• 
OTV''T\",..,,,vrl'·'''''O· ... rf"uns'c< r.T'1'nn \ 
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i"'lUl..~ l3' VJ:~ :t.£:tJ..:, 
l 
.REPUBL!C ().F THE PHl£JPl"tNES ) 
First Regai~f' Sesswn) 
L. 
,JUL ." 
':5t! 
SEN ATE 
Unqer the Nanonar Land USe Po-lIey Act I(}f2~lB~ it ,shalf bedeciared 'tile po-iiey of 
the stare to imtill m out' people, in the ~ 
and mindli of aa Filipinos a thirty~ 
'year vision and 1800 U1repltm 'fur ou. OOWi:try We Cal'! at! aim fer, Weelit roT, lmU 
acbieveas one ffiipioo Nation. 
I:f1 the 1976 L~ited Nations CGnfeTence on ~tJ Settl~~ Land ~>i-Vgg 
reeognizedtoMve a unique TI'a!mre l!I'frdcrOO,lal 'mre' m the sm;iety which c,annot be 
treated as an ordinary asset.. Larul' i1'> ~ 
~,he' a wlwible tao! in achieving 
social justice andho:listicdevdo~ent, p3!1imwtru:b;. tOOdpl'oonct:ID:n, t.'Ile- provision 
of :decent dweUmgs,huInan.mob.ility ar.d the lreal~ of PetW!e. 
'.' 
. -
- ,-
"tne' PhllippInes has' a totalla.nrl a.:",.a'of~ (~}millioo lrectare& Thee lack o~a 
~ 
comprehensive arnl uniflelil· national land USepl.an, in the· count.l!jr is such a tOflg 
overdue soci~pmitical and ecorKh"llic pulky rsBOO. pusing great challenges and 
constraints to our country's sustainable growth and devetupment. 
A ll'umber (}fsig·ni1ic~-~Ns c{ll".cemiP..g lal"...d'lIDtizatio:l} and the. w..!magement of 
land resoumes nave been enacted.. 
These include, 'among ot.hers, the 
COmpr.ehensive .A.gt'arian~ Law, the NatiOJ.ilHi mregrme.d Prmected Areas 
System '(NIP AS) Act, the Indigenous. Pe.0ples Riglrts Act, '!he Philippine Fisheries 
Code, the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act, the UrlhmDevelopment 
and Housing Ae:t (UDHA) Act. the Mmmg Acl;,·.aoo the Forest.!)" ReJ't"JiID Code_ 
HOwever, there is. a brurlc 1l.'1d mgentlleed m legi~ a cemprcl<enJilive national 
land use fi"amew:ol'k in our. country, theabsmoo'.o$._tih has~ed problems and 
constraints. such as the it\t,-onsi~1ellcy ofll'£\.vs. 0;\ landuti1izatipna~ oonffict among 
different sectors due to ccm~ 
Uew.ar-£s of land1jlr ecooomi~ and· cmnmercial 
uses, fOod production, shelter, environment pteseT\'f8.tIDll 1md indigenoos. people's 
preservation. TIiis proposed mem.'tlTC seeks to p1rawrc4e for a rational, httlistic and 
iu:st .aUocatiotl, . utilization, managemellt ood devcl~lent 'Of the ccOurrtry'1S lood (0 
. ensure u1eir optimum use, ml1sistent with the<principle -of sustainable OOve:topment. 
t 


It intends to instimtiooaliEe iarrtf use ·ami physt.:;al p~iW'ih1g Wti a boitmncup top-
downapprooch 2,.'1: m~" 
foc identifying, df>...:l:eW>.it1ing~ and evalrurting 
alternatfve rand use and allocation pa~tlmt pl"1lm(fte amt.~ sliIStaloohte and 
just managmnent and ut:i}i;l:a--tioo of. nat'ural ~rees, equitable ~ring :and 
distribution of weruth "00: reiltmrces. 
nWnf~ae ,and presetVll.Uoo' of 
envir{)nmental ifttegrity and stability, fo~ and' energy iretwlty, protecUOfl' O'f ~e 
agdc."Ultural kinds for food productirn-:t activities'ami tiw cfif.l'lpletion ~f the 
Cmnp,rehensive Agrarian Refonn Program (CARP),.an:w.ng ot.~" ... 
Under this biU. the National (an4JJse Cummission, <IS the m,girest hw.J use policy 
making body shan f@rmuiate and '~menta n.a'tWnaI framework: lOr ",hvsical 
.. 
....t 
.,t;.', 
P-x ... 
plamiing that sll"ctU serve as the geneml lotlg-ieml frdffiewnrk [or tire spatiai 
dewlopment directions aftIre entire· ootruny. 'f't<.e physical fum;-.ewmk andkmd use 
plans are also prepared at the municipal, city, pI'Ovmeial and regiooa1levefs. This 
b1Ualso mandates the inclusion of sustainable land use oo'Ubation in ihe curricula 
of ret f,rimary. secondary andrema.ry ed~nal ms..·m .. ·tious.. 
In view of the f(,}f,'egoing, the immediate enac:tm~t/ 
> 
legislation is ea.."I1esdy sought. 
t 


I' 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
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['3 
---------------In-tr-o-d-uc-e-d-b-y-S-E-N-A-T-sO-'~-'-:-:-{E-,G-'-O-Rl--O-B-.-H-O--N-A-S-A-N-~-·~-'---------'-'·'~·"~ 
AN ACT 
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INSTITUTING A NATIONAL LAND USE POLICY, PROVIDING THE IMPLEMENTING 
MECHANISMS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
15 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
16 
assembled: 
17 
CHAPTER I 
18 
INTRODUCTORY PROVISIONS 
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SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known and cited as the "National Land Use Policy Act 
20 
(NALUPA) of2013", 
21 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policies and Principles. - It is hereby declared the policy of the state 
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to instill in our people, in the hearts and minds of all Filipinos, a thirty (30)-year vision and land use 
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plan [or our country we can all aim for, work for, and achieve as one Filipino nation. All lands of the 
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public domain, waters, minerals, coal, petroleum, and other mineral oils, all forces of potential energy, 
25 
fisheries, forests or timber, wildlife, fora and fauna, and other natural resources are owned by the state. 
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With the exception of agricultural lands, all other natural resources shall not be alienated. 
27 
Pursuant to the constitutional provision or mandate, it is the policy of the State to provide [or a 
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rational, holistic, and just allocation, utilization, management, and development of the country's land 
29 
to ensure their optimum use, consistent with the principle of sustainable development. 
30 
The State shall recognize the need for rational, optimal and sustainable settlements 
31 
development, consistent with the principles of environmental management and equitable access to 
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land and water security, 
33 
The State shall treat group of islands, including parts of islands, interconnecting waters and 
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other natural features which are so closely interrelated, as forming an intrinsic geographical, economic 
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and political entity, or which historically have been regarded as such entity. 
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Toward this end, the State shall institutionalize land use and physical planning as mechanisms 
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for identifying, determining, and evaluating appropriate land use and allocation patterns that promote 
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and ensure: 
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(a) Sustainable management and utilization of natural resources; 
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(b) Maintenance and preservation of environmental integrity and stability specifically the 
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perpetual protection of permanent forests and watersheds for the attainment of food, water and energy 
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sufficiency; 
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(c) Disaster risk-reduction and climate change resiliency; 
, 
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(d) Protection of prime agricultural lands for food security in basic commodities with emphasis 
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on self-sufficiency in rice and corn; 
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(e) Water security through sustainable development and management of water resources; 


