Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE 0F REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
•-,1
HOUSE BILL NO.
6323
INTRODUCED BY TUTOK TO VIN
pARTy-LlsT REPRESENTATIVE sAn4 ``sv" vERzosA
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Poverty incidence in the country remains prevalent at 18.1°/o percent in 2021,
representing  19.99  million Filipinos,  as  reported  in the  latest  Philippine  Statistics
Authority report.
At present, 50% of the Filipinos are living in cities and urban areas and it is
expected to grow to 84°/o by 2050, as projected by United Nations-Habitat Philippines.
There are also 1.5 million irformal settler families (ISFs) in the Philippines, in which
51 % are residing in danger areas.
There are large opportunities in the urban areas but there are also unused
potentials in terms of jobs, education, and access to welfare services, among others.
Visible issues such as congestion, lack of affordable housing, and lack of a livable and
healthy urban environment for citizens to thrive need to be addressed to achieve
sustainable villages, cities, and communities.
The current problems experienced in the urban areas which emanate from the
lack  of  sound  urban  planning  will  again  be  repeated  in  the  rural  areas  or
municipalities,  which  due  to  population  growth  and  economic  progress  will


eventually demand or result in urbanization. All villages, cities, municipalities, and
communities and its people will therefore benefit from sound urban planning if the
same  be  introduced  from  the  start  of  its  urbanization,  rather  than  introducing
remedial measures later on as in the case of our crowded cities.
Now more than ever, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the urgency of
integrating  various  considerations  in  urban  planning,  including  infrastructure,
environment, economic activities, and spaces to bring co]rmurnities together in our
cities.  Indeed,  this  pandemic  has  highlighted  the  need  for  a  more  equitable
management of our cities.
Hence, this bill seeks the unified and collaborative efforts from the government
and all stakeholders in making our villages, cities, municipalities, and communities
more livable, progressive, and designed around the health, safety, and well-being of
all residents through laying out the guidelines and indicators of sustainable villages,
cities, municipalities, and comlnunities.
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
:.,,^d,,/..,,
SAM ``SV" VERZOSA
Representative
Tutok to Win Party-List


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE 0F REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
-     -   ''1
HOUSE BILL NO.
INTRODUCED By TUTOK T0 l^rlN
PARTY-LIST REPRESENTATIVE SAM ``SV" VERZOSA
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT 0F SUSTAINABLE VILLAGES IN
THE COUNTRY, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be  it  apa?ted by  the  Senate  and  House  of Rapresentatives  of the  Philippines in  Congress
assembled:
SECTION 1. SJIorf lt.fJc. - This Act shall be known as the "Sustainable Village
Act".
SEC. 2. DecJ¢r#fi.o# a/PoJ!.cy. -The State shall, pursuant to the constitutional
mandatetoundertakeacontinuingprogramofurbanlandreformandhousingwhich
will make available to underprivileged and homeless citizens decent and affordable
housing, access to basic services, and adequate employment opportunities, and in
consonance  with  the  constitutional  guarantees  on  social  justice,  general  welfare,
public  health,  and ecological balance,  recognize the right to  a  sustainable village
which  encompasses  the  collective  access  to   sustainable  resources,   meaningful
participation in urban planning and governance, and social inclusion.
It is likewise declared the policy of the State to promote inclusive, resilient, and
sustainable urban development.
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Toward these ends, the State shall ensure the inclusive use of urban space for
housing and livelihood, improve access to basic services, develop integrated public
transportation systems and green infrastructures, protect ecosystems, and manage
risks to climate change and disasters.
Further, the State shall pursue programs to celebrate diversity and cultural
heritage,fostercreativity,innovation,andparticipationinurbanplanningandpolicy-
making,  and  maintain public  order and  safety through the  prevention of crime,
violence and discrimination.
SEC. 3. Dc/!.#!.tr.o# a/ Ter„is. - For the purposes of this Act, the following are
defined as:
(a) "Access" refers to the opportunity of a person to make use of certain existing
resources; the means or right to obtain services, products or commodities.
Q) "Carrying  Capacity"  refers  to  the  ability  of  a  resource  to  absorb  stress  or
perturbation without unacceptable environmental degradation.
(c) ``Cultural Heritage" refers to the totality of cultural property preserved and
developed through time and passed on to posterity.
