the PLUPC, 
In addition to the functions enumerated in Section 109 of the LGC, the PLUPC 
25 
shall: 
26 
a. Advise the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on all matters pertaining to land use 
. 
, 
27 
and physical planning; 
28 
b. Review and endorse to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for adoption, the 
29 
provincial physical framework plans, 
prepared and periodically updated by the 
30 
Provincial Planning and Development Office and other land use and physical planning-
31 
related policies; 
32 
c. Assist the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in reviewing the CLUPs of component 
33 
cities/municipalities to ensure consistency with the provincial physical framework plans 
34 
and compliance with the limits prescribed un~er the 1991 LGC for reclassifying 
35 
agricultural lands; and 
36 
d. Decide and resolve policy conflicts on land use planning, classification, and, 
37 
allocation that may arise between or among cities/municipalities and any unresolved 
38 
land use conflicts at the city/municipal level. 
23 
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The PLUPC may call upon any local official concerned such as Provincial 
Planning and Development Coordinator, Provincia!' Agriculturist, Provincial Environment 
and Natural Resources Officer, Provincial Engineer, Provincial Assessor, or any official 
of national agencies and other relevant agencies'during discussions on land use and 
physical planning concerns. 
SEC. 22. Regional Land Use Policy Council (RLUPC). At the regional level, 
the Regional Land Use Policy Council (RLUPC) shall be institutionalized, replicating the 
LUPC structure and composition which shall include a duly authorized representative 
, 
from the DA, the DENR and the DA. The RLUPC shall have the following functions: 
a. Formulate and adopt regional poliCies on land use and physical planning; 
b. Prepare and periodically update a regional physical framework plan, taking 
into consideration national polices and lower level plans; 
C. Assist the provinces in preparing and periodically updating its phYSical 
framework plans to ensure consistency with the regional and national plans and policies 
and to facilitate its integration to the regional plans;" 
d. Review, prior to adoption by respective Sanggunians, the provincial physical 
framework plan and CLUPs of highly urbanized imd independent component cities to 
ensure consistency with the regional physical framework plan and national policies set 
forth by LUPC and compliance with limits prescribed under the 1991 LGC for 
reclassifying agricultural lands; 
e .. Decide arid resolve policy conflicts on land use planning, classification, and 
allocation that may arise between or among regional line agencies, provinces and 
, 
cities/municipalities; 
f. 
Monitor changes in land use and other ptlysical resources in the region; 
'. 
g. Evaluate consistency of major programs and projects with the regional 
physical framework plans and their impact on land 'use and the environment; 
h. Undertake the gathering of regional data for the Land Resource Information 
and Management System; and 
i. 
Perform other related functions as may be directed by the LUPC. 
ARTICLE 3 
ADOPTION, APPROVAL AND REVIEW OF LAND USE PLANS 
SEC. 23. Component Cities and Municipalities.- Component cities and 
municipalities shall have the power and authority to adopt and approve their respective 
CLUPs and ZOs through their respective sanggunians subject to the power of review of 
, 
their respective provinces only with respect to the consistency of the CLUPs and ZOs 
with Section 8 hereof on the preparation of the provincial physical framework plan. 
Upon adoption and approval of the CLUP and ZO by the Sanggunian, all land areas 
zoned for residential purposes or for settlements development shall cease to be 
24 


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29 
30 
31 
32 
33 
34 
35 
36 
37 
38 
covered by the CARP and therefore, shall not be' required to secure further order of 
land conversion or exemption certificates from the DAR, except for the payment of 
disturbance compensation if applicable, as well as the requirements pertaining to the 
issuance of environmental compliance certificate (ECC) by the DENR. 
SEC. 24. 
Provinces and Independent and Highly Urbanized Cities.-
Provinces and independent and highly urbanized cities shall have the power and 
authority to adopt and approve their respective CLUPs, ZOs or provincial physical 
framework plan, as the case may be, through their respective sanggunian but subject to 
the review of the RLUPC as provided in Section 22 of this Act. 
ARTICLE 4 
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND 
LGUs 
SEC. 25. 
National Base Mapping Program.-
A national mapping program 
shall be implemented, coordinated, and monitored through the creation of an Inter-
agency Technical Committee (ITC) composed of the National Mapping and Resource 
Information Authority (NAMRIA), as the lead agency, the Bureau of Soils and Water 
Management (BSWM), the Forest Management BtJreau (FMB), the Land Management 
, 
Bureau (LMB), the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB), the Mines and 
, 
Geosciences Bureau (MGB), the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology 
(PHIVOLCS), DAR, the National Water Resources Board (NWRB), DOE, NEDA and 
other concerned government agencies/bureaus. The ITC shall be constituted, and the 
mapping program shall be initiated, within thirty (30) days from the effectivity of this Act. 
For purposes of uniformity and standardization, the LGUs, to be assisted by the 
, 
appropriate agencies of the national government, shall likewise prepare their respective 
territorial maps using scales, symbols, and other indicators to be prescribed in 
accordance with this Act. 
The completed maps shall be integrated in the national 
framework for physical planning pursuant to Section 5 of this Act. 
