TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
\xr 
Y cf t )r ■' nnr».
25 JUL 10 P4 :14
SENATE 
S.B. No. 400
RliCiV-1..-...
Introduced by Senator Pantilo M. Lacson
AN ACT
INSTITUTING A NATIONAL LAND USE POLICY, PROVIDING THE 
IMPLEMENTING MECHANISMS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This proposed measure aims to institutionalize a national land use policy for the 
rational, holistic, and just allocation, utilization, management, and development of the 
country's land and natural resources. This bill emphasizes sustainable development, 
environmental integrity, disaster risk reduction, food and water security, and equitable 
access to land.
This bill seeks the establishment of a National Land Use Commission which shall 
serve as the policy-making and coordinating body. It shall oversee a multi-level land 
use planning process which involves all levels from the local government up to the 
national government. This central body empowers the LGUs with significant roles in 
localized planning and implementation under national guidelines and review which 
promotes a more systematic and integrated land use governance.
The land use hierarchy created under this bill prioritizes the Protection Land
llsp. Prndiirtinn land Ike. Spttlpmpnt<; Dpvplnnmpnt. and Tnfra<;tnirtiirp
----, . ---- ----- - - ---— -----! ---------------
Development. However, it must be emphasized that this measure includes provisions 
for the protection of ancestral domains, prime agricultural lands, and critical habitats.


The proposed National Land Use Act represents a significant legislative effort 
to bring order and coherence to land use planning and management in the Philippines. 
The emphasis on sustainable development, and protection of critical resources 
mandates a long term vision for resource stewardship, if enacted, this legislation 
would provide a robust legal framework to guide development, enhance food and 
water security, mitigate disaster risks, and promote equitable and inclusive growth 
across the archipelago. The detailed definitions and prescribed planning processes 
indicate a move towards more data-driven, participatory, and legally enforceable land 
use decisions.
In view of the foregoing, the early passage of this measure is earnestly sought.
LAU^UN
Senator


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
• (Dffi :p of 1 r
)
25 JULIO P4:14
SENATE
S.B. No. 400
llhC.''.
Introduced by Senator Panfilo M. Lacson
AN ACT
INSTITUTING A NATIONAL LAND USE POLICY, PROVIDING THE 
IMPLEMENTING MECHANISMS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTORY PROVISIONS
1 
Section 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the "National Land Use Act
2 
of the Philippines."
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. — All lands of the public domain, waters, minerals,
4 
coal, petroleum, and other mineral oils, all forces of potential energy, fisheries, forests
5 
or timber, wildlife, flora and fauna, and other natural resources are owned by the
6 
State. With the exception of agricultural lands, all other natural resources shall not be
7 
alienated.
8 
Pursuant to the constitutional provision or mandate, it is the policy of the State
9 
to provide for a rational, holistic, and just allocation, utilization, management, and
10 
development of the country's land to ensure their optimum use, consistent with the
11 
principle of sustainable development.
12 
The State shall recognize the need for rational, optimal, and sustainable
13 
settlements development, consistent with the principles of environmental
14 
management and equitable access to land and security.


1 
Toward this end, the State shall institutionalize land use and physical planning
2 
as mechanisms for identif/Ing, determining, and evaluating appropriate land use and
3 
allocation patterns that promote and ensure:
4 
a. Sustainable management and utilization of natural resources;
5 
b. Maintenance and preservation of environmental integrity and stability,
6 
specifically the perpetual protection of permanent forests and watershed areas
7 
for the attainment of food, water, and energy sufficiency;
8 
c. Disaster risk reduction and climate change resiliency;
9 
d. Protection of prime agricultural lands for food security in basic commodities,
10 
with emphasis on self-sufficiency in rice and corn;
11 
e. Water security through sustainable development and management of water
12 
resources;
13 
f. Settlements, transportation, and infrastructure development in support of
14 
urban, rural, and regional development and inclusive growth;
15 
g. Harmony between the rights and the varied interests of every Filipino within
16 
the framework of people empowerment, decentralization, social justice, and
17 
equity;
18 
h. Respect for and protection of the sustainable traditional resource rights of the
19 
Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) to their
20 
ancestral domains to ensure their economic, social, and cultural well-being, as
21 
well as recognition of the applicability of customary laws and sustainable
22 
traditional resource use and management, knowledge, and practices in
23 
ancestral domains in compliance with free and prior informed consent of
24 
ICCs/IPs;
25 
i. Protection of the rights of basic sectors to equitable access to the country's
26 
land;
27 
j. Protection, preservation, and development of the Filipino historical, cultural and
28 
built cultural heritage and resources for the deeper understanding of our history
29 
and culture as a people;
30 
k. Attainment of energy security and self-sufficiency; and
31 
I. Market orientation where the interplay of market forces and fair trade within
32 
the framework of ecological development and equity consideration is


1 
encouraged and adopted as the basic parameter in achieving efficiency in land
2 
use and allocation.
3 
It is also the policy of the State to ensure that local government units (LGUs)
4 
share with the national government the responsibility of managing and maintaining
5 
ecological balance within their territorial jurisdiction as stated in the 1987 Constitution
6 
and the 1991 Local Government Code (LGC) or Republic Act 7160.
7 
Guided by the principle that the use of land bears a social function and that all
8 
economic agents shall contribute to the common good, landowners, land tenure
9 
holders, in the case of forestlands—be it an individual, communal, corporate or
10 
group—shall be held responsible for developing and conserving their lands, thereby
11 
making their lands productive and supportive of environmental stability.
12 
SEC. 3. Scope. - This Act shall apply to all lands whether public, private,
13 
government-owned, and/or in the possession of individuals, communities, indigenous
14 
people, or groups of people, to provide for a rational, holistic, and just allocation,
15 
development and management of land including such activities that bear impact on
16 
said resources.
17
18 
CHAPTER II
19 
DEFINITION OF TERMS
20
21 
Sec. 4. Definition of Terms. — For purposes of this Act, the following terms are
22 
defined:
23 
a. 'Agricultural lands " shall refer to land of public domain which has been devoted
24 
to agricultural activity as defined in Republic Act No. 6657, as amended, and
25 
not further classified for residential, commercial, or industrial use and such
26 
other uses as may be provided by law;
27 
b. "Agricultural land use conversion" shall refer to the undertaking of any
28 
development activity which modifies or alters the physical characteristics of
29 
agricultural lands to render them suitable for non-agricultural purposes with an
30 
approved order of conversion issued exclusively by the Department of Agrarian
31 
Reform (DAR);
32 
c. "Alienable and disposable (A&D) lands" shall refer to lands of the public domain
33 
which have been delineated, classified, and certified as open and available for


1 
disposition under the provisions of Commonwealth Act No. 141, otherwise
2 
known as the "Public Land Act," as amended;
3 
d. "Ancestral domains" shall refer to all areas generally belonging to ICCs/IPs as
4 
defined in Republic Act No. 8371, otherwise known as the "Indigenous Peoples
5 
Rights Act (IPRA) of 1998;"
6 
e. "Basic sector" shall refer to a group of people not referring to any organized
7 
groups such as but not limited to women, youth, elderly, differently-abled,
8 
peasants, and fisherfolk;
9 
f. "Basic shelter" shall refer to any subdivision unit, housing unit or condominium
10 
satisfying the barest minimum shelter requirements under the minimum design
11 
standards of Batas Pambansa Big. 220;
12 
g. "Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP)" shall refer to a document embodying
13 
a set of policies and guidelines, accompanied by official maps and similar
14 
illustrations, that serves as the principal basis for determining the future land
15 
use of lands and natural resources for production and protection purposes
16 
within the territorial jurisdiction of the city or municipality. It represents the
17 
community-desired pattern of population distribution and proposes future
18 
allocation of land resources to various land-using activities. It identifies the
19 
allocation, character, and extent of the areas of land resources to be used for
20 
different purposes and includes the processes and the criteria employed in the
21 
determination of the land use. It has a long-term perspective, encompassing a
22 
minimum of ten (10) years;
23 
h. "Comprehensive land use planning" shall refer to the act of defining the
24 
allocation, utilization, development, and management of all lands within a given
25 
territory or jurisdiction according to the inherent characteristic of the land itself
26 
and supportive of sustainable economic, demographic, socio-cultural, and
27 
environmental objectives as an aid to decision-making and legislation;
28 
i. "Coastal area/zone" shall refer to a band of dry land and the adjacent ocean
29 
space (water and submerged land) in which terrestrial processes and uses
30 
directly affect oceanic processes and uses, and vice versa. Its geographic extent
31 
may include areas within a landward limit of one (1) kilometer from the
32 
shoreline at high tide to include mangrove swamps, brackish water ponds, nipa


1 
swamps, estuarine rivers, sandy beaches and other areas; and a seaward limit
2 
of 200-meter isobath to include coral reefs, algal flats, seagrass beds, and other
3 
soft-bottom areas and implementing sustainable coastal resources protection
4 
and management, it shall include foreshore lands;
5 
j. "Critical habitats" shall refer to areas outside protected areas as defined in
6 
Republic Act No. 7586, otherwise known as the "National Integrated Protected
7 
Areas System Act of 1992," that are known habitats of threatened species and
8 
designated as such based on scientific data, taking into consideration species
9 
endemicity and/or richness, presence of human-made pressures or threats to
10 
the survival of wildlife living in the area, among others;
11 
k. "Critical watershed" shall refer to a drainage area of a river system supporting
12 
existing and proposed hydro-electric power, domestic water consumption,
13 
irrigation works or existing water facilities needing immediate protection and
14 
rehabilitation to minimize erosion and improve water yield. It shall be closed
15 
for logging until it is fully rehabilitated;
16 
I. "Cultural heritage" shall refer to the totality of cultural properties preserved and
17 
developed through time and passed on for posterity;
18 
m. "Customary laws" shall refer to a body of written and/or unwritten rules,
19 
usages, customs and practices traditionally and continually recognized,
20 
accepted, and observed by respective ICCs/IPs, consistent with the IPRA;
21 
n. "Development plan" shall refer to a document that defines the activities or
22 
measures that the national government or local government units (LGUs)
23 
intend to implement in order to achieve a defined set of development goals. It
24 
integrates the socio-economic and sectoral plans of the national government or
25 
its instrumentality or a particular LGU with land use or physical framework
26 
plans. It may include an analysis of problems and resources, definition of goals
27 
and objectives, policy guidelines and target achievements, and an
28 
implementation mechanism which defines the roles and contributions expected
29 
from the government and the private sector. Development plans include the
30 
national-level Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) and its
31 
counterpart plans at the regional, provincial, and local levels called the Medium-
32 
Term Regional Development Plan (MTRDP), the Provincial Physical Framework


1 
and Development Plan (PPFDP), and the Comprehensive Development Plan
2 
(CDP). These plans are translated into medium-term investment programs, also
3 
prepared at the national, regional, and local levels, where programs, projects,
4 
and activities derived from the development plans are ranked, prioritized, and
5 
matched with investment financing capacities;
6 
0. "Ecologically-fragile lands" shall refer to lands within the critical watershed,
7 
brackish and freshwater wetlands, pasture lands, and croplands which require
8 
rehabilitation and whose continued unsustainable use would adversely affect
9 
the productivity of lowland agricultural areas and the stability of the upland
10 
ecosystem;
11 
p. "Ecotourism" shall refer to sustainable tourism or travel to a given natural area
12 
with exotic or threatened ecosystems or a heritage area to observe wildlife or
13 
to help preserve nature, in the process providing for community participation,
14 
protection and management of natural resources, culture and indigenous
15 
knowledge systems and practices, environmental education and ethics, as well
16 
as economic benefits fostered and pursued for the enrichment of host
17 
communities and the satisfaction of visitors;
18 
q. "Energy resource lands" shall refer to lands where naturally occurring or
19 
indigenous energy resources exist in sufficient quantity or quality as to be
20 
economically viable for exploration, development, production, utilization, and
21 
distribution processes;
22 
r. "Energy resources" shall refer to surface or subsurface substances that serve
23 
as energy sources. These are traditionally mineral fuel deposits such as coal,
24 
petroleum, natural gas or renewable resources from geothermal, hydro
25 
reservoirs, or non-conventional sources such as ocean waves, solar, wind,
26 
biomass, and other similar resources which serve the same purpose;
27 
s. "Environmentally critical areas" shall refer to areas declared by law as:
28 
i. protected areas pursuant to Republic Act No. 7586 or the NIPAS Act of
29 
1992;
30 
ii. areas for natural parks, watershed reserves, wildlife reserves, and
31 
sanctuaries;
32 
iii. areas set aside as aesthetic potential tourist spots;


