Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 1860
Introduced by HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. VINCENZO 
RENATO LUIGI R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. HORIBATA, AND 
HON. TERRY L. RIDON 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Philippines faces longstanding and overlapping issues related to land use, 
including land registration, agrarian reform, ancestral domain, agricultural modernization, 
mining, taxation, urban development, housing, and local governance. While many of these are 
addressed by existing laws, rapid population growth and competing demands on limited 
resources require a more integrated and strategic approach.  
The current land-related laws often conflict and lack coordination, resulting in inefficient 
land use, premature conversion of agricultural lands, and missed opportunities for sustainable 
development. The absence of a unified framework limits the capacity of national and local 
governments to make informed, balanced decisions on land allocation. 
It is vital to systematically integrate and harmonize existing laws, regulatory policies, 
and planning guidelines related to land use. Such integration is critical to the formulation of a 
comprehensive and coherent land use framework that will establish definitive parameters for 
land utilization and ensure the effective implementation and monitoring of land use plans 
across all levels of governance. 
This bill aims to establish a unified and strategic framework for the rational allocation, 
sustainable utilization, and effective management of land resources to support diverse 
ecological and economic functions. It further seeks to regulate and prevent the untimely 
conversion of agricultural lands to non-agricultural purposes, thereby preserving their 
productive value. 
Furthermore, the proposed measure seeks to define the indicative uses of land and 
other physical resources across all territorial levels—from the national down to the regional, 
provincial, city, and municipal levels. This strategic planning instrument will serve as the 
primary reference and guiding framework for local government units (LGUs) in the preparation, 
alignment, and implementation of their respective comprehensive land use and development 
plans. It will ensure consistency with national priorities and the rational distribution of land 
uses, enabling more coherent spatial planning and resource allocation across jurisdictions. 
This measure also highlights the indispensable role of land as a finite and strategic 
resource in driving inclusive and sustainable national development. It emphasizes the need 
for an organized, equitable, and forward-looking approach to land allocation for various 
functional uses. 
July 14, 2025
2:58 pm


As such, the passage of this bill is urgently and strongly recommended to lay the 
foundation for a more rational, resilient, and inclusive land governance system that supports 
long-term national development goals. 
HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE 
HON. VINCENZO RENATO LUIGI R. VILLAFUERTE 
HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. HORIBATA 
HON. TERRY L. RIDON 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 1860 
Introduced by HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. VINCENZO 
RENATO LUIGI R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. HORIBATA, AND 
HON. TERRY L. RIDON 
AN ACT INSTITUTING A NATIONAL LAND USE POLICY, PROVIDING THE 
IMPLEMENTING MECHANISMS, CREATING FOR THE PURPOSE THE NATIONAL 
LAND USE COMMISSION, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
CHAPTER I 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “National Land Use Act.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Principles and Policies. – All lands of the public domain, waters, 
minerals, coal, petroleum, and other mineral oils, all forces of potential energy, fisheries, 
forests or timber, wildlife, flora and fauna, and other natural resources are owned by the State. 
With the exception of agricultural lands, all other natural resources shall not be alienated. 
Pursuant to the constitutional provision or mandate, it is the policy of the State to 
provide for a rational, holistic, and just allocation, utilization, management, and development 
of the country's land to ensure their optimum use to promote sustainable socioeconomic 
development and ecological protection. 
The State recognizes the need for rational, optimal and sustainable settlements 
development, consistent with the principles of environmental management and equitable 
access to land and security. 
Toward this end, the State institutionalizes land use and physical planning as 
mechanisms for identifying, determining, and evaluating appropriate land use and allocation 
patterns that promote and ensure: 
(a) Sustainable management and utilization of natural resources;
(b) Maintenance and preservation of environmental integrity and stability specifically
the perpetual protection of permanent forests and watershed and ecosystem services for the 
attainment of food, water and energy sufficiency; 
(c) Disaster risk-reduction and climate change resiliency;
(d) Protection of prime agricultural lands for food security in basic commodities with
emphasis on self-sufficiency in rice and corn; 


  
 
(e) Water security through sustainable development and management of water 
resources towards water security; 
 
(f) Provision of adequate and efficient settlements, transportation and infrastructure 
development in support of urban, peri-urban, and rural linkages towards regional development 
and inclusive growth; 
 
(g) Harmony between the rights and the varied interests of every Filipino within the 
framework of people empowerment, decentralization, social justice, and equity; 
 
(h) Respect for and protection of the sustainable traditional resource rights of the 
Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) to their ancestral domains 
to ensure their economic, social, and cultural well-being as well as recognition of the 
applicability of customary laws and sustainable traditional resource use and management, 
knowledge, and practices in ancestral domains in compliance with free and prior informed 
consent of ICC/IPs; 
 
(i) Protection of the rights of basic sectors to equitable access to the country's land; 
 
(j) Protection, preservation, and development of the country's historical, cultural, 
archaeological, and built heritage resources for the deeper understanding of our history and 
culture as a people; 
 
(k) Attainment of energy security and self-sufficiency; 
 
(l) A whole-of-society and whole-of government orientation, through which thrusts and 
strategies espoused by different actors and sectors are heard and brought together to achieve 
complex and interrelated goals, is encouraged and adopted as a basic parameter in achieving 
efficiency in land use and allocation, within the framework of ecological development and 
equity; 
 
(m) Promotion of the integrated approach to land use and urban transport planning to 
effectively manage growth in urban areas and ensure that the capacity of transport facilities 
can accommodate the demand for movement of passengers and goods to, from, and within 
the centers of socioeconomic activities; Vertical and horizontal linkages or spatial strategies 
and the potential for co-management and inter-locality cooperation across territorial 
jurisdictions and government levels, highlighting the imperative for a ridge-to-reef and 
ecosystem-based approach to land and water resource management and governance; and 
 
(n) Data and evidence-informed management and governance of land and water 
resources, in line with the place-based aspirations and shared values of the community.  
 
It is also the policy of the State to ensure that local government units (LGUs) share 
with the national government the responsibility of managing and maintaining ecological 
balance within their territorial jurisdiction as stated in the 1987 Constitution and Republic Act 
7160, as amended, also known as the “Local Government Code of 1991”. Guided by the 
principle that the use of land bears a social function and that all economic agents contribute 
to the common good, landowners, land tenure holders, in the case of forestlands, be it an 
individual, communal, corporate or group, is held responsible for developing and conserving 
their lands, thereby making their lands productive and supportive of environmental stability. 
 
SECTION 3. Scope. – This Act applies to all lands and natural resources in the country, 
whether public, private, government-owned or in the possession of any person, whether 
natural or juridical, and serves as guide for the rational, holistic and just allocation, utilization, 


  
development and management of the land and water resources in the country, including such 
activities that bear impact on those resources. 
 
SECTION 4. Definition of Terms. – As used in this Act: 
 
(a) Agricultural land refers to the land of public domain which has been classified as 
such and is devoted to agricultural activity as defined under RA 6657, as amended, otherwise 
known as the “Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law of 1988,” and not further classified for 
residential, commercial or industrial use and such other uses as may be provided by law; 
 
(b) Agricultural land use conversion refers to the act or process of changing the current 
physical use of a piece of agricultural land into some other use not comprising an agricultural 
activity as defined under RA 6657, as approved exclusively by the Department of Agrarian 
Reform (DAR) in an order of conversion; 
 
(c) Alienable and Disposable (A&D) lands refer to lands of the public domain which 
have been delineated, classified, and certified as open and available for disposition under 
existing laws; 
 
(d) Ancestral domains refer to all areas generally belonging to indigenous cultural 
communities or indigenous people as defined in RA 8371, otherwise known as “The 
Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997;” 
 
(e) Archeological site refers to any place, whether above or underground, underwater 
or at sea level, containing fossils, artifacts and other cultural, geological, botanical, zoological 
materials which depict and document culturally relevant paleontological, prehistoric or historic 
events; 
 
(f) Basic sector refers to a group of people not referring to any organized groups, such 
as but not limited to women, youth, elderly, differently abled, peasants and fisherfolk; 
 
(g) Coastal area or zone refers to a band of dry land and the adjacent ocean space, 
water and submerged land, in which terrestrial processes and uses directly affect oceanic 
processes and uses and vice versa, the geographic extent of which includes areas within a 
landward limit of one (1) kilometer from the shoreline at high tide to include mangrove swamps, 
brackish water ponds, nipa swamps, estuarine rivers, sandy beaches and other areas within 
a seaward limit of two hundred (200) meters isobaths to include coral reefs, algal flats, 
seagrass beds, and other soft-bottom areas; 
 
(h) Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) refers to a plan embodying a set of policies 
accompanied by maps and similar illustrations that serves as a policy guide for determining 
the future use of lands and natural resources within the territorial jurisdiction of the LGU, 
including municipal waters with due consideration to the biogeographic region within which 
the locality belongs, representing the community desired pattern of population distribution and 
proposes future allocation of land and resources to various activities including the processes 
and criteria employed in such determination of allocation of land and resources for a long-term 
management of the local territory covering a minimum period of twelve (12) years, reviewable 
not earlier than every six (6) years; 
 
(i) Comprehensive land use planning refers to the act of defining the allocation, 
utilization, development and management of all lands and water resources within a given 
territory or jurisdiction according to the inherent characteristic and carrying capacities of the 
land itself and supportive of sustainable economic, demographic, socio-cultural and 
environmental objectives as an aid to decision-making and legislation;  
 


  
(j) Critical habitats refer to areas outside protected areas as defined in RA 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 or richness, presence of human-made pressures or 
threats to the survival of wildlife living in the area;  
 
(k) Critical watershed refers to a drainage area of a river system supporting existing 
and proposed hydroelectric power, irrigation works or existing water facilities needing 
immediate protection and rehabilitation to minimize erosion and improve water yield; 
 
(l) Cultural heritage refers to the totality of cultural properties, whether natural or 
human made, preserved and developed through time and passed on for posterity;  
 
(m) Cultural property refers to all products of human creativity by which a people and 
a nation reveal their identity, including churches, mosques and other places of religious 
worship, schools and natural history specimens and sites, whether public or privately-owned, 
movable or immovable, and tangible or intangible; 
 
(n) Customary laws refer to a body of written or unwritten rules, usages, customs and 
practices traditionally and continually recognized, accepted, and observed by respective 
ICCs/IPs, consistent with RA 8371; 
 
(o) Development plan refers to the activities and measures that the national 
government or LGUs intend to implement over a specified period of time to achieve the defined 
set of development goals identified in the national or local physical framework plans integrating 
socio-economic, financial, fiscal, legal and legislative institutional and sectoral plans of the 
national government or any of its instrumentalities or a particular LGU, consistent with the 
objectives identified in spatial plans, such as land use plans or physical framework plans 
including an analysis problems and resources, definition of goals and objectives, policy 
guidelines, programs and projects, and an implementation mechanism which defines the roles 
and contributions expected from the government and the private sector; 
 
(p) Ecologically Fragile areas refer to areas within critical watersheds, brackish and 
freshwater wetlands, pasture lands, inland rivers and waterways coastal and settlement areas, 
and croplands which require rehabilitation, protection and whose continued unsustainable use 
may result in physical risks and threats to life and property, public health and safety as well as 
adversely affect the productivity of lowland agricultural areas and stability of the upland 
system; 
 
(q) Ecotourism refers to a form of sustainable tourism within a natural or cultural 
heritage area where community participation, protection and management of natural 
resources, culture and indigenous knowledge and practices, environmental education and 
ethics, as well as economic benefits are fostered and pursued for the enrichment of host 
community and satisfaction of visitors;  
 
(r) Energy resources refer to surface or subsurface substances that serve as energy 
resources including 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) Energy resource lands refer to lands where naturally occurring or indigenous 
energy resources exist in sufficient quantity or quality as to be economically viable for 
exploration, development production, utilization and distribution purposes;  
 


  
(t) Exhausted mineral resources refer to specific sites where the mineral resources 
are no longer in sufficient quantity or quality to justify additional expenditure for extraction or 
utilization as determined by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau and approved by the 
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR); 
 