SEC. 26. National Geo-hazard Mapping Program.-
Within thirty (30) days 
from the effectivity of tHis Act, a nationwide geo-hazard mapping program shall be 
initiated jointly thru the LUPC by the PHIV()LCS, the Philippine Atmospheric 
Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the NAMRIA, the 
Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), BSWM, and DOE, in coordination with the 
National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), the Regional 
Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC), and other concerned 
government agencies. The program shall include the generation of indicative geo-
hazard zoning maps that will outline areas in the Philippines which are prone to 
liquefaction, land slides, severe flooding, lahar, ground rupturing, tsunami, river erosion, 
I 
coastal erosion, sinkhole collapse, earthquake, lava flow, pyroclastic flow, base surge, 
25 


1 
and other natural hazards. 
2 
For purposes of uniformity and standardization and in order to develop a safe-
3 
built environment, the LGUs shall subsequently incorporate and integrate the generated 
4 
geo-hazard zoning maps in their respective CLUPs. Said geo-hazard maps shall serve 
5 
as guide for all the LGUs in the preparation of their own hazards-constrained 
• 
6 
development plans. The national framework phy!?ical planning, pursuant to Section 5 
7 
hereof, shall incorporate these geo-hazard maps. . 
8 
All infrastructure activities including real est~tes and subdivision projects and the 
9 
development of tourist spots requiring an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) 
10 
shall be required to submit an Engineering Geological and Geo-hazard Assessment 
11 
Report (EGGAR). 
12 
SEC. 27. 
Scope and Nature of Responsibilities of Other National 
, 
13 
Government Agencies.-
All concerned national government agencies/bodies shall 
14 
periodically report to the LUPC on the various activities and accomplishments relative to 
15 
land use. Likewise, they shall provide their respective sectoral/development plans and 
16 
render technical and administrative support if called upon by the LUPC relative to the 
17 
implementation of the provisions of this Act. 
18 
SEC. 28. Submission of Annual Report on the Implementation of CLUPs. -
19 
The C/MLUPC shall submit an annual report on the implementation of their land use 
20 
plans to the PLUPC, which shall integrate the same for submission to the RLUPC, 
21 
which shall in turn integrate the provincial reports (or submission to the LUPC. 
22 
CHAPTER VI 
23 
SPECIAL AREAS OF CONCERN 
24 
ARTICLE I 
25 
AGRICULTURAL lANDS 
26 
SEC. 29. 
Priority Areas for Agricultu~al Development.- Priority areas for 
27 
agricultural development shall be those agricultural areas covered under Republic Act 
, 
28 
No. 6657 or the CARP, as amended, and those covered under Network of Protected 
29 
Areas for Agricultural and Agro-Industrial Development (NPAAAD), defined in Section 4 
30 
of this Act and in RA No. 8435 or the "Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act". 
31 
SEC 30. Conversion of Agricultural lands.- Agricultural lands are deemed 
32 
converted to non-agricultural uses upon approval by the DAR of the application for 
33 
conversion. Prime agricultural lands and specific types of lands to the extent necessary 
34 
for attaining food self-sufficiency in rice and corn and food security in other basic 
35 
commodities, as determined by the DA, subject to mandatory consultation with the 
36 
LGUs, the private sector, the NGOs, and POs, shall be protected from conversion, 
37 
which shall include but not limited to areas under the NPAAAD: Provided, That all 
38 
irrigated and irrigable lands, all lands developed or possessing the potential 
for 
26 


1 
development of high value crops, and all agricultural lands that are ecologically fragile 
2 
and whose conversion will result in serious environmental problems shall be given full 
3 
protection from conversion, the areas under which are subject to review every seven (7) 
4 
years by the DA, with the mandatory public consultations: Provided, further, That 
5 
consistent with the State policy on giving priority to the completion of the CARP, all 
6 
lands subject to CARP including those lands covered under the notice of compulsory 
7 
acquisition/voluntary offer to sell, production or profit-sharing, or commercial farm 
8 
deferment shall also be protected from conversion pending the distribution and 
9 
installation of the farmer beneficiaries, but thereafter, Section 22 of RA No. 9700 or 
10 
CARP Extension shall apply: Provided, fUrthermore, That the conversion of agricultural 
11 
lands for use of priority govemment projects for basic services such as, but not limited 
12 
to, irrigation and power shall be allowed only upon the recommendation of the 
13 
Secretaries of the DA and the DAR: Provided, finally, That the mapping of the NPAAAD 
14 
under the AFMA shall be completed within two (2) years from the effectivity of this Act. 
15 
Lands defined under Section 10 of RA f)lo. 6657 shall remain exempted and 
16 
excluded from the coverage of CARP. 
17 
SEC. 31. Sub-classification or Re-classmcation of Agricultural Lands by 
18 
LGUs.-
Sub-classification or re-c1assification of ~gricultural lands to other uses under 
19 
Section 20 of the LGC of 1991 shall exclude the protected agricultural lands as stated in 
20 
the preceding section. 
Moreover, such sub-classification/reclassification is 
not 
• 
21 
synonymous to conversion. The DA and DAR shall provide the LGUs with complete list 
22 
and maps of protected agricultural lands within their territorial jurisdictions. 
23 
ARTICLE 2 
24 
FOREST LANDS AND WATERSHED MANAGEMENT 
25 
SEC. 32. Reversion of Alienable and Disposable Lands to Forestlands.-
26 
Upon the recommendation of the Secretary of the DENR, duly reviewed and endorsed 
27 
by the LUPC, and after due consultations with the concerned LGUs and affected 
28 
parties, Congress may authorize the reversion of alienable and disposable lands of the 
29 
public domain or portion thereof to forestlands. Thereafter, said lands shall be included 
30 
in the preparation of land use plans within forestlands. 