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(I) Settlements, transportation and infrastructure development in support of urban, rural and 
2 
regional development and inclusive growth; 
3 
(g) Harmony between the rights and the varied interests of every Filipino within the framework 
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of people empowerment, decentralizatinn, social justice, and equity; 
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(h) Respect for and protection of the sustainable traditional resource rights of the Indigenous 
6 
Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) to their ancestral domains to ensure their 
7 
economic, social, and cultural well-being as well as recognition of the applicability of customary laws 
8 
and sustainable traditional resource use and management, knowledge, and practices in ancestral 
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domains in compliance with free and prior informed consent of ICC/IPs; 
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(i) Equitable access to land through State intervention that guarantees its affordability to the 
II 
basic and marginalized sectors; 
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(j) Protection, preservation, and development of the Filipino historical, cultural and built 
13 
cultural heritage and resources for the deeper understanding of our history and culture as a people; 
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(k) Attainment of energy security and self-sufficiency; and 
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(I) Market orientation where the interplay of market forces and fair trade within the framework 
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of ecological development and equity consideration is encouraged and adopted as the basic parameter 
17 
in achieving efficiency in land use and allocation. 
18 
It is also the policy of the State to ensure that local government units (LGUs) share with the 
19 
national government the responsibility of managing and maintaining ecological balance through co-
20 
management, partnership and convergence arrangements within their territorial jurisdiction as stated in 
21 
the 1987 Constitution and the 1991 Local Government Code (LGC) or Republic Act No. 7160. 
22 
Guided by the principle that the use of land bears a social function and that all economic agents 
23 
shall contribute to the common good, landowners, land tenure holders, in the case of forestlands, be it 
24 
an individual, communal, corporate or group shall be held responsible for developing and consen;ing 
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their lands thereby making their lands productive and supportive of environmental stability. 
26 
SEC. 3. Scope. - This Act shall apply to all lands whether public, private, government-owned, 
27 
and/or in the possession of individuals, communities, indigenous people, or groups of people, 
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including areas declared/designated as special economic zones and/or freeports, proclamations and 
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reservations to provide for a rational, holistic, and just allocation, development and management of 
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land and water resources including such activities that bear impact on said resources. 
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CHAPTER II 
32 
DEFINITIONS 
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SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. - As used in and for purposes of this Act, the following terms 
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shall mean: 
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(a) Agricultural land shall refer to land of public domain and private land which have been 
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devoted to agricultural activity as detined in Republic Act No. 6657, as amended and not further 
37 
classified for residential, commercial or industrial use and such other uses as may be provided by law; 
38 
(b) Agricultural land use conversion shall refer to the undertaking of any development activity 
39 
which modifies or alters the physical characteristics of agricultural lands to render them suitable for 
40 
non-agricultural purposes with an approved order of conversion issued exclusively by the Department 
41 
of Agrarian Reform (DAR); 


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(c) Alienable and disposable (A&D) lands shall refer to lands of the public domain which 
h,ave been delineated, classified, and certified as open and available for disposition under the 
provisions of Commonwealth Act No.141, otherwise known as the "Public Land Act," as amended; 
(d) Ancestral domains shall refer to all areas generally belonging to ICCs/IPs as defined in 
Republic Act No. 8371, otherwise known as the "Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) of 1998;" 
(e) 
ANCESTRAL DOMAIN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND PROTECTION PLAN (ADSDPP) 
REFERS TO THE CONSOLIDATION OF THE PLANS OF ICC/IPs WITHING AN ANCESTRAL DOMAIN FOR THE 
SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES AS 
WELL AS THE DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN AND CULTURAL RESOURCES BASED ON THEIR INDIGENOUS 
KNOWLEDGE, SYSTEMS AND PRACTICES. 
(0 
Basic and marginalized sectors shall refer to a group of people such as but not limited 
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to the farmers, fisherfolks, urban poor and indigenous people; 
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(g) Basic Shelter shall refer to any subdivision unit, housing unit or condominium satisfying 
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the barest minimum shelter requirements under the minimum design standards of Batas Pambansa BIg. 
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220; 
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(h) Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) shall refer to a document embodying a set of 
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policies and guidelines, accompanied by official maps and similar illustrations, that serves as principal 
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basis for determining the future land use of lands and natural resources for production and protection 
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purpose within the territorial jurisdiction of the city or municipality. It represents the community-
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desired pattern of population distribution and proposes future allocation of land resources to various 
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land-using activities. It identifies the allocation, character, and extent of the areas of land resources to 
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be used for different purposes and includes the processes and the criteria employed in the 
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determination of the land use. It has a long-term perspective, encompassing a minimum of ten (10) 
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years; 
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(i) Comprehensive land use planning shall refer to the act of defining the strategic allocation, 
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utilization, development and management of all lands within a given territory or jurisdiction according 
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to the inherent characteristic of the land itself and supportive of sustainable, economic, demographic, 
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socio-cultural and environmental objectives as an aid to decision-making and legislation; 
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Gl Coastal area/zone shall refer to a band of dry land and the adjacent ocean space (water and 
30 
submerged land) in which terrestrial processes and uses directly affect oceanic processes and uses, and 
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vice versa. Its geographic extent may include areas within a landmark limit of one (1) kilometer from 
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the shoreline at high tide to include mangrove swamps, brackish water ponds, nipa swamps, estuarine 
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rivers, sandy beaches and other areas within a seaward limit of 200 meters isobath to include coral 
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reefs, algal flats, seagrass beds, and other soft-bottom areas. For purposes of initiating and 
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implementing sustainable coastal resources protection and management, it shall include foreshore 
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lands; 
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(k) Critical habitats shall refer to areas outside protected areas as defined in Republic Act No. 
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7586, otherwise known as the "National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 1992", that are 
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known habitats of threatened species and designated as such based on scientific data taking into 
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consideration species endemicity and/or richness, presence of human-made pressures/threats to the 
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survival of wildlife living in the area, among others; 
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(I) Critical watershed shall refer to a drainage area of a river system supporting existing and 


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proposed hydro-electric power, domestic water consumption, irrigation works or existing water 
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facilities needing immediate protection and rehabilitation to minimize erosion and Improve water 
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yield. It shall be closed for logging until it is fully rehabilitated; 
4 
(m)Cultural heritage shall refer to the totality of cultural properties preserved and developed 
5 
through time and passed on for posterity; 
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(n) Customary laws shall refer to a body of written and/ or unwritten rules, usages, customs 
7 
and practices traditionally and continually recognized, accepted, and observed by respective ICCs/IPs, 
8 
consistent with the IPRA; 
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(0) Development plan shall refer to a document that defines the activities or measures that the 
10 
national government or local government units (LGU's) intend to implement in order to achieve a 
II 
defined set of development goals. It integrates the socio-economic and sectoral plans of the national 
12 
government or its instrumentality or a particular LGU with the approved land use or physical 
13 
framework plans. 
It may include an analysis of problems and resources, definition of goals and 
14 
objectives, policy guidelines, project and target achievements, and an implementation mechanism 
15 
which defines the roles and contributions expected from the government and the private sector. 
16 
Development plans include the national-level Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) 
17 
and its counterpart plans at the regional, provincial and local levels called the Medium-Term Regional 
18 
Development Plan (MTRDP), the Provincial Physical Framework and Development Plan (PPFDP) and 
19 
the Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP). These plans are translated into medium-term investment 
20 
programs, also prepared at the national, regional and local levels, where programs, projects and 
. 
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activities derived from the development plans are ranked, prioritized, and matched with investment 
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financing capacities; 
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(p) Ecologicallyji'agi/e lands shall refer to lands within the critical watershed, brackish and 
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freshwater wetlands, pasture lands, and croplands which require rehabilitation and whose continued 
. 25 
unsustainable use would adversely affect the productivity of lowland agricultural areas and the 
26 
stability of the upland ecosystem; 
27 
(q) Ecotourism shall refer to sustainable tourism or travel to a given natural area with exotic or 
28 
threatened ecosystems or a heritage area to observe wildlife or to help preserve nature, in the process 
29 
providing for community participation, protection and management of natural resources, culture and 
30 
indigenous knowledge systems and practices, environmental education and ethics, as well as economic 
31 
benefits fostered and pursued for the enrichment of host communities and the satisfaction of visitors; 
32 
(r) Energy resource lands shall refer to lands where naturally occurring or indigenous energy 
33 
resources exist in sufficient quantity or quality as to be economically viable for exploration, 
34 
development, production, utilization, and distribution process; 
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(s) Energy resources shall refer to surface or subsurface substances that serve as energy 
36 
sources. These are traditionally mineral fuel deposits such as coal, petroleum, natural gas or renewable 
37 
resources from geothermal, hydro reservoirs, or non-conventional sources such as ocean waves, solar, 
38 
wind, biomass, and other similar resources which serve the same purpose; 
39 
(t) Environmentally critical areas shall refer to areas declared by law as: (a) protected areas 
40 
pursuant to Republic Act No. 7586 or the NIPAS Act of 1992; (b) areas for natural parks, watershed 
41 
reserves, wildlife preserves, and sanctuaries; (c) areas set aside as aesthetic potential tourist spots; (d) 