(u) Floodplain refers to relatively smooth valley floors adjacent to and formed by rivers 
which overflow its banks at flood stages. The plain usually consist of unconsolidated fine 
sediments such as sand, silt, and clay;  
 
(v) Flood-prone areas refer to low lying areas usually adjacent to large or active water 
bodies and which therefore experience regular or seasonal inundation as a result of changes 
in the mean water level of these bodies or because of land reclamation and other artificial 
interference with the natural processes;  
 
(w) Foreshore land refers to a string of land margining a body of water, the part of a 
seashore between the low-water line usually at the seaward margin of a low tide terrace and 
the upper limit of wave wash at high tide marked by a beach scarp or berm; 
 
(x) Forest refers to an ecosystem or an assemblage of ecosystems dominated by trees 
and other woody vegetation or a community of plants and animals interacting with one another 
and its physical environment;  
 
(y) Forest lands refer to one of the four classifications of land defined in the 
Constitution under the public domain determined as suitable for forest purposes and not 
classified as mineral land, national park or agricultural land such as all permanent forest 
reserves, forest reservations, and all the remaining unclassified lands of the public domain;  
 
(z) Geo-hazards refer to a geological process or phenomenon that may cause loss of 
life, injury or other health impacts, property damage, loss of livelihoods and services, social 
and economic disruption or environmental damage. This includes internal earth processes 
such as earthquakes and volcanic activities, and geophysical processes like mass movements 
landslides, surface collapses, debris and mud flow;  
 
(aa) Geo-hazard prone areas refer to areas frequently affected and/or are vulnerable 
or at risk to weather/climatic, hydrologic, geologic and other natural calamities;  
 
(bb) Heritage zone refer to historical, anthropological, archaeological, artistic 
geographical areas and settings that are culturally significant to the country, as declared by 
the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and/or the National Historical 
Commission of the Philippines (NHCP); 
 
(cc) Illegal conversion refers to an attempt to or an actual change in the use of land 
from agricultural to a residential, commercial, or industrial and other non-agricultural activity, 
without a conversion grant or clearance based on the requirements under Section 65 of RA 
6657, as amended, and to dispossess a tenant as provided under Section 73 (c) of RA 6657, 
as amended, when established from the following instances:  
 
(1) an agricultural land is developed for use in non-agricultural activities without a DAR 
Conversion Order; 
 
(2) the agricultural land being converted is irrigated or irrigable;  
 
(3) there is land activity such as, but not limited to, earth filling/dumping, earth 
moving/digging, and quarrying, and in each case, bona fide conduct of agricultural 
activities on a greater portion of the land developed has ceased; and  


  
 
(4) Other analogous activities. 
 
(dd) Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPPs) refer to 
groups of people or homogenous societies identified by self-ascription and ascription by 
others, who have continuously lived as organized community on communally bounded and 
defined territory, and who have, under claims of ownership since time immemorial, occupied, 
possessed, and utilized such territories, sharing common bonds of language, customs, 
traditions, and other distinctive cultural traits, or who have, through resistance to political, 
social, and cultural inroads of colonization, non-indigenous religions and cultures, became 
historically differentiated from the majority of Filipinos including peoples who are regarded as 
indigenous on account of their descent from the populations which inhabited the country at 
the time of conquest or colonization, or at the time of inroads of non-indigenous religions and 
cultures, or the establishment of present state boundaries, who retain some or all of their own 
social, economic, cultural, and political institutions, but who may have been displaced from 
their traditional domains, or who may have resettled outside their ancestral domains;  
 
(ee) Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) refer to the present most important sites for 
biodiversity conservation worldwide which are considered places of international importance 
for the conservation of biodiversity through protected areas and other governance 
mechanisms and which are identified nationally using simple standard criteria based on their 
importance in maintaining species populations;  
 
(ff) Land refers to resources, both artificial and natural, found on the surface, below, 
and above the ground, including inland waters and the air therein;  
 
(gg) Land use refers to the manner of allocation, utilization, management and 
development of land; 
 
(hh) Land use classification refers to the act of delineating or allocating lands according 
to protection land use, production land use, settlements development and infrastructure 
development as provided for in this Act;  
 
(ii) Land use planning refers to the rational and judicious approach of allocating 
available land resources to different land-using activities, such as but not limited to 
agricultural, residential, industrial, commercial, institutional, forest land uses, and for different 
functions consistent with the overall development vision/goal of a particular locality;  
 
(jj) Mandatory public hearings or consultations refer to the mechanism of involving the 
concerned stakeholders and communities in land use planning, from the barangay to the 
national level, to ensure the social acceptability of the plans including giving notice of hearing 
or consultation to the concerned stakeholders through publication or posting in conspicuous 
places, conducting a reasonable number of hearings, and soliciting positions to arrive at a 
consensus through public presentations and validation of the planning results undertaken 
before the final adoption of the plans;  
 
(kk) Marine protected area refers to a defined area of the sea established and set aside 
by law, administrative regulation or any other effective means to conserve and protect a part 
of the entire enclosed environment, through the establishment of management guidelines;  
 
(ll) Minerals refer to naturally occurring inorganic substance beneath or at the surface 
of the earth, whether or not under water, and includes all metallic minerals and non-metallic 
minerals such as precious stones, industrial rocks, and building stones; 
 
(mm) Mineral lands refer to any area where mineral resources are found, including 


  
areas that are established as mineral reservations, areas with active mining operations; areas 
with projected mining tenurial rights; and areas declared by court decisions as mineral lands;  
 
(nn) Mineral reservations refer to areas established and proclaimed as such by the 
President of the Philippines upon the recommendation of the Director of the Mines and 
Geosciences Bureau through the DENR Secretary including all submerged lands within the 
contiguous zone and exclusive Economic Zone.  
 
(oo) National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) refers to the classification 
and administration of all designated protected areas to maintain essential ecological 
processes and life-support systems, to preserve genetic diversity, to ensure sustainable use 
of resources found therein, and to maintain their natural conditions to the greatest extent 
possible;  
 
(pp) National park refers to forest reservation, essentially of natural wilderness 
character, which has been withdrawn from settlement, occupancy or any form of exploitation, 
except in conformity with the approved management plan and set aside as such exclusively 
to conserve the area or preserve the scenery, natural and historic objects, wild animals and 
plants therein, and to provide enjoyment of these features in such areas including lands and 
waters of the public domain classified as such in the Constitution such as all areas under the 
NIPAS primarily designated for the conservation of native plants and animals and associated 
habitats and cultural diversity;  
 
(qq) Network of Protected Areas for Agriculture and Agro-Industrial Development 
(NPAAAD) refers to agricultural areas identified by the Department of Agriculture (DA), 
through the Bureau of Soils and Water Management 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 to promote sustainable 
growth, covering all irrigated areas, all irrigable lands already covered by irrigation projects, 
all alluvial plains, lands highly suitable for agriculture, whether irrigated or not, agro-industrial 
croplands or lands planted with industrial crops that support the validity of existing agricultural 
infrastructure and agro-based enterprises, highlands or areas located at an elevation of five 
hundred (500) meters or above and have the potential for growing semi temperate and high 
value crops, all agricultural lands that are ecologically fragile, the conversion of which may 
result in serious environmental degradation, and all mangrove areas and fish sanctuaries;  
 
(rr) Physical framework plans refer to the national, regional or provincial indicative 
plans that outline the over-all and macro-level spatial and physical development objectives, 
priorities, directions and strategies in its respective levels as prepared, reviewed, integrated 
and finalized by the national, regional and provincial land use councils or boards respectively 
based on the CLUPs of the LGUs and the national policy guidelines relating to land use, 
infrastructure development and environmental management to prevent or mitigate the 
adverse effects of inappropriate resource utilization on food security, the welfare of the people 
and their environment; 
 
(ss) Physical Planning is the process of organizing physical activities and land uses, 
including settlements, environmental protection, economic activities, and infrastructure to 
ensure sustainable, orderly, and optimal siting and coordination of land uses; 
 
(tt) Prime agricultural lands refer to all contiguous irrigated lands/areas and irrigable 
lands already covered by irrigation projects, including all alluvial plain lands highly suitable 
for agriculture, not irrigated that have been identified to satisfy the need for food self-
sufficiency and food security and agro-industrial croplands or lands presently planted to 
industrial and high value crops that support the viability of existing agricultural infrastructure 
and agro-based enterprises, highlands or areas located at an elevation of five hundred (500) 


  
meters or above, highly suitable for growing semi-temperate and high value crops outside of 
declared permanent forestlands and protections forests, and are not located in ecologically 
fragile and environmentally critical areas; 
 
(uu) Production land use refers to the most efficient, sustainable, and equitable 
utilization, development and management of land for productive purposes which are not 
classified for protection land use; 
 
(vv) Protected areas refer to portions of land and water set aside by reason of their 
unique physical and biological diversity and protected against human exploitation including 
all natural forests and agricultural lands identified and delineated under this Act; 
 
(ww) Reclassification of agricultural lands refer to the act of specifying how agricultural 
lands are classified or used for non-agricultural uses such as residential, industrial or 
commercial purposes, as embodied in the land use plan subject to the requirements and 
procedure for reclassification undertaken by the LGU in accordance with Section 20 of RA 
7160, as amended; 
 
(xx) Resettlement areas refer to areas identified by the appropriate national agency or 
by the LGU with respect to areas within its jurisdiction which are used for the relocation of the 
underprivileged and homeless, as defined under RA 7279, otherwise known as the ''Urban 
Development and Housing Act of 1992;” 
 
(yy) Strategic Agriculture and Fisheries Development Zones (SAFDZ) refers to the 
areas within the NPAAAD identified for production, agro processing, and marketing activities 
to help develop and modernize, with the support of government, the agriculture and fisheries 
sectors in an environmentally and socio-culturally sound manner pursuant to Section 4 of RA 
8435 or “Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1997”; 
 
(zz) Settlements refer to communities or built-up environment areas where people 
prefer to live in; 
 
(aaa) Settlements development refers to any improvement on existing settlements or 
any proposed development of certain areas for settlement purposes involving the spatial 
distribution of population, identification of the roles and functions of key urban centers, 
determination of relationships among settlement areas, and the provision of basic services 
and facilities of identified major settlement areas of growth centers; 
 
(bbb) Shoreline refers to a strip of land covering of at least one (1) kilometer from the 
point where seawater reaches during the highest high tide; 
 
(ccc) State universities and colleges (SUCs) refer to public higher education institutions 
in the Philippines created and established by law which constitutes their charter and which 
have independent and separate governing boards; 
 
(ddd) SUC Land Use Plan refers to a campus master plan mandated under RA 11396, 
otherwise known as the "SUCs Land Use Development and Infrastructure Plan Act" that 
contains the allocation and utilization of the land within a campus’ geographic boundary to 
meet the required academic and non-academic support services and facilities as well as the 
campus development programs and projects and the investment needed to implement them; 
 
(eee) Sustainable development refers to the development objective of meeting the 
needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to 
meet their own needs consistent with the principles of social equity, efficiency and 
environmental integrity; 


  
 
(fff) Tourism development areas refer to specific sites for tourism development located 
in areas identified as priorities in the national and regional tourism master plans and those 
designated through legislative and executive issuances as tourist spots and tourist zones 
which may be developed into tourism estates or integrated resort, leisure, recreation 
complexes, and other tourism related facilities; 
 
(ggg) Tourism ecozone refers to tourism development areas, outside of protection lands 
which have been granted special economic zone status through the Philippine Export Zone 
Authority registration and issuance of the required Presidential Proclamation, with its metes 
and bounds, delineated by said proclamation, pursuant to RA 7916, as amended, otherwise 
known as, “The Special Economic Zone Act of1995”;  
 
(hhh) Tourism estates refer to large tracts of land with well-defined boundaries in any 
area, excluding those protection lands, identified in the Philippine tourism master plan and 
regional tourism by proclamation of the President of the Philippines or by acts of Congress 
or by local legislation and declared suited for the development of an integrated tourism and 
resort complex with prescribed carrying capacities and limits for its facilities and activities; 
 