(d) "Department"  refers  to  the  Department  of Hulnan Settlements  and  Urban
Development (DHSUD) created pursuant to R.A.11201 (2019).
(e)  "Disaster   Risk  Management"   refers   to   the   systematic   prcx:ess   of  using
administrative directives, organizations, and operational skills and capacities
to implement strategies, policies and improved coping capacities in order to
lessen the adverse impacts of hazards and the possibility of disaster (UNISDR,
2009).  Processes  for  designing,  implementing,  and  evaluating  strategies,
policies, and measures to improve the understanding of disaster risk, foster
disaster risk reduction and transfer, and promote continuous improvement in
disaster  preparedness,  response,  and  recovery  practices,  with  the  explicit
purpose  of  increasing  human  security,  well-being,  quality  of  life,  and
sustainable development (IPCC, 2012).
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(f)  "Food  Security"  refers  to  any  plan,  policy  or  strategy  aimed  at  ensuring
adequate supplies of appropriate food at affordable prices. Food security may
be achieved through self-sufficiency, through self-reliance, or through pure
importation.
(g) "Housing affordability" refers to the paying capacity of housing beneficiaries
to purchase or lease a serviced lot, house and lot package or housing unit
under any of the programs outlines in R.A. 7835, taking into consideration the
financial resources and expenditures of beneficiaries on minimum basic needs
in relation to cost of housing development and viability of financing schemes.
Thepotentialamountofincomethatcouldbeavailableforhousinginvestment
after excluding basic necessities such as food, clothing, education, medical
expenses, transportation, income tax and recurrent costs of housing such as
electricity and water.
(h) "Open Space" refers to areas allocated for the following purposes: circulation,
community facilities, parks/playgrounds, easements and courts. Can be best
defined    according    to    its    functions,    i.e.,    as    areas    of    recreation;
preservation/conservation,  ecology  as  tools to  enhance  and  control  urban
growth;anareareservedexclusivelyforparks,playgrounds,recreationaluses,
and other similar facilities and amenities.
(i)  "Right to the City" refers to the collective access to urban resources: it is a right
to collectively pursue  a  decent quality of life through participating in the
processes of the city.
a)   "Secretary" refers to the secretary of the DIISUD
(k) "Slum" refers to any area where dwellings predominate, which for reasons of
dilapidation, overcrowding, faulty arrangement or design, lack of ventilation,
light   or   sanitation  facilities,   or   any   combination   of  these   factors,   are
detrimental to safety, health or morals.
a)  "Slum Upgrading" or "Slum Improvement" refers to a strategy for dealing with
slum, squatter areas or other blighted communities in urban areas. It consists
of introducing, where there are none, basic community facilities and services
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such  as  roads,  footpaths,  drainage,  sewerage,  water  and  power  systems,
schools, barangay centers, community centers and clinics.
(in) "Spatial Justice" refers to the fair and equitable distribution in space of socially
valued resources and opportunities to use them.
(n) "Sustainable Village" refers to a settlement designed with consideration for
social,  economic,  environmental  impact,  and  resilient  habitat  for  existing
populations,  without  compromising  the  ability  of  future  generations  to
experience the same.  It is  used interchangeably with a  sustainable city or
sustainable community.
SEC. 4. CozJcrfl[ge. - All cities and municipalities are hereby mandated to align
their plans, programs and activities towards the full implementation of this Act.