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areas which constitute the habitat of any endangered or threatened species or indigenous Philippine 
wildlife (flora and fauna); (e) areas of unique historic, archaeological, or scientific interests; (I) arcas 
which are traditionally occupied by ICCs/IPs; (g) areas with critical slopes; (h) areas frequented and/or 
hard hit by natural calamities such as but not limited to geologic hazards, floods, typhoons and 
volcanic activities; 
(i) areas exposed to geologic and hydro-meteorlogic hazards; 
0) prime 
agricultural lands; (k) recharge areas of aquifers; (I) water bodies; (m) mangrove areas; (n) toral 
reefs; (0) mossy and old-growth forests; (p) rivers and river banks; (q) swamp forest and marshlands; 
and (r) foreshore lands. This term shall also include other terrestrial, aquatic and marine areas that 
need special protection and conservation measures because they are ecologically fragile or they are 
needed for food security and food self sufficiency as determined by concerned agencies and LGUs in 
consultation with the concerned sectors; 
(u) Estuary shall refer to a wetland type where the river mouth widens into a marine 
ecosystem, the salinity of which is intermediate between salt and freshwater where tidal action is an 
important biophysical regulator; 
(v) Exhausted energy resource lands shall refer to specific energy resource sites whose energy 
reserves of the desired type(s) are no longer in sufficient quantity or quality to justify additional 
expenditure for their extraction and utilization as certified by the Department of Energy; 
(w) 
Exhausted mineral lands shall refer to specific sites whose mineral deposits are no 
longer in sufficient quantity or quality to justify additional expenditure for their extraction and 
utilization as may be determined by the latest technology available; 
(x) Exhausted mineral resources shall refer to a situation where the mineral resources m 
specific sites are no longer in sufficient quantity or quality to justify additional expenditure for 
extraction or utilization as determined by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and approved by 
the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR); 
(y) Flood plain shall refer to the portion of a river valley adjacent to a river channel which is 
covered with water when river overflows its banks at flood stages. The plain usually consists of silt 
deposited by the stream; 
(z) Flood-prone areas shall refer to low lying areas usually adjacent to large or active water 
bodies and therefore experience regular or seasonal inundation as a result of changes in the mean water 
level of these bodies or because of land reclamation and other artificial interference with the natural 
processes; 
I 
(aa) 
Food security shall refer to the policy objective of meeting the food availability, 
33 
accessibility, quality and affordability requirements of the present and future generations of Filipinos 
34 
in a sustainable manner, through local production or importation, only when there is shortage 
35 
established based on a micro level situation, or both, based on the country's existing and potential 
36 
resource endowments and related production advantages, and consistent with the overall national 
37 
development objectives and policies; 
38 
(bb) 
Forest refers to an ecosystem or an assemblage of ecosystems dominate.d by trees and 
39 
other woody vegetation; a community of plants and animals interacting with one another and its 
40 
physical environment; 
41 
(cc) 
Food self-SUfficiency 
shall refer to the policy objective of meeting the food 


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requirements through intensive local food production in a sustainable manner based on the country's 
existing and potential resource endowments and related production advantages; 
(dd) 
Forestlands shall refer to lands of the public domain classified and/or determined as 
needed. They include all permanent forests or forest reserves, forest reservations and all remaining 
unclassified lands of the public domain; 
(ee) 
Foreshore land shall refer to the part of the shore which is alternately covered and 
uncovered by the ebb and flow of the tide; 
(ft) 
Free and prior informed consent shall refer to consensus of all members of the 
ICCs/IPs to be determined in accordance with their respective customary laws and practices, free from 
any external manipulation, interference and coercion, and obtained after fully disclosing the intent and 
scope of the activity, in a language and process understandable to the community; 
(gg) 
Geo-hazards shall refer to natural and human-induced geological processes that have 
potential to cause destruction and pose a threat or risk to human life and property; 
(hh) 
Geo-hazard prone areas shall refer to areas frequently visited and/or vulnerable or 
prone to experience weather/climatic, hydrologic, geologic, and other natural calamities; 
(ii) 
Heritage zones shall refer to historical, anthropological, archaeological and artistic 
geographical areas and settings that are cultur~lIy significant to the country as declared by the Natibnal 
Museum and/or National Historical Commission of the Philippines, pursuant to Republic Act No. 
10066 or the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009; 
Uj) 
Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) shall refer to groups 
of people or homogenous societies identified under Republic Act No. 8371 or the "Indigenous 
People's Rights Act (IPRA)"; 
(kk) 
Inland walers shall refer to waters, which are not coastal and marine waters not subject 
to acquisitive prescription consistent with the provisions of Presidential Decree No. 1067, otherwise 
known as the "Water Code of the Philippines"; 
(II) 
Inter-tidal sand flat shall refer to a juvenile fish-feeding area and habitat for 
crustaceans. The littoral gravel and sand biotopes are also used by important wintering ground and 
roosting/feeding grounds of indigenous migratory birds; 
(mm) Integrated ecosystems watershed management shall refer to an integrated planning and 
management framework that covers the ridge-to-reef landscape of a watershed or subwatershed from 
its upland, lowland and coastal ecosystems and the interaction, interdependencies and linkages of its 
bio-physical, human and physical resources and development;; 
(nn) 
Key biodiversity areas shall refer to sites that are nationally and globally significant for 
biodiversity conservation primarily containing species that require site-scale conservation to prevent 
extinction in the short-tenn and medium-term. Such species may be nationally and globally threatened 
, restricted-range and/or nationally and globally significant congregations of species; 
(00) 
Lagoon shall refer to a semi-enclosed coastal basin with limited freshwater input, high 
38 
salinity and restricted circulation which often lies behind sand dunes. It is often highly productive and 
39 
habitat for variety of plants and animal, serves as nurseries of prawns and shrimps and also site for 
40 
harbor, aquaculture, industry and recreation; 
41 
(pp) 
Land shall refer to resources, both natural and artificial, found on the surface, below, 


7 
and above the ground including inland and coastal waters; 
2 
(qq) 
Land use shall refer to the manner of allocation, utilization, management \ and 
3 
development of land; 
4 
(rr) 
Land use classification shall refer to the act of delineating or allocating lands according 
5 
to protection land use, production land use, settlements development, and infrastructure development 
6 
as defined and provided for in this Act; 
7 
(ss) 
Land sub-classification shall refer to the act of determining and assigning specific uses 
8 
of classified lands of the public domain, such as forest or timber lands, alienable or disposable 
9 
agricultural lands, national parks, and mineral lands in accordance with existing laws and this Act; 
10 
(11) 
Mandatory public hearings/consultations shall refer to the mechanism to ensure the 
II 
active participation of concerned sectors in all affected areas in land use planning from the local to the 
12 
national level. It involves giving effective notice of hearing/consultation to concerned sectors within an 
13 
affected area through direct written invitations, using regular mail or electronic means, and 
14 
publication/posting in conspicuous places, conduct of a reasonable number of hearings in or proximate 
15 
to the specific area affected, and solicitation of positions and the public presentation and public 
16 
confirmation of the planning results in the specific area affected before the final adoption of the plans; 
17 
(uu) 
Minerals shall refer to all naturally occurring inorganic substance in solid, gas, liquid 
18 
or intermediate state excluding energy materials such as coal, petroleum, natural gas, radioactive 
19 
materials and geothermal energy; 
20 
(vv) 
Mineral exploration shall refer to the systematic searching or prospecting for mineral 
21 
resources; 
22 
(ww) Minerallands shall refer to lands of the public domain, excluding those in permanent 
23 
forestlands, protection lands and privately-owned lands where minerals resources are found in 
24 
sufficient quantity and quality for extraction, development and utilization; 
25 
(xx) 
Mineral resources shall refer to any concentration of minerals/rocks with potential 
26 
economic value; 
27 
(ww) Mudflat shall refer to a wetland type that is usually an unvegetated area, dominated by 
28 
muddy substrate which provides rich feeding 'grounds for vertebrates such as fish and water birds \ and 
29 
also important in preventing soil erosion; 
30 
(xx) Multiple use oJland resources shall refer to the utilization or management strategy for any 
31 
land, within production land use areas, which allows any activity, involving one or more of its 
32 
resources, depending on the result of prior evaluation on its numerous beneficial use that will produce 
33 
the optimum benefits to the development and progress of the country and the public welfare without 
34 
impairment or with the least injury to its resources.; 
35 
(yy) Municipal waters shall include not only streams, lakes, inland bodies of water and tidal 
36 
waters within the municipality which are not included within the protected areas as defined under 
37 
Republic Act No, 7586 (the NIPAS Law), public forest, timber lands, forest reserves or fishery 
38 
reserves, but also marine waters included between two (2) lines drawn perpendicular to the general 
39 
coastline from points where the boundary lines ofthe municipality touch the sea at low tide and a third 
40 
line parallel with the general coastline including offshore islands and fifteen (15) kilometers from such 
41 
coastline. Where two (2) municipalities are so situated on opposite shores that there is less than thirty 