(iii) Tourist spot refers to a particular area, site or spot, man-made or natural, known 
for its unique tourist or visitor-drawing attributes and activities and which may be classified 
according to its social, cultural, natural, historical, aesthetic, visual, scientific, religious, or 
recreational significance; 
 
(jjj) Tourist zone refers to a geographic area with well-defined boundaries proclaimed 
as such by the President of the Philippines or by acts of Congress where development 
projects for any purpose are initiated and introduced prior to formulation of a tourism master 
development plan which are undertaken in coordination with the Department of Tourism 
(DOT) and the Tourism Infrastructure Enterprise Zone (TIEZA) for the enhancement or the 
conservation of cultural and historical heritage, and for the appreciation and enjoyment of the 
local population and its visitors; 
 
(kkk) Transmission line corridor refers to the land beneath, the air spaces surrounding, 
and the area traversed by electric power transmission lines including its horizontal, vertical, 
and similar clearance requirements; 
 
(lll) Urban areas refer to all cities regardless of their population density and to 
municipalities with a population density of at least five hundred (500) persons per square 
kilometer; 
 
(mmm) Urbanizable areas refer to sites and land which, considering present 
characteristics and prevailing conditions, display great potential of becoming urban areas 
within a period of five (5) years; 
 
(nnn) Urban forest or green space refers to the establishment or setting up of areas for 
mini-forest, eco-parks or small nature parks, in both public and private lands, wetlands, man-
made lagoons and lakes systems, riverbanks and shores, grasslands, roof and rock gardens, 
lining roads and highways with trees, shrubs, or ornamental plants, and ground landscaping 
of schools, hospitals, and other government agencies in order to improve the environment in 
urban areas; 
 
(ooo) Water security refers to the sufficient access throughout the year to the minimum 
daily requirement of clean water to maintain a healthy life; 
 
(ppp) Water use refers to the appropriation of water for domestic, municipal, irrigation, 


  
power generation, inland fisheries, poultry and livestock, industrial and commercial, 
environmental, and recreational use;  
 
(qqq) Watershed refers 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;  
 
(rrr) Zoning refers to the regulatory tool for delineating the specific land uses in 
accordance with the approved CLUP within the territorial jurisdiction of a city or municipality 
and specifying the conditions for their regulation, subject to the limitations imposed by law 
and competent authority; and 
 
(sss) Zoning ordinance refers to a local law passed by the Sangguniang Bayan or 
Panlungsod approving the development control or zoning plan in accordance with an 
approved or adopted CLUP of the city or municipality, providing for the regulations and other 
conditions on the land uses, including the limitation on the infrastructure that may be placed 
within the territorial jurisdiction of the city or municipality, incorporating the protected areas, 
protected agricultural lands and ancestral lands as provided for in this Act. 
 
 
CHAPTER II 
PHYSICAL FRAMEWORK AND LAND USE PLAN 
 
SECTION 5. National Physical Framework Plan. – The National Land Use Commission 
(NLUC) created under Section herein shall draft the National Physical Framework Plan 
(NPFP), which shall have a timeframe of thirty (30) years, with regular review and updating 
every ten (10) years. The NPFP, which guides the planning and management of the country's 
land and other physical resources at the national and sub-national levels, shall indicate broad 
spatial directions and policy guidelines on settlements development, production land use, 
protection land use, social services and utilities, transmission line corridor, and transportation 
and communication. 
 
 
The Regional Physical Framework Plans (RPFPs), Provincial Physical Framework and 
Development Plans (PPFDPs), and CLUPs shall cover the physical development of their 
respective territories and shall be consistent with the NPFP: Provided, That the integration 
and harmonization of the physical framework plans at all levels shall be iterative to ensure that 
the concerns of both top and bottom levels of government are considered. The physical and 
land use plans prepared at all levels shall have internal consistency specifically on, but not 
limited to, the development, management and conservation of forestlands, watersheds, and 
all terrestrial, aquatic, and marine ecosystems found within a given territory and the linkages 
of the major land use categories to ensure their complementation in the utilization, 
development, management, protection and conservation of all natural resources. The NLUC 
shall issue procedural guidelines which shall guide the formulation and integration or 
harmonization of land use plans at all levels: Provided, That the National Economic 
Development Authority (NEDA), DENR, Department of Human Settlements and Urban 
Development (DHSUD), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and other 
agencies will continue to issue specific guidelines on the planning process and content of the 
plans consistent with the NLUC guidelines and their respective agency mandates. 
 
SECTION 6. Regional Physical Framework Plans. – In consultation with concerned sectors, 
the Regional Land Use Policy Council (RLUPC) shall define the desired spatial arrangement 
of land and land-use activities in the entire region, based on the consolidated and harmonized 
PPFDPs of provinces and independent cities within the territorial jurisdiction of the region. The 
RPFP, 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. The RPFP shall have a planning period of twelve (12) years to be 
updated every six (6) years or when deemed necessary. 
 
SECTION 7. Provincial Physical Framework and Development Plans. – In consultation 
with concerned sectors, the Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) shall prepare 
a Provincial Physical Framework and Development Plans (PPFDP), which shall define the 
province's development vision, economic and social development policies, environmental and 
ecological protection policies, general land uses, and inter-city/municipal transportation 
system. The PPFDP shall integrate and harmonize the land use plans of component cities and 
municipalities using the ridge-to-reef (R2R) or watershed ecosystem management (WEM) 
approach taking into consideration shared watersheds, ecosystems and natural resources and 
planning concerns, and define the uses of land and other resources within the province 
consistent with the policies in the regional physical framework plan. The programs, projects 
and activities prescribed in the PPFDP shall be integrated into the provincial development 
investment program. The PPDO shall submit the PPFDP to the Provincial Land Use Policy 
Council (PLUPC), created under Section 24 of this Act, for review and endorsement to the 
Sangguniang Panlalawigan, which shall adopt the same pursuant to Section 468 (2) (vii) of 
RA 7160. The PPFDP shall have a planning period of twelve (12) years to be updated every 
six (6) years or when deemed necessary. 
 
SECTION 8. City/Municipal Land Use Plans. – The City/Municipal Planning and 
Development Office (C/MPDO) shall prepare the comprehensive land use plan (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. This 
shall be done in consultation with concerned sectors through mandatory conduct of public 
hearings and with the use of technology-based systems such as, but not limited to, the 
Community Based Monitoring System (CBMS) required to be established in every city and 
municipality under RA 11315 or the “Community-Based Monitoring System Act”. The CLUP 
shall be consistent with the R2R/WEM-based PPFDP and shall define the city or municipal 
development vision, appropriate economic, environmental and social development policies, 
densities and transportation system using the R2R/WEM approach. The CLUP shall have a 
planning period of twelve (12) years to be updated every six (6) years or when deemed 
necessary. The C/MPDO shall also use, among others, the CBMS in the updating of the 
CLUPs. 
 
 
The R2R/WEM-based CLUP will be used as the common reference framework for the 
preparation of all sectoral development plans that will form part of the Comprehensive Land 
Use and Development Plan which merges the traditionally separate CLUP and comprehensive 
development plan to address the disconnect between spatial development and sectoral 
programs and to ensure the complementation between the medium- and long-term concerns 
and shall be the basis of the formulation of the local development investment program. 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. 
 
SECTION 9. Physical Framework and Land Use Planning Process. – The land use and 
physical planning process shall be formulated following a combined bottom-up and top-down 
approach. The NLUC, in consultation with the concerned sectors through the mandatory 
conduct of public hearings, shall formulate, periodically update and ensure the implementation 
of the NPFP that shall prescribe and influence the country’s land use and physical 
development. The NPFP shall operationalize the policies provided in this Act and shall be the 
basis for adopting land use and physical planning-related guidelines and standards, including 
zoning and other land use control standards that shall guide the formulation of city/municipal 


  
zoning ordinances. The policies prescribed in the NPFP shall be integrated into the Medium-
Term Philippine Development Plan and Medium-Term Philippine Investment Program. 
 
 
In the formulation of the respective National, Regional Provincial or City/Municipal 
Land Use Plans, the respective SUC Land Use Plans approved by the CHED prior to the 
approval of this Act shall be taken into consideration in the approval of the plans. As such, the 
President of the SUCs shall be consulted prior to the approval of the said plans. 
 
SECTION 10. Land Use Plans for Ancestral Domains. – Land use plans for ancestral 
domains shall be formulated by the ICCs/IPs themselves in accordance with their needs and 
traditional resource and management systems with the assistance of the NCIP, the LGUs and 
civil society organizations (CSOs) concerned. Such plans shall be recognized and adopted in 
the City/Municipal, Provincial, Regional and National Physical Framework Plans. 
 
 
Physical Framework Plans made prior to the delineation of ancestral domains included 
in such plans shall, without prejudice to the rights of the ICCs/IPs concerned, adopt different 
land use categories in accordance with their particular needs and traditional resources and 
management systems. 
 
In cases where there are no ancestral domains sustainable development and 
protection plans (ADSDPPs), the LGUs and ICCs/IPs shall jointly formulate the land use within 
the ancestral domains until such time that the ICCS/IPS shall have formulated their ADSDPPs. 
 
SECTION 11. Revision of Existing Planning Guidelines. – The existing planning guidelines 
on the NPFP, RPFP and PPFDP shall be reviewed and revised pursuant to Section 5, 6, 7, 
and 9 of this Act. 
 
 
CHAPTER III 
FRAMEWORK FOR LAND USE PLANNING 
 
SECTION 12. Basic Objective of Land Use or Physical Framework Planning. – The 
primary objective of a physical framework plan is to describe existing land uses and to identify 
an integrated physical framework, including an overall vision, policies on social and economic 
development and environmental protection and supporting transportation and other 
infrastructure facilities that shall define future development. Its output includes the 
identification of programs, projects and activities needed to achieve the desired development, 
without compromising environmental and ecological stability, and which shall serve as inputs 
to the investment program. In the case of the CLUP, it is also intended to provide specific 
development and building guidelines and parameters that be implemented through a zoning 
ordinance. 
 
SECTION 13. Priorities in Land Use Allocation and Planning. – Using the R2R/WEM 
approach in projecting spatial allocation for different land uses, the LGUs shall first exclude 
areas under protection land use in Section 17 (a) hereof, national parks, energy resource 
lands, and prime agricultural lands to ensure ecological integrity, energy supply, and promote 
food security. Areas with prior rights and those with site-specific resources for basic services, 
such as but not limited to, water and indigenous energy resources, shall also be excluded. All 
land use activities inside the excluded areas that are not consistent with the general purposes 
of the excluded areas shall be assessed, regulated, and/or modified to ensure that these 
activities do not compromise the general purposes of the excluded areas. Spatial allocation 
and planning shall then proceed in accordance with Sections 16 and 17 hereof with priorities 
given to integrated watershed management areas, socialized housing sites, fisherfolk 
settlement in coastal areas, and waste disposal sites. 
 


  
SECTION 14. Approach to Land Use and Physical Framework Planning. – The R2R/WEM 
approach shall be used in land use and physical framework planning to promote a holistic, 
integrated, equitable and inclusive development, and a flourishing environment, watersheds 
and ecosystems. It shall include a description of existing land uses and land use trends, as 
well as the physical, demographic, economic, social, political, environmental, and ecological 
conditions that have shaped and are likely to shape future land use and physical 
developments. It shall then derive a land use plan or physical framework by matching, 
reconciling or integrating the demand for land with the supply of land in a holistic manner to 
optimize socioeconomic development and minimize the total impacts of the land use plan on 
watersheds and ecosystems. The resulting land use plan or physical framework shall be the 
basis for identifying necessary policies, programs, projects and activities, and development 
controls to guide future development. The land use plan or physical framework shall be holistic 
in nature and not emanate from specific individual or corporation which, in essence, 
constitutes as spot zoning. 
 