1 
iv. areas which constitute the habitat of any endangered or threatened
2 
species or indigenous Philippine wildlife (flora and fauna);
3 
V. 
areas of unique historic, archaeological, or scientific interests;
4 
vi. 
areas which are traditionally occupied by ICCs/IPs;
5 
vii. 
areas with critical slopes;
6 
viii. 
areas exposed to geologic and hydro-meteorologic hazards;
7 
ix. 
prime agricultural lands;
8 
X. 
recharge areas of aquifers;
9 
xi. 
water bodies;
10 
xii. 
mangrove areas;
11 
xiii. 
coral reefs;
12 
xiv. 
mossy and old-growth forests;
13 
XV. 
rivers and river banks;
14 
xvi. 
swamp forest and marshlands; and
15 
xvii. 
foreshore lands.
16 
This term shall also include other terrestrial, aquatic and marine areas that need
17 
special protection and conservation measures because they are ecologically
18 
fragile or they are needed for food security and food self-sufficiency as
19 
determined by concerned agencies and LGUs in consultation with the concerned
20 
sectors;
21 
t. "Estuary" shall refer to a wetland type where the river mouth widens into a
22 
marine ecosystem, the salinity of which is intermediate between salt and
23 
freshwater where tidal action is an important biophysical regulator;
24 
u. "Exhausted energy resource lands" shall refer to specific energy resource sites
25 
whose energy reserves of the desired type(s) are no longer in sufficient quantity
26 
or quality to justify additional expenditure for their extraction and utilization as
27 
certified by the Department of Energy;
28 
V. "Exhausted mineral lands" shall refer to specific sites whose mineral deposits
29 
are no longer in sufficient quantity or quality to justify additional expenditure
30 
for their extraction and utilization as may be determined by the latest
31 
technology available;


1 
w. "Exhausted mineral resources" shall refer to a situation where the mineral
2 
resources in specific sites are no longer in sufficient quantity or quality to justify
3 
additional expenditure for extraction or utilization as determined by the Mines
4 
and Geosciences Bureau and approved by the DENR;
5 
X. "Flood plain" shall refer to the portion of a river valley adjacent to a river
6 
channel which is covered with water when the river overflows its banks at flood
7 
stages. The plain usually consists of silt deposited by the stream;
8 
y. "Flood-prone areas" shall refer to low-lying areas usually adjacent to large or
9 
active water bodies and therefore experience regular or seasonal inundation as
10 
a result of changes in the mean water level of these bodies or because of land
11 
reclamation and other artificial interference with the natural processes;
12 
z. "Food security" shall refer to the policy objective of meeting the food
13 
availability, accessibility, quality, and affordability requirements of the present
14 
and future generations of Filipinos in a sustainable manner, through local
15 
production or importation, only when there is a shortage established based on
16 
a micro-level situation, or both, based on the country's existing and potential
17 
resource endowments and related production advantages, and consistent with
18 
the overall national development objectives and policies;
19 
aa."Food self-sufficiency" shall refer to the policy objective of meeting the food
20 
requirements through intensive local food production in a sustainable manner
21 
based on the country's existing and potential resource endowment and related
22 
production advantages
23 
bb. "Forestlands" shall refer to lands of the public domain classified and/or
24 
determined as needed. They include all permanent forests or forest reserves,
25 
forest reservations and all remaining unclassified lands of the public domain;
26 
cc. "Foreshore land" shall refer to the part of the shore which is alternately covered
27 
and uncovered by the ebb and flow of the tide;
28 
dd."Free and Prior Informed Consent (FPIC)" shall refer to consensus of all
29 
members of the ICCs/IPs to be determined in accordance with their respective
30 
customary laws and practices, free from any external manipulation,
31 
interference and coercion, and obtained after fully disclosing the intent and


1 
scope of the activity, 
in a language 
and process understandable 
to the
2 
community;
3 
ee. "Geo-hazards" shall refer to natural and human-induced geological processes
4 
that have potential to cause destruction and pose a threat or risk to human life
5 
and property;
6 
ff. "Geo-hazard prone areas" shall refer to areas frequently visited and/or
7 
vulnerable or prone to experience weather/climatic, hydrologic, geologic, 
and
8 
other natural calamities;
9 
gg. "Heritage Zones" shall refer to historical, anthropological, archaeological and
10 
artistic geographical areas and settings that are culturally significant to the
11 
country as declared by the National Museum and/or National Historical
12 
Commission of the Philippines, pursuant to R.A. No. 10066 or the National
13 
Cultural Heritage Act of 2009;
14 
hh. "Illegal agricultural land conversion" shall refer to any activity that modifies or
15 
alters the physical characteristics of agricultural lands to render them suitable
16 
for non-agricultural purposes without an approved order of conversion from the
17 
DAR Secretary;
18 
ii. "Improvements" shall refer to all types of buildings and residential units, walls,
19 
fences, structures or construction of all kinds of fixed character or are adhered
20 
to the soil but shall not include trees, plants, growing fruits, and other fixtures
21 
that are mere superimpositions on the land, and the value of improvements
22 
shall not be less than fifty percent (50%) of the assessed value of the property;
23 
jj. "Inclusive growth" shall refer to ensuring that the economic opportunities
24 
created by growth are available to all, particularly the poor, to the maximum
25 
possible extent;
26 
kk. "Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs)" shall refer
27 
to groups of people or homogenous societies identified under Republic Act No.
28 
8371 or the "Indigenous People's Rights Act (IPRA);"
29 
II. "Indigenous energy resources" shall refer to energy resources which originate
30 
or occur naturally in the Philippines;
31 
mm. "Inland waters" shall refer to waters which are not coastal and marine
32 
waters, not subject to acquisitive prescription consistent with the provisions of


1 
Presidential Decree No. 1067, otherwise known as the "Water Code of the
2 
Philippines;"
3 
nn. "Inter-tidal sand flat" shall refer to a juvenile fish-feeding area and habitat for
4 
crustaceans. The littoral gravel and sand biotopes are also used by important
5 
wintering grounds and roosting/feeding grounds of indigenous migratory birds;
6 
00. "Integrated watershed management" shall refer to a planning strategy or
7 
program for watershed areas that complement environmentally-sound soil and
8 
water management practices with mechanisms for ensuring greater
9 
responsibility, involvement, or participation of individuals, groups communities
10 
and other stakeholders 
benefiting from these areas 
and water-related
11 
infrastructure;
12 
pp."Key biodiversity areas" shall refer to sites that are nationally and globally
13 
significant for biodiversity conservation primarily containing species that require
14 
site-scale conservation to prevent extinction in the short-term and medium-
15 
term. Such species may be nationally and globally threatened, restricted-range
16 
and/or nationally and globally significant congregations of species;
17 
qq. "Lagoon" shall refer to a semi-enclosed coastal basin with limited freshwater
18 
input, high salinity and restricted circulation which often lies behind sand dunes.
19 
It is often highly productive and habitat for a variety of plants and animals,
20 
serves as nurseries of prawns and shrimps and also sites for harbor,
21 
aquaculture, industry and recreation;
22 
rr. "Land" shall refer to resources, both natural and man-made, found on the
23 
surface, below, and above the ground including inland waters and the air
24 
therein;
25 
ss. "Land use" shall refer to the manner of utilization of land, including its
26 
allocation, development, and management;
27 
ft. "Land use classification" shall refer to the act of delineating or allocating lands
28 
according to protection land use, production land use, settlements
29 
development, and infrastructure development as defined and provided for in
30 
this Act;
31 
uu."Land sub-classification" shall refer to the act of determining and assigning
32 
specific uses of classified lands of the public domain, such as forest or timber
10


1 
lands, alienable or disposable agricultural lands, national parks, and mineral
2 
lands in accordance with existing laws and this Act;
3 
w. "Mandatory public hearings/consultations" shall refer to the mechanism to
4 
"Mandatory public hearings/consultations" shall refer to the mechanism to
5 
ensure the active participation of concerned sectors in all affected areas in land
6 
use planning from the local to the national level. It involves giving effective
7 
notice of hearing/consultation to concerned sectors within an affected area
8 
through direct written invitations, using regular mail or electronic means, and
9 
publication/posting in conspicuous places, conduct of a reasonable number of
10 
hearings in or proximate to the specific area affected, and solicitation of
11 
positions and the public presentation and public confirmation of the planning
12 
results in the specific area affected before the final adoption of the plans;
13 
ww. 
"Minerals" shall refer to all naturally occurring inorganic substances in
14 
solid, gas, liquid, or intermediate state excluding energy materials such as coal,
15 
petroleum, natural gas, radioactive materials, and geothermal energy;
16 
XX. "Mineral exploration" shall refer to the systematic searching or prospecting for
17 
mineral resources;
18 
yy. "Mineral lands" shall refer to lands where mineral resources are found;
19 
zz. "Mineral resources" shall refer to any concentration of minerals/rocks with
20 
potential economic value;
21 
aaa. 
"Mudflat" shall refer to a wetland type that is usually an unvegetated
22 
area, dominated by muddy substrate which provides rich feeding grounds for
23 
vertebrates such as fish and water birds and also important in preventing soil
24 
erosion;
25 
bbb. 
"National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS)" shall refer to the
26 
classification and administration of all designated protected areas to maintain
27 
essential ecological processes and life-support systems, to preserve genetic
28 
diversity, to ensure sustainable use of resources found therein, and to maintain
29 
their natural conditions to the greatest extent possible;
30 
ccc. 
"National Land Use Commission (NLUC)" shall refer to the highest land
31 
use policy-making body created under Section 14 of this Act;
11


1 
ddd. 
"National Parks" shall refer to a forest reservation essentially of natural
2 
wilderness character which has been withdrawn from settlement, occupancy or
3 
any form of exploitation except in conformity with an approved management
4 
plan and set aside as such exclusively to conserve the area or preserve the
5 
scenery, the natural and historic objects, wild animals and plants therein and
6 
to provide enjoyment of these features in such areas;
7 
eee. 
"National Physical Framework Plan" shall refer to an indicative plan
8 
containing the policy areas promoting the most appropriate and rational use of
9 
land and other physical resources such as but not limited to protection,
10 
production, settlement and infrastructure land use. It provides policy guidelines
11 
for all decisions relating to land use and environmental management, to prevent
12 
and mitigate the adverse effects of inappropriate resource utilization on the
13 
country's food security and food self-sufficiency on rice and corn, the people's
14 
welfare and their environment. It embodies both policies and strategies
15 
necessary to carry out goals and objectives of this Act;
16 
ffF. "Network of Protected Areas for Agriculture and Agro-industrial Development
17 
(NPAAAD)" shall refer to agricultural areas identified by the Department of
18 
Agriculture through the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) in
19 
coordination with the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority
20 
(NAMRIA) in order to ensure the efficient utilization of land for agriculture and
21 
agro-industrial development and promote sustainable growth. The NPAAAD
22 
covers all irrigated areas, all irrigable lands already covered by irrigation
23 
projects with firm funding commitments, all alluvial plains, land highly suitable
24 
for agriculture whether irrigated or not, agro-industrial croplands or lands
25 
planted to industrial crops that support the validity of existing agricultural
26 
infrastructure and agro-based enterprises; highlands or areas located at an
27 
elevation of five hundred (500) meters or above and have the potential for
28 
growing semi-temperate and high value crops; all agricultural lands that are
29 
ecologically fragile, the conversion of which will result in serious environmental
30 
degradation; and all mangrove areas and fish sanctuaries;
31 
ggg. 
"Non-agricultural land use conversion" shall refer to the act of changing
32 
the current use of a piece of non-agricultural land into some other uses;
12