8 
(30) kilometers of marine waters between them, the third line shall be equally distant from opposite 
2 
shore of the respective municipalities. 
3 
(zz) National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIP AS) shall refer to the classification and 
4 
administration of all designated protected areas to maintain essential ecological processes and life-
5 
support systems, to preserves genetics diversity, to ensure sustainable use of resources found therein, 
6 
and to maintain their natural conditions to the greatest extent possible; 
7 
(aaa) 
National Parks shall refer to a forest reservation essentially of natural wilderness 
8 
character which has been withdrawn from settlement, occupancy or any form of exploitation except in 
9 
conformity with approved management plan and set aside as such exclusively to COnserve the area or 
10 
preserve the scenery, the natural and historic objects, wild animals and plants therein and to provide 
11 
enj oyment ofthese features in such areas; 
12 
(bbb) National physical jramework plan, also referred to as the National Land Use Plan, shall 
13 
refer to a strategic plan containing the policy areas determining the most appropriate and rational I use 
14 
of land and other physical resources such as but not limited to protection, production, settlement and 
IS 
infrastructure land use. 
It provides policy guidelines for all decisions relating to land use and 
16 
e\wironmental management, to prevent and mitigate the adverse effects of inappropriate resource 
17 
utilization on the country's food security and food self-sufficiency on rice and corn, the people's 
18 
welfare and their environment. It embodies both policies and strategies necessary to carry out goals 
19 
and objectives of this Act; 
20 
(ccc) Network ojProtected Areas for Agriculture and Agro-industrial Development (NP AAAD) 
21 
shall refer to agricultural areas identified by the Department of Agriculture through the Bureau of Soils 
22 
and Water Management (BSWM) in coordination with the National Mapping and Resource 
23 
Information Authority (NAMRIA) in order to ensure the efficient utilization of land for agriculture and 
24 
agro-industrial development and promote sustainable growth. 
The NP AAAD covers all irrigated 
25 
areas, all irrigable lands already covered by irrigation projects with firm funding commitments, all 
26 
alluvial plains, land highly suitable for agriculture whether irrigated or not, agro-industrial croplands 
27 
or lands planted to industrial crops that support the validity of existing agricultural infrastructure and 
28 
agro-based enterprises, highlands or areas located at an elevation of five hundred (500) meters or 
29 
above and have the potential for growing semi-temperate and high value crops, all agricultural lands 
30 
that are ecologically fragile the conversion of which will result in serious environmental degradation, 
31 
and all mangrove areas and fish sanctuaries; 
32 
(ddd) Patrimonial properties refer to all the properties belonging to the State that are not 
33 
intended for public use or for public service for the development of national wealth; 
34 
(eee) People's organization shall refer to a private, non-profit, voluntary and community-
35 
based organization with membership constituency established primarily to provide service to its 
36 
members and the community in general; 
37 
(fft) Permanent forest shall refer to lands of the public domain, that includes forest reserves, 
38 
which has been identified and determined to be needed for protection, conservation, preservation and 
39 
management as forests and shall be reserved, conserved and protected into perpetuity for such 
40 
purpose; 
41 
(ggg) Permanent forestlands shall refer to forestlands, within public or private lands, that 


9 
1 
have been identified, determined and demarcated on the ground by the State to serve such purpose and 
2 
shall be protected, conserved, preserved, maintained and managed as forestlands free from any form of 
3 
utilization, exploitation or development, and reserved permanently as such for the benefit and use of 
4 
future generations; 
5 
(hhh) Physical framework plans shall refer to strategic plans based on comprehensive land 
6 
use plans (CLUPs) and national policies whether national, regional, or provincial which provide policy 
, 
7 
guidelines for all decisions relating to land use and environmental management to prevent or mitigate 
8 
the adverse effects of inappropriate resource utilization on food security, the people's welfare and their 
9 
environment. It embodies both policies and strategies necessary to carry out development goals and 
10 
objectives; 
II 
(iii) Premature or illegal conversion of agricultural lands shall refer to any activity that 
12 
modifies or alters the physical characteristics of agricultural lands to render them suitable for non-
13 
agricultural purposes without an approved order of conversion from the DAR Secretary; 
14 
Gjj) Prime agricultural lands shall refer to all irrigated areas; all irrigable lands; all rain-fed 
15 
areas planted to rice and corn; all lands classified by the Bureau of Soils and Water Management under 
16 
its land capability classification system as Class A, Class B, and Class C lands; all agricultural lands 
17 
that are ecologically fragile, the conversion of which will result in serious environmental degradation, 
18 
and mangrove areas and fish sanctuaries; 
19 
(kkk) Production land use shall refer to the direct and indirect utilization of land to generate 
20 
outputs resulting from the following activities, but not limited to: agricultural, fish, farming or 
21 
aquaculture, timber production, agro-forestry, grazing and pasture, mining, indigenous energy resource 
22 
development, industry, and tourism; 
23 
(Ill) Protected areas shall refer to portions of land and water set aside by reason of their 
24 
unique physical and biological significance, ·managed to enhance biological diversity, and prot~cted 
25 
against destructive human exploitation. For purposes of this Act, it shall include agricultural lands 
26 
identified and delineated under Section 32 hereof; 
27 
(mmm) Protection land use shall refer to the utilization of land primarily for food, water and 
28 
energy security, rehabilitation, conservation, and protection purposes for the promotion of the 
29 
country's ecological and life-support systems; 
30 
(nnn) Public domain shall refer to lands that belong to the State which may be any of the 
31 
following: agricultural, forest or timber, mineral, or national park as provided for in the Constitution; 
32 
(000) Public lands shall refer to lands which have not been subject to private property rights or 
33 
subject to sale or other modes of acquisition or concession under the general laws, and are devoted to 
34 
public use; 
35 
(ppp) 
Reclassification of agricultural lands 
shall refer to the act of specifying how 
36 
agricultural lands shall be utilized for non-agricultural uses such as residential, industrial, or 
37 
commercial purposes through the local planning and zoning processes pursuant to Republic Act No. 
38 
7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991 and subject to the reqnirements and procedure for 
39 
conversion. It is equivalent to land sub-classification, as defined in this Act for classified lands of the 
40 
public domain and also includes the reversion of non-agricultural lands to agricultural use; 
41 
(qqq) Resettlement sites shall refer to areas identified by the appropriate national agency or by 