SECTION 15. Adoption of Multiple Uses of Land Resources. – The primary and alternative 
uses of a specific unit of land resource based on its capability to support certain uses 
sustainably shall be determined and evaluated prior to any decision for the assignment of its 
use. Areas feasible for sustainable land resource use may be considered multiple-use zones 
wherein settlements, tourism, agriculture, forestry, agro-forestry and extraction activities and 
other income-generating or livelihood activities may be allowed by concerned agencies: 
Provided, That multiple uses of land resources shall be excluded in areas identified as 
protection land use: Provided, further, That such land uses shall maximize the socioeconomic 
benefits without compromising the desired levels of ecosystem services within a ridge to reef 
unit: Provided, finally, That such land uses shall be in accordance with priorities in land use 
allocation and planning and that no reclassification shall be allowed. 
 
SECTION 16. 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, including the following: 
 
(a) Availability of natural resources including indigenous energy resources for energy 
security and self-sufficiency; 
 
(b) Geology, geomorphology, current and emerging geologic climate related hazards 
and risks, soil, vegetative cover, demography and slope; 
 
(c) Economic, environmental, cultural, social and related development activities; 
 
(d) Existing government policies on land and natural resources allocation, utilization, 
management and disposition; 
 
(e) Technological changes or advancement; 
 
(f) Existing customary rights for the protection of indigenous peoples and vulnerable 
groups including women, rural and urban poor;  
 
(g) Desired levels of ecosystem services like water quality and quantity, soil stability, 
biodiversity, agricultural and fishery productivity, among others; and 
 
(h)  Inventory of prior and existing rights, to harmonize determination of land use. 
 
SECTION 17. Categories of Land Uses for Planning Purposes. – In determining and 
defining the national, regional and provincial framework plans, and CLUPs, land uses shall be 


  
grouped into four major functional uses as follows: 
 
(a) Protection land use which includes the use of land primarily for food, water and 
energy security, rehabilitation, conservation, and protection purposes to promote the country’s 
ecological and life-support systems. Planning for protection land use intends to achieve food 
self-sufficiency in rice and corn, water and energy security, environmental stability and 
ecological integrity, ensure a balance between resource use and the preservation of some 
areas with environmental, aesthetic, educational, cultural, heritage and historical significance, 
and protect people and human- made structures from the ill-effects of natural hazards. All 
lands, either public or private, under protection land use shall be permanently conserved, 
preserved, rehabilitated and protected from all other land uses, disposition, intrusion, 
utilization and development that is not consistent with its existing uses. Areas under this 
category also include those covered by RA 7586, as amended by RA 11038 or the “Extended 
National Integrated Protected Areas Act of 2018”, 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, such as but not limited to the following: 
 
(1) Natural forests and mossy areas with more than 50% in slope gradient; 
 
(2) Mangrove and fish sanctuaries, pursuant to RA 8435, and 11 RA 8550, or “The 
Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998”; 
 
(3) Buffer zones or strips/easements, pursuant to Presidential 13 Decree (PD) 389, 
otherwise known as the “Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines”, as amended 
by PD 705, or the “Revised Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines” and PD 
1067, or the “Water Code of the Philippines”; 
 
(4) Salvage zones along foreshore areas, freshwater swamps and marshes, plazas, 
archaeological, and heritage or historic sites, pursuant to Presidential 
Proclamation No. (PP) 2146, series of 1981 entitled “Proclaiming Certain Areas 
and Types of Projects Environmentally Critical and within the Scope of 
Environmental Impact Statement System Established under Presidential Decree 
No. 1586”; 
 
(5) Watersheds supporting bulk or domestic water supply; 
 
(6) Utility easement like power lines of electric power generators, transmission and 
distributors, oil and gas facilities, cell sites, and bulk/domestic water lines; 
 
(7) Amenity areas or those with high aesthetic values, pursuant to PP 2146; 
 
(8) Natural and human-made areas/sites of cultural, historical and anthropological 
significance, which are declared as such by internationally recognized 
organizations and concerned national agencies; 
 
(9) Critical habitats as provided in RA 9147, otherwise known as the “Wildlife 
Resources Conservation and Protection Act”; 
 
(10) Significant caves under RA 9072, otherwise known as the “National Caves and 
Cave Resources Management and Protection Act”; or 
 
(11) Key biodiversity areas under Executive Order No. 578, series of 2006, entitled 
“Establishing the National Policy on Biodiversity, Prescribing its Implementation 
Throughout the Country, Particularly in the Sulu Sulawesi Marine Ecosystem and 


  
the Verde Island Passage Marine Corridor”.  
 
 
Existing property and private rights shall be recognized and respected on the 
condition that these rights are harmonized with the intent of the identified protected land use. 
 
(b) Production Land Use wherein there is a direct and indirect utilization of land 
resources for crop, fishery, livestock and poultry production, forestry, agroforestry, mining, 
industry, energy development, indigenous energy exploration and development, and tourism. 
Planning for production land determines the most efficient, sustainable, and equitable manner 
of utilizing, developing and managing land for productive purposes. Areas included in this 
category are agricultural lands, fishing grounds, coastal and marine zones, production forest, 
which can be made available for timber and agroforestry production, rangelands for grazing, 
forest lands for special uses including for energy and reforestation projects, mineral lands or 
mining areas and reservations, energy resource lands, industrial development areas, and 
tourism development areas where productive activities may be undertaken to meet the 
country's requirements for food security, economic growth and development. 
 
(c) Settlements development wherein any improvement on existing settlements in 
urban and rural areas or any proposed development of certain areas for settlement purposes 
involves the spatial distribution of population, identification of the roles and functions of key 
urban centers, determination of relationships among settlement areas, and the provision of 
basic services and facilities to such settlement. The settlements development plan ensures 
for the present and future generation the following: (1) effective integration of activities within 
and among settlements, allowing efficient movement of people and production of commodities 
through the provision of appropriate land, infrastructure, and facilities; (2) access of the 
population to housing, education, health care, recreation, transportation and communication, 
sanitation, and basic utilities such as water, power, waste disposal, and other services; and 
(3) security against risks associated with climate change and other natural hazards. 
 
(d) Infrastructure development includes the availability or supply of basic services 
and fostering of economic and other forms of integration necessary for producing or obtaining 
the material requirements of Filipinos, in an efficient, responsive, safe and ecologically friendly 
built environment. It covers sub-sectors of transportation, communications, energy, water 
resources, and social infrastructure: Provided, That the determination of functional uses of 
lands within ancestral domains shall consider traditional resource and management systems 
that do not endanger the lives of the people and property of the local community and 
neighboring areas or increase the vulnerability of the natural environment to the effects of 
natural and human-induced geological processes. 
 
 
CHAPTER IV 
IMPLEMENTING STRUCTURE AND MECHANISM 
 
SECTION 18. Creation of the National Land Use Commission. – The National Land Use 
Commission (NLUC) is hereby created as a Commission under the Office of the President. It 
shall exercise the powers and responsibilities of the current National Land Use Committee, 
which is hereby abolished. The NLUC shall be chaired by a Commissioner to be appointed by 
the President. The Commissioner will have the rank of a Cabinet Secretary. The 
Commissioner shall be a qualified professional in any of the fields of land use, physical 
planning, environmental management, engineering, public governance or law. 
 
 
The NLUC shall act as the highest policy making body on land use and resolve land 
use policy conflicts between or among agencies, branches, or levels of the government. It 
shall coordinate efforts towards the development of integrated land use plans at the national, 
regional, provincial, and municipal/city levels, and monitor the implementation of all land use 


  
plans including relevant policies. 
 
SECTION 19. Composition of the NLUC. – The NLUC will be composed of the following: 
 
(a) Commissioner of NLUC as Chairperson; 
 
(b) Secretary of NEDA as Vice-Chairperson; 
 
As Ex-Officio Members: 
 
(c) Secretary of DENR; 
 
(d) Secretary of DHSUD; 
 
(e) Secretary of DA; 
 
(f) Secretary of DAR; 
 
(g) Secretary of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH); 
 
(h) Secretary of DILG; 
 
(i) A Representative from the LGUs; 
 
(j) Chairperson of National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP); and 
 
(k) Commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue. 
 
The Department Secretaries may designate a representative with a rank not lower than 
Assistant Secretary: Provided, That the designated representative shall be on a permanent 
basis. The representative from the LGUs shall come from the Leagues of Provinces, Cities 
and Municipalities. 
 
SECTION 20. Powers and Functions. – The NLUC shall have the following powers and 
functions: 
 
(a) Advise the President of the Philippines on all matters concerning land use and 
physical planning; 
 
(b) Integrate and harmonize all laws, guidelines and policies relevant to land use and 
physical planning to come up with a rational, cohesive, and comprehensive national land use 
framework; 
 
(c) Formulate policies and endorse land use and physical planning related policies that 
may be formulated by the RLUPC, created under Section 23 of this Act, and concerned 
agencies as well as promulgate zoning and other land use control standards and guidelines 
which shall guide the formulation of land use plans and zoning ordinances by local 
governments; 
 
(d) Prepare, periodically review and if necessary, update the national framework for 
physical planning to provide the general framework for the spatial development directions for 
the entire country and sub-national levels; 
 
(e) Review and endorse all land use and physical planning related guidelines; 
 


  
(f) Monitor and coordinate the gathering of data, the conduct of studies pertaining to 
land use planning including studies on the management of identified land uses and such other 
studies not undertaken by other government agencies; 
 
(g) Recommend to the President of the Philippines the adoption, passage, or 
amendment of laws to ensure that sectoral programs, plans, projects, and activities, including 
local government initiatives affecting land use are consistent with national development 
objectives; 
 
(h) Coordinate with and assist other government agencies and LGUs in planning, 
developing, and implementing their land use classification programs, and provide, to the extent 
possible, technical assistance and guidance; 
 
(i) Monitor and coordinate the activities of concerned agencies and entities of the 
government, as well as LGUs, in the enforcement and implementation of land use plans, 
policies and regulations relating to land use and resource management and development; 
 
(j) Monitor and coordinate activities in the establishment of a national land resource 
information and management system of concerned agencies that shall integrate and process 
information on land use and allocation generated by the various national government 
agencies; define information requirements at various levels; and standardize information 
inputs and outputs including scales and symbols used in territorial and sectoral maps; 
 
(k) Be the repository of all RPFPs, PPFDPs and CLUPs and all data and information 
pertaining to land and land use; 
 
(l) Call on any department, bureau, office, agency, or instrumentality of the 
government, and or private entities and organization for cooperation, support, and assistance 
in the performance of its functions; 
 
(m) Decide and resolve policy conflicts and territorial jurisdiction on land use between 
or among agencies, branches, or levels of the government and act on unresolved land use 
policy conflicts at the regional level elevated by the RLUPC;  
 
(n) Adopt rules of procedures for the orderly and expeditious conduct of meetings and 
other business of the Council; and  
 
(o) Perform such other acts and functions and exercise such other powers as may be 
necessarily implied, inherent, incident, or related to the foregoing. 
 
SECTION 21. National Land Use Office (NLUO). – The National Land Use Office (NLUO) is 
hereby created under the Office of the President, which will serve as technical secretariat to 
the NLUC. The NLUO shall be headed by the NLUC Commissioner with two (2) Deputy 
Commissioners with the rank of Undersecretary. 
 
 
The DHSUD – Environmental, Land Use and Urban Planning and Development 
Bureau (DHSUD-ELUPDB) shall be converted into a line bureau that shall serve as the NLUO. 
 
 
Further, the DHSUD-ELUPDB shall have service units for the planning and policy 
formulation, operations, monitoring and information systems management, technical 
assistance, legal, and special land use concerns. The staffing pattern of the NLUO shall be 
approved by the Department of Budget and Management. 
 
SECTION 22. Regional Land Use Office. – A Regional Land Use Office (RLUO) is hereby 
created in each region. 