1 
hhh. 
"Non-government organization" shall refer to a private and non-profit
2 
voluntary organization which is committed to the task of political, socio-
3 
economic, physical, cultural and environmental development and established
4 
primarily to provide service to marginalized sectors in these areas;
5 
iii. "Patrimonial properties" refer to all the properties belonging to the State that
6 
are not intended for public use or for public service or for the development of
7 
national wealth;
8 
jjj. "People's organization" shall refer to a private, non-profit, voluntary and
9 
community-based organization with membership constituency established
10 
primarily to provide service to its members and the community in general;
11 
kkk. 
"Physical framework plans" shall refer to indicative plans based on
12 
comprehensive land use plans (CLUPs) and national policies whether national,
13 
regional, or provincial, which provide policy guidelines for all decisions relating
14 
to land use and environmental management to prevent or mitigate the adverse
15 
effects of inappropriate resource utilization on food security, the people's
16 
welfare and their environment. It embodies both policies and strategies
17 
necessary to carry out development goals and objectives;
18 
III. "Premature or illegal conversion of agricultural lands" shall refer to any activity
19 
that modifies or alters the physical characteristics of agricultural lands to render
20 
them suitable for non-agricultural purposes without an approved order of
21 
conversion from the DAR Secretary;
22 
mmm. 
"Prime agricultural lands" shall refer to all irrigated areas; all irrigable
23 
lands already covered by irrigation projects with firm funding commitments; ail
24 
rain-fed areas planted to rice and other crops; all alluvial plain lands highly
25 
suitable for agriculture whether irrigated or not, agro-industrial croplands or
26 
lands presently planted to industrial crops that support the viability of existing
27 
agricultural infrastructure and agro-based enterprises, highlands, or areas
28 
located at elevation of 500 meters or above and have the potential for growing
29 
semi-temperate and high value crops; all agricultural lands that are ecologically
30 
fragile, the conversion of which will result in serious environmental degradation,
31 
and mangrove areas and fish sanctuaries;
13


1 
nnn. "Production land use" shall refer to the direct and indirect utilization of
2 
land to generate outputs resulting from the following activities, but not limited
3 
to: agricultural, fish, farming or aquaculture, timber production, agro-forestry,
4 
grazing and pasture, mining, 
indigenous energy resource development,
5 
industry, and tourism;
6 
000. 
"Protected areas" shall refer to portions of land set aside by reason of
7 
their unique physical and biological significance, managed to enhance biological
8 
diversity, and protected against destructive human exploitation. For purposes
9 
of this Act, it shall include agricultural lands identified and delineated under
10 
Section 29 hereof;
11 
ppp. 
"Protection land use" shall refer to the utilization of land primarily for
12 
food, water and energy security, rehabilitation, conservation, and protection
13 
purposes for the promotion of the country's ecological and life-support systems;
14 
qqq. 
"Public domain" shall refer to lands that belong to the State which may
15 
be any of the following: agricultural, forest or timber, mineral, or national park
16 
as provided for in the Constitution;
17 
rrr. "Public lands" shall refer to lands which have not been subject to private
18 
property rights or subject to sale or other modes of acquisition or concession
19 
under the general laws, and are devoted to public use;
20 
sss. 
"Reclassification of agricultural lands" shall refer to the act of specifying
21 
how agricultural lands shall be utilized for non-agricultural uses such as
22 
residential, industrial, or commercial purposes through the local planning and
23 
zoning processes pursuant to Republic Act No. 7160 or the Local Government
24 
Code of 1991 and subject to the requirements and procedure for conversion. It
25 
is equivalent to land sub-classification, as defined in this Act for classified lands
26 
of the public domain and also includes the reversion of non-agricultural lands
27 
to agricultural use;
28 
ttt. "Resettlement sites" shall refer to areas identified by the appropriate national
29 
agency or by the local government unit, with respect to areas within its
30 
jurisdiction, which shall be used for the relocation of the underprivileged and
31 
homeless, as defined under Republic Act No. 7279 or the "Urban Development
32 
and Housing Act (UDHA)";
14


1 
uuu. 
"River basin" shall refer to the portion of land drained by a river and its
2 
tributaries. It encompasses the entire land surface dissected and drained by
3 
many streams and creeks that flow downhill into one another, and eventually
4 
into one river. The final destination is an estuary or an ocean;
5 
vw. 
"Settlements" shall refer to formal and informal communities or built-up
6 
residential areas where people prefer to live in land areas classified, zoned, or
7 
converted for current or future residential or housing development purposes,
8 
including socialized housing zones for the homeless and underprivileged
9 
citizens;
10 
wvwv. 
"Settlements development" shall refer to any improvement on existing
11 
formal or informal residential or housing settlements or any proposed
12 
development of certain areas for residential or mass housing settlement
13 
purposes. It also involves the spatial distribution of population, identification of
14 
the roles and functions of key urban centers, determination of relationships
15 
among settlement areas, and the provision of basic services and facilities of
16 
identified major residential or housing settlement areas or growth centers. It is
17 
also concerned with the interrelationship of settlements as they develop and
18 
establish functional linkages based on their respective resource endowments
19 
and comparative advantages;
20 
XXX. 
"Shoreline" shall refer to the line where shore and water meet;
21 
yyy. 
"Significant caves" shall refer to caves which contain materials or
22 
possess features that have archaeological, cultural, ecological, 
historical, or
23 
scientific value as determined by the Department of Environment and Natural
24 
Resources (DENR) in coordination with the scientific community and the
25 
academe;
26 
zzz. 
"Socialized housing" shall refer to housing programs and projects
27 
undertaken by the government or the private sector for the underprivileged
28 
and homeless citizens which shall include sites and services development, long-
29 
term financing, liberalized terms on interest payments, and such other benefits
30 
in accordance with the UDHA;
31 
aaaa. 
"Socialized housing zones" shall refer to lands identified and designated
32 
by local government units as sites for socialized housing, pursuant to Article IV
15


1 
of Republic Act No. 7279 or the UDHA, and its implementing guidelines. It shall
2 
include areas that are presently occupied by the urban poor, as well as those
3 
identified as resettlement areas as defined herein;
4 
bbbb. 
"Sustainable development" shall refer to the development objective of
5 
meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability
6 
of future generations to meet their own needs, consistent with the principles of
7 
social equity, efficiency, and environmental integrity;
8 
cccc. 
"Stakeholder" shall refer to an individual, social group, or organization
9 
that has a direct or indirect interest in an activity, project, resources, or
10 
decision;
11 
dddd. 
"Tourism development areas" shall refer to specific sites for tourism
12 
development located in areas identified as priorities in the national, regional,
13 
and inter-regional area-specific tourism master plans and other sector plans
14 
such as eco-tourism and agri-tourism sites, including those designated through
15 
legislative and executive issuances such as tourist spots, tourist zones, and
16 
tourism ecozones which can be developed into tourism estates or integrated
17 
resort, leisure, and recreation complexes, and other tourism-related facilities;
18 
eeee. 
"Tourism Enterprise Zone" shall refer to an area designated as a tourism
19 
enterprise zone by the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority
20 
(TIEZA) pursuant to the provisions of RA 9593, otherwise known as the Tourism
21 
Act of 2009;
22 
ffff. 
"Tourism estates" shall refer to large tracts of land with well-defined
23 
boundaries in any area identified in the Philippine tourism master plan and
24 
regional tourism master plan, by proclamation of the President and/or by an
25 
act of Congress including local legislation. Such land shall be suitable for the
26 
development of an integrated tourism and resort complex including but not
27 
limited to accommodation facilities, food and beverage outlets, convention and
28 
meeting areas, sports, recreational and leisure centers and commercial outlets
29 
among others. It shall be provided with roads, water supply facilities, power
30 
and utilities like potable water, drainage, sewerage disposal, solid waste
31 
disposal system and other necessary infrastructure. The estate shall be under
32 
one unified and continuous management;
16


1 
gggg. 
"Tourist spot" shall refer to a particular area/site/spot, human-made or
2 
natural, known for its unique tourist/visitor-drawing attributes and activities. It
3 
may be classified according to its social, cultural, natural, historical, scientific,
4 
religious, and recreational significance;
5 
hhhh. 
"Tourist zone" shall refer to a geographic area with well-defined
6 
boundaries proclaimed as such by the President of the Philippines and/or by
7 
acts of Congress. No development projects for any purpose shall be initiated
8 
and introduced within the zone prior to the formulation of a tourism master
9 
development plan which shall be undertaken 
in coordination with 
the
10 
Department of Tourism (DOT) and TIEZA. A tourist zone is established for the
11 
enhancement and/or the conservation of cultural and historical heritage and for
12 
the appreciation and enjoyment of the local population and its visitors;
13 
iiii. "Urban areas" shall refer to all cities regardless of their population density and
14 
to municipalities with population density of at least five hundred (500) persons
15 
per square kilometer;
16 
jjjj."Urbanizable areas" shall refer to sites and lands which, considering present
17 
characteristics and prevailing conditions, display marked and great potential of
18 
becoming urban areas within a period of five (5) years;
19 
kkkk. 
"Urban forestry" or "Green Space" shall refer to the establishment and
20 
management of forest in urban environment for the physiological and
21 
psychological well-being of the people;
22 
IIII. "Water security" shall refer to the sufficient access throughout the year to the
23 
minimum daily requirement of clean water to maintain a healthy life;
24 
mmmm. "Water use" shall refer to the appropriation of water for domestic,
25 
municipal, irrigation, power generation, inland fisheries, poultry and livestock
26 
raising, industrial and commercial, environmental, and recreational use and
27 
other purposes;
28 
nnnn. 
"Watershed" shall refer to a land area drained by a stream or fixed body
29 
of water and its tributaries having a common outlet for surface runoff;
30 
0000. "Zoning" shall refer to the process of delineating the specific uses of
31 
lands in accordance with the approved Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP)
32 
within the territorial jurisdiction of a city/municipality and specifying the
17


1 
conditions for their regulation; subject to the limitations imposed by law and
2 
competent authority; and
3 
PPPP- "Zoning ordinance" or "ZO" shall refer to a local law passed by the
4 
Sangguniang Bayan or Panglunsod approving the development control/zoning
5 
plan in accordance with an approved or adopted CLUP for the city/municipality,
6 
and providing for the regulations and other conditions on the uses of land
7 
including the limitation on the infrastructure that may be placed thereon within
8 
the territorial jurisdiction of a city or municipality. It incorporates the protected
9 
areas under Section 13(a) and the protected agricultural lands under Section
10 
29 of this Act.
11
12 
CHAPTER III
13 
FRAMEWORK FOR NATIONAL LAND USE POLICY
14
15 
Sec. 5. National Land Use Planning Process. — The land use and physical
16 
planning process shall be formulated following a combined bottom-up and top-down
17 
approach.
18 
The National Land Use Commission (NLUC) shall draft the National Physical
19 
Framework Plan (NPFP) which shall have a timeframe of thirty (30) years, with regular
20 
review and updating every ten (10) years. The NPFP, which guides the planning and
21 
management of the country's land and other physical resources at the national and
22 
sub-national levels, shall indicate broad spatial directions and policy guidelines on
23 
settlements development, production land use, protection land use, social services and
24 
utilities, and transportation and communication.
25 
The Regional Physical Framework Plans (RPFPs), Provincial Physical Framework
26 
and Development Plans (PPFDPs), and Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUPs), which
27 
shall also have a 30-year timeframe and cover the physical development of their
28 
respective territories, shall be consistent with the national physical framework plan:
29 
Provided, That the integration and harmonization of the physical framework plans at
30 
all levels shall be iterative to ensure that the concerns of both top and bottom levels
31 
of government are considered.
18