31 
SEC. 33. Critical Watershed Areas.- The DENR, in coordination with the DA, 
, 
32 
LGUs, and other government agencies, including government-owned and-controlled 
33 
corporations, and with mandatory public conSUltations, shall identify and delineate 
34 
critical watershed areas that need to be protected, rehabilitated, enhanced, and/or 
35 
withdrawn from uses that contribute to their further degradation. 
36 
SEC. 34. 
Formulation and Implementation of Integrated Watershed 
37 
Management Plans.-
With the assistance of the DENR and upon mandatory 
38 
consultations with the concerned sectors, the LGUs through their local land use 
27 


1 
committees shall prepare their watershed management plans which shall be integrated 
2 
with their respective CLUPs. The formulation and integration of the plan shall be guided, 
3 
among others, by the principle that the management and development of inland water 
4 
resources shall be at the watershed level. A natio,nwide mapping of watersheds in the 
5 
country shall be implemented. 
• 
6 
In cases where the watershed areas transcend the boundaries of a particular 
7 
municipality, an inter-LGU committee composed o,f representatives from local land use 
8 
committees of the LGUs where the watershed area is located shall be formed. With the 
9 
assistance of the DENR and upon mandatory con~ultations with the concerned sectors, 
10 
the inter-LGU committee shall formulate the watershed management plan for the said 
11 
watershed area. 
'. 
12 
The DENR and the concerned LGUs shall jointly implement the watershed 
13 
management plan subject to regular consultations with and involvement of the 
14 
community and other stakeholders in the implemeritation of the plan. 
15 
The preparation of forest land use plans shall make use of the watershed as the 
16 
basic planning unit. 
17 
ARTICLE 3 
18 
COASTAL ZONE 
19 
SEC.· 35. 
Criteria on the Allocation and Utilization of Lands within the 
20 
Coastal Zones.-
The allocation and utilization of lands within the coastal zones shall 
21 
be guided by the following: 
22 
a) Areas vegetated with mangrove species shall be preserved for mangrove 
23 
production and shall not be converted to other uses; 
24 
b) Areas which meet all accepted criteri? on elevation, soil type, soil depth, 
25 
topography, supply for successful fishpond development, and are not identified as 
26 
mangrove protected areas, shall be utilized for aquaculture purposes; 
27 
c) Areas sub-classified as mangrove and still suitable for use as such, or due to 
28 
environmental conditions need to be preserved as mangrove, but is devoid of mangrove 
29 
stands shall not be converted to other uses. The DENR shall ensure that these lands 
30 
shall be reforested within a given period of time; 
!. 
31 
d) Areas accessible to the sea and identified for fisherfolk settlement and 
• 
32 
housing shall be allocated to traditional fisherfolk who are inhabitants of the coastal 
33 
communities and members of legitimate fisherfolk organizations and/or holders of 
34 
stewardship lease contracts or titles to ancestral domains or any form of property right 
35 
arrangements who participate in coastal resource j1lanagement initiatives, subject to the 
36 
usual census procedures of the HUDCC. 
37 
e) Areas which are neither sub-classified as mangrove, fisherfolk settlement nor 
" 
38 
fishpond may be devoted to recreational or tourism purposes: Provided, That such 
28 


1 
undertaking will not result in environmental degradation and displacement of small 
2 
fishers; 
3 
f) Areas which are considered as traditional fishing grounds shall be used 
4 
primarily for such purpose; 
5 
g) Areas which have been allocated for small infrastructure needed by fisherfolk 
6 
shall be allowed; and 
7 
h) Areas which form part of foreshore lands as defined in this Act including 
8 
those which are under lease agreements or arraJ;1gements shall undergo zoning and 
9 
evaluation to determine their boundaries and actual sizes and corresponding uses. 
10 
SEC. 36. 
Coastal Land Zone Sub-c1assification.-
All public lands in the 
11 
coastal zones shall be sub-classified into any of the following: estuaries, lagoons, inter-
, 
12 
tidal flats, mudflats, fishponds, mangroves, protection from tidal surge, for preservation 
13 
of biodi\(ersity, habitats and sanctuaries for endangered wildlife, fisherfolk settlement, or 
14 
recreational/tourism areas. No sub-classification df coastal zones to different uses shall 
15 
be done without the following: 
16 
a) Conduct of a comprehensive resource and environmental assessment by the 
17 
OENR and respective LGUs and accredited NGOs and POs within their jurisdiction; and 
18 
b) Prior consultation 
with the 
Local 
Fisheries 
and 
Aquatic Resource 
19 
Management Councils (FARMCs) formed under Republic Act No. 8550 or the Philippine 
20 
Fisheries Code. 
21 
SEC. 37. 
Zoning of Foreshore Areas.-
Local govemment units, in 
22 
coordination with the OENR, shall conduct zoning of their respective foreshore areas to 
23 
assist govemment and community fishers identify priority areas for conservation and 
24 
development, and to enable them to set targets for mangrove reforestation and 
25 
rehabilitation. 
, 
26 
SEC. 38. Protection of Waterways Ease~ents and Flood Plains. - Structures 
27 
of any kind shall not be built in waterways easements. Pursuant to PO 1067 or the 
28 
Water Code, the banks of rivers and streams and the shores of the seas and lakes 
29 
throughout their entire length and within a zone of three (3) meters in urban areas, 
30 
twenty (20) meters in agricultural areas and forty (40) meters in forest areas, along their 
3 I 
margins, are subject to the easement of public LIse only in the interest of recreation, 
32 
navigation, floatage, fishing and salvage. 