  
 
 
CHAPTER V 
REGIONAL AND LOCAL LAND USE POLICY BODIES 
 
SECTION 23. Regional Land Use Policy Council (RLUPC). – At the regional level, the 
RLUPC shall be institutionalized, replicating the NLUC structure and composition with DHSUD 
representative as Chairperson, NEDA representative as Vice-Chairperson and with a duly 
authorized representative from the DENR, DA, DAR, DPWH, DILG, NCCA, and LGU as 
members. The RLUPC shall have the following functions: 
 
(a) Formulate and adopt regional policies on land use and physical planning; 
 
(b) Prepare and periodically update an RPFP taking into consideration national 
policies 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 with the regional plans; 
 
(d) Review, prior to adoption by respective Sanggunians, the PPFDP, and CLUPs of 
highly urbanized and independent component cities, to ensure consistency with the RPFP 
and national policies set forth by the NLUC and compliance with limits prescribed under RA 
7160, as amended, for reclassifying agricultural lands; 
 
(e) Decide and resolve policy conflicts on land use planning, classification, and 
allocation that may arise between or among regional line agencies, provinces and cities or 
municipalities; 
 
(f) Monitor changes in land use and other physical resources in the region;  
 
(g) Evaluate consistency of major programs and projects with the regional physical 
framework plans and their impact on land use and the environment; 
 
(h) Undertake the gathering of regional data for the land resource information and 
management system; and 
 
(i) Perform other related functions as may be directed by the NLUC. 
 
SECTION 24. Provincial Land Use Policy Council. – The Provincial Development Council, 
created under Section 106 of RA 7160, shall act as the PLUPC that will tackle land use 
concerns whenever necessary. A duly authorized representative from the DENR, DHSUD, 
DAR, DA, DILG, and DPWH shall be included in the composition of the PLUPC. In addition to 
the functions enumerated in Section 109 of RA 7160, the PLUPC shall: 
 
(a) Advise the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on all matters pertaining to land use and 
physical planning; 
 
(b) Review and endorse to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for adoption, the provincial 
physical framework plans, prepared and periodically updated by the PPDO and other land use 
and physical planning-related policies; 
 
(c) Decide and resolve policy conflicts on land use planning, classification, and 
allocation that may arise between or among cities or municipalities and any unresolved land 
use conflicts at the city or municipal level. The PLUPC may call upon any local official 


  
concerned such as provincial planning and development coordinator, provincial agriculturist, 
provincial environment and natural resources officer, provincial engineer, provincial assessor, 
or any official of national agencies and other relevant agencies during discussions on land use 
and physical planning concerns; and 
 
(d) Assist the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in reviewing the CLUPs of component cities 
or municipalities to ensure consistency with the provincial physical framework plans and 
compliance with the limits prescribed under RA 7160, as amended, for reclassifying 
agricultural lands. 
 
SECTION 25. City/Municipal Land Use Policy Council. – The City/Municipal Development 
Council (C/MDC), created under Section 106 of RA 7160, shall act as the C/MLUPC that will 
tackle land use concerns whenever necessary. A duly authorized representative from the 
DHSUD, DAR, DA, DENR, DPWH and DILG shall be included in the composition of the 
C/MLUPC. In addition to the functions enumerated in Section 109 of RA 7160, the C/MLUP 
shall: 
 
(a) Advise the Sangguniang Bayan or Sangguniang Panlungsod on all matters 
pertaining to land use and physical planning; 
 
(b) Review and endorse to the Sangguniang Bayan or Sangguniang Panlungsod for 
adoption, the CLUP prepared and periodically updated by the City/Municipal Planning and 
Development Office and other land use and physical planning-related policies; 
 
(c) Decide and resolve policy conflicts on land use planning, classification, and 
allocation that may arise between and among barangays and any unresolved land use conflict 
at the barangay level regarding the violation of zoning ordinances including opposition to 
applications for locational clearances, permits or certificates; and 
 
(d) Advise the local zoning board of appeals and adjustments on all issues and 
conflicts relating to zoning 
 
 
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. LGUs without operational C/MPDC 
as mandated by RA 7160, as amended, shall activate their respective councils within six (6) 
months from the effectivity of this Act. 
 
 
CHAPTER VI 
ADOPTION, APPROVAL AND REVIEW OF LOCAL LAND USE AND  
PHYSICAL FRAMEWORK PLANS 
 
SECTION 26. Approval and Review of PPFDP and CLUPs. – The PPFDP, CLUPs and 
zoning ordinances (Zos) of the respective LGUs, including provinces, highly urbanized cities 
and independent component cities, shall be submitted by the local land use committees to the 
local development councils for transmission to their respective local Sanggunian for approval. 
 


  
SECTION 27. 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, zoning ordinances 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 23 (d). 
 
 
CHAPTER VII 
MAPPING AND DATA MANAGEMENT FOR LAND USE PLANNING 
 
SECTION 28. 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 NAMRIA, as the lead agency, BSWM, the Forest 
Management Bureau (FMB), the Land Management Bureau (LMB), the Biodiversity 
Management Bureau (BMB), the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), the Philippine 
Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), DAR, the National Water Resources 
Board (NWRB), Department of Energy (DOE), NEDA, Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) , 
University of the Philippines Resilience Institute (UPRI), NCIP, and other concerned 
government agencies/bureaus. The ITC shall be constituted, and the mapping program shall 
be initiated, within thirty (30) days from the effectivity of this Act. The agencies mentioned in 
this Section shall finish their base mapping program within one (1) year upon the effectivity of 
this Act. 
 
 
For purposes of uniformity and standardization, the LGUs, to be assisted by the 
appropriate agencies of the national government, shall likewise prepare their respective 
territorial maps using scales, symbols, and other indicators to be prescribed in accordance 
with this Act. The completed maps shall be integrated in the NPFP pursuant to Section 5 of 
this Act. 
 
SECTION 29. National Geospatial Information Program. – Within one (1) year upon the 
effectivity of this Act, the NAMRIA, in coordination with BSWM, FMB, LMB, BMB, MGB, 
PHIVOLCS, DAR, NWRB, NCIP, DOE, NEDA, PSA, UPRI, and other concerned government 
agencies or bureaus shall complete the updating of base maps including national disaster risk 
maps. These base maps and corresponding geospatial data shall be shared and disseminated 
to all agencies and LGUs to serve as reference in plan preparation and other planning 
activities. 
 
SECTION 30. National Hazard Mapping Program. – Within thirty (30) days from the 
effectivity of this Act, a nationwide hazard mapping and probabilistic hazard risk assessment 
program shall be initiated jointly through the NLUC by the PHIVOLCS, the Philippine 
Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), NAMRIA, 
MGB, BSWM, DOE, and UPRI, in coordination with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and 
Management Council (NDRRMC), the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management 
Council (RDRRMC), NCIP, NCCA, and other concerned government agencies. The program 
shall include the generation of indicative hazard zoning maps that will outline areas in the 
Philippines which are prone to liquefaction, landslides, severe flooding, lahar, ground 
rupturing, tsunami, river erosion, coastal erosion, sinkhole collapse, earthquake, lava flow, 
pyroclastic flow, base surge, and other natural hazards. 
 
 
For purposes of uniformity and standardization and in order to develop a safe-built 
environment, the LGUs shall subsequently incorporate and integrate the generated hazard 
zoning maps in their respective CLUPs. Said hazard maps shall serve as guide for all the 
LGUs in the preparation of their own hazards constrained development plans. The NPFP, 
pursuant to Section 5 hereof, shall incorporate these hazard maps. 
 


  
 
All infrastructure activities including real estates and subdivision projects and the 
development of tourist spots requiring an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) shall 
be required to submit an Engineering Geological and Geo-hazard Assessment Report 
(EGGAR). 
 
SECTION 31. Basic and Applied Research for Science and Technology Development. – 
Within one (1) year from the effectivity of this Act, the Department of Science and Technology 
(DOST), in coordination with concerned agencies, academe, and research organizations, shall 
formulate a research agenda that will support physical framework and land use planning. 
 
SECTION 32. Scope and Nature of Responsibilities of Other National Government 
Agencies. – All concerned national government agencies shall periodically report to the NLUC 
on the various activities and accomplishments on land use, including their respective sectoral 
or development plans. The NLUC may call upon the agencies for technical and administrative 
support. 
 
SECTION 33. Monitoring of CLUP Implementation. – The DHSUD shall design and install 
an information system for monitoring the actual use of land resources, the reclassification of 
agricultural lands authorized by cities and municipalities, and the implementation of CLUPs of 
LGUs with a view to ensuring the compliance with national policies, standards and guidelines: 
Provided, That the system shall be developed in coordination with DA, DAR, DILG, DENR, 
DPWH, NEDA, league of provinces, league of cities, league of municipalities, other concerned 
national government agencies, academe, and research organizations .  
 
SECTION 34. Submission of Annual Report on the Implementation of CLUPs. – The 
C/MLUPC shall submit an annual report on the implementation of their land use plans to the 
PLUPC, which shall integrate the same for submission to the RLUPC, which shall in turn 
integrate the provincial reports for submission to the NLUC. 
 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
SPECIAL AREAS OF CONCERN 
 
Article 1 
Forest Lands and Reservation of Watershed 
 
SECTION 35. Reversion of Alienable and Disposable Lands to Forestlands. – Upon the 
recommendation of the Secretary of the DENR, duly reviewed and endorsed by the NLUC, 
and after due consultations with the concerned LGUs and affected parties, Congress may 
authorize the reversion of alienable and disposable lands of the public domain or portion 
thereof to forestlands, unless they are covered by existing titles, or actually occupied openly, 
continuously, adversely, and publicly for a period required by law: Provided, That, when public 
interest so requires, steps shall be taken to expropriate such lands, cancel defective titles, or 
eject occupants thereof. Thereafter, said lands shall be included in the preparation of land use 
plans within forestlands. 
 
SECTION 36. Critical Watershed Areas. – The DENR, in coordination with the DA, LGUs 
and other government agencies, including government-owned and controlled corporation, and 
after mandatory public hearings or consultations, shall identify and delineate critical watershed 
areas that need to be protected, rehabilitated, enhanced or withdrawn from uses that 
contribute to their further degradation. 
 
SECTION 37. Formulation and Implementation of Integrated Watershed Management 
Plans. – A Watershed Management Council (WMC), which is a multi-agency, inter-LGU, and 
multi-sectoral consortium, chaired by the DENR and co-chaired by the duly designated 


  
representative of the LGUs, shall be created at the provincial level to ensure effective and 
sustainable resource management of a particular watershed and provide the development 
needs of local communities. In cases where a watershed transcends more than one province, 
a WMC at the regional level shall be created. 
 
 
The WMC shall prepare the Integrated Watershed Management Plans (IWMP) 
consistent with the existing DENR laws, guidelines, and rules and regulations. The said 
IWMPS shall be integrated into the CLUPs of the LGUs. 
 
 
The DENR and the concerned LGUs shall jointly implement the Watershed 
Management Plan subject to regular consultations with and involvement of the community and 
other stakeholders. 
 
SECTION 38. Establishment and Management of National Parks. – All areas proclaimed 
by the President of the Philippines and Congress of the Philippines to be under the NIPAS, 
unless disestablished, including those identified as initial components of the NIPAS as KBAs, 
shall comprise the national parks classification of the public domain. The DENR and 
concerned LGUs shall ensure that such areas are integrated in the CLUP and physical 
framework plans. The preparation of management plans of protected areas and national parks 
shall be in accordance with the provisions of RA 7586, as amended, and other laws 
establishing or declaring specific areas as protected areas. 
 
Article 2 
Coastal Zones 
 
SECTION 39. Criteria on the Allocation and Utilization of Lands within the Coastal 
Zones. – The allocation and utilization of lands within the coastal zones 21 shall be guided by 
the following: 
 
(a) Areas vegetated with mangrove species shall be preserved for mangrove – 
protection and shall not be converted to other uses; 
 
(b) Areas which meet all accepted criteria on elevation, soil type, soil depth, 
topography, supply for successful fishpond development, and are not identified as mangrove 
protection areas, shall be utilized for aquaculture purposes; 
 
(c) Areas sub-classified as mangrove and still suitable for use as such, or due to 
environmental conditions need to be preserved as mangrove, but is devoid of mangrove 
stands shall not be converted to other uses. The DENR shall ensure that these lands shall be 
reforested within a given period of time; 
 
(d) Areas accessible to the sea and identified for fisherfolk settlement and housing 
shall be allocated to traditional fisherfolk who are inhabitants of the coastal communities and 
members of legitimate fisherfolk organizations and/or holders of stewardship lease contracts 
or titles to ancestral domains or any form of property right arrangements who participate in 
coastal resource management initiatives, subject to the usual census procedures of the 
DHSUD. 
 