1 
The physical and land use plans prepared at all levels shall have internal
2 
consistency specifically on, but not limited to, the development, management and
3 
conservation of forestlands found within a given territory and the linkages of the major
4 
land use categories to ensure their complementation in the utilization, development
5 
and management of resources.
6 
The NLUC shall issue procedural guidelines which shall guide the formulation
7 
and integration/harmonization process: Provided, That the National Economic and
8 
Development Authority (NEDA), the Department of Human Settlements and Urban
9 
Development (DHSUD) the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)
10 
and other agencies will continue to issue guidelines on the content of the plans
11 
consistent with their respective agency mandates.
12 
Sec. 6. City and Municipal Land Use Plans. —The City/Municipal Planning and
13 
Development Office (C/MPDO), in consultation with concerned sectors through
14 
conduct of mandatory public hearings/consultations, shall prepare the CLUP to
15 
determine the specific uses of land and other physical resources therein including
16 
areas co-managed with the national government and, as appropriate, the ancestral
17 
domain areas. The CLUP shall be consistent with the PPFDP and shall define the
18 
city/municipal development vision, appropriate economic, environmental and social
19 
development policies, densities and transportation system.
20 
The CLUP may be formulated as a component of a Comprehensive Land Use
21 
and Development Plan (CLUDP), which merges the traditionally separate CLUP and
22 
comprehensive development plan to address the disconnect between spatial and
23 
sectoral factors and to ensure the complementation between the medium- and long-
24 
term concerns.
25 
The CLUP shall be translated into a zoning ordinance by the concerned
26 
sanggunian to regulate the uses of land, including the limitations on height, density
27 
and bulk of buildings and other infrastructure that may be placed thereon.
28 
Sec. 7. Provincial Physical Framework and Development Plans (PPFDP). — In
29 
consultation with concerned sectors, the Provincial Planning and Development Office
30 
(PPDO) shall prepare a Provincial Physical Framework and Development Plan (PPFDP)
31 
which shall define the province's development vision, economic and social
32 
development policies, general land uses, and inter-city/municipal transportation
19


1 
system. The PPFDP shall harmonize the land use plans of component cities and
2 
municipalities, taking into consideration shared resources and planning concerns, and
3 
define the uses of land and other resources within the province consistent with the
4 
policies in the regional physical framework plan. The programs, projects and activities
5 
prescribed in the PPFDP shall be integrated into the provincial development investment
6 
program.
7 
The PPDO shall submit the PPFDP to the Provincial Land Use Policy Council
8 
(PLUPC), created under Section 21 of this Act, for review and endorsement to
9 
Sangguniang Panlalawigan, which shall adopt the same pursuant to Section 468 (2)
10 
(vii) of RA 7160 or the Local Government Code.
11 
Sec. 8. Regional Physical Framework Plans. — In consultation with concerned
12 
sectors, the Regional Land Use Policy Council (RLUPC) shall define the desired spatial
13 
arrangement of land-using activities in the entire region, consolidating and
14 
harmonizing the provincial physical framework plans of provinces and independent
15 
cities within the territorial jurisdiction of the region. The regional physical framework
16 
plan, which depicts an end-state scenario toward which efforts and activities are
17 
directed, shall consist of spatially-based and area-focused policies, consistent with
18 
those in the national framework for physical planning, to guide detailed physical, socio-
19 
economic, sectoral and investment planning.
20 
Sec. 9. National Physical Framework Plan. — The National Land Use
21 
Commission (NLUC) created in Section 14 herein, in consultation with the concerned
22 
sectors through the conduct of mandatory public hearings/consultations, shall
23 
formulate, periodically update and ensure the implementation of a national physical
24 
framework plan that shall prescribe and influence the country's land use and physical
25 
development. The NPFP shall operationalize the policies provided in this Act and will
26 
be the basis for adopting the policies prescribed in the NPFP shall be integrated into
27 
the MTPDP and Medium-Term Philippine Investment Program.
28
29 
CHAPTER IV
30 
INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISM
31
32 
Sec. 10. Creation of the National Land Use Commission. — Priorities in Land
33 
Use Allocation and Planning. — In projecting spatial allocation for different land uses,
20


1 
the LGUs shall first exclude areas under protection iand use of Section 13(a) hereof,
2 
national parks, energy resource lands, and prime agricultural lands to ensure
3 
ecological integrity, energy supply, and promote food security. Areas with prior rights
4 
and those with site-specific resources for basic services, such as but not limited to,
5 
water and indigenous energy resources, shall also be excluded. Spatial allocation and
6 
planning shall then proceed in accordance with Sections 12 and 13 hereof with
7 
priorities given to integrated watershed management areas, socialized housing sites,
8 
fisherfolk settlement in coastal areas, and waste disposal sites.
9 
Sec. 11. Adoption of Multiple Uses of Land Resources. — The primary and
10 
alternative uses of a specific land resource shall be determined and evaluated prior to
11 
any decision for the assignment of its use. Areas feasible for sustainable land resource
12 
use may be considered multiple-use zones wherein settlements, tourism, agriculture,
13 
forestry, agro-forestry and extraction activities and other income-generating or
14 
livelihood activities may be allowed: Provided, That multiple uses of land resources
15 
shall be excluded in areas identified as protection land use: Provided, further. That
16 
such land resources shall be in accordance with priorities in land use allocation and
17 
planning and that no reclassification shall be allowed.
18 
Sec. 12. Basic Land Use Planning Considerations. — In determining the various
19 
land uses, the people and their productive activities and the need for functionai open
20 
spaces and preservation areas as well as the various interrelationships of the physical
21 
characteristics of the land and other elements therein shall be considered, among
22 
others, the following:
23 
a. Availability of natural resources including indigenous energy resources
24 
for energy security and self-sufficiency;
25 
b. Geology, geomorphology, geologic hazard, climate, soil, vegetative
26 
cover, demography and slope;
27 
c. Economic, environmental, cultural, social and related development
28 
activities;
29 
d. Existing government policies on land and natural resources allocation,
30 
utilization, management and disposition;
31 
e. Technological changes/advancement;
21


1 
f. Existing customary rights for the protection of indigenous peoples and
2 
vulnerable groups including women and urban poor; and
3 
g. Inventory of prior and existing rights, to harmonize determination of land
4 
use.
5 
Sec. 13. Categories of Land Uses for Planning Purposes. — In determining and
6 
defining the national, regional and provincial framework plans, and CLUPs, land uses
7 
shall be grouped into four major functional uses as follows;
8 
a. Protection Land Use shall refer to the use of land primarily for food,
9 
water and energy security, rehabilitation, conservation, and protection
10 
purposes for the promotion of the country's ecological and life-support
11 
systems. Planning for protection land use intends to achieve food self-
12 
sufficiency in rice and corn, water and energy security, environmental
13 
stability and ecological integrity, ensure a balance between resource use
14 
and the preservation of some areas with environmental, aesthetic,
15 
educational, cultural, heritage and historical significance, and protect
16 
people and human-made structures from the ill-effects of natural
17 
hazards.
18 
All lands, either public or private, under protection land use shall be
19 
permanently conserved, preserved, rehabilitated and protected from all
20 
other land uses, disposition, intrusion, utilization and development that
21 
is not consistent from its existing uses.
22 
Areas under this category also include those covered by Republic Act No.
23 
7586 or the NIPAS Law and other coastal and marine protected areas,
24 
those areas outside NIPAS but nonetheless require protection because
25 
of their outstanding physical and aesthetic features, anthropological
26 
significance, and biological diversity, and those areas prone to natural
27 
hazards. Areas outside the coverage of the NIPAS law include, but are
28 
not limited to the following:
29 
i. Old-growth forests and mossy;
30 
ii. Areas with more than 50% in slope gradient;
22


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
IV.
V.
VI.
vii.
viii.
ix.
Mangrove and fish sanctuaries, pursuant to Republic Act No. 8435 
or the "Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1997" and 
Republic Act No. 8550 or "The Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998"; 
Buffer zones or strips/easements, pursuant to Presidential Decree 
No. 705, amending Presidential Decree No. 389, otherwise known 
as the "Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines" and Presidential 
Decree No. 1067 or the "Water Code of the Philippines";
Salvage zones along foreshore areas, freshwater swamps and 
marshes, plazas and heritage/historic sites, pursuant to 
Presidential Decree No. 2146;
Watersheds supporting domestic water supply;
Utility easement like transmission lines of power companies, oil 
and gas facilities, cell sites, and domestic water lines;
Amenity areas or those with high aesthetic values, pursuant to 
Presidential Decree No. 2146;
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;
Critical habitats as provided in Republic Act No. 9147 or the 
"Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act";
Significant caves under Republic Act No. 9072 or the "National 
Caves and Cave Resources Management and Protection Act"; or 
Key biodiversity areas under Executive Order No. 578, Series of 
2006, or the "National Biodiversity Policy", 
b. Production Land Use shall refer to the direct and indirect utilization of 
land resources for crop, fishery, livestock and poultry production, 
forestry, agro-forestry, mining, industry, energy development, 
indigenous energy exploration and development, and tourism. Planning 
for production land shall determine the most efficient, sustainable, and 
equitable manner of utilizing, developing and managing land for 
productive purposes. Areas included in this category are agricultural
X.
XI.
XII.
23


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
lands, fishing grounds, coastal and marine zones, production forest 
which comprise lands 18% to 50% in slope gradient such as; residual 
dipterocarps, rangelands for grazing purposes industrial tree 
plantation/integrated Forest Management Agreement (IFMA), 
community-based forest management areas and other reforestation 
projects, mineral lands or mining areas and reservations, energy 
resource lands, industrial development areas, and tourism development 
areas where productive activities could be undertaken to meet the 
country's requirements for food security, economic growth and 
development.
c. Settlements Development shall refer to any improvement on existing 
settlements in urban and rural areas 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 to such settlement. The 
settlements development plan ensures for the present and future 
generation the following:
i. 
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; and
ii. 
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.
d. Infrastructure Development shall refer to 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.
24


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
It covers sub-sectors of transportation, communications, 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.
9 
CHAPTER V
10 
IMPLEMENTING STRUCTURE AND MECHANISMS
11 
Article I
12 
NATIONAL LAND USE COMMISSION
13
14 
Sec. 14. Creation of the National Land Use Commission (NLUC). — The National
15 
Land Use Commission, hereinafter referred to as NLUC, is hereby created as a
16 
Commission under the Office of the President. It shall exercise the powers and
17 
responsibilities of the current NEDA Board-National Land Use Committee which is
18 
hereby abolished. The NLUC shall act as the highest policy making body on land use
19 
and resolve land use policy conflicts between or among agencies, branches, or levels
20 
of the government. It shall integrate efforts, monitor developments relating to land
21 
use and the evolution of policies. It may also establish Regional Offices.
22 
Sec. 15. Composition of the NLUC. — The NLUC shall be composed of the
23 
following:
24 
a. The President of the Republic of the Philippines as Chairperson;
25 
b. The Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority
26 
(NEDA) and Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural
27 
Resources (DENR) as Vice-Chairpersons;
28 
The President may designate from among the two Vice-Chairpersons a Chief
29 
Executive Officer who shall supervise the day-to-day affairs of the NLUC.
30 
The members shall be:
31 
c. The Chairperson of the DHSUD, the Secretaries of the Department of
32 
Agriculture (DA), the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), the Department
33 
of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Public Works and Highways
25
E:


1 
(DPWH), the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), the
2 
Department of Tourism (DOT), the Department of the Interior and Local
3 
Government (DILG), the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Department of
4 
Science and Technology (DOST), the Department of Finance (DOF), the
5 
Department of Energy (DOE), and the Chairperson of the National Commission
6 
on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP); The Department Secretaries and the
7 
Chairperson of the NCIP may designate a representative with a rank not lower
8 
than Assistant Secretary and Commissioner, respectively: Provided, That the
9 
designated representative shall be on a permanent basis.
10 
d. A representative each from the Leagues of Provinces, Cities and Municipalities;
11 
e. A representative each from four (4) basic sectors directly involved in land use,
12 
namely: urban poor, farmer-peasants, fisherfolk, and indigenous peoples who
13 
shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines based on the nomination
14 
and recommendation of the respective sectoral councils of the National Anti-
15 
Poverty Commission (NAPC). At least two (2) sectoral representatives shall be
16 
women;
17 
f. Two (2) representatives from private subdivisions, and housing developers; and
18 
g. Two (2) representatives from the accredited association of professionals
19 
dealing on land use such as but not limited to urban and regional planners,
20 
environmental planners, architects, geologists and geodetic engineers;
21 
A consultative body shall likewise be convened by the NLUC at least once a
22 
year or as often as may be necessary. It shall be composed of representatives
23 
from the Leagues of Municipalities, Cities, and Provinces, other government
24 
agencies not represented in the NLUC, and from non-government sectors such
25 
as the private sector, non-government organizations (NGOs) and people's
26 
organizations
27 
Sec. 16. Powers and Functions. — The NLUC shall have the following powers
28 
and functions:
29 
a. Advise the President of the Philippines and the NEDA Board on all matters
30 
concerning land use and physical 
planning;
26