33 
The protection of flood plains shall adopt a river basin management approach in 
34 
order to come up with integrated flood mitigatiop interventions. Development within 
35 
flood plains and other flood-prone areas must be controlled or, if allowed, must be so 
36 
sited, constructed and serviced that life of occupants are not put at risk and that 
37 
disruptions during floods are minimal. The identification and characterization of flood-
, 
38 
prone areas and flood plains shall be an integral part of CLUP preparation. Through the 
29 


1 
CLUPs and zoning ordinances, LGUs shall establish land use regulations to mitigate 
2 
flood risks. 
3 
The DPWH, in coordination with DOST and DENR, shall declare flood control 
4 
areas, as necessary, and prohibit or control activities that could damage or cause 
5 
deterioration of lakes and dikes, obstruct the flow of water, change the natural flow of 
6 
rivers, increase flood losses or aggravate flood problems pursuant to PD 1067. 
7 
ARTICLE 4 
8 
MINERAL LANDS 
9 
SEC. 39. 
Criteria for the UtilizationaQd Allocation of Land for Mining 
10 
Purposes.· Consistent with Section 6 of this Act and the provisions of Republic Act No. 
11 
7942 or the Mining Act of 1995, and to ensure that the objectives of maintaining 
12 
ecological balance and maximizing economic returns to mining operations are realized, 
13 
the allocation and utilization of lands for mining purposes shall be guided by the 
14 
following: 
, 
15 
a) The principles of sustainable development and responsible mining; 
16 
b) In case of small-scale mining, adequate and acceptable safeguards shall be 
17 
instituted by the holders of mining rights or permits to prevent environmental 
18 
degradation of the mining sites and adjacent areas; 
19 
c) Mineral reservations which have become non-operational for more than five 
20 
(5) years as determined by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) shall be placed 
21 
under appropriate surface management by the DENR; and 
22 
d) Consistent with the Mining Act of 1995, areas closed to mining operations 
23 
shall be periodically reviewed through mineral exploration to be undertaken by the 
24 
DENR for the purpose of determining whether or not their continued closure is 
25 
consistent with the national interest and, if warranted, recommend their reclassification 
26 
as mineral lands. 
27 
e) Protection forestlands and agricultural lands shall be exempt from mining 
28 
activities to minimize the effect of natural calamities and to protect food security 
29 
respectively. The small to large scale mining operations shall yield from and recognize 
30 
the tenurial instrument given by the government such as original certificate of title 
31 
(OCT), transfer certificate of title (TCT), certificate of ancestral domain title (CADT), 
32 
emancipation patent-certificate of land ownership award (EP-CLOA) and other 
33 
instruments. If these be present, no mining activity shall be conducted. 
34 
SEC. 40. 
Reversion of Mineral LandS'.. 
All mineral lands with exhausted 
35 
mineral resources, as determined by the MGB uppn the recommendation of the DENR, 
36 
shall revert to its original land classification, that is; as forestland or agricultural land. In 
37 
the case of forestlands, the DENR may classify such areas for other purposes in 
38 
consultation with concerned LGU's, the Department of Tourism (DOT), and other 
30 
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national government agencies. 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
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19 
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32 
33 
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36 
37 
ARTICLEO 5 
, 
ENERGY RESOURCE LANDS 
, 
SEC. 41. Guidelines for the Utilization a'nd Allocation of Lands for Energy 
Resource Exploration, Development, Production, Utilization, and Distribution 
Purposes.-
To ensure that the objectives of (Tlaintaining ecological balance and 
maximizing the power potential from indigenous energy resources in the most 
economical and environmentally-acceptable means are realized, the allocation and 
, 
utilization of lands for said purposes shall be guided by the following, consistent with 
existing regulations and laws on energy resources: 
a) Indigenous energy resource exploration and development for the purpose of a 
National Energy Resource Inventory and Data Base as well as Energy Resource Block 
Map shall be allowed subject to the implementation of complementary watershed and 
other land management plans; 
b) Indigenous energy resource explorCjtion, development, production, utilization, 
and distribution shall be subject to the appropriate requirements and processes of the 
Philippine Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) system. Each project shall secure an 
Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECG) prior to project implementation to ensure 
adequate and appropriate environmental management measures and optimum methods 
for resource access and recovery are utilized; and 
c) Energy reservations or portions thereof which have become or have been 
established to be non-economically viable to operate or are no longer used for energy 
, 
purposes shall be released to give way to other land uses, subject to existing laws 
covering energy reservations. 
SEC. 42. Reversion of Energy Resource Lands.-
All exhausted indigenous 
energy resource lands not covered by proclamations shall automatically revert to the 
category of forestlands or agricultural lands open to disposition, whichever is 
appropriate. Exhausted energy resource lands sl'iall refer to specific energy resource 
sites whose energy reserves of the desired type/s are no longer in sufficient quantity or 
, 
quality to justify additional expenditure for their extraction and utilization. 
CHAPTER VII 
SETTLEMENTS DEVELOPMENT 
SEC. 43. Town, City, and Settlements Development. - The development of 
town, city, and settlements through the zoning ordinances of cities and municipalities 
, 
shall be guided by CLUPs and urban zoning standards designed to maximize existing 
urban spaces. Socialized housing and settlement areas shall be established only on 
alienable and disposable lands in order to avoid further degradation of forestlands. 