(e) Areas which do not fall under (a) to (d) above may be devoted to recreational or 
tourism purposes: Provided, That such undertaking will not result in environmental 
degradation and displacement of small fishers; 
 
(f) Areas which are considered as traditional fishing grounds shall be used primarily 
for such purpose; 
 


  
(g) Areas which have been allocated for small infrastructure needed by fisherfolk shall 
be allowed; 
 
(h) Areas which form part of foreshore lands as defined in this Act including those 
which are under lease agreements or arrangements shall undergo zoning and evaluation to 
determine their boundaries and actual sizes and corresponding uses: Provided, That vested 
rights under the lease agreements or arrangements shall be respected. Evaluation of the said 
lands shall also consider the natural, geologic and geomorphic conditions of the coast; and 
 
(i) The free and prior informed consent of the concerned ICCs/IPs and the necessary 
certification from the NCIP shall be secured before any allocation and utilization of lands within 
the coastal zones that are found to be within ancestral domains. 
 
SECTION 40. Coastal Land Zone Sub-classification. – All public lands in the coastal zones 
are sub-classified into any of the following: fishponds, mangroves for protection from tidal 
surge and for preservation of biodiversity, habitats and sanctuaries for endangered wildlife, 
fisherfolk settlement, or recreational or tourism areas. No sub-classification of coastal zones 
to different uses may be done without the following: 
 
(a) Conduct of a comprehensive inventory and resource and environmental 
assessment by the DENR with the respective LGUs and accredited non-government 
organizations (NGOs) or peoples organizations (POs) within their territorial jurisdiction. The 
result of the assessment along with a list of all existing applications and expired foreshore 
lease agreements must be posted in three (3) conspicuous places in the affected localities; 
and 
 
(b) Prior consultation with the local Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management 
Councils pursuant to RA 8550 as amended. 
 
SECTION 41. Zoning Foreshore Areas. – LGUs, in coordination with the DENR, shall 
conduct zoning of their respective foreshore areas to assist government and community 
fishers identify priority areas for conservation and development, and to enable them to set 
targets for mangrove reforestation and rehabilitation. 
 
SECTION 42. Protection of Waterways, Easements and Flood Plains. – Structures of any 
kind may not be built in waterways and easements. Pursuant to PD 1067, the banks of rivers 
and streams and the shores of the seas and lakes throughout their entire length and within a 
zone of three (3) meters in urban areas, twenty (20) meters in agricultural areas and forty (40) 
meters in forest areas along their margins are subject to easement of public use only in the 
interest of recreation, navigation, floatage, fishing and salvage 
 
 
The protection of flood plains shall use the watershed management plan as the 
reference framework in formulating flood mitigation plan. Development within flood plains and 
other flood-prone areas must be controlled or, if allowed, must be so sited, constructed and 
serviced that the lives of occupants are not put at risk and that disruptions during floods are 
minimized. The identification and characterization of flood-prone areas and flood plains must 
be an integral part of Watershed Management Plan that shall guide the preparation of CLUPs, 
local climate change action plans local disaster risk reduction and management plans and 
other prescribed thematic plans. The LGUs shall establish land use regulations to mitigate 
flood risks through the CLUPs and zoning ordinances. 
 
 
To promote the best interest and coordinated protection of flood plains, the DPWH, in 
coordination with the DOST and DENR shall declare flood control areas as necessary and 
shall prohibit or control activities that may damage or cause deterioration of lakes and dikes, 
obstruct the flow of water, change the natural flow of rivers, increase flood losses or aggravate 


  
flood problems, pursuant to PD 1067. 
 
Article 3 
Settlements Development 
 
SECTION 43. Municipalities, Cities, and Settlements Development. – The development of 
municipalities, cities, and settlements through CLUP and implemented by the zoning 
ordinances of cities and municipalities are guided by the urban zoning standards designed to 
maximize existing urban spaces, taking into account the studies of pertinent government 
agencies on climate change. The new and existing government buildings within the cities and 
municipalities shall comply with the government energy management program and the Inter-
Agency Energy Efficiency and Conservation Committee resolution. 
 
SECTION 44. Settlements within Hazard Areas. – Settlements, in particular, housing or 
residential developments, within hazard areas may be allowed: Provided, That mitigating or 
protective measures are adopted to address the potential danger or risk to lives and property 
within such settlements. In coordination with the concerned agencies of the government such 
as the PHIVOLCS, PAGASA, and MGB, the NLUC shall provide assistance to concerned 
LGUs and settlers in instituting safety and corrective measures to address the potential danger 
or risk. Residential zones as designated in the CLUP shall not be considered as outside the 
hazard areas. However, for this purpose, housing projects within such areas with less than or 
equal to one (1) hectare of project area shall be exempt from the ECC as well as the EGGAR 
and may be implemented without the need for any further certificate of exemption from the 
DENR or any other government regulatory agency. 
 
SECTION 45. Designation of Waste and Environment Management Site. – Each city or 
municipality shall identify, designate and allocate a suitable area as indicated in the watershed 
management plan within their territorial jurisdiction to serve as sanitary landfill or solid waste 
disposal site as established in its solid waste management plan pursuant to RA 9003 or the 
“Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000” within one (1) year from the effectivity of 
this Act. 
 
SECTION 46. Network Settlements. – The framework and policies for the development of 
network of settlements shall be provided by the National Physical Framework Plan formulated 
by the NLUC. Individual settlements shall be planned as part of a national network of 
settlements. The network shall be based on existing and potential settlements; production 
activities, particularly those that involve highly competitive industries and services and 
generate local employment; environmental constraints and sustainability considerations. 
Individual cities and municipalities shall be integrated through transportation and other 
infrastructure support facilities. 
 
SECTION 47. Criteria for Settlement Sites. – The following shall be the criteria for identifying 
settlement areas: 
 
(a) Within A&D lands but not in environmentally-critical, hazard prone or other 
protection areas as assessed, identified and indicated in the Watershed Management Plans; 
 
(b) Along established urban growth directions;  
 
(c) Are already or can be provided with basic services and utilities; 
 
(d) Ideally within the 0-8% slope range, but with mitigating measures from slope 9-
17%; 
 
(e) Reasonably accessible from existing built-up areas and other employment centers 


  
through existing or proposed roads and other transportation facilities; and 
 
(f) Identified ICCs/IPs settlement areas shall be located within ancestral domains. 
 
 
Hazard-prone areas shall be defined, delineated and mapped by the DENR and 
other the mandated government agencies, together with LGUs during the preparation of 
management plans of the watersheds that are partially or wholly inside the jurisdiction of 
municipality or city. As such, new settlements within high-risk areas shall not be allowed. In 
cases where there are existing settlements within geo-hazard areas or high-risk areas, 
mitigating or protective measures shall be adopted to address the potential danger or risk to 
lives and property within such settlements. In coordination with the concerned agencies of the 
government, the NLUC, through the RLUPC and PLUPC, shall provide assistance to 
concerned LGUs and settlers in instituting safety and corrective measures to address the 
potential danger or risk. New developments within geo-hazard areas shall be required to 
submit an ECC and EGGAR consistent with the Revised Procedural Manual for DENR 
Administrative Order (DAO) No. 2003-30 otherwise known as the “Implementing Rules and 
Regulations (IRR) for the Philippine Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) System” and DAO 
No. 2000-28 otherwise known as the “Implementing Guidelines on Engineering Geological 
and Geohazard Assessment as Additional Requirement for ECC Applications covering 
Subdivision, Housing and other Land Development and Infrastructure Projects”. 
 
SECTION 48. Sustainable Communities. – Each city or municipality or cluster of cities or 
municipalities, as appropriate, shall seek to follow the basic features of sustainable 
communities, as guided by the National Urban Development and Housing Framework: transit-
oriented, pedestrian-biased, and multiple use, with systems and practices that promote water 
use efficiency, energy efficiency, waste segregation, recycling, and adequate community 
facilities. Cities and municipalities or clusters thereof shall identify, designate and allocate 
areas within their territorial jurisdiction to serve as waste disposal site following the provisions 
of RA 9003. 
 
 
For energy efficiency, cities and municipalities or clusters thereof shall utilize energy 
consuming products which comply with the DOE’s efficiency rating and energy labeling system 
pursuant to the provision of RA 11285 or the “Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act”. 
 
SECTION 49. Designation and Zoning of Socialized Housing Zones. – Each city or 
municipality in urban, urbanizable and rural areas shall designate through the CLUP adequate 
lands for housing or residential purposes, including socialized housing and resettlement areas 
for the immediate and future needs of the local population as well as the underprivileged and 
homeless in their territory, pursuant to existing laws and regulations. In order to ensure 
adequate availability of lands for the housing needs of the local population, the CLUP shall be 
updated, at maximum, every twelve (12) years for provinces, cities and municipalities. 
 
 
The designated sites for socialized housing shall be located in residential zones, and 
shall be zoned as socialized housing zones that are integrated in the city or municipality’s 
zoning ordinance, pursuant to existing laws and regulations. 
 
 
Fisherfolk settlements and housing in coastal municipalities shall be zoned near the 
sea for easy access to their livelihood as provided under Section 39 (d) of this Act. 
 
 
The housing or residential lands designated in the CLUPs and zoning ordinances of 
cities and municipalities shall, on one hand, not be subject to further land reclassification by 
the LGU or land conversion procedure under DAR. On the other hand, agricultural lands as 
designated in the CLUP which are no longer economically feasible for agricultural use may be 
subject to land reclassification or land use conversion to housing or residential purposes and 
such land use conversion, as the case may be, shall be exempt from the coverage of any 


  
moratorium on land use conversion, provided such conversion shall not conflict with the 
prescriptions of watershed management plans and shall not result in serious environmental 
and ecological problems. 
 
SECTION 50. Urban Forest or Green Space. – Each city or highly urbanizing municipality 
shall identify, designate, and allocate lands owned by the city or municipality as urban forest 
or green space based on the guidelines and standards to be issued by the DENR and 
approved by the NLUC. 
 
Article 4 
NIPAS Areas 
 
SECTION 51. Integrated Management Strategy. – For a more effective planning, 
management, and protection of protected areas at the provincial, city or municipal levels, the 
Protected Area Management Plan referred to in RA 7586, as amended, must be incorporated 
in the provincial physical framework plan and CLUPs, if applicable, wherein the protected area 
zoning must be reflected. 
 
Article 5 
Agricultural Lands 
 
SECTION 52. Priority Areas for Agricultural Development. – Priority areas for agricultural 
development shall be those agricultural areas covered under RA 6657 and those covered 
under NPAAAD and SAFDZ, defined in Section 4 of this Act and in RA 8435 or the “Agriculture 
and Fisheries Modernization Act”. 
 
SECTION 53. Conversion of Agricultural Lands. – Prime agricultural lands and specific 
types of lands to the extent necessary for attaining food self-sufficiency in rice and food 
security in other basic commodities, as determined by the DA, subject to mandatory 
consultation with the LGUs, the private sector, the NGOs, and POs, shall be protected from 
conversion, which shall include but not limited to areas under the NPAAAD and SAFDZ: 
Provided, That all irrigated and irrigable lands, all lands developed or possessing the potential 
for development of high value crops, and all agricultural lands that are ecologically fragile and 
whose conversion will result in serious environmental problems shall be given full protection 
from conversion, the areas under which are subject to review every six (6) years by the DA, 
with the mandatory public consultations: Provided, further, That consistent with the State 
policy on giving priority to the completion of the comprehensive agrarian reform program, all 
lands subject to the comprehensive agrarian reform program including those lands covered 
under notice of compulsory acquisition or voluntary offer to sell, production or profit-sharing, 
or commercial farm deferment shall also be protected from conversion pending the distribution 
and installation of the farmer beneficiaries, but thereafter, Section 22 of RA 9700 shall apply: 
Provided, furthermore, That the conversion of prime agricultural lands for use in priority 
government projects for basic services such as, but not limited to, irrigation and power shall 
be allowed only upon the recommendation of the Secretaries of the DA and the DAR: 
Provided, finally, That the mapping of the NPAAAD under the RA 8435 shall be completed 
within one (1) year from the effectivity of this Act. Lands defined under Section 10 of RA 6657 
shall remain exempted and excluded from the coverage of the comprehensive agrarian reform 
program. With due consideration of the above-mentioned conditions that provides for the full 
protection of prime agricultural land, only then, upon approval by the DAR of the application 
for conversion, agricultural lands are deemed converted to non-agricultural uses. 
 