10 
I 
the LOU, with respect to areas within its jurisdiction which shall be used for the relocation of the 
2 
underprivileged and homeless, as defined under Republic Act No. 7279 or the "Urban Development 
3 
and Housing Act (UOl-IA)"; 
4 
(rrr) River basin shall refer to the portion of land drained by a river and its tributaries. It 
5 
encompasses the entire land surface dissected and drained by many streams and creeks that flow 
6 
downhill into one another, and eventually into one river. The final destination is an estuary or an 
7 
ocean; 
8 
(sss) Settlements shall refer to formal and informal communities or bUilt-up residential areas 
9 
where people prefer to live in land areas classified, zoned, or converted for current or future residential 
I 
10 
or housing development purposes, including socialized housing zones for the homeless and 
11 
underprivileged citizens; 
12 
(ttt) Settlements development shall refer to any improvement on existing formal or informal 
13 
residential or housing settlements or any proposed development of certain areas for residential or mass 
14 
housing settlement purposes. It also involves the spatial distribution of population, identification of the 
15 
roles and functions of key urban centers, determination of relationships among settlement areas, and 
16 
the provision of basic services and facilities of identified major residential or housing settlement areas 
17 
or growth centers. It is also concerned with the interrelationship of settlements as they develop and 
18 
establish functional linkages based on their respective resource endowments and comparative 
19 
advantages; 
20 
(uuu) Shoreline shall refer to the line where shore and water meet; 
21 
(vvv) Significant caves shall refer to caves which contain materials or possess features that 
22 
have archaeological, cultural, ecological, historical or scientific value as determined by the DENR in 
23 
coordination with the scientific community and the academe; 
24 
(www) Socialized housing shall refer to housing programs and projects undertaken by the 
25 
government or the private sector for the underprivileged and homeless citizens which shall include 
26 
sites and services development, long-term financing, liberalized terms on interest payments, and such 
27 
other benefits in accordance with the UDHA; 
28 
(xxx) 
Socialized housing zones shall refer to lands identified and designated by local 
29 
government units as sites for socialized housing, pursuant to Article IV of Republic Act No. 7279 or 
30 
the UDHA, and its implementing guidelines. 
31 
(yyy) Sustainable development shall refer to the development objective of meeting the needs 
32 
of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own 
33 
needs consistent with the principles of social equity, efficiency, and environmental integrity; 
34 
(zzz) Tourism development areas shall refer to specific sites for tourism development located 
35 
in areas identified as priorities in the national,. regional, and inter-regional area specific tourism m~ster 
36 
plans and other sector plans such as eeo-tourism and agri-tourism sites, including those designated 
37 
through legislative and executive issuances such as tourist spots, tourist zones and tourism ecozones 
38 
which can be developed into tourism estates or integrated resort, leisure, and recreation complexes, 
39 
and other tourism related facilities subject to restrictions imposed by its protection status and land use 
40 
category; 
41 
(aaaa) Tourism Enterprise Zone shall refer to an area designated as tourism enterprise zone by 


11 
1 
the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) pursuant to the provisions of 
2 
Republic Act No. 9593 otherwise known as the Tourism Act of 2009; 
3 
(bbbb) 
Tourism estates shall refer to large tracts of land with well-defined boundaries in any 
4 
area identified in the Philippine tourism master plan and regional tourism master plan, by proclamation 
5 
of the President and/or by an act of Congress or local legislation~ Such land shall be suitable for the 
6 
development of an integrated tourism and resort complex including but not limited to accommodation 
7 
facilities, food and beverage outlets, convention and meeting areas, sports, recreational and leisure 
8 
centers and commercial outlets among others. It shall be provided with roads, water supply facilities, 
9 
power and utilities like potable water, drainage sewerage disposal, solid waste disposal system and 
10 
other necessary infrastructure. The estate shall be under one unified and continuous management; 
II 
(cccc) Tourist spot shall refer to a particular area/site/spot, human-made or natural, known for 
12 
its unique tourist/visitor-drawing attributes and activities. It may be classified according to its social, 
13 
cultural, natural, historical, scientific, religious, and recreational significance; 
14 
(dddd) Tourist zone shall refer to a geographic area not designated under protection land use, 
IS 
with well-defined boundaries proclaimed as such by the President of the Philippines and/or by acts of 
16 
Congress. No development projects for any purpose shall be initiated and introduced within the zone 
17 
prior to the formulation of a tourism master development plan which shall be undertaken in 
18 
coordination with the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone 
19 
Authority (TIEZA). A tourist zone is established for the enhancement and/or the conservation of 
20 
cultural and historical heritage and for the appreciation and enjoyment of the local population and its 
21 
visitors; 
22 
(eeee) 
Urban areas shall refer to all cities regardless of their population density and to 
23 
municipalities with population density of at least Five hundred (500) persons per square kilometer; 
24 
(ffff) Urbanizable areas shall refer to sites and lands which, considering present characteristics 
25 
and prevailing conditions, display marked and great potential of becoming urban areas within a period 
26 
of five (5) years; 
27 
(gggg) Urban forestry or green space shall refer to the establishment and management of 
28 
forest in urban environment for the physiological and psychological well being of the people; 
29 
(hhhh) Water security shall refer to the sutlicient access throughout the year to the minimum 
30 
daily requirement of clean water to maintain a healthy life; 
31 
(iiii) 
Water use shall refer to the appropriation of water for domestic, municipal, ilTigation, 
32 
power generation, inland fisheries, poultry and livestock raising, industrial and commercial, 
33 
environmental, and recreational use and other purposes; 
34 
(jjjj) 
Watershed shall refer to a land area drained by a stream or fixed body of water and its 
35 
tributaries having a common outlet for surface runoff; 
36 
(kkkk) Zoning shall refer to the process of delineating the specific uses of lands in accordance 
37 
with the approved Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) within the territorial jurisdiction of a 
38 
city/municipality and specifYing the conditions for their regulation; subject to the limitations imposed 
39 
by law and competent authority; and 
40 
(llll) 
Zoning ordinance or ZO shall refer to a local law passed by the Sangguniang Bayan or 
41 
Panglunsod approving the development controllzoning plan in accordance with an approved or 


12 
1 
adopted CLUP for the city/municipality, and providing for the regulations and other conditions on the 
2 
uses of land including the limitation on the infrastructure that may be placed thereon within the 
3 
territorial jurisdiction of a city or municipality. It incorporates the protected areas under Section 13(a) 
4 
and the protected agricultural lands under Section 32 ofthis Act. 
5 
CHAPTER III 
6 
PHYSICAL FRAMEWORK AND LAND USE PLANS 
7 
SEC. 5. National Land Use Planning Process. - The land use and physical planning process 
8 
shall be formulated following a combined bottom-up and top-down approach. The National Land Use 
9 
Commission (NLUC) shall draft the National Physical Framework Plan (NPFP)lNational Land Usc 
10 
Plan (NLUP) which shall have a timeframe of thirty (30) years, with regular review and updating every 
11 
ten (10) years: Provided, however, That nothing herein shall prevent the NLUC from reviewing and 
12 
updating at anytime the NPFPINLUP where public interest so requires. The NPFP, which guides the 
13 
planning and management of the country's land and other physical resources at the national and sub-
14 
national levels, shall indicate broad spatial directions and policy guidelines on settlements 
15 
development, production land use, protection land use, and infrastructure such as but not limited to 
16 
social services, and utilities, transportation and communication. The Regional Physical Framework 
17 
Plans (RPFPs), Provincial Physical Framework and Development Plans (PPFDPs), and Comprehensive 
18 
Land Use Plans (CLUPs), which shall also have a 30-year timeframe and cover the physical 
19 
development of their respective territories, shall be consistent with the national physical framework 
20 
plan: Provided, That the integration and harmonization of the physical framework plans at all levels 
21 
shall be iterative to ensure that the concerns of both top and bottom levels of government are 
22 
considered. The physical and land use plans prepared at all levels shall have internal consistency 
23 
specifically on, but not limited to, the development, management and conservation of forestlands found 
24 
within a given territory and the linkages of the major land use categories to ensure their 
25 
complementation in the utilization, development and management of resources. 
26 
All regional, provincial, city and municipal land use plans and zoning ordinances shall only be 
27 
amended or revised at the earliest after every ten (10) years except if an earlier amendment or revision 
28 
of the CLUP or ZO is authorized by the NLUC due to extraordinary causes. 
29 
The NLUC shall issue procedural guidelines which shall guide the formulation and 
30 
integration/harmonization process: Provided, That the National Economic and Development Authority 
31 
(NEDA), the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB), the Department of the Interior and 
\ 
32 
Local Government (DILG) and other agencies will continue to issue guidelines on the content of the 
33 
plans consistent with their respective agency mandates. 
34 
SEC. 6. City and Municipal Land Use Plans. - All barangays shall provide their sectoral, 
35 
temporal and spatial data for the CLUP which shall serve as the foundation for the formulation of the 
36 
city/municipal CLUPs. The data shall be provided by the sangguniang pambarangay through 
37 
stakeholder consultations. The Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) shall determine the specific 
38 
uses of land and other physical and natural resources, both private and public, within their territorial 
39 
jurisdiction including areas co-managed with the national government and, as appropriate, 
40 
management plans for ancestral domains, critical watersheds, river basins, and protected areas. 