31 


1 
SEC. 44. Settlements within Geo-hazarCl Areas.- Settlements, in particular 
2 
housing or residential developments, within geo-hazard areas may be allowed provided 
3 
that mitigating andlor protective measures are adopted to address the potential danger 
4 
or risk to lives and property within such settlement~. In coordination with the concerned 
5 
agencies of the government, the LUPG shall provide assistance to concerned LGUs and 
6 
settlers in instituting safety and corrective measures to address the potential danger or 
7 
risk. 
8 
Residential zones as designated in the GLUP shall be considered as outside the 
9 
geo-hazard areas. For this purpose, housing projects within such areas shall be exempt 
10 
from the EGG as well as the Engineering Geological and Geohazard Assessment 
11 
Report (EGGAR) and maybe implemented without the need for any further certificate of 
! 
12 
exemption from the DENR or any other govern merit regulatory agency. 
13 
SEC. 45. 
Designation of Sanitary Landfill.-
Each city or municipality shall 
14 
identify, designate and allocate an area within their territorial jurisdiction to serve as 
15 
sanitary landfill within one (1) year from the effectivity of this Act. The LGUs, in 
16 
coordination with the DENR or any other competent authority, shall identify sanitary 
17 
landfill in order to fast-track the conduct of environ,mental impact assessment study and 
18 
to facilitate processing of the environmental compliance certificate. The site or area 
19 
shall be identified in the city or municipality's CLUP. 
For this purpose, cities and 
20 
municipalities shall establish their solid waste management program, pursuant to RA 
21 
No. 9003, otherwise known as the "Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000". 
22 
23 
24 
Likewise, as provided under Section 33 of the LGG, cities and municipalities may, 
through appropriate ordinances, bind themselves towards the establishment of a 
, 
common solid waste management program. 
25 
Within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act, the DENR, in coordination 
26 
with concerned agencies, shall promulgate the necessary guidelines and standards for 
27 
the formulation and establishment of solid waste management programs by cities and 
28 
municipalities, and shall submit the same to the LUPG for review and approval. 
29 
SEC. 46. Designation and Zoning of Socialized Housing Zones.-
Each city 
30 
or municipality in urban, urbanizable and rural areaS shall designate through the GLUP 
31 
adequate lands for housing or residential purposes, including socialized housing and 
32 
resettlement areas for the immediate and future needs of the local population as well as 
33 
the underprivileged and homeless in their territory, pursuant to existing laws and 
34 
regulations. In order to ensure adequate availability of land for the housing needs of the 
35 
local population, the GLUP shall be updated, at maximum, every nine (9) years for 
36 
provinces, cities and municipalities. 
32 


1 
The designated sites for socialized housing shall be located in residential zones, 
2 
and shall be zoned as socialized housing zone~ that are integrated in the city or 
3 
municipality's zoning ordinance, pursuant to existing laws and regulations. 
4 
Fisherfolk settlements and housing in coastal municipalities shall be zoned near 
5 
the sea for easy access to their livelihood as provid~d under Section 36 (b) of this Act. 
6 
The housing or residential lands designated' in the CLUPS and ZOs of cities and 
7 
municipalities shall, on one hand, not be subject t6 further land reclassification by the 
" 
8 
LGU or land conversion procedure under DAR On the other hand, agricultural lands as 
9 
designated in the CLUP which are no longer economically feasible for agricultural use 
10 
may be subject to land reclassification or conversion to housing/residential purposes 
11 
and such conversion, as the case may be, shall be exempt from the coverage of any 
12 
moratorium on land conversion. 
l3 
SEC. 47. 
Urban Forest or Green Space.-
Each city or highly urbanizing 
14 
municipality shall identify, designate, and allocate lands owned by the city or 
15 
municipality as urban forest or green space based on the guidelines and standards to 
16 
be issued by the DENR and approved by the LUPC. 
17 
CHAPTER VIII 
18 
INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AREAS 
19 
SEC. 48. 
Criteria for Designating Industrial Development Areas.-
The 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
28 
29 
30 
31 
32 
33 
34 
35 
36 
37 
38 
identification and establishment of industrial devel.opment areas shall conform with the 
provisions of R A. No.7916, or the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Act, 
RA. No. 6657 or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, (CARP) Act, as 
amended by R.A. No. 9700 or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program with 
Extension and Reforms Act (CARPER), R.A. 8371 or the Indigenous Peoples Rights 
Act (I.PRA), RA. No. 7279 or the Urban Development Housing Act (UDHA), and RA. 
No. 8435 or the Agriculture and 
Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA), taking into 
consideration the following: 
• 
a) Identified network of areas for agricl,lltural 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) National Protected Areas System (NIPA'S) and non-NIPAS areas that require 
" 
protection; 
e) National and Urban Development and Housing Framework; 
f) Identified Socialized Housing Zones; and 
g) National framework for physical planning and other existing national 
programs and policies. 
33 


1 
The designated industrial development areas shall become an integral part of the 
2 
land use plan and zoning ordinance of the city or municipality where these areas are 
3 
located. 
4 
CHAPTER IX 
5 
TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AND HERITAGE AREAS 
6 
SEC. 49. 
Designating Tourism Development Areas.-
The identification, 
7 
selection, and development of tourism development areas, tourism estates and tourism 
8 
enterprise zones (TEZs) 
shall be done in consultation and coordination with the 
9 
concerned LGUs, the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) and 
10 
concerned national government agencies, the, private sector, and the affected 
11 
communities, subject to the provisions of R.A. No. 9593 or Tourism Act of 2009. 