SECTION 54. Sub-classification or Re-classification of Agricultural Lands by LGUs. – 
Sub-classification or re-classification of agricultural lands to other uses under Section 20 of 
RA 7160 shall exclude the protected agricultural lands as stated in the preceding section. 
Moreover, such sub-classification or reclassification is not synonymous to conversion. Further, 


  
such sub classification or re-classification shall not result to land uses that are in conflict with 
the prescriptions of the watershed management plans. The DA and DAR shall provide the 
LGUs with complete list and maps of protected agricultural lands within their territorial 
jurisdictions. 
 
SECTION 55. Criteria for the Utilization and Allocation of Land for Mining Purposes. – 
Consistent with this Act and the provisions of RA 7942, otherwise known as the “Philippine 
Mining Act of 1995”, and to ensure that the objectives of maintaining ecological balance and 
maximizing economic returns to mining operations are realized, the allocation and utilization 
of lands for mining purposes shall be guided by the following: 
 
(a) The principles of sustainable development and responsible mining; 
 
(b) In case of small-scale mining, adequate and acceptable safeguards shall be 
instituted by the holders of mining rights or permits to prevent environmental degradation of 
the mining sites and adjacent areas; 
 
(c) Mineral reservations which have become non-operational as determined by the 
MGB shall be placed under appropriate surface management by the DENR after conducting 
scientific, geological, and environmental studies in accordance with relevant laws on mineral 
reservation establishment and de-establishment; 
 
(d) Natural forests, proclaimed watershed forest reserves, mangrove forests, and 
mossy forests are closed to mining operations pursuant to RA 7942, and other pertinent laws; 
 
(e) Consistent with RA 7942, areas closed to mining operations like natural forests, 
proclaimed watershed forest reserves, mangrove forests, and mossy forests shall be 
periodically reviewed through mineral exploration to be undertaken by the DENR for the 
purpose of determining whether or not their continued closure is consistent with the national 
interest and with the prescriptions of watershed management plans and, if warranted, 
recommend their reclassification as mineral lands; and 
 
(f) Protection forestlands and agricultural lands shall be exempt from mining activities 
to minimize the effect of natural calamities and to protect food security respectively. The small 
to large scale mining operations shall yield from and recognize the tenurial instrument given 
by the government such as original certificate of title, transfer certificate of title, certificate of 
ancestral domain title, emancipation patent-certificate of land ownership award and other 
instruments. If these be present, mining activity shall be allowed subject to clearances and 
consent, and: Provided, That mining activity shall not conflict with the prescriptions of 
watershed management plans and shall not have serious environmental and ecological 
problems. 
 
SECTION 56. Reversion of Mineral Lands. – All mineral lands with exhausted mineral 
resources, as determined by the MGB upon the recommendation of the DENR, shall revert to 
its original land classification, that is, as forestland or agricultural land. In the case of 
forestlands, the DENR may classify such areas for other purposes in consultation with 
concerned LGUs, DOT, and other national government agencies, and consistent with the 
prescriptions of the watershed management plans. 
 
Article 6 
Energy Resources 
 
SECTION 57. Guidelines for the Utilization and Allocation of Lands for Energy Resource 
Exploration, Development, Production, Utilization, and Distribution Purposes. – The 
following shall be the criteria for identifying settlement areas: 


  
 
(a) Indigenous energy resource exploration and development for the purpose of 
creating a national energy resource inventory and data base as well as an energy resource 
block map are allowed, subject to the prescriptions of watershed management plans and other 
land management plans; 
 
(b) Indigenous energy resource exploration, development, production, utilization, and 
distribution are subject to the appropriate requirements and processes of the Environmental 
Impact Statements (EIS) system. Each project must secure an ECC prior to project 
implementation to ensure that adequate and appropriate environmental management 
measures and optimum methods for resource access and recovery are used; 
 
(c) Protected areas defined in Section 17 of this Act are closed to any kind of energy 
resource development except for installation or erection of power lines therein Provided, That 
vested rights granted through the Special Use Agreements in Protected Areas as granted by 
the DENR are respected; 
 
(d) 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 must be reclassified to other land uses, subject to existing laws covering energy 
reservations and to prescriptions of watershed management plans; and 
 
(e) Renewable energy is preferred over other energy resource. 
 
SECTION 58. Reversion of Energy Resource Lands. – All exhausted indigenous energy 
resource lands, as determined by the DOE, which are not covered by proclamations must 
automatically revert to the category of forestlands or agricultural lands, open to disposition, 
whichever is appropriate, unless the DENR classifies such areas for other purposes consistent 
with the prescriptions of watershed management plans. Exhausted energy resource lands are 
specific energy resource sites that the energy reserves of the desired type or types are no 
longer in sufficient quantity or quality to justify additional expenditure for its extraction and 
utilization. 
 
Article 7 
Industrial Development Areas or Sites 
 
SECTION 59. Criteria for Designating Industrial Development Areas. – The identification 
and establishment of industrial development areas shall conform to the provisions of RAs 
7916, 6657, 8371, 7279, 8550, and 8435, taking into consideration the following: 
 
(a) Identified network of areas for agricultural development and protected agricultural 
areas pursuant to the RA 8435; 
 
(b) National policies on the regional dispersal of industries and agri-based industrial 
development; 
 
(c) Identified growth areas and corridors in the National Development Plan; 
 
(d) NIPAS and non-NIPAS areas such as KBAs and restored areas that require 
protection; 
 
(e) National and Urban Development and Housing Framework; 
 
(f) Identified socialized housing zones; 
 


  
(g) National framework for physical planning and other existing national programs and 
policies; and 
 
(h) Prescriptions of watershed management plans. 
 
 
The designated industrial development areas must be located only in production 
land uses areas and shall form an integral part of the land use plan and zoning ordinance of 
the city or municipality where these areas are located pursuant to RAs 6657, 8371, 7279, 855, 
8435, and 7160, as amended. 
 
Article 8 
Tourism Development Areas 
 
SECTION 60. Designating Tourism Development Areas. – The identification, selection, and 
development of tourism development areas, and Tourism Enterprise Zones shall be done in 
consultation and coordination with the LGUs, TIEZA, DOT and other national government 
agencies, the private sector and the affected communities subject to the provisions of RA 
9593, otherwise known as “The Tourism Act of 2009.” Tourism development areas include 
those covered by legislative and executive issuances such as tourist spots, tourist zones and 
tourism ecozones which can be developed into tourism estates or integrated resort, or 
integrated resort leisure and recreation complexes. Other tourism-related facilities and those 
identified in the national, regional and area-specific tourism master plans and other sector 
plans, such as ecotourism and agri-tourism sites are also considered as tourism development 
areas. The sites designated for tourism development must be outside of the areas identified 
for protection land use. As much as practicable, community-based tourism shall be the 
principal mode of tourist spot operation. RAs 6657, 8371, 7279, 8435, 7160, and EO 111, 
series of 1999, which provided for the national ecotourism strategy, shall apply to all tourist 
zones and tourist development areas. 
 
 
Designated areas for tourism development form part of the CLUPs and zoning 
ordinances of the cities or municipalities where these areas are located. 
 
SECTION 61. Identification and Declaration of Areas for Protection, Conservation and 
Preservation of Cultural Heritage. – Pursuant to RA 10066 or the “National Cultural Heritage 
Act of 2009”, the NHCP or the National Museum, the NCCA, in coordination with NCIP, 
DHSUD and other concerned agencies, local communities, and the private sector, shall 
identify declared areas and structures which shall be protected and preserved as part of the 
Philippine cultural heritage. 
 
 
The LGUs in coordination with the NHCP, the 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. 
 
 
Declared and known archaeological sites shall likewise be protected by the NCCA, the 
DHSUD, NCIP, other concerned government agencies, and LGUs against modification, 
alteration, or destruction. 
 
Article 9 
Infrastructure Development 
 
SECTION 62. Strategic Transport Network. – The national government, through the 
Department of Transportation, shall establish a strategic and sustainable multimodal transport 
network that provides connectivity within the national network of settlements. Such 
connectivity shall include linkages among existing and proposed priority urban centers, rural 
areas, production hubs and tourism zones, distribution centers and markets, and key 


  
international points of entry. It shall be developed to promote network efficiency and social 
service delivery, to catalyze areas identified critical for economic growth, while minimizing 
negative impacts to environmentally-critical and protected areas as identified in the watershed 
management plans. 
 
 
The national network of settlements, as defined in the NPFP, shall guide the 
development of a multi-modal transportation network. The network shall be designed and 
implemented to provide seamless connectivity among the various modes of transportation. 
The RPFPs, PPFDPs and city or municipal CLUPs shall focus on the transportation network 
that corresponds to their respective jurisdictions while maintaining consistency with the overall 
national networks. 
 
SECTION 63. Allocation and Use of Land for Infrastructure Development. – Land, 
whether public or private, shall be allocated and utilized for priority infrastructure projects that 
are supportive of national or local development objectives. The NEDA, in consultation with the 
national government agencies, LGUs and the private sector, shall identify and periodically 
review, update or revise the list of priority infrastructure projects under an over-all national 
strategic infrastructure development plan subject to the provisions of this Act, RA 8435 and 
RA 8371. The national strategic infrastructure development plan must be consistent and 
integrated in the objectives and directions of the NPFP. 
 
 
In determining and evaluating the list of priority infrastructure projects, consideration 
shall be given to those that: 
 
(a) Respond to immediate and vital requirements of the national and regional economy 
with priority to improving production-market integration, inter-modal transport, conveyance 
and logistics linkages, rural infrastructure and the development of the agriculture and fisheries 
sectors; 
 
(b) Upgrade existing facilities to international public safety standards; 
 
(c) Address the need for sustainable settlement development; and 
 
(d) Mitigate the destructive effects of natural disaster-causing phenomena or serve as 
alternatives to existing infrastructure found in natural hazard-prone areas. 
 
 
The provision and implementation of infrastructure support must be made compatible 
with existing environmental conditions and the physical, whether natural or human-made, and 
cultural character of the area. Mandatory public consultations pursuant to existing laws and 
regulations must be held prior to the conduct of all infrastructure projects that necessarily 
involve dislocation or displacement of people in the area. 
 
 
The proponent of the infrastructure project shall follow the rules on just and humane 
eviction or demolition under Section 28 of RA 7279 as a last resort, notwithstanding the 
provisions of RA 8975, prohibiting lower courts from issuing temporary restraining orders, 
preliminary injunctions or preliminary mandatory injunctions. The proponent shall also follow 
the provisions of RA 8371, particularly those pertaining to the rights of IPs or ICCs in case of 
displacement. The national government infrastructure projects shall, after determining that 
displacement is unavoidable, include the budgetary requirements for the adequate relocation 
of displaced communities. 
 
SECTION 64. Infrastructure Projects with Geo-hazard Areas. – Construction of priority 
infrastructure projects within hazard-prone areas are allowed. However, mitigating or 
preventive measures must be adopted and implemented to address the potential adverse 
economic, socio-cultural and environmental impacts that emanate from these infrastructure 


  
projects, subject to the findings and recommendations of a feasibility study or environment 
impact assessment in accordance with PD 1586 and RA 4846, otherwise known as the 
“Cultural Properties Preservation and Protection Act.” 
 
Existing projects that were undertaken without the required environmental impact 
assessment and which pose a threat to the environment, or to the integrity of historic, 
archeological or scientifically significant areas, or impinge on critical ecosystems, and other 
areas identified in the watershed management plans may be terminated immediately or 
gradually phased-out and relocated. If the existing project is to be maintained within their life 
span, mitigating measures must be adopted and implemented. The rules on mandatory public 
hearings or consultations and just and humane eviction or demolition shall also be observed 
prior to the termination, gradual phase-out, or relocation of projects that necessarily involve 
dislocations or displacement of the people in the area. 
 