13 
The CLUP shall delineate actual boundaries on the ground within the territorial jurisdictions, 
2 
embody the desired land use patterns of the barangay, city or municipality, translate and integrate 
3 
sectoral plans, and provide appropriate policies for each of the four land use planning categories. The 
4 
spatial directions prescribed in the CLUP shall serve as the basis for the preparation and formulation of 
5 
the Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) and Local Development Investment Programs (LDlP) of 
6 
the LGUs. 
7 
The CLUP may be formulated as a component of a Comprehensive Land Use and 
8 
Development Plan (CLUDP), which merges the traditionally separate CLUP and Comprehensive 
9 
Development Plan to address the disconnect between the spatial and sectoral factors and to ensure the 
10 
complementation between the medium- and long-term concerns: Provided That, the CUJDP shall 
II 
remain consistent with the CL UP. 
12 
Consistent with the national standards and guidelines prescribed in Section 5, the cities and 
13 
municipalities shall, in consultation with the concerned sectors, prepare their respective CLUPS. The 
14 
City/Municipal Land Use Planning and Management Board (C/MLUPB), created under this Act, shall 
15 
be responsible for the preparation and formulation of the CLUP and ensure its consistency with 
16 
national and regional physical planning guidelines and standards. Under the general supervision of the 
17 
respective 
C/MLUPB, 
the 
City/Municipal 
Planning 
and 
Development 
Coordinator/OffIce 
18 
(C/MPDC/PDO) shall provide technical, secretariat and administrative support in the preparation, 
19 
consultation, and integration and formulation process of the respective CLUPs of each city or 
20 
municipality. 
21 
The CLUPs shall be submitted by the city/municipal Local Development Councils (LDC) for 
22 
adoption and approval of the sangguniang bayan (SB). The approved CLUPs shall be submitted to the 
23 
province for integration into the PPFP. 
24 
The CL UP shall be translated into a zoning ordinance by the concerned sanggunian to regulate 
25 
the uses of land, including the limitations on height, density and bulk of buildings and other 
26 
infrastructure that may be placed thereon. 
27 
SEC. 7. 
Provincial Physical Framework Plan (PPFP). - The PPFP shall determine the 
28 
physical development of the entire provincial territory, consolidate and harmonize the comprehensive 
29 
land use plans of component cities and municipalities, consistent with the RPFP. It shall renect the 
30 
indicative land use management and physical development direction of the province. 
31 
Further, the PPFP shall serve as basis for other sectoral and development plans related to land, 
32 
natural resources, and infrastructure facilities, including the 
development plan of the province; 
33 
reconciliation and rationalization ofland use proposals among component cities and municipalities and 
34 
with the higher level framework plan; guiding development agencies and private developers, 
35 
particularly those that undertake large-scale projects; and providing a basis for resolving conflicts 
36 
arising from the implementation of land use plans and development projects involving two or more 
37 
municipalities. 
38 
The PPFP shall serve as the basis for the preparation of the Provincial Development Plan (PDP) 
39 
and Provincial Development Investment Program (PDIP). The PPFP, PDP, PDIP and/or Provincial 
40 
Physical Framework and Development Plan (PPFDP) shall serve as the basis for the formulation of 
41 
sectoral action plans of national government agencies in the province and all LGUs within its 


14 
jurisdiction. The provmce may opt to prepare their PDP alongside the preparation of PPFP and 
2 
consolidate them into a PPFDP: Provided: That PPFDP shall remain consistent with the PPFP: 
3 
Provided, further, That any review or changes in the PPFP shall coincide with the over-all review 
4 
process of the NPFP. 
5 
The Provincial Land Use Planning and Management Board (PLUPMB), created under this Act, 
6 
shall ensure that the PPFP is consistent with the national and regional planning framework and 
7 
guidelines issued by the NLUPC/RLUPB. The PPFP shall be presented to the Provincial Development 
8 
Council (PDC) for endorsement to the sangguniang panlalawigan, who shall formally adopt and 
9 
approve the PPFP. The approved PPFP shall be submitted to the RLUPB for consolidation and 
10 
integration into the RPFP. 
II 
Under the general supervision of the PLUPMB, the Provincial Planning and Development 
12 
Coordinator/Office (PPDC/PPDO) shall provide technical, secretariat and administrative support in the 
13 
preparation, consultation, and integration and formulation process of the PPFP. 
14 
SEC. 8. Regional Physical Framework Plans. - In consultation with concerned sectors, the 
15 
Regional Land Use Policy Board (RLUPB) shall define the desired spatial arrangement of land-using 
16 
activities in the entire region, consolidating and harmonizing the provincial physical framework plans 
17 
of provinces and independent cities within the territorial jurisdiction of the region. The regional 
18 
physical framework plan, which depicts an end-state scenario toward which efforts and activities are 
19 
directed, shall consist of spatially-based and area-focused policies, consistent with those in the national 
20 
framework for physical planning, to guide detailed physical, socio-economic, sectoral and investment 
21 
planning. 
22 
SEC. 9. National Physical Framework Plan/National Land Use Plan. - The National Land Use 
23 
Commission (NLUC) created in Section 14 herein, in consultation with the concerned sectors through 
24 
the conduct of mandatory public hearings/consultations, shall formulate, periodically update and 
25 
ensure the implementation of a national physical framework plan that shall prescribe and influence the 
26 
country's land use and physical development. The NPFP shall operationalize the policies provided in 
27 
this Act and will be the basis for adopting land use and physical planning-related guidelines and 
28 
standards, including zoning and other land ~se control standards that will guide the formulati6n of 
29 
city/municipal zoning ordinances. 
30 
The NPFP strategic objectives and directions shall be the basis for the preparation and 
31 
formulation and prioritization of the MTPDP and Medium-Term Philippine Investment Program 
32 
(MTPIP). 
33 
CHAPTER IV 
34 
FRAMEWORK FOR LAND USE PLANNING 
35 
SEC. 10: Priorities in Land Use Allocation and Planning. - In projecting spatial allocation for 
36 
different land uses, the LGUs shall first exclude areas under protection land use of Section 13(a) 
37 
hereof, national parks, energy resource lands, and prime agricultural lands to ensure ecological 
38 
integrity, energy supply, and promote food security. Areas with prior rights and those with site-specific 
39 
resources for basic services, such as but not limited to, water and indigenous energy resources, shall 
40 
also be excluded. Spatial allocation and platming shall then proceed in accordance with Sections 12 
41 
and 13 hereof with priorities given to integrated watershed management areas, socialized housing sites, 


15 
fisherfolk settlement in coastal areas, and waste disposal sites. 
2 
SEC. 11. Adoption of Multiple Uses of Land Resources. - The primary and alternative uses of a 
3 
specific land resource shall be determined and evaluated prior to any decision for the assignment of its 
4 
use. Areas feasible for sustainable land resource use may be considered multiple-use zones wherein 
5 
settlements, tourism, agriculture, forestry, agro-forestry and extraction activities and other income-
6 
generating or livelihood activities may be allowed: Provided, That multiple uses of land resources shall 
7 
be excluded in areas identified as protection land use: Provided, further, That such land resources shall 
8 
be in accordance with priorities in land use allocation and planning and that no reclassification shall be 
9 
allowed. 
10 
SEC. 12. Land Use Plansfor Ancestral Domains. Land use plans of ancestral domains shall be 
11 
formulated by the ICCS/IP themselves in accordance with their particular needs and traditional 
12 
resource and management systems with the assistance of the NCIP, the LOUs and civil society 
13 
organizations (CSOs) concerned. Such plans shall be recognized and adopted in the barangay, 
14 
city/municipal, provincial, regional and national physical framework plans. 
15 
Physical framework plans made prior to the delineation of ancestral domains included in such 
16 
plans or ordinances shall, without prejudice to the rights of the ICCS/IP concerned, adopt different 
17 
land use categories in accordance with their particular needs and traditional resource and management 
18 
systems. 
19 
In cases where there are no ADSDPPS, the LOU and the ICCS/IP shall jointly formulate the 
20 
land use plan within the ancestral domain until such time that the ICCs/IPs have formulated their 
21 
ADSDPPS. 
22 
SEC. 12. Basic Land Use Considerations. - Various land uses as categorized in the succeeding 
23 
section shall be determined in a manner that promotes the policies and principles delined in Section 2 
24 
ofthis Act and shall consider the following elements therein, among others: 
25 
(a) 
Protection land use category as defined in Section 13 shall prevail over existing 
26 
production land use category. The State shall undertake the necessary action in changing the 
27 
classification of these production areas; 
28 
(b) 
Preservation, conservation, rehabilitation and protection to perpetuity of permanent 
29 
forestlands, critical watersheds, key biodiversity areas, environmentally-critical and ecologically-
30 
fragile areas and prime agricultural lands from any other land usc, conversion, disposition, intrusion, 
31 
utilization and development aside from its determined use and limits; 
32 
(c) 
Protection of natural forests and natural resources ensures environmental stability, 
33 
conserve biological diversity, improve ecosystem functions and provide long-term ecological and 
34 
economic benefits. Designated restoration areas are designed to revive the ecosystem functions and 
35 
services of forests as well as improve the economic and ecological benefits of local communities; 
36 
(d) 
Protection of forest and wetlands from infrastructure development to preserve the 
37 
ecological services they provide which are essential to economic development. 
These activities 
38 
include, but not limited to river channelization and dredging, large scale irrigation and river diversions 
39 
which reduce riverine habitat and alters flood patterns and natural flow regimes, reduce downstream 
40 
water availability for agriculture and contribute to salinization through saltwater intrusion in coastal 
41 
areas; 