12 
Tourism development areas shall likewise include those covered by legislative and 
13 
executive issuances as tourist spots, tourist zones and tourism ecozones which can be 
14 
developed into tourism estates or integrated resort, leisure and recreation complexes 
15 
and other tourism-related facilities as well as tho~e identified in the national, regional 
16 
and inter-regional tourism, and area specific tourism master plans and other sector 
17 
plans such as ecotourism and agri-tourism sites. 
18 
Designated areas for tourism development shall become part of the CLUPs of 
19 
the cities or municipalities where these are located. 
20 
Lands identified as part of a TEZ shall qualify for exemption from the coverage of 
• 
21 
RAs 7279 and 6657 subject to rules and regUlations to be crafted by the TIEZA, 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
28 
29 
30 
31 
32 
33 
34 
35 
36 
37 
38 
HUDCC and DAR; Provided that a certificate shall be obtained from the DA that said 
" 
lands are no longer economically feasible and sound for agricultural purposes, 
consistent with Section 46( c) of this Act. 
SEC. 50. 
Identification and Declaration of Areas for Protection, 
Conservation and Preservation of Cultural Heritage.- Pursuant to R. A. No.1 0066, 
the National Historical Institute (NHI) and/or the National Museum in coordination with 
National Commission for Culture and the Arts, HLURB and other concerned agencies, 
local communities, and the private sector, shall identify declared areas and structures 
which shall be protected and/or preserved as part of the Philippine cultural heritage. 
The LGUs in coordination with the NHI, the 'National Commission for Culture and 
Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) shall deSignate historical 
zones to protect the historical integrity of said geographical areas and cultural space of 
intangible cultural properties. 
CHAPTER X 
INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT 
SEC. 51. Allocation and Use of Land for Infrastructure Development.-
Land, whether public or private, shall be allocated and utilized for priority infrastructure 
34 


1 
projects that are supportive of national or local development objectives. The NEDA, in 
2 
consultation with the concerned national government agencies, LGUs, and the private 
3 
sector shall identify and periodically review, update and/or revise the list of priority 
4 
infrastructure projects subject to Sections 6 and 3Cil of this Act, and Section 47 of R. A. 
5 
No. 8435 or AFMA. 
In deterrnining and evaluating the list of priority infrastructure 
• 
6 
projects, consideration shall be given to those that: 
7 
(a) Respond to immediate and vital requirements of the national economy with 
8 
priority on improving rural infrastructure and the development of the agriculture and 
9 
fisheries sectors; 
10 
(b) Upgrade existing facilities to international standards; 
11 
(c) Address the need for sustainable settlements development; and, 
'. 
12 
(d) Help mitigate the destructive effects of natural disaster-causing phenomena 
13 
or those that shall serve as alternatives to existing infrastructures found in natural 
14 
hazard-prone areas: 
15 
ProVided, That the provision and implementation of infrastructure support shall 
16 
be made compatible with existing environmental conditions and the physical, whether 
17 
natural or human-made, and cultural character of the area. 
Mandatory public 
18 
consultations pursuant to existing laws and regulations shall be held prior to the 
19 
conduct of all infrastructure projects that will necessarily involve dislocation or 
20 
displacement of people in the area: Provided, further, That the proponent of the 
21 
infrastructure project shall follow the rules on just and humane eviction or demolition 
22 
under Section 28 of R. A. No. 7279 or the Urban Development Housing Act (UDHA), 
23 
notwithstanding the provisions of Republic Act No. 8975, prohibiting lower courts from 
24 
issuing temporary restraining orders, preliminary !njunctions, or preliminary mandatory 
25 
injunctions, and proponent shall follow IPRA: Provided Finally, That national 
26 
government infrastructure projects shall allocate budget for the adequate relocation of 
27 
displaced communities. 
28 
SEC. 52. Infrastructure Projects Within Geo-hazard Areas.- Construction of 
29 
priority infrastructure projects within hazard-prone areas shall be allowed: Provided, 
30 
That mitigating and/or preventive measures ar~ adopted to address the potential 
31 
adverse economic, socio-cultural, and environmental impacts that will emanate from 
• 
32 
. these infrastructure projects, subject to the fiQdings and recommendations of a 
33 
feasibility study/environmental impact assessm~nt in accordance with Presidential 
34 
Decree No. 1586, Establishing An Environmental Impact Statement System, Including 
35 
Other Environmental Management Related Measures, 
and R. A. No. 4846 or the 
• 
36 
Cultural Properties Preservation and Protection Act, as amended by Presidential 
37 
Decree 374. 
'. 
38 
Existing projects that did not go through the process of an environmental impact 
35 


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assessment and pose threats to the environment, integrity of historic, archeological, or 
scientifically significant areas; or are impinging on critical ecosystems, may be: (a) 
terminated immediately, (b) required to implement an Environmental Management Plan; 
(c) gradually phased-out and relocated, or (d) maintained up to their life span, subject, 
however, to mitigating measures: Provided, Tl'lat the rules on mandatory public 
consultations and just and humane eviction or demolition shall also be observed prior to 
the termination, gradual phase-out, or relocation of projects that will necessarily involve 
dislocation or displacement of people in the area, , 
CHAPTER XI 
TRAINING, EDUCATION, AND VALUE FORMATION 
SEC. 53. Value Formation.- In order to create a well informed, responsible and 
committed citizenry who values the protection, conservation and development of the 
country's limited land, and other physical resources, the State shall mandate the 
inclusion of sustainable land use education or any subject related thereto in the 
curricula of primary, secondary and tertiary education, 
SEC. 54. Information and Education Campaign.- The LUPC shall undertake 
a nationwide education information campaign in land use and physical planning to be 
implemented by local and national government ,agencies. The DILG and concerned 
agencies shall formulate and implement a land use management capability-building 
program for national and local government officia.ls, community leaders, NGOs, POs, 
religious sector, and the general public. 