1 
a. Integrate and harmonize all laws, guidelines and policies relevant to land use
2 
and physical planning to come up with a rational, cohesive, and comprehensive
3 
national land use framework;
4 
b. Formulate policies and endorse land use and physical planning-related policies
5 
that may be formulated by the Regional Land Use Policy Council (RLUPC),
6 
created under Section 22 of this Act, and concerned agencies as well as
7 
promulgate zoning and other land use control standards and guidelines which
8 
shall guide the formulation of land use plans and zoning ordinances by local
9 
governments;
10 
c. Prepare, periodically review and if necessary, update the national framework
11 
for physical planning to provide the general framework for the spatial
12 
development directions for the entire country and sub-national levels;
13 
d. Review and endorse all land use and physical planning related guidelines;
14 
e. Monitor and coordinate the gathering of data, the conduct of studies pertaining
15 
to land use planning including studies on the management of identified land
16 
uses and such other studies not undertaken by other government agencies;
17 
f. Recommend to the President of the Philippines the adoption, passage, or
18 
amendment of laws to ensure that sectoral programs, plans, projects, and
19 
activities, including local government initiatives affecting land use are
20 
consistent with national development objectives;
21 
g. Coordinate with and assist other government agencies and LGUs in planning,
22 
developing, and implementing their land use classification programs, and
23 
provide, to the extent possible, technical assistance and guidance;
24 
h. Monitor and coordinate the activities of concerned agencies and entities of the
25 
government, as well as LGUs, in the enforcement and implementation of
26 
policies and regulations relating to land use and resource management and
27 
development;
28 
i. Monitor and coordinate activities in the establishment of a national land
29 
resource information and management system of concerned agencies that shall
30 
integrate and process information on land use and allocation generated by the
31 
various national government agencies; define information requirements at
27


1 
various levels; and standardize information inputs and outputs including scales
2 
and symbols used in territorial and sectoral maps;
3 
j. Be the repository of all RPFPs, PPFDPs and CLUPs and all data and information
4 
pertaining to land and land use;
5 
k. Call on any department, bureau, office, agency, or instrumentality of the
6 
government, and/or private entities and organizations for cooperation, support,
7 
and assistance in the performance of its functions;
8 
I. Decide and resolve policy conflicts and territorial jurisdiction on land use
9 
between or among agencies, branches, or levels of the government and act on
10 
unresolved land use policy conflicts at the regional level elevated by the
11 
Regional Land Use Policy Council (RLUPC);
12 
m. Adopt rules of procedures for the orderly and expeditious conduct of meetings
13 
and other business of the Council; and
14 
n. Perform such other acts and functions and exercise such other powers as may
15 
be necessarily implied, inherent, incident, or related to the foregoing.
16 
Sec. 17. NLUC Technical Secretariat (NLUC-TS). — A Technical Secretariat shall
17 
be created to provide technical support to the NLUC. It shall be headed by an Executive
18 
Director and composed of:
19 
a. Representatives of the member agencies/institutions of the NLUC, who shall
20 
have a rank not lower than Director level; and
21 
b. The representatives of NLUC members as enumerated in Section 16 (d), (e),
22 
and (g) of this Act.
23 
Sec. 18. The NLUC Technical Secretariat Executive Director. — The Executive
24 
Director shall supervise the operations of the NLUC Technical Secretariat and assist
25 
the NLUC Chairperson or his/her designated Chief Executive Officer (CEO). In the
26 
absence of the CEO, he shall preside over the meetings of the NLUC-TS.
27 
He shall also perform such other functions as may be tasked by the Chairperson or
28 
CEO-Vice Chairperson.
29 
Sec. 19. Offices, Units and Staff Support. — The Policy and Planning Unit of the
30 
DHSUD shall be the core secretariat of the NLUC. The staff in the DHSUD Policy and
31 
Planning Unit and NEDA Regional Development Office who opted to transfer to the
32 
NLUC shall be given priority without diminution in rank and remuneration pattern shall
28


1 
be drafted by the NLUC in coordination with the DBM and Civil Service Commission.
2 
Other government agencies may also be called upon for staff support.
3
4 
Article 2
5 
LOCAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCILS AS LOCAL LAND USE POLICY COUNCILS
6
7 
Sec. 20. City/Municipal Land Use Policy Council (C/MLUPC). — The
8 
City/Municipal Development Council (C/MDC), created under Section 106 of the Local
9 
Government Code, shall act as the City/Municipal Land Use Policy Council (C/MLUPC)
10 
that will tackle land use concerns whenever necessary. A duly authorized
11 
representative from the DAR, the DENR, and the DA shall be included in the
12 
composition of the C/MLUPC.
13 
In addition to the functions enumerated in Section 109 of the LGC, the C/MLUPC
14 
shall:
15 
a. Advise the Sangguniang Bayan or Sangguniang Panlungsod on all matters
16 
pertaining to land use and physical planning;
17 
b. Review and endorse to the Sangguniang Bayan or Sangguniang Panlungsod for
18 
adoption, the CLUP prepared and periodically updated by the City/Municipal
19 
Planning and Development Office and other land use and physical planning-
20 
related policies;
21 
c. Decide and resolve policy conflicts on land use planning, classification, and
22 
allocation that may arise between and among barangays and any unresolved
23 
land use conflict at the barangay level regarding the violation of zoning
24 
ordinances including opposition to applications for locational clearances,
25 
permits or certificates; and
26 
a. The C/MLUPC may call upon any local official concerned such as the C/MPDC,
27 
City/Municipal Agriculturist, City/Municipal Environment and Natural Resources
28 
Officer, City/Municipal Engineer, City/Municipal Assessor, or any official of
29 
national government agencies during discussions on land use and physical
30 
planning concerns.
31 
For purposes of this Act, the City/Municipal Planning and Development
32 
Coordinator (C/MPDC) shall:
29


1 
a. Act on all applications for locational clearances for all projects except those of
2 
vital and national economic or environmental significance;
3 
b. Automate, modernize, and integrate all spatial and non-spatial data related to
4 
land within the LGU for a more effective and efficient use of land information
5 
for land use and physical planning and such other public and private uses;
6 
c. Monitor ongoing/existing projects within their respective jurisdictions and issue
7 
notices of violation to owners, developers, or managers of projects that are
8 
violative of zoning ordinances; and
9 
d. Convene a Technical Working Group composed of the City/Municipal
10 
Agriculturist, City/Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Officer,
11 
City/Municipal Engineer, City/Municipal Assessor, and such other LGU officials
12 
with land-related functions in the preparation of the CLUP. The TWG may
13 
request any field officials of National Government Agencies with land
14 
administration functions to assist for the same purpose.
15 
Local government units without operational C/MDC as mandated by the 1991
16 
LGC shall activate their respective Councils within six (6) months from the effectivity
17 
of this Act.
18 
Sec. 21. Provincial Land Use Policy Council (PLUPC). — The Provincial
19 
Development Council (PDC), created under Section 106 of the LGC, shall act as the
20 
Provincial Land Use Policy Council that will tackle land use concerns whenever
21 
necessary. A duly authorized representative from the DENR, DAR, and the DA shall be
22 
included in the composition of the PLUPC. In addition to the functions enumerated in
23 
Section 109 of the LGC, the PLUPC shall:
24 
a. Advise the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on all matters pertaining to land use and
25 
physical planning;
26 
b. Review and endorse to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for adoption the
27 
provincial physical framework plans, prepared and periodically updated by the
28 
Provincial Planning and Development Office and other land 
use and physical
29 
planning-related policies;
30 
c. Assist the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in reviewing the CLUPs of component
31 
cities/municipalities to ensure consistency with 
the provincial 
physical
30


1 
framework plans and compliance with the limits prescribed under the 1991 LGC
2 
for reclassifying agricultural lands; and
3 
d. Decide and resolve policy conflicts on land use planning, classification, and
4 
allocation that may arise between or among cities/municipalities and any
5 
unresolved land use conflicts at the city/municipal level.
6 
The PLUPC may call upon any local official concerned such as the Provincial
7 
Planning and Development Coordinator, Provincial Agriculturist, Provincial
8 
Environment and Natural Resources Officer, Provincial Engineer, Provincial Assessor,
9 
or any official of national agencies and other relevant agencies during discussions on
10 
land use and physical planning concerns.
11 
Sec. 22. Regional Land Use Policy Council (RLUPC). — At the regional level, the
12 
Regional Land Use Policy Council (RLUPC) shall be institutionalized, replicating the
13 
NLUC structure and composition which shall include a duly authorized representative
14 
from the NEDA, the DENR, the DA, and the DAR. The RLUPC shall have the following
15 
functions:
16 
a. Formulate and adopt regional policies on land use and physical planning;
17 
b. Prepare and periodically update a regional physical framework plan, taking into
18 
consideration national policies and lower-level plans;
19 
c. Assist the provinces in preparing and periodically updating their physical
20 
framework plans to ensure consistency with the regional and national plans and
21 
policies and to facilitate their integration into the regional plans;
22 
d. Review, prior to adoption by the respective sanggunians, the provincial physical
23 
framework plan and CLUPs of highly urbanized and independent component
24 
cities to ensure consistency with the regional physical framework plan and
25 
national policies set forth by NLUC and compliance with limits prescribed under
26 
the 1991 LGC for reclassifying agricultural lands;
27 
e. Decide and resolve policy conflicts on land use planning, classification, and
28 
allocation that may arise between or among regional line agencies, provinces,
29 
and cities/municipalities;
30 
f. Monitor changes in land use and other physical resources in the region;
31 
g. Evaluate consistency of major programs and projects with the regional physical
32 
framework plans and their impact on land use and the environment;
31


1
2
3
4
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.
5 
Article 3
6 
ADOPTION, APPROVAL AND REVIEW OF LAND USE PLANS
7 
Sec. 23. Component Cities and Municipalities. — Component cities and
8 
municipalities shall have the power and authority to adopt and approve their
9 
respective CLUPs and ZOs through their respective sanggunians, subject to the power
10 
of review of their respective provinces only with respect to the consistency of the
11 
CLUPs and ZOs with Section 8 hereof on the preparation of the provincial physical
12 
framework plan.
13 
Upon adoption and approval of the CLUP and ZO by the sanggunian, all land
14 
areas zoned for residential purposes or for settlements development shall cease to be
15 
covered by the CARP and therefore, shall not be required to secure further order of
16 
land conversion or exemption certificates from the DAR, except for the payment of
17 
disturbance compensation, if applicable, as well as the requirements pertaining to the
18 
issuance of an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) by the DENR.
19 
Sec. 24. Provinces and Independent and Highly Urbanized Cities. — Provinces
20 
and independent and highly urbanized cities shall have the power and authority to
21 
adopt and approve their respective CLUPs, ZOs, or provincial physical framework plan,
22 
as the case may be, through their respective sanggunian, but subject to the review of
23 
the RLUPC as provided in Section 22 of this Act.
24
25 
Article 4
26 
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND
27 
LG Us
28 
Sec. 25. National Base Mapping Program. — A national mapping program shall
29 
be implemented, coordinated, and monitored through the creation of an Inter-agency
30 
Technical Committee (ITC) composed of the NAMRIA, as the lead agency, the Bureau
31 
of Soils and Water Management (BSWM), the Forest Management Bureau (FMB), the
32