16 
1 
(e) 
Resolution ofland use conflicts which are life-threatening or threatening to public safcty, 
2 
sustainability of key production resources or employment activities and the delivery of basic services 
3 
and are harmful or destructive to protected areas, flora, fauna and other protected natural resources. 
4 
Greater consideration shall be given to the human and tenurial rights of vulnerable groups in resolving 
5 
land use conflicts; 
6 
(f) 
Identification of geo-hazard prone areas and high risk/danger zones and corresponding 
7 
risk reduction measures to ensure the prioritization of life and safety: Provided, That specifically 
8 
identified and assessed extremely hazardous and high-risk/danger zones shall be similarly protected 
9 
and cleared from all forms of human-made obstacles, obstructions and infrastructures to ensure and 
10 
secure public health and safety; 
11 
(g) 
Respect for existing customary rights and traditional land uses ofICCS/IPS; 
12 
(h) 
Identification of settlement areas to check the demand [or land and establish the location 
13 
of employment-generating industries and basic services; and 
14 
(i) 
The availability of natural resources including indigenous energy resources for energy 
15 
security and self-sufficiency. However, infrastructure energy projects such as dams with large 
16 
reservoirs in natural ecosystems shall not be allowed if it would interrupt the connectivity of river 
17 
systems, disrupt fish spawning and migration, and alter seasonal flood regimes. 
18 
SEC. 13. Categories of Land Uses for Planning Purposes. -- In determining and defining the 
19 
national, regional and provincial framework plans, and CLUPs, land nses shall be grouped into four 
20 
major functional uses as follows: 
21 
(a) 
Protection Land Use shall refer to the use of land primarily for food, water and energy 
22 
security, rehabilitation, conservation, and protection purposes for the promotion of the country's 
23 
ecological and life-support systems. Planning for protection land use intends to achieve food self-
24 
'sufficiency in rice and corn, water and energy security, environmental stability and ecological 
25 
integrity, ensure a balance between resource use and the preservation of some areas with 
26 
environmental, aesthetic, educational, cultural, heritage and historical significance, and protect people 
27 
and human-made structures from the ill-effects of natural hazards. All lands, either public or private, 
28 
under protection land use shall be permanently conserved, preserved, rehabilitated and protected from 
29 
all other land uses, disposition, intrusion, utilization and development that is not consistent from its 
30 
existing uses. Areas under this category also include those covered by Republic Act No. 7586 or the 
31 
NIP AS Law and other coastal and marine protected areas, those areas outside NIP AS but nonetheless 
32 
require protection because of their outstanding physical and aesthetic features, anthropological 
33 
significance, and biological diversity, and those areas prone to natural hazards. Areas outside the 
34 
coverage of the NIPAS law include, but are not limited to the following: 
35 
(a. I.) Old-growth forests and mossy; 
36 
(a.2.) Areas with more than 50% in slope gradient; 
37 
(a.3.)Mangrove and fish sanctuaries, pursuant to Republic Act No. 8435 or the "Agriculture 
38 
and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1997" and Republic Act No. 8550 or "The Philippine Fisheries 
39 
Code of 1998"; 
40 
(a.4.) Buffer zones or strips/easements, pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 705, amending 
41 
Presidential Decree No. 389, otherwise known as the "Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines" and 


17 
Presidential Decree No. 1067 or the "Water Code of the Philippines"; 
2 
(a.5.) Salvage zones along foreshore areas, freshwater swamps and marshes, plazas and 
3 
heritage/historic sites, pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 2146; 
4 
(a.6.) Watersheds; 
5 
(a.7.) Utility easement like transmission lines of power companies, oil and gas [acilities, cell 
6 
sites, and domestic water lines; 
7 
(a.8.)Amenity areas or those with high aesthetic values, pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 
8 
2146; 
9 
(a.9.) Natural and human-made areas/sites of cultural, historical and anthropolollical 
10 
significance, which are declared as such by internationally recognized organizations and concerned 
11 
national agencies; 
12 
(a.IO.) Critical habitats as provided in Republic Act No. 9147 or the "Wildlife Resources 
13 
Conservation and Protection Act"; 
14 
(a.11.) Significant caves under Republic Act No. 9072 or the "National Caves and Cave 
15 
Resources Management and Protection Act"; 
16 
(a.12.) Key biodiversity areas under Executive Order 578, Series of 2006, or the "National 
17 
Biodiversity Policy"; 
18 
(a.13.) Prime agricultural lands as defined in this act; or 
19 
(a.14) areas within ancestral domains excluded by the IPs/ICCs from any activities, except for 
20 
the exclusive purposes for which they are identified, such as sacred grounds and burial sites of ICCs; 
21 
identified international and local cultural and heritage sites; critical areas identified or reserved by the 
22 
ICCs/IPs for special purposes; and other areas specifically identified by IPs/ICCs in their ADSDPP. 
23 
(b) 
Production Land Use shall refer to the direct and indirect utilization of land resources for 
24 
crop, fishery, livestock and poultry production, forestry, agro-forestry, mining, industry, energy 
25 
development, indigenous energy exploration and development, and tourism. Planning for production 
26 
land shall determine the most efficient, sustainable, and equitable manner of utilizing, developing and 
27 
managing land for productive purposes. Areas included in this category are agricultural lands, fishing 
28 
grounds, coastal and marine zones, production forest which comprise lands 18% to 50% in slope 
29 
gradient such as: 
residual dipterocarps, rangelands for grazing purposes, industrial tree 
30 
plantation/Integrated Forest Management Agreement (IFMA), commnnity based forest management 
31 
areas and other reforestation projects, mineral lands or mining areas and reservations, energy resonrce 
32 
lands, industrial development areas, and tourism development areas where prodnctive activities could 
33 
be undettaken to meet the country's requirements for food security, economic growth and 
34 
development. 
35 
(c) 
Settlements Development shall refer to any improvement on existing settlements in urban 
36 
and rural areas or any proposed development of certain areas for settlement purposes involving the 
37 
spatial distribution of population, identification of the roles and functions of key urban centers, 
38 
determination of relationships among settlement areas, and the provision of basic services and facilities 
39 
to such settlement. The settlements development plan ensures for the present and future generation the 
40 
following: (i) efIective integration of activities within and among settlements, allowing efficient 
41 
movement of people and production of commodities through the provision of appropriate land, 