CHAPTER XII 
INCENTIVES, SANCTIONS, AND PENALTIES 
• 
ARTICLE 1 
INCENTIVES AND AWARDS 
SEC. 55. Formulation of a System of Incentives and Awards.-
The LUPC 
shall come out with a system of incentives and awards to LGUs that regularly update 
their CLUPs within the prescribed period, as follows: 
(a) 
Provinces, Highly Urbanized Cities, and Independent Component Cities -
, 
once every nine (9) years; and 
31 
(b) 
Component cities and municipalities once every nine (9) years. 
32 
SEC. 56 
Priority in Giving Technical Assistance to LGUs.-
In providing 
33 
technical assistance and other forms of support related to land use management and 
34 
the implementation of development plans, the national government agencies shall give 
35 
priority to cities and municipalities with approved CLUPs. 
36 
ARTICLE 2 
37 
SANCTIONS AND PENALTIES 
36 


1 
SEC. 
57. 
Fine for 
Non-Completion 
and 
Non-Commencement of 
2 
Development of Agricultural Lands with Approved Order of Conversion.-
A 
3 
landowner and his/her designated developer or duly authorized representative who fails 
4 
to commence and/or complete the development of agricultural lands with approved 
5 
order of conversion shall be penalized, jOintly or severally, with any of the following fines 
6 
based on the zonal value of the land at the time the fine is imposed: 
7 
a. On failure to commence within one year from the date of conversion order: 
8 
(1) Six percent (6%) of the zonal value of the subject land for the first 
9 
three (3) hectares, 
10 
(2) Fifteen percent (15%) of the zonal·value of the subject land for the next 
11 
three hectares, and 
12 
(3) Thirty percent (30%) of the zonal value of the subject land for the 
13 
remaining area. 
14 
Provided, That the order of conversion shall 
be 
deemed revoked 
, 
15 
automatically and the land shall revert to its originGjI agricultural use and covered by the 
16 
DAR through compulsory acquisition for distribution to qualified beneficiaries. 
17 
b. On failure to complete fifty percent (50%) of the approved conversion plan 
18 
within a specified time frame: Fifty percent (50%) of the zonal value of the subject land 
19 
and the revocation of the conversion plan on the undeveloped portion which shall 
20 
automatically revert to its original use as agricultural land. The same shall be covered 
21 
under the CARP and processed for land distribution as soon as possible. 
22 
SEC. 58. 
Authority to Impose Fine.-
The DAR shall impose the penalty 
23 
provided for under the preceding section. 
24 
SEC. 59. Withdrawal of Local Development Permits or Licenses.-
Upon 
25 
receipt of notice from the DAR, the concerned agencies and the city or municipality 
26 
27 
shall withdraw or revoke any development permit and other licenses that may be 
, 
necessary to develop the agricultural land subject of conversion. 
28 
SEC. 60. Utilization of Fines.- The fines collected under Sections 57, 62 and 
29 
63 hereof shall automatically accrue to the Agrarian Reform Fund consistent with the 
30 
provisions of the CARP, as amended. 
31 
SEC. 61. 
Failure to Formulate, Enforce, and/or Implement the CLUPs.-
32 
Consistent with due process, the DILG shall investigate, review, and impose 
33 
appropriate action regarding local chief executives and other local officials and 
34 
employees responsible for the formulation, enfortement, and/or implementation of the 
35 
CLUPs in case of any of the following: 
36 
(a) 
Failure to implement and enforce the'CLUP due to negligence of duty; 
37 
(b) 
Failure to 
provide appropriate budgetary allocation to 
effect its 
38 
implementation; and, 
37 
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29 
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31 
32 
33 
34 
35 
36 
37 
38 
(c) 
Failure to complete the preparation of the CLUP despite the availability of 
funds, resources, and support by the Sanggunian concerned. 
, 
Any public official or employee, regardless of whether elected or appointed or 
, 
holding office or employment in a casual, temporary, holdover, permanent, or regular 
capacity, found to be responsible for any of the foregoing acts, after due notice and 
hearing by the appropriate body or agency, shall be punished with forfeiture of salaries 
and allowances and suspension from: 
1. 
Six (6) to nine (9) months, in case of non-implementation of CLUP; or 
, 
2. 
Three (3) to six (6) months, in case of non-completion of the CLUP. 
SEC. 62. 