1 
Land Management Bureau (LMB), the Land Registration Authority (LRA), the Protected
2 
Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB), the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), the
3 
Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), DAR, the National
4 
Water Resources Board (NWRB), DOE, NEDA, and other concerned government
5 
agencies/bureaus. The UC shall be constituted, and the mapping program shall be
6 
initiated, within thirty (30) days from the effectivity of this Act. The agencies
7 
mentioned in this Section shall endeavor to finish their base mapping program within
8 
two (2) years upon the effectivity of this Act.
9 
The spatial and non-spatial data generated by these activities shall be
10 
downloaded to the LGU as soon as practicable. On the other hand, existing land
11 
information data available to the national government agencies as of the effectivity of
12 
this Act shall be immediately downloaded to the LGU.
13 
For purposes of uniformity and standardization, the LGUs, to be assisted by the
14 
appropriate agencies of the national government, shall likewise prepare their
15 
respective territorial maps using scales, symbols, and other indicators to be prescribed
16 
in accordance with this Act.
17 
The completed maps shall be integrated in the national physical framework plan
18 
pursuant to Section 5 of this Act.
19 
Sec. 26. National Geo-hazard Mapping Program. — Within thirty (30) days from
20 
the effectivity of this Act, a nationwide geo-hazard mapping program shall be initiated
21 
jointly through the NLUC by the PHIVOLCS, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical
22 
and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the NAMRIA, the MGB, the
23 
BSWM, and the DOE, in coordination with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and
24 
Management Council (NDRRMC), the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and
25 
Management Council (RDRRMC), and other concerned government agencies. The
26 
program shall include the generation of indicative geo-hazard zoning maps that will
27 
outline areas in the Philippines which are prone to liquefaction, landslides, severe
28 
flooding, lahar, ground rupturing, tsunami, river erosion, coastal erosion, sinkhole
29 
collapse, earthquake, lava flow, pyroclastic flow, base surge, and other natural
30 
hazards.
31 
For purposes of uniformity and standardization and in order to develop a safe-
32 
built environment, the LGUs shall subsequently incorporate and integrate the
33


1 
generated geo-hazard zoning maps in their respective CLUPs. Said geo-hazard maps
2 
shall serve as guide for all the LGUs in the preparation of their own hazards-
3 
constrained development plans. The national physical framework planning, pursuant
4 
to Section 5 hereof, shall incorporate these geo-hazard maps.
5 
All infrastructure activities including real estates and subdivision projects and
6 
the development of tourist spots requiring an Environmental Compliance Certificate
7 
(ECC) shall be required to submit an Engineering Geological and Geo-hazard
8 
Assessment Report (EGGAR).
9 
Sec. 27. Scope and Nature of Responsibilities of Other National Government
10 
Agencies. — All concerned national government agencies/bodies shall periodically
11 
report to the NLUC on the various activities and accomplishments relative to land use.
12 
Likewise, they shall provide their respective sectoral development plans and render
13 
technical and administrative support if called upon by the NLUC relative to the
14 
implementation of the provisions of this Act.
15 
Sec. 28. Submission of Annual Report on the Implementation of CLUPs. —The
16 
C/MLUPC shall submit an annual report on the implementation of their land use plans
17 
to the PLUPC, which shall integrate the same for submission to the RLUPC, which shall
18 
in turn integrate the provincial reports for submission to the NLUC.
19
20 
CHAPTER VI
21 
SPECIAL AREAS OF CONCERN
22 
Article I
23 
AGRICULTURAL LANDS
24 
Sec. 29. Priority Areas for Agricultural Development —Priority areas for
25 
agricultural development shall be those agricultural areas covered under Republic Act
26 
No. 6657 or the CARP, as amended, and those covered under the Network of Protected
27 
Areas for Agricultural and Agro-Industrial Development (NPAAAD), defined in Section
28 
4 of this Act and in R.A. No. 8435 or the "Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act".
29 
Sec. 30. Conversion of Agricultural Lands. —Agricultural lands are deemed
30 
converted to non-agricultural uses upon approval by the DAR of the application for
31 
conversion. Prime agricultural lands and specific types of lands to the extent necessary
34


1 
for attaining food self-sufficiency in rice and corn and food security in other basic
2 
commodities, as determined by the DA, 
subject to mandatory public
3 
hearings/consultations with the LCDs, the private sector, NGOs, and POs, shall be
4 
protected from conversion, which shall include but not be limited to areas under the
5 
NPAAAD: Provided, That all irrigated and irrigable lands, all lands developed or
6 
possessing the potential for development of high value crops, and all agricultural lands
7 
that are ecologically fragile and whose conversion will result in serious environmental
8 
problems shall be given full protection from conversion, the areas under which are
9 
subject to review every seven (7) years by the DA, with the mandatory public
10 
hearings/consultations: Provided further. That consistent with the State policy on
11 
giving priority to the completion of the CARP, all lands subject to CARP including those
12 
lands covered under the notice of compulsory acquisition/voluntary offer to sell,
13 
production or profit-sharing, or commercial farm deferment shall also be protected
14 
from conversion pending the distribution and installation of the farmer-beneficiaries
15 
thereafter. Section 22 of R.A. No. 9700 or the CARP Extension Law shall apply subject
16 
to the applicable provisions of this Act, specifically on the exclusive approval by the
17 
DAR of the application for conversion: Provided, furthermore, That the conversion of
18 
agricultural lands for use of priority government projects for basic services such as,
19 
but not limited to, irrigation and power shall be allowed only upon the recommendation
20 
of the Secretaries of the DA and the DAR: Provided, finaiiy. That the mapping of the
21 
NPAAAD under the AFMA shall be completed within two (2) years from the effectivity
22 
of this Act.
23 
Lands defined under Section 10 of R.A. No. 6657 shall remain exempted and
24 
excluded from the coverage of CARP.
25 
Sec. 31. Sub-classification or Re-dassification of Agricultural Lands by LGUs. —
26 
Sub-classification or re-classification of agricultural lands to other uses under Section
27 
20 of the LGC of 1991 shall exclude the protected agricultural lands as stated in the
28 
preceding section. Moreover, such sub-classification/reclassification is not
29 
synonymous to conversion. The DA and DAR shall provide the LGUs with a complete
30 
list and maps of protected agricultural lands within their territorial jurisdictions.
31
35


1 
Article 2
2 
FOREST LANDS AND WATERSHED MANAGEMENT
3 
Sec. 32. Reversion of Alienable and Disposable Lands to Forestlands. — Upon
4 
the recommendation of the Secretary of the DENR, duly reviewed and endorsed by
5 
the NLUC, and after due consultations with the concerned LGUs and affected parties,
6 
Congress may authorize the reversion of alienable and disposable lands of the public
7 
domain or portion thereof to forestlands. Thereafter, said lands shall be included in
8 
the preparation of land use plans within forestlands.
9 
Sec. 33. Critical Watershed Areas. — The DENR, in coordination with the DA,
10 
LGUs, and other government agencies, including government-owned and -controlled
11 
corporations, and with mandatory public hearings/consultations, shall identify and
12 
delineate critical watershed areas that need to be protected, rehabilitated, enhanced,
13 
and/or withdrawn from uses that contribute to their further degradation.
14 
Sec. 34. Formulation and Implementation of Integrated Watershed
15 
Management Plans. — In the absence of a law on the protection and sustainable
16 
management of our forests, the LGUs through their local land use committees and
17 
upon mandatory public hearings/consultations with the concerned sectors, and with
18 
the assistance of DENR, shall prepare their watershed management plans which shall
19 
be integrated with their respective CLUPs. The formulation and integration of the plan
20 
shall be guided, among others, by the principle that the management and
21 
development of inland water resources shall be at the watershed level. A nationwide
22 
mapping of watersheds in the country shall be implemented.
23 
In cases where the watershed areas transcend the boundaries of a particular
24 
municipality, an inter-LGU committee composed of representatives from local land use
25 
committees of the LGUs where the watershed area is located shall be formed. With
26 
the assistance of the DENR and upon mandatory public hearings/consultations with
27 
the concerned sectors, the inter-LGU committee shall formulate the watershed
28 
management plan for the said watershed area.
29 
The DENR and the concerned LGUs shall jointly implement the watershed
30 
management plan subject to regular consultations with and involvement of the
31 
community and other stakeholders in the implementation of the plan.
36


1 
The preparation of forest land use plans shall make use of the watershed as
2 
the basic planning unit.
3
4 
Article 3
5 
COASTAL ZONE
6
7 
Sec. 35. Criteria on the Aiiocation and Utiiization of Lands within the Coastal
8 
Zones. — The allocation and utilization of lands within the coastal zones shall be
9 
guided by the following:
10 
a. Areas vegetated with mangrove species shall be preserved for mangrove
11 
production and shall not be converted to other uses;
12 
b. Areas which meet all accepted criteria on elevation, soil type, soil depth,
13 
topography, supply for successful fishpond development, and are not identified
14 
as mangrove protected areas, shall be utilized for aquaculture purposes;
15 
c. Areas sub-classified as mangrove and still suitable for use as such, or due to
16 
environmental conditions need to be preserved as mangrove, but are devoid of
17 
mangrove stands shall not be converted to other uses. The DENR shall ensure
18 
that these lands shall be reforested within a given period of time;
19 
d. Areas accessible to the sea and identified for fisherfolk settlement and housing
20 
shall be allocated to traditional fisherfolk who are inhabitants of the coastal
21 
communities and members of legitimate fisherfolk organizations and/or holders
22 
of stewardship lease contracts or titles to ancestral domains or any form of
23 
property right arrangements who participate in coastal resource management
24 
initiatives, subject to the usual census procedures of the HUDCC;
25 
e. Areas which are neither sub-classified as mangrove, fisherfolk settlement nor
26 
fishpond may be devoted to recreational or tourism purposes: Provided, That
27 
such undertaking will not result in environmental degradation and displacement
28 
of small fishers;
29 
f. Areas which are considered as traditional fishing grounds shall be used primarily
30 
for such purpose;
31 
g. Areas which have been allocated for small infrastructure needed by fisherfolk
32 
shall be allowed; and
37


1 
h. Areas which form part of foreshore lands as defined in this Act including those
2 
which are under lease agreements or arrangements shall undergo zoning and
3 
evaluation to determine their boundaries and actual sizes and corresponding
4 
uses.
5 
Sec. 36. Coastal Land Zone Sub-classification. —All public lands in the coastal
6 
zones shall be sub-classified into any of the following: estuaries, lagoons, inter-tidal
7 
flats, mudflats, fishponds, mangroves, protection from tidal surge, for preservation of
8 
biodiversity, habitats and sanctuaries for endangered wildlife, fisherfolk settlement, or
9 
recreational/tourism areas. No sub-classification of coastal zones to different uses shall
10 
be done without the following:
11 
a. Conduct of a comprehensive resource and environmental assessment by the
12 
DENR and respective LGUs and accredited NGOs and POs within their
13 
jurisdiction; and
14 
b. Prior consultation with the Local Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management
15 
Councils (FARMCs) formed under Republic Act No. 8550 or the Philippine
16 
Fisheries Code.
17 
Sec. 37. Zoning of Foreshore Areas. — Local government units, in coordination
18 
with the DENR, shall conduct zoning of their respective foreshore areas to assist
19 
government and community fishers identify priority areas for conservation and
20 
development, and to enable them to set targets for mangrove reforestation and
21 
rehabilitation.
22 
Sec. 38. Protection of Waterways Easements and Flood Plains. —Structures of
23 
any kind shall not be built in waterways easements. Pursuant to PD 1067 or the Water
24 
Code, the banks of rivers and streams and the shores of the seas and lakes throughout
25 
their entire length and within a zone of three (3) meters in urban areas, twenty (20)
26 
meters in agricultural areas and forty (40) meters in forest areas, along their margins,
27 
are subject to the easement of public use only in the interest of recreation, navigation,
28 
floatage, fishing and salvage.
29 
The protection of flood plains shall adopt a river basin management approach
30 
in order to come up with integrated flood mitigation interventions. Development within
31 
flood plains and other flood-prone areas must be controlled or, if allowed, must be so
32 
sited, constructed and serviced that life of occupants are not put at risk and that
38