SEC. 5. Guiding Framework for a Sustainable Village. -To fu\£H\ its economic,
political and social functions, a local government unit covered under this Act shall
conform with and implement plans, programs and activities, guided by Ambisyon
2040 and the Philippine Standards for Sustainable Cities and Communities, according
to the following principles:
(a)Inclusiveurbancirculareconomywhichcreatesdecentjobswithfairwages;
supports  entrepreneurship,  creativity  and  innovation;  ensures  safe  and
non-discriminatory   working   environments;   and   promotes   resource-
efficient industries and consumption;
ap) Spatial  justice  which  promotes  multiple  use  of  land  to  prevent  forced
evictions,  displacement, marginalization, and gentrification; and ensures
that urban development provides vulnerable and marginalized sectors the
access to safe, adequate and affordable housing under different tenurial
arrangements, giving priority to on-site resettlement, as well as universal
healthcare, accessible education, infrastructures, livelihoods, food security
and  nutrition;  and  safe  and  inclusive  public  spaces  that  foster  social
cohesion;
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(c) Urban  renewal  which  includes  slum  upgrading  to  improve  housing,
infrastructures and services; urban greening, including the promotion of
urban  agriculture  for  food  security  and  communal  wellness;  and  the
development of inclusive, safe, accessible and enjoyable open spaces and
parks;
(d) Urban  mobility  and  connectivity  which  provides  for  inclusive,  safe,
accessible,   affordable,   efficient   and   sustainable   public   transportation
through  the   development  of  adequate   transportation  infrastructures,
utilities and intermodal transportation systems, including non-motorized
modes of transportation to strengthen global and urban-rural linkages and
management;
(e) ICT infrastructure for digital connectivity which provides for fast, secure,
stable, and affordable internet connectivity that would be able to cater to
technological innovations and enhance digitalization to strengthen global
and urban-rural linkages and management;
(f)  Urban safety which ensures freedom of all persons, regardless of gender,
age, health status, income, nationality, ethnicity, and political, religious or
sexual orientation from crimes and all forms of violence and discrimination
in the workplace and public spaces;
(g) Ecological balance which requires the sustainable management of natural
resources; protection and corrservation of biodiversity, natural ecosystems
and  landscapes;  proper  waste  management  and  sanitation;  watershed
management to conserve and ensure fresh water source for a sufficient
potable   water   supply,   provision   of   green   infrastructures;   and   the
development  and  use  of  renewable  energy  sources  in  transportation,
industryandhouseholdstoreducecarbonfootprintandimprovewaterand
air quality;
(h) Climate resilience which builds the capacity of urban areas to adapt to and
manage  threats  and  risks  posed  by  climate  change  and  disasters  to
coustituents especially vulnerable groups, and to facilitate post.  disaster
rehabilitation and recovery;
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(i)  Cultural  diversity  which  respects,  protects,  and  promotes  the  diverse
livelihoods,  customs,  memory,  identities,  expressions,  and  sociocultural
forms of its inhabitants; preserves tanctble cultural heritage, such as artistic
creations,  historical  sites  and  monuments;  and  safeguards  intangible
cultural   heritage,   such   oral   traditions,   performing   arts,   indigenous
knowledge  and  traditional  skills,  as  well  as  the  instruments,  objects,
artifacts and cultural spaces associated therewith;
a)  Participatory urban governance which involves political participation in the
formulation, implementation, monitoring, and budgeting of urban policies
in order to promote transparency, effectiveness, and inclusiveness in the
engagement  of  a  diverse  set  of  inhabitants  and  their  organizations,
especially of urban poor and marginalized groups, upholding communal
spirit and supporting community-building; and
(k) Alignment of economic, social, and environmental policies between and
amongnational,regional,city,andmunicipalgovemmentunits,facilitating
the achievement of the goals of each unit.
The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), in
consultation with relevant government agencies, local government units, civil society
organizations, the private sector and the academe, shall, within 180 days from the
effectivity of this Act, harmonize existing national housing and urban development
planswiththisActandformulate,incoordinationwiththeDepartmentofthelnterior
and Local Government (DILG), the National Economic and Development Authority
(NEDA),  and  the PSA,  a National Housing and Urban Development Sector Plan
(NHUDSP)tooperationalizethegoalsofthisAct,takingintocousiderationtheunique
and evolving economic, social and institutional contexts of the country.
The NHUDSP shall provide short-term, medium-term, and long-term strategic
plans to achieve the goals of this Act.
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The  NHUDSP  shall  also  generate  estimates  aLnd  projections  to  determine
present and future demand for infrastructures and services in urban areas, and shall
identify policy and program interventious to address challenges to sustainable urban
development,   and   specific   periodic   targets   and   indicators   and   investment
requirements thereof .