Article 10 
Agro-Industrial Development 
 
 
SECTION 65. Land Consolidation for Agro-industrial Development. – The consolidation 
of small-scale agricultural landholdings shall be promoted to take advantage of economies of 
scale in agricultural production, to promote value chain development, and to increase farm 
incomes and improve the quality of life of farmers. A Land Consolidation and Utilization 
Program under the DA shall be established. The program shall implement the following: 
 
(a) Consolidation of small contiguous landholdings into bigger agricultural estates for 
farm operations and agro-industries; 
 
(b) Crafting of a comprehensive plan and study of the optimum utilization and long-
term productivity of bigger landholdings; 
 
(c) Private sector participation in agricultural production and management through 
adequate security, incentives and reasonable return on investments, within limits set by 
existing laws; 
 
(d) Development and adoption of cooperative systems that will increase the 
participation and protection of small farmers; and 
 
(e) Provision of support to consolidated farms in such forms as farm-to-market roads, 
irrigation, utilities, logistics, processing facilities, upgrading of basic social amenities, and 
marketing assistance to farmers. 
 
 
CHAPTER IX 
TRAINING, EDUCATION AND VALUE FORMATION 
 
SECTION 66. Values Formation. – In order to develop a well-informed, responsible and 
committed citizenry, who value the protection, conservation and development of the limited 
land and other physical resources of the country, the CHED, with prior consultation with 
concerned stakeholders, may include a subject or topic on sustainable land use in the general 
education curriculum of higher education institutions. 
 
SECTION 67. Information or Education Campaign and Capacity Building. – The NLUC 
shall spearhead a nationwide information or education campaign on land use and physical 
planning together with the local and national government agencies. The DHSUD, in 
coordination with DILG, CHED and other concerned agencies shall formulate and implement 
a land use management capability building program for national and local government officials, 


  
community leaders, representatives of NGOs, POs, the religious sector and the general public. 
 
 
CHAPTER X 
INCENTIVES, SANCTIONS AND PENALTIES 
 
Article 1 
Incentives 
 
SECTION 68. Formulation of a System Incentives and Awards. – The NLUC shall come 
out with a system of incentives and awards to LGUs that regularly update their CLUPs within 
the prescribed period, as follows: 
 
(a) Provinces, highly urbanized cities, and independent component cities once every 
twelve (12) years; and 
 
(b) Component cities and municipalities once every twelve (12) years. 
 
SECTION 69. Priority in Giving Technical Assistance to LGUs. – In providing technical 
assistance and other forms of support related to land use management and the 
implementation of development plans, the national government agencies shall give priority to 
cities and municipalities with approved CLUPs. The same assistance and support shall also 
be provided to the fifth (5th) and sixth (6th) class municipalities: Provided, That the lack of 
technical assistance shall not exempt said municipalities from the provisions of Section 70. 
 
Article 2 
Sanctions and Penalties 
 
SECTION 70. Failure to Formulate, Enforce, or Implement the CLUPs. – Within three (3) 
years from the effectivity of this Act, all LGUs shall 5 complete the formulation of their CLUPs. 
 
 
Failure to formulate, enforce or implement the CLUPs shall be subject to the penalties 
and sanctions to be imposed by DHSUD pursuant to RA 11201, otherwise known as the 
“Department of Human Settlement and Development Act” and its Implementing Rules and 
Regulations. The DILG, consistent with due process, shall investigate, review, and impose 
appropriate action regarding local chief executives and other local officials and employees 
responsible for the formulation, enforcement, and/or implementation of the CLUPs in case of 
any of the following: 
 
(a) Failure to implement and enforce the CLUP due to negligence of duty; 
 
(b) Failure to provide appropriate budgetary allocation to effect its implementation; and 
 
(c) Failure to complete the preparation and undergo review and approval process of 
the CLUP despite the availability of funds, resources, and support by the Sanggunian 
concerned. 
 
SECTION 71. Causing Irrigated Agricultural Lands to be Idle. – Any person or juridical 
entity who shall cause any irrigated lands whether contiguous or not, within the protected 
areas for agricultural development, to lie idle and unproductive for a period exceeding one (1) 
year, unless due to force majeure, shall be subject to an idle land tax equivalent to five percent 
(5%) of the value of the agricultural land as appearing in its real property tax declaration. In 
addition, the violator shall be required to put back such lands to productive agricultural use. 
Should the continued agricultural inactivity, unless due to force majeure, exceed period of two 
(2) years, the land shall be subject to escheat proceedings. 


  
 
SECTION 72. Person Abetting Illegal Conversion. – Any person initiating, causing, 
inducing, or abetting illegal conversion as defined in Section 73(c) of RA 6657, as amended, 
and Section 4(cc) of this Act shall, upon conviction, be imprisoned from seven (7) to twelve 
(12) years and imposed a fine of not less than One hundred thousand (Pl00,000.00) 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 through permanent separation from the service and forfeiture of all benefits and 
entitlements accruing to the public position and perpetual disqualification to run or apply for 
any elective or appointive public office: Provided, further, That if the offender is a juridical 
person, the penalty of imprisonment shall be imposed on the president, chief executive officer, 
manager, chairperson and all the members of the board, and other responsible officers 
thereof, and the fine shall be equivalent to the zonal value of the land or forty percent (40%) 
of the shareholders equity, as determined at the time of judgment whichever is higher, plus 
forfeiture of the land in favor of the State for sale though public auction, the proceeds of which 
shall automatically accrue to the Agrarian Reform Fund as provided for in Section 79 of this 
Act. 
 
SECTION 73. Fine for Non-Completion and Non-Commencement of Development of 
Agricultural Lands with Approved Order of Conversion. – A landowner and designated 
developer or duly authorized representative who, without justifiable cause, fails to commence 
or complete the development of agricultural lands with approved order of conversion shall be 
penalized, jointly or severally, with any of the following fines based on the zonal value of the 
land at the time the fine is imposed: 
 
(a) On failure to commence within one (1) year from the date of conversion order: 
 
(1) Six percent (6%) of the zonal value of the subject land for the first three (3) 
hectares; 
 
(2) Fifteen percent (15%) of the zonal value of the subject land for the next 
three hectares, and 
 
(3) Thirty percent (30%) of the zonal value of the subject land for the remaining 
area: Provided, That the order of conversion shall be deemed revoked 
automatically and the land shall revert to its original agricultural use and 
covered automatically and the land shall revert to its original agricultural 
use and covered. 
 
(b) On failure to complete fifty percent (50%) of the approved conversion plan within a 
specified time frame. Fifty percent (50%) of the zonal value of the subject land and the 
revocation of the conversion plan on the undeveloped portion which shall automatically revert 
to its original use as agricultural land. The same shall be covered under the CARP and 
processed for land distribution as soon as possible. 
 
SECTION 74. Change of Use from the Previously Authorized Conversion Order. – The 
landowner and future landowners of the property approved for conversion shall not change its 
use to another use not authorized under the Conversion Order without prior consent from the 
DAR. This prohibition extends to changes in housing standards, changes in selling schemes, 
changes from social housing to open market housing or vice-versa, and all other similar 
changes. Violation of which shall be penalized with revocation of Conversion Order and 
forfeiture of cash bond. 
 
SECTION 75. Payment of Disturbance Compensation. – Following the order of priority as 
enumerated in Section 22 of RA 6657, as amended, qualified beneficiaries such as agricultural 


  
lessees and share tenants, regular farm workers, seasonal farm workers, other farm workers, 
actual tillers or occupants of public lands, collective, or cooperative of the above-mentioned 
beneficiaries, and others directly working on the land affected by agricultural land use 
conversion shall be entitled to the payment of disturbance compensation equivalent to five (5) 
times the average of the gross harvests on the landholding during the last five (5) preceding 
calendar years or a certain percentage of the converted land, whichever is higher, as 
determined by the DAR. 
 
SECTION 76. Authority to Impose Fine. – The DAR shall impose the penalty provided for 
under the preceding section. 
 
SECTION 77. Withdrawal of Local Development Permits or Licenses. – Upon receipt of 
notice from the DAR of illegal conversion, the concerned agencies, city or municipality shall 
withdraw or revoke any development permit or license issued to illegally converted agricultural 
lands. 
 
SECTION 78. Penalty for Reclassification of Protect Agricultural Lands and Exceeding 
the Limit of Areas Allowed for Reclassification. – Any person initiating, causing, inducing 
or abetting the reclassification to non-agricultural uses of protected agricultural areas as 
defined in this Act shall be punished with imprisonment of twelve (12) years or a fine of not 
less than One hundred thousand Pesos (P100,000.00), or both, at the discretion of the court. 
 
 
If the offender is a public official or employee, whether elected or appointed, the penalty 
includes dismissal from the service, forfeiture of entitlements accruing to the public position, 
and perpetual disqualification to run or apply for any elective or appointive position. 
 
 
If the offender is a juridical person, the president, chief executive officer, manager, 
chairperson, members of the board and other officers who directly participated in the violation 
of this Section shall be held liable. 
 
 
The same penalty is applicable to persons who are responsible for exceeding the limits 
set forth under Section 20 of RA 7160 pertaining to reclassification of lands. 
 
SECTION 79. Utilization of Fines. – The fines collected under Sections 72, 73 and 78 of this 
Act shall accrue to the Agrarian Reform Fund and shall be used for the purpose for which the 
fund is established. 
 
 
CHAPTER XI 
Transitory and Final Provisions 
 
SECTION 80. Convening of the NLUC. – Within thirty (30) days from the effectivity of this 
Act, the chairperson shall convene the NLUC. 
 
SECTION 81. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within six (6) months from the 
effectivity of this Act, the NLUC shall promulgate the rules and regulations to implement the 
provisions of this Act. 
 
SECTION 82. Congressional Oversight Committee on the Land Use Act. – There is 
hereby created a joint congressional oversight committee to monitor the implementation of this 
Act. The committee shall be composed of seven (7) senators and seven (7) representatives 
to be appointed by the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, 
respectively. The members from the Senate shall be appointed based on proportional 
representation of the parties or coalitions therein, with at least two (2) senators representing 
the minority. Likewise, the representatives from the House of Representatives shall be 


  
appointed based on proportional representation of the parties or coalitions therein with at least 
two (2) Members representing the minority. 
 
 
The mandate given to the joint congressional oversight committee under this Act shall 
be without prejudice to the performance of the duties and functions by the respective existing 
oversight committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The secretariat of the 
committee shall be drawn from the existing secretariat personnel of the committees comprising 
the oversight. 
 
SECTION 83. Appropriations. – The amount necessary for the initial implementation of this 
Act shall be charged against the current year’s appropriations of the departments and 
agencies concerned. Thereafter, such amount shall be included in the annual General 
Appropriations Act. 
 
SECTION 84. Review of Existing Land Use Plans. – Provinces, cities, and municipalities 
with existing land use plans shall review, revise, reconcile, and harmonize their respective 
land use plans in accordance with the guidelines and standards issued by the National Land 
Use Commission (NLUC) within one (1) year from the effectivity of this Act. 
 
 
All other laws, orders issuance, rules and regulations inconsistent herewith are 
repealed or modified accordingly. 
 
SECTION 85. Non-impairment Clause. – Nothing in this Act shall be construed as to diminish 
or impair the rights recognized granted, or available to marginalized or the basic sectors under 
existing laws or to diminish or impair vested rights generally, including the rights of indigenous 
cultural communities and indigenous peoples as provided under RA 8371. 
 
SECTION 86. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional, 
the remainder of this Act or any provisions not affected thereby shall remain in full force and 
effect. 
 
SECTION 87. Criteria for Settlement Sites. – Sections 10 and 11 of RA 8435, Sections 447 
(a2vii) and 458 (a2viii) of RA 7160, the pertinent provisions of EO 648, series of 1991, EO 72, 
series of 1993, EO 770, series of 2008, Letter of Instruction No. 1350, series of 1983, PP 
2282, series of 1983 are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly. 
 
SECTION 88. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in 
the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
 
Approved,