1 
disruptions during floods are minimal. The identification and characterization of flood
2 
prone areas and flood plains shall be an integral part of CLUP preparation. Through
3 
the CLUPs and zoning ordinances, LGUs shall establish land use regulations to mitigate
4 
flood risks.
5 
The DPWH, in coordination with DOST and DENR, shall declare flood control
6 
areas, as necessary, and prohibit or control activities that could damage or cause
7 
deterioration of lakes and dikes, obstruct the flow of water, change the natural flow
8 
of rivers, increase flood losses or aggravate flood problems pursuant to PD 1067.
9
10 
Article 4
11 
MINERAL LANDS
12
13 
Sec. 39. Criteria for the Utiiization and AHocation of Land for Mining Purposes.
14 
— Consistent with Section 6 of this Act and the provisions of Republic Act No. 7942 or
15 
the Mining Act of 1995, and to ensure that the objectives of maintaining ecological
16 
balance and maximizing economic returns to mining operations are realized, the
17 
allocation and utilization of lands for mining purposes shall be guided by the following:
18 
a. The principles of sustainable development and responsible mining;
19 
b. In case of small-scale mining, adequate and acceptable safeguards shall be
20 
instituted by the holders of mining rights or permits to prevent environmental
21 
degradation of the mining sites and adjacent areas;
22 
c. Mineral reservations which have become non-operational for more than five (5)
23 
years as determined by the MGB shall be placed under appropriate surface
24 
management by the DENR;
25 
d. Consistent with the Mining Act of 1995, areas closed to mining operations shall
26 
be periodically reviewed through mineral exploration to be undertaken by the
27 
DENR for the purpose of determining whether or not their continued closure is
28 
consistent with the national interest and, if warranted, recommend their
29 
reclassification as mineral lands; and
30 
e. Protection forestlands and agricultural lands shall be exempt from mining
31 
activities to minimize the effect of natural calamities and to protect food security
32 
respectively. The small to large scale mining operations shall yield from and
33 
recognize the tenurial instrument given by the government such as Original
39


1 
Certificate of Title (OCT), Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT), Certificate of
2 
Ancestral Domain Title (CADT), Emancipation Patent - Certificate of Land
3 
Ownership Award (EP-CLOA) and other instruments. If these are present, no
4 
mining activity shall be conducted.
5 
Sec. 40. Reversion of Mineral Lands. — All mineral lands with exhausted
6 
mineral resources, as determined by the MGB upon the recommendation of the DENR,
7 
shall revert to its original land classification, that is, as forestland or agricultural land.
8 
In the case of forestlands, the DENR may classify such areas for other purposes in
9 
consultation with concerned LCD's, the Department of Tourism (DOT), and other
10 
national government agencies.
11
12 
Article 5
13 
ENERGY RESOURCE LANDS
14
15 
Sec. 41. Guidelines for the Utilization and Allocation of Lands for Energy
16 
Resource Exploration, Development, Production, Utilization, and Distribution
17 
Purposes.— To ensure that the objectives of maintaining ecological balance and
18 
maximizing the power potential from indigenous energy resources in the most
19 
economical and environmentally-acceptable means are realized, the allocation and
20 
utilization of lands for said purposes shall be guided by the following, consistent with
21 
existing regulations and laws on energy resources:
22 
a. Indigenous energy resource exploration and development for the purpose of a
23 
National Energy Resource Inventory and Data Base as well as Energy Resource
24 
Block Map shall be allowed subject to the implementation of complementary
25 
watershed and other land management plans;
26 
b. Indigenous energy resource exploration, development, production, utilization,
27 
and distribution shall be subject to the appropriate requirements and processes
28 
of the Philippine Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) System. Each project
29 
shall secure an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) prior to project
30 
implementation to ensure adequate and appropriate environmental
31 
management measures and optimum methods for resource access and
32 
recovery are utilized; and
40


1 
c. Energy reservations or portions thereof which have become or have been
2 
established to be non-economically viable to operate or are no longer used for
3 
energy purposes shall be released to give way to other land uses, subject to
4 
existing laws covering energy reservations.
5 
Sec. 42. Reversion of Energy Resource Lands— All exhausted indigenous
6 
energy resource lands not covered by proclamations shall automatically revert to the
7 
category of forestlands or agricultural lands open to disposition, whichever is
8 
appropriate. Exhausted energy resource lands shall refer to specific energy resource
9 
sites whose energy reserves of the desired type/s are no longer in sufficient quantity
10 
or quality to justify additional expenditure for their extraction and utilization
11
12 
CHAPTER VII
13 
SETTLEMENTS DEVELOPMENT
14 
Sec. 43. Town, City, and Settiements Deveiopment — The development of
15 
town, city, and settlements through the zoning ordinances of cities and municipalities
16 
shall be guided by CLUPs and urban zoning standards designed to maximize existing
17 
urban spaces. Socialized housing and settlement areas shall be established only on
18 
alienable and disposable lands in order to avoid further degradation of forestlands.
19 
Sec. 44. Settiements Within Geo-hazard Areas. — Settlements, in particular
20 
housing or residential developments, within geo-hazard areas may be allowed
21 
provided that mitigating and/or protective measures are adopted to address the
22 
potential danger or risk to lives and property within such settlements. In coordination
23 
with the concerned agencies of the government, the LUPC shall provide assistance to
24 
concerned LGUs and settlers in instituting safety and corrective measures to address
25 
the potential danger or risk.
26 
Residential zones as designated in the CLUP shall be considered as outside the
27 
geo-hazard areas. For this purpose, housing projects within such areas shall be
28 
exempted from the ECC as well as the Engineering Geological and Geo-hazard
29 
Assessment Report (EGGAR) and may be implemented without the need for any
30 
further certificate of exemption from the DENR or any other government regulatory
31 
agency.
41


1 
Sec. 45. Designation of Sanitary Landfill. — Each city or municipality shall
2 
identify, designate and allocate an area within their territorial jurisdiction to serve as
3 
sanitary landfill within one (1) year from the effectivity of this Act. The LGUs, in
4 
coordination with the DENR or any other competent authority, shall identify sanitary
5 
landfill in order to fast-track the conduct of environmental impact assessment study
6 
and to facilitate processing of the environmental compliance certificate. The site or
7 
area shall be identified in the city or municipality's CLUP. For this purpose, cities and
8 
municipalities shall establish their solid waste management program, pursuant to RA.
9 
No. 9003, otherwise known as the "Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000".
10 
Likewise, as provided under Section 33 of the LGC, cities and municipalities may,
11 
through appropriate ordinances, bind themselves towards the establishment of a
12 
common solid waste management program.
13 
Within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act, the DENR, in
14 
coordination with concerned agencies, shall promulgate the necessary guidelines and
15 
standards for the formulation and establishment of solid waste management programs
16 
by cities and municipalities, and shall submit the same to the LUPC for review and
17 
approval.
18 
Sec. 46. Designation and Zoning of Socialized Housing Zones. — Each city or
19 
municipality in urban, urbanizable and rural areas shall designate through the CLUP
20 
adequate lands for housing or residential purposes, including socialized housing and
21 
resettlement areas for the immediate and future needs of the local population as well
22 
as the underprivileged and homeless in their territory, pursuant to existing laws and
23 
regulations. In order to ensure adequate availability of land for the housing needs of
24 
the local population, the CLUP shall be updated, at maximum, every ten (10) years
25 
for provinces, cities and municipalities.
26 
The designated sites for socialized housing shall be located in residential zones,
27 
and shall be zoned as socialized housing zones that are integrated in the city or
28 
municipality's zoning ordinance, pursuant to existing laws and regulations.
29 
Fisherfolk settlements and housing in coastal municipalities shall be zoned near
30 
the sea for easy access to their livelihood as provided under Section 36 (b) of this Act.
31 
The housing or residential lands designated in the CLUPS and Zoning
32 
Ordinances (ZOs) of cities and municipalities shall, on one hand, not be subject to
42


1 
further land reclassification by the LGU or land conversion procedure under DAR. On
2 
the other hand, agricultural lands as designated in the CLUP which are no longer
3 
economically feasible for agricultural use may be subject to land reclassification or
4 
conversion to housing/residential purposes and such conversion, as the case may be,
5 
shall be exempt from the coverage of any moratorium on land conversion.
6 
Sec. 47. Urban Forest or Green Space. — Each city or highly urbanizing
7 
municipality shall identify, designate, and allocate lands owned by the city or
8 
municipality as urban forest or green space based on the guidelines and standards to
9 
be issued by the DENR and approved by the NLUC.
10
11 
CHAPTER VIII
12 
INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AREAS
13
14 
Sec. 48. Criteria for Designating Industrial Development Areas. — The
15 
identification and establishment of industrial development areas shall conform with
16 
the provisions of R. A. No. 7916, or the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA)
17 
Act, R.A. No. 6657 or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, (CARP) Act, as
18 
amended by R.A. No. 9700 or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program with
19 
Extension and Reforms Act (CARPER), R.A. 8371 or the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act
20 
(rPRA), R.A. No. 7279 or the Urban Development Housing Act (UDHA), and R.A. No.
21 
8435 or the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA), taking into
22 
consideration the following:
23 
a. Identified network of areas for agricultural development and protected
24 
agricultural areas pursuant to the AFMA;
25 
b. National policies on the regional dispersal of industries and agri-based industrial
26 
development;
27 
c. Identified growth areas and corridors in the National Development Plan;
28 
d. National Protected Areas System (NIPAS) and non-NIPAS areas that require
29 
protection;
30 
e. National and Urban Development and Housing Framework;
31 
f. Identified Socialized Housing Zones; and
32 
g. National framework for physical planning and other existing national programs
33 
and policies.
43


1 
The designated industrial development areas shall become an integral part of
2 
the land use plan and zoning ordinance of the city or municipality where these areas
3 
are located.
4
5 
CHAPTER IX
6 
TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AND HERITAGE AREAS
7
8 
Sec. 49. Designating Tourism Development Areas. — The identification,
9 
selection, and development of tourism development areas, tourism estates and
10 
tourism enterprise zones (TEZs) shall be done in consultation and coordination with
11 
the concerned LGUs, the TIEZA and concerned national government agencies, the
12 
private sector, and the affected communities, subject to the provisions of RA. No.
13 
9593 or Tourism Act of 2009. Tourism development areas shall likewise include those
14 
covered by legislative and executive issuances as tourist spots, tourist zones and
15 
tourism ecozones which can be developed into tourism estates or integrated resort,
16 
leisure and recreation complexes and other tourism-related facilities as well as those
17 
identified in the national, regional and inter-regional tourism, and area specific tourism
18 
master plans and other sector plans such as ecotourism and agri-tourism sites.
19 
Designated areas for tourism development shall become part of the CLUPs of
20 
the cities or municipalities where these are located.
21 
Lands identified as part of a TEZ shall qualify for exemption from the coverage
22 
of Republic Acts Nos. 7279 and 6657 subject to rules and regulations to be crafted by
23 
the TIEZA, HUDCC, DAR and DA: Provided, That a certificate shall be obtained from
24 
the DA that said lands are no longer economically feasible and sound for agricultural
25 
purposes, consistent with Section 30 of this Act.
26 
Sec. 50. Identification and Declaration of Areas for Protection, Conservation
27 
and Preservation of Cultural Heritage. — Pursuant to Republic Act No. 10066, the
28 
National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and/or the National Museum
29 
In coordination with National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), DHSUD
30 
and other concerned agencies, local communities, and the private sector, shall identify
31 
declared areas and structures which shall be protected and/or preserved as part of
32 
the Philippine cultural heritage.
44