SEC.  6.  T¢ngefs  fl["d J"dt.cflfors.  -  In preparing the NHUDSP,  the DHSUD,
NEDA, DILG, PSA, DPWH, DOTr and the DICT shall be guided by the principles
provided under Section 5 of this Act, as well as the targets and indicators set forth in
the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the New Urban Agenda of the
United Nations:
(a)   Urban population living in slums - measured in terms of proportion of urban
population living in slums, informal settlements or inadequate housing;
(b)   Public transport access - measured in terms of proportion of population that
has convenient access to public transport, by sex, age, income group, and
persons with disability;
(c)    Sustainable   urbanization   rates   -   measured   in  terms   of  ratio   of  land
consumption rate to population growth rate;
(d)   Urban planning and management - measured in terms of proportion of cities
with a direct participation structure of civil society in urban planning and
management that operate regularly and democratically;
(e)   Protecting cultural heritage - measured in terms of total public and private
expenditurepercapitaspentonthepreservation,protectionandconservation
of all cultural and natural heritage;
(f)    Deaths and injuries from disasters - measured in terms of number of deaths,
missing  persons  and  directly  affected  persons  attributed  to  disasters  per
100,000 population;
(g)   Economic losses from disasters - measured in terms of direct economic loss in
relation  to  global  GDP,  damage  to  critical  infrastructure  and  number  of
disruptions to basic services, attributed to disasters;
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qu)   Solid waste management - measured in terms of proportion of urban solid
waste regularly collected and with adequate final discharge out of total urban
solid waste generated;
(i)    Urban  air  quality-  measured  in  terms  of  the  annual  mean  levels  of fine
particulate matter;
0)    Open spaces in cities -measured in terms of average share of the built-up area
of cities that is open space for public use for all, by sex, age and persons with
disability;
(k)   Safe spaces in cities - measured in terms of proportion of persons who are
victims of physical or sexual harassment, by sex, age, persons with disability,
and place of occurrence, in the previous 12 months;
(I)    Urban and regional planning -measured in terms of proportion of population
living  in  cities  that  implement  urban  and  regional  development  plans
integrating population projections and resource needs, by size of city;
(in)  Integrated disaster risk management - measured in terms of adoption and
implementation of national disaster risk reduction strategies;
(n) Local  disaster  risk  management  -measured  in  terlus  of  adoption  and
implementation of local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national
disaster risk reduction strategies, the number of personnel/human resource
employed by the agency and/or LGU dedicated to serve a disaster-related
function; and the budget allocation and total assets (ex: fire trucks, rescue boats,
FWS alarms) dedicated for disaster purposes;
(o)   Urban economy - measured in terms of percentage of the labor force in the
education and Research and Development sectors, and unemployment rate
and number of businesses;
(p)   innovation-geared education - measured in terms of the number of Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics higher education degrees;
(q)   Use of renewable energy - measured in terms of percentage of consumed
energy from renewable sources;
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(r)Universalhealthcare-measuredintermsofnumberofin-patienthospitalbeds
and  physicians,  and  percentage  allocation of national  budget  dedicated  to
healthcare and/or healthcare budget per capita.
(s)  Food  security  -  measured  in  terms  of percentage  of city  budget  spent  on
ihitiatives on urban agriculture,  malnutrition rates, hunger prevalence  and
absolute poverty rate (food poor);
(t)    Water   and   wastewater   management   -   measured   in   terms   of   water
consumption per capita, percentage of households with access to basic water
supply, percentage of treated wastewater that is reused;
(u)AccesstoICTservices-measuredintermsofproportionofpopulationthathas
access  to  fast,  secure,  stable,  and  affordable  internet  services  to  cater  and
accommodate  online  or  dicttal  transactions  or  services  necessary  for  the
conduct of daily activities in the modern society, ratio of gadgets per member
of  household  (gadget-sharing  versus  multiple  gadgets  per  member  of  the
household; and
(v)   Such other targets and indicators as determined by DHSUD, NEDA, DILG,
and  PSA  consistent  with  the  principles  that  guide  sustainable  cities  and
communities as provided in Section 5 of this Act: Provided, That at any time,
but not more than once every five years, such targets and indicators may be
reviewed  or  revised  as  the  need  arises  to  conform  to  changes  and  new
developments  brought  about  by  the  latest  trends  in  institutionalizing
sustainable cities and communities
SEC. 7. Urd¢# Pha"#f."g ¢"d Det7eJap"c#f. - The DHSUD, in coordination with
NEDA,DILG,andDPWHshallprovidetechnicalassistancetolocalgoverrmentunits
in  the  integration  of  the  pertinent  provisions  of  this  Act,  the  National  Urban
Development   and   Housing   Framework,   and   the   NHUDSP   in   their   Armual
Development   Plans,   Annual   Investment   Plans,   Physical   Framework   Plans,
Development Master Plans, CompreherLsive Land Use Plans, Disaster Risk Reduction
and Management Plans, and similar plans.