Person(s) Abetting Illegal Conversion.-
Any person initiating, 
causing, inducing, or abetting illegal conversion shall, upon conviction, be imprisoned 
from seven (7) to twelve (12) years and imposed, a fine of not less than One hundred 
thousand (P100,OOO.00) pesos, or both at the discretion of the court: Provided, That if 
the offender is a public official or employee, whether elected or appointed, the penalty 
shall, in addition thereto, include dismissal thro,ugh permanent separation from the 
service and forfeiture of all benefits and entitlements accruing to the public position and 
perpetual disqualification to run or apply for any elective or appointive public office: 
Provided, further, That if the offender is a juridical person, the penalty of imprisonment 
shall be imposed on the president, chief executive officer, manager, chairperson and 
all the members of the board, and other responsible officers thereof, and the fine shall 
be equivalent to the zonal value of the land or forty percent (40%) of the shareholders 
equity, as determined at the time of judgment whichever is higher, plus forfeiture of the 
I 
land in favor of the State for sale though public' auction, the proceeds of which shall 
automatically accrue to the Agrarian Reform Fun~ as provided for in Section 58 of this 
Act. 
SEC. 63. Penalty for Reclassification of Protected Agricultural Lands and 
Exceeding the Limit of Areas Allowed for Reclassification.-
Any person initiating, 
causing, inducing, or abetting the reclassificatiorl of protected agricultural areas into 
non-agricultural uses and exceeding the limits set forth under Section 20 of the LGC of 
, 
1991, shall be penalized with imprisonment of twelve (12) years and a fine of not less 
than One hundred thousand (P100,OOO.00) pesos, or both at the discretion of the Court: 
Provided, That if the offender is a public official or employee, the penalty shall, in 
addition thereto, include 
dismissal through permanent separation from the service, 
whether elected or appointed, and forfeiture of entitlements accruing to the public 
, 
position, and perpetual disqualification to run or apply for any elective or appointive 
public position: Provided, further, That if the offender is a juridical person, the penalty 
shall be imposed on the president, chief executive officer, manager, chairperson and all 
the members of the board, and other responsible officers thereof. 
38 


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37 
SEC. 64. Payment of Disturbance Compensation.-
Following the order of 
priority as enumerated in Section 22 of the CARP, as amended, qualified beneficiaries 
such as agricultural lessees and share tenants, regular farm workers, seasonal farm 
workers, other farm worl<ers, actual tillers or occ,upants of public lands, collective, or 
cooperative of the above-mentioned beneficiaries, and others directly working on the 
land affected by agricultural land use conversion shall be entitled to the payment of 
disturbance compensation equivalent to five (5) times the average of the gross harvests 
on the landholding during the last five (5) preceding calendar years or a certain 
percentage of the converted land, whichever is higher, as determined by the DAR. 
CHAPTER XIII 
TRANSITORY AND FINAL PROVISIONS 
I 
SEC. 65. Convening of the LUPC.- Within thirty (30) days from the effectivity 
of this Act, the Secretary of Socio-Economic Planf]ing shall convene the LUPC. 
SEC. 66. Implementing Rules and Regulations.-
Within sixty (60) days from 
the effectivity of this Act, the LUPC shall prOniulgate the rules and regulations to 
implement the provisions of this Act. Said rules and regulations shall be submitted to 
the Congressional Oversight Committee for appro~al. 
, 
SEC. 67. Congressional Oversight Committee on the Land Use Act.- There 
, 
is hereby created a Congressional OverSight 'Committee composed of seven (7) 
members from the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources and 
seven (7) members from the House of Repr!,sentatives Committees on Natural 
Resources. The Chairpersons of the Senate Committee on EnVironment and Natural 
Resources and the House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources shall 
, 
be the Chair and Co-Chair of the Congressional Oversight Committee, respectively. 
The other members from the Senate shall be appointed by the Senate President based 
on proportional representation of the parties or coalitions therein with at least one (1) 
senator representing the minority. The other members from the 
House of 
Representatives shall be appointed by the Speaker also based on proportional 
representation of the parties or coalitions therein with at least one (1) member 
representing the minority. 
The secretariat of the Oversight Committee shall be drawn from the existing 
secretariat personnel of the committees compriSing the oversight and the funding shall 
be taken from the appropriations of both the Senate and the House of Representatives. 
SEC. 68. 
Appropriations.-
The appropriations for the National Land Use 
Committee under the National Economic and Development Authority in the General 
Appropriations Act shall be used to carry out the initial operations of the Land Use 
Policy Council. 
Thereafter, additional sums as may be necessary for the full 
39 


1 
implementation of LUPC's functions shall be included in the annual General 
2 
Appropriations Act. 
3 
SEC. 69. 
Review of Existing Land Use Plans.-
Provinces, cities, and 
4 
municipalities with existing land use plans shall review, revise, reconcile, and harmonize 
5 
the same with the guidelihes and standards set forth under this Act within one (1) year 
6 
from the effectivity of this Act. 
7 
SEC. 70. 
Repealing Clause.- All republic acts, executive orders, rules and 
8 
regulations, and other issuances, or parts thereof, that are inconsistent with the 
9 
provisions of this Republic Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
10 
SEC. 71. Non-impairment Clause.- Nothing in this Act shall be construed as to 
11 
diminish, impair, or repeal rights recognized, granted, or available to marginalized or 
12 
basic sectors under existing laws including but !lot limited to Republic Act Nos. 7279, 
13 
6657,8371, and 8550. 
14 
SEC. 72. 
Separability Clause.-
If for any reason or reasons, any part or 
15 
provision of this Act shall be declared or held to be unconstitutional or invalid other parts 
16 
or provisions hereof, which are not affected thereoy shall continue to be in full force and 
17 
effect. 
18 
SEC. 73. Effectivity Clause.-
This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
19 
its publication in the Official Gazette or in' at least two (2) national newspapers of 
20 
general circulation. 
21 
Approved, 
40