1 
The LCDs in coordination with the NHCP, the NCCA and the Cultural Center of
2 
the Philippines (CCP) shall designate historical zones to protect the historical integrity
3 
of said geographical areas and cultural space of intangible cultural properties.
4
5 
CHAPTER X
6 
INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT
7
8 
Sec. 51. Allocation and Use of Land for Infrastructure Development — Land,
9 
whether public or private, shall be allocated and utilized for priority infrastructure
10 
projects that are supportive of national or local development objectives. The NEDA, in
11 
consultation with the concerned national government agencies, LGUs, and the private
12 
sector shall identify and periodically review, update and/or revise the list of priority
13 
infrastructure projects subject to Sections 6 and 30 of this Act, and Section 47 of R.
14 
A. No. 8435 or AFMA. In determining and evaluating the list of priority infrastructure
15 
projects, consideration shall be given to those that:
16 
a. Respond to immediate and vital requirements of the nationai economy with
17 
priority on improving rural infrastructure and the development of the agriculture
18 
and fisheries sectors;
19 
b. Upgrade existing facilities to international standards;
20 
c. Address the need for sustainable settlements development; and,
21 
d. Help mitigate the destructive effects of natural disaster-causing phenomena or
22 
those that shall serve as alternatives to existing infrastructures found in natural
23 
hazard-prone areas:
24 
Provided, That the provision and implementation of infrastructure support shall
25 
be made compatible with existing environmental conditions and the physical,
26 
whether natural or human-made, and cultural character of the area. Mandatory
27 
public hearings/consultations pursuant to existing laws and regulations shall be
28 
held prior to the conduct of all infrastructure projects that will necessarily
29 
involve dislocation or displacement of people in the area: Provided, further,
30 
That the proponent of the infrastructure project shall follow the rules on just
31 
and humane eviction or demoiition under Section 28 of R. A. No. 7279 or the
32 
Urban Development Housing Act (UDHA), notwithstanding the provisions of
33 
Republic Act No. 8975, prohibiting lower courts from issuing temporary
45


1 
restraining orders, preliminary injunctions, or preliminary mandatory
2 
injunctions, and proponent shall follow IPRA: Provided, finally, That national
3 
government infrastructure projects shall allocate budget for the adequate
4 
relocation of displaced communities.
5 
Sec, 52. Infrastructure Projects Within Geo-hazard Areas. — Construction of
6 
priority infrastructure projects within hazard-prone areas shall be allowed: Provided,
7 
That mitigating and/or preventive measures are adopted to address the potential
8 
adverse economic, socio-cultural, and environmental impacts that will emanate from
9 
these infrastructure projects, subject to the findings and recommendations of a
10 
feasibility study/environmental impact assessment in accordance with Presidential
11 
Decree No. 1586, Establishing An Environmental Impact Statement System, Including
12 
Other Environmental Management Related Measures, and R. A. No. 4846 or the
13 
Cultural Properties Preservation and Protection Act, as amended by Presidential
14 
Decree No. 374.
15 
Existing projects that did not go through the process of an environmental
16 
impact assessment and pose threats to the environment, integrity of historic,
17 
archeological, or scientifically significant areas; or are impinging on critical
18 
ecosystems, may be: (a) terminated immediately, (b) required to implement an
19 
Environmental Management Plan; (c) gradually phased-out and relocated, or (d)
20 
maintained up to their life span, subject, however, to mitigating measures: Provided,
21 
That the rules on mandatory public hearings/consultations and just and humane
22 
eviction or demolition shall also be observed prior to the termination, gradual phase-
23 
out, or relocation of projects that will necessarily involve dislocation or displacement
24 
of people in the area.
25
26 
CHAPTER XI
27 
TRAINING, EDUCATION, AND VALUE FORMATION
28
29 
Sec. 53. Value Formation. — In order to create a well informed, responsible
30 
and committed citizenry who values the protection, conservation and development of
31 
the country's limited land, and other physical resources, the State shall mandate the
32 
Inclusion of sustainable land use education or any subject related thereto in the
33 
curricula of primary, secondary and tertiary education.
46


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
Sec. 54. Information and Education Campaign. — The NLUC shall undertake a 
nationwide education information campaign in land use and physical planning to be 
implemented by local and national government agencies. The DILG and concerned 
agencies shall formulate and implement a land use management capability-building 
program for national and local government officials, community leaders, NGOs, POs, 
religious sector, and the general public: Provided, That it shall be mandatory for local 
government officials involved in the preparation of CLUPS and PPFDP, including the 
municipal, city and provincial development officer to attend the Land Use Management 
Capability-Building Program.
CHAPTER XII
INCENTIVES AND AWARDS
Sec. 55. Formuiation of a System of 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 nine (9) years; and
b. Component cities and municipalities once every nine (9) years.
Sec. 56. 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.
CHAPTER XIII
SANCTIONS AND PENALTIES
Sec. 57. Fine for Non-Compietion and Non-Commencement of Development of 
Agricultural Lands with Approved Order of Conversion. — A landowner and his/her 
designated developer or duly authorized representative who fails to commence and/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 year from the date of conversion order:
47


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
II.
III.
Six percent (6%) of the zonal value of the subject land for the first three 
(3) hectares;
Fifteen percent (15%) of the zonal value of the subject land for the next 
three (3) hectares; and
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 by the DAR through 
compulsory acquisition for distribution to qualified beneficiaries.
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.
Sec. 58. Authority to Impose Fine. — The DAR shall impose the penalty 
provided for under the preceding section.
Sec. 59. Withdrawal of Locai Development Permits or Licenses. — Upon receipt 
of notice from the DAR, the concerned agencies and the city or municipality shall 
withdraw or revoke any development permit and other licenses that may be necessary 
to develop the agricultural land subject to conversion.
Sec. 60. Utilization of Fines. — The fines collected under Sections 57, 62 and 
63 hereof shall automatically accrue to the Agrarian Reform Fund consistent with the 
provisions of the CARP, as amended.
Sec. 61. Failure to Formulate, Enforce, and/or Implement the CLUPs. — 
Consistent with due process, the DILG 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
48


1 
c. Failure to complete the preparation of the CLUP despite the availability of funds,
2 
resources, and support by the sanggunian concerned.
3 
Any public official or employee, regardless of whether elected or appointed or
4 
holding office or employment in a casual, temporary, holdover, permanent, or regular
5 
capacity, found to be responsible for any of the foregoing acts, after due notice and
6 
hearing by the appropriate body or agency, shall be punished with forfeiture of salaries
7 
and allowances and suspension from:
8 
1. Six (6) to nine (9) months, in case of non-implementation of CLUP; or
9 
2. Three (3) to six (6) months, in case of non-completion of the CLUP.
10 
Sec. 62. Person(s) Abetting Illegal Conversion. — Any person initiating, causing,
11 
inducing, or abetting illegal conversion shall, upon conviction, be imprisoned from
12 
seven (7) to twelve (12) years and imposed a fine of not less than One hundred
13 
thousand (P100,000.00) pesos, or both at the discretion of the court: Provided, That
14 
if the offender is a public official or employee, whether elected or appointed, the
15 
penalty shall, in addition thereto, include dismissal through permanent separation from
16 
the service and forfeiture of all benefits and entitlements accruing to the public
17 
position and perpetual disqualification to run or apply for any elective or appointive
18 
public office: Provided, further. That if the offender is a juridical person, the penalty
19 
of imprisonment shall be imposed on the president, chief executive officer, manager,
20 
chairperson and all the members of the board, and other responsible officers thereof,
21 
and the fine shall be equivalent to the zonal value of the land or forty percent (40%)
22 
of the shareholders equity, as determined at the time of judgment whichever is higher
23 
plus forfeiture of the land in favor of the State for sale though public auction, the
24 
proceeds of which shall automatically accrue to the Agrarian Reform Fund as provided
25 
for in Section 60 of this Act.
26 
Sec. 63. Penalty for Reclassification of Protected Agricultural Lands and
27 
Exceeding the Limit of Areas Allowed for Reclassification. — Any person initiating,
28 
causing, inducing, or abetting the reclassification of protected agricultural areas into
29 
nonagricultural uses and exceeding the limits set forth under Section 20 of the LGC of
30 
1991, shall be penalized with imprisonment of twelve (12) years and a fine of not less
31 
than One hundred thousand (P100,000.00) pesos, or both at the discretion of the
32 
court: Provided, That if the offender is a public official or employee, the penalty shall.
49


1 
in addition thereto, include dismissal through permanent separation from the service,
2 
whether eiected or appointed, and forfeiture of entitlements accruing to the public
3 
position, and perpetual disqualification to run or apply for any elective or appointive
4 
public position: Provided, further, That if the offender is a juridical person, the penalty
5 
shall be imposed on the president, chief executive officer, manager, chairperson and
6 
all the members of the board, and other responsible officers thereof.
7 
Sec. 64. Payment of Disturbance Compensation. — Following the order of
8 
priority as enumerated in Section 22 of the CARP, as amended, qualified beneficiaries
9 
such as agricultural lessees and share tenants, regular farm workers, seasonal farm
10 
workers, other farm workers, actual tillers or occupants of public lands, collective, or
11 
cooperative of the above-mentioned beneficiaries, and others directly working on the
12 
land affected by agricultural land use conversion shall be entitled to the payment of
13 
disturbance compensation equivalent to five (5) times the average of the gross
14 
harvests on the landholding during the last five (5) preceding calendar years or a
15 
certain percentage of the converted land, whichever is higher, as determined by the
16 
DAR.
17
18 
CHAPTER XIII
19 
TRANSITORY AND FINAL PROVISIONS
20
21 
Sec. 65. Convening of the NLUC. — Within thirty (30) days from the effectivity
22 
of this Act, the President shall convene the NLUC.
23 
Sec. 66. DAR Conversion of Agricultural Lands. — The authority of the DAR to
24 
convert agricultural land for non-agricultural uses shall be in existence until June 30,
25 
2014 or the expiration of Republic Act No. 9700, otherwise known as the
26 
"Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program with Extension and Reforms Act
27 
(CARPER)". In which case, such authority shall be automatically transferred to the DA
28 
by virtue of this Act.
29 
Sec. 67. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within six (6) months from
30 
the effectivity of this Act, the NLUC shall promulgate the rules and regulations to
31 
implement the provisions of this Act. Said rules and regulations shall be submitted to
32 
the Congressional Oversight Committee for approval.
50


1 
Sec. 68. Congressional Oversight Committee on the Land Use Act. — There is
2 
hereby created a Congressional Oversight Committee which shall monitor the
3 
implementation of this Act. It shall be composed of seven (7) members from the
4 
Senate and seven (7) members from the House of Representatives. The Chairpersons
5 
of the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources and the House of
6 
Representatives Committee on Natural Resources shall be the Chairperson and Co-
7 
Chairperson of the Congressional Oversight Committee, respectively. The other
8 
members from the Senate shall be appointed by the Senate President based on
9 
proportional representation of the parties or coalitions therein with at least one (1)
10 
senator representing the minority. The other members from 
the House of
11 
Representatives shall be appointed by the Speaker also based on proportional
12 
representation of the parties or coalitions therein with at least one (1) member
13 
representing the minority.
14 
The secretariat of the Oversight Committee shall be drawn from the existing
15 
secretariat personnel of the committees comprising the oversight and the funding shall
16 
be taken from the appropriations of both the Senate and 
the House of
17 
Representatives.
18 
Sec. 69. Appropriations. — The appropriations for the National Land Use
19 
Commission shall be taken from the budget of the Office of the President in the
20 
General Appropriations Act in the year following the effectivity of this Act shall be used
21 
to carry out the initial operations of the National Land Use Commission. Thereafter,
22 
additional sums as may be necessary for the full implementation of NLUC's functions
23 
shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
24 
Sec. 70. Review of Existing Land Use Plans. — Provinces, cities, and
25 
municipalities with existing land use plans shall review, revise, reconcile, and
26 
harmonize the same with the guidelines and standards set forth under this Act within
27 
three (3) years from the effectivity of this Act.
28 
Sec. 71. Repealing Clause. — All republic acts, executive orders, rules and
29 
regulations, and other issuances, or parts thereof, that are Inconsistent with the
30 
provisions of this Republic Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
31 
Sec. 72. Non-impairment Clause. —Nothing in this Act shall be construed as to
32 
diminish, impair, or repeal rights recognized, granted, or available to marginalized or
51


1 
basic sectors under existing laws including but not limited to Republic Act Nos. 7279,
2 
6657, 8371, and 8550.
3 
Sec. 73. Separability Clause. — If for any reason or reasons, any part or
4 
provision of this Act shall be declared or held to be unconstitutional or invalid, other
5 
parts or provisions hereof which are not affected thereby shall continue to be in full
6 
force and effect.
7 
Sec. 74. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
8 
its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of
9 
general circulation.
10
Approved,
52