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National agencies and local government units shall ensure the genuine and
adequate  participation  in  urban,  regional,  spatial  and  environmental  plarming;
Provided,  That,   access  to  information,   official  records,  public  records  and  to
documents  and  papers  pertaining  to  official  acts,  transactions  or  decisions,  and
research data related to urban development to enable informed participation in the
decision-making shall be made available pursuant to Section 7, Article Ill of the 1987
Constitution.
SEC. 8. J#ce#f±.t7es /or Swsto..#¢bJc Cc.fi.cs. - The DILG and the Department of
Budget and Management shall incorporate the armual targets set by DHSUD, DILG,
andNEDAintheawardingoftheSealofGoodLocalGovernanceunderRepublicAct
No.11292 otherwise known as "The Seal of Good Local Governance Act of 2019."
SEC. 9. Apprapr..¢ft.o"s. -National government agencies and local goverrment
units  shall  include  in  their  respective  programs  the  needed   operational  and
institutional requirements in upholding the enumerated rights in this Act which fall
within their respective legal mandates, the initial funding of which shall be charged
against their current appropriations. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for
the continued implementation of this Act by the national goverrment agencies shall
be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
The  National  Government  and  local  government  units  shall  accordingly
pursue  alternative  resource  mobilization  strategies,  including,  but not limited  to,
public-private partnerships with guidance of the Public-Private Partnership Center,
official development assistance, and land value capture, to leverage public resources
and maximize their value to finance the operational requirements of this Act.
SEC.  10.  PwbJ..c P¢rtr.ci.p¢ft.o#.  -  National  Agencies  and  Local  Government
Units shall ensure the genuine and adequate participation in urban, regional, spatial
and environmental planning through the following:
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(a) Incentives for the private sector - the Department of Finance  shall provide
incentives to the participation of the private sector in the achievement of the
goals identified under this Act. in accordance with Republic Act No. 10771,
otherwise known as the "Philippine Green Jobs Act of 2016";
@) Capacity  building  for  communities  -  the  DHSUD  shall  provide  technical
assistance to homeowners' associations, neighborhood associations, people's
organizations, and other local organizations to empower them as parthers in
achieving the goals of this act, and enable them to undertake community-level
actions towards becoming sustainable communities; and
(c) Informed participation- information, education and corrmunication materials
shall be developed to make the NHUDSP accessible to all. Every Filipino shall
have access to information, official records, public records and to documents
and papers pertaining to official acts, transactions or decisions, and research
data related to urban development to enable informed participation in the
decision- making process.
SEC.11. Raporf fo Cofflgress. -The DHSUD, NEDA, rsA, DILG, DPWH, DOTr
and DICT shall submit an annual report on the performance of their respective duties
provided for under this Act, the re-evaluation of the indicators for their applicability,
and the compliance of cities and urban municipalities to the provisions of this Act to
Congress  of  the  Philippines,  through  the  Committee  on  Housing  and  Urban
DevelopmentoftheHouseofRepresentativesandtheCommitteeonUrbanPlarming,
Housing and Resettlement of the Senate.
SEC.12.ImplementingRulesandRegrlations.-W±thins±x(6)mor\thafromthe
effectivity  of this Act,  the  DHSUD,  in consultation with the  NEDA,  DILG,  rsA,
DPWH, DOTr, DICT, local government units, civil society organizations, the private
sector and the academe, shall promulgate the implementing rules and regulations for
the effective implementation of this Act.
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SEC. 13. Sep¢rflbe.Zt.fry CZ¢wse. - If any provision of this Act or a portion thereof
is declared unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provision not affected
thereby shall remain in force and effect.
SEC.14. Rape¢Ji.Hg Chawse. -All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or
parts  thereof inconsistent with the provisions  of this Act are hereby repealed  or
modified accordingly.
SEC. 15. £#ecft.tJt.fry. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days from its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,
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