18 
1 
infrastructure, and facilities; and (ii) access of the population to housing, education, health care, 
2 
recreation, transportation and communication, sanitation, and basic utilities such as water, power, 
3 
waste disposal, and other services. 
4 
(d) 
Infi'astructure Development shall refer to the availability or supply of basic services and 
5 
fostering of economic and other forms of integration necessary for producing or obtaining the material 
6 
requirements of Filipinos, in an efficient, responsive, safe and ecologically friendly built environment. 
7 
It covers sub-sectors of transportation, communications, water resources, and social infrastructure: 
8 
Provided, That the determination of functional uses of lands within ancestral domains shall consider 
9 
traditional resource and management systems that do not endanger the lives of the people and propel1y 
10 
of the local community and neighboring areas or increase the vulnerability of the natural environment 
II 
to the effects of natural and human-induced geological processes. 
12 
CHAPTER V 
13 
IMPLEMENTING STRUCTURE AND MECHANISMS 
14 
Article I 
15 
NA TlONAL LAND USE COMMISSION 
16 
SEC. 14. Creation o/the National land Use Commission (NIUe). .- The National Land Use 
17 
Commission, hereinafter referred to as NLUC, is hereby created as a Commission under the Office of 
18 
the President. It shall exercise the powers and responsibilities of the current NED A Board-National 
19 
Land Use Committee which is hereby abolished and the powers and functions pertaining to land use 
20 
planning vested by law to the HLURB. The. NLUC shall act as the highest policy making bod~ on 
21 
land use and resolve land use policy conflicts between or among agencies, branches, or levels of the 
22 
government. It shall integrate efforts, monitor developments relating to land use and the evolution of 
23 
policies. It shall also establish Regional Offices. 
24 
SEC. IS. Composition o/the NIUe. - The NLUC shall be composed of the following: 
25 
(a) Chairperson to be appointed by the President for a term of six (6) years, with a rank of 
26 
Cabinet Secretary; 
27 
(b) The Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and 
28 
Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as Vice-Chairpersons; 
29 
The President may designate from among the two Vice-Chairpersons a Chief Executive Officer 
30 
who shall supervise the day-to-day affairs ofthe NLUC. 
31 
The members shall be: 
32 
(c) The Chairperson of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), 
33 
the Secretaries of the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), 
34 
the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), 
35 
the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), the Department of Tourism (DOT), 
36 
the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of Justice (DOJ), the 
37 
Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the Department of Finance (DO F), the Department of 
38 
Energy (DOE) and the Chairperson of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCrp); 
39 
The Department Secretaries and the Chairperson of the NCIP may designate a representative 
40 
with a rank not lower than Assistant Secretary and Commissioner, respectively: Provided, That the 
41 
designated representative shall be on a permanent basis. 


19 
(d) A representative each from the Leagues of Provinces, Cities and Municipalities; 
2 
(e) A representative each from four (4) basic and marginalized sectors directly involved in land 
3 
use, namely: urban poor, farmer-peasants, fisherfolk, and indigenous peoples who shall be appointed 
4 
by the President of the Philippines based on the nomination and recommendation of the respective 
5 
sectoral councils of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC). 
At least two (2) sectoral 
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representatives shall be women; 
(f) Two (2) representatives from private subdivisions, and housing developers; and 
(g) Two (2) representatives from the accredited association of professionals dealing on land 
use such as but not limited to urban and regional planners, environmental planners, architects, 
geologists and geodetic engineers. 
SEC. 16. Powers and Functions. - The NLUC shall have the following powers and functions: 
(a) 
Advise the President of the Philippines and the NEDA Board on all matters concerning 
land use and physical planning; 
(b) Integrate and harmonize all laws, guidelines and policies relevant to land use and physical 
planning to come up with a rational, cohesive, and comprehensive national land use framework; 
(c) Formulate policies and approve land use and physical planning-related policies that may be 
formulated by the Regional Land Use Policy Board (RLUPB), created under Section 25 of this Act, 
and concerned agencies as well as promulgate zoning and other land use control standards and 
guidelines which shall guide the formulation of land use plans and zoning ordinances by local 
governments; 
(d) Prepare, periodically review and if necessary, update the national framework for physical 
planning to provide the general framework for the spatial development directions for the entire country 
and sub-national levels; 
(e) Review and approve all land use and physical planning related guidelines; 
(f) Monitor and coordinate the gathering of data, the conduct of studies pertaining to land use 
planning including studies on the management of identified land uses and such other studies not 
undertaken by other government agencies; 
(g) RepOli and recommend to the President of the Philippines and to Congress the adoption, 
passage, or amendment of laws to ensure that sectoral programs, plans, projects, and activities, 
including local government initiatives affecting land use are consistent with national development 
objectives; 
I 
(h) Coordinate with and assist other government agencies and LGUs in planning, deVeloping, 
and implementing their land use classification programs, and provide, to the extent possible, technical 
assistance and guidance; 
(i) Monitor and coordinate the activities of concerned agencies and entities of the government, 
as well as LGUs, in the enforcement and implementation of policies and regulations relating to land 
use and resource management and development; 
G) Monitor and coordinate activities in the establishment of a national land resource 
information and management system of concerned agencies that shall integrate and process 
information on land use and allocation generated by the various national government agencies; define 
information requirements at various levels; and standardize information inputs and outputs including 


20 
scales and symbols used in territorial and sectoral maps; 
2 
(k) Be the repository of all RPFPs, PPFDPs and CLUPs and all data and information pertaining 
3 
to land and land use; 
4 
(I) Call on any department, bureau, office, agency, or instrumentality of the government, 
5 
and/or private entities and organization for cooperation, support, and assistance in the performance of 
6 
its functions; 
7 
(m)Decide and resolve policy conflicts and territorial jurisdiction on land use between or 
8 
among agencies, branches, or levels of the government and act on unresolved land use policy conflicts 
9 
at the regional level elevated by the Regional Land Use Policy Board (RLUPB); 
10 
(n) Adopt rules of procedures for the orderly and expeditious conduct of meetings and other 
II 
business of the Council; 
12 
(0) Perform such other acts and functions and exercise such other powers as may be necessarily 
13 
implied, inherent, incident, or related to the foregoing; and 
14 
(p) Review and reconunend fiscal policies and taxation on different land uses and classification 
15 
to achieve national goals. 
16 
SEC. 17. NLUe Technical Secretariat (NLUe-TS). - A Technical Secretariat shall be created 
17 
to provide technical support to the NLUC. It shall be headed by an Executive Director with a ran'k of 
18 
Undersecretary. He shall be a qualified professional in any of the fields of land use, physical planning, 
19 
environmental management, engineering, public governance or law: 
20 
SEC. 18. The NLUe Technical Secretariat Executive Director. - The Executive Director shall 
21 
slJpervise the operations of the NLUC Technical Secretariat and assist the NLUC Chairperson or 
22 
his/her designated Chief Executive Officer (CEO). 
23 
In the absence of the CEO, he/she shall preside over the meetings of the NLUC-TS. 
24 
He/she shall also perform such other lunctions as may be tasked by the Chairperson or CEO-
25 
Vice Chairperson. 
26 
SEC. 19. Offices, Units and Staff Support. -- The Policy and Plarming Unit of the HLURB 
27 
shall be the core secretariat of the NLUC. The staff in the HLURB Policy and Planning Unit and 
28 
NEDA Regional Development Office who opted to transfer to the NLUC shall be given priority 
29 
without diminution in rank and remuneration. The staffing pattern shall be drafted by the NLUC in 
30 
coordination with the DBM and Civil Service Commission. Other government agencies may also be 
31 
called upon for staff support. 
32 
The NLUC technical secretariat shall be divided into following service units - Planning and 
33 
Policy Services, Technical Advisory and Assistance Service, and Administrative and Financial 
34 
Services. Each service unit shall be headed by a Director with minimum rank of Director I (SO 22) 
35 
and shall possess professional qualifications that relate to land use, physical planning, management, 
36 
engineering, governance and law. 
37 
(a) Planning and Policy Services - shall provide plarming and policy support services to the 
38 
NLUC. It shall be responsible for preparation, formulation and issuance of national land use planning 
39 
guidelines, standards and policies that would be approved by the NLUC. It shall also be responsible for 
40 
assisting the NLUC in monitoring the implementation and compliance of national and local agencies 
41 
on the national land use policies, directives, and guidelines. It shall also maintain and update an open 


21 
and publicly accessible national land use plan inventory, information and database monitoring systenl 
2 
that shall collate, integrate and consolidate tlie general status of the country's land uses at all rGU 
3 
levels. It shall also provide legal and legislative support to the NLUC and other policy-making bodies 
4 
on land use policies and land use related issues and concerns. 
5 
(b) Technical Advisory and Assistance Service - shall provide teclmical advisory services to 
6 
the NLUC and other policy making bodies related to land use management and implementation. It 
7 
shall also provide technical assistance to local and national agencies in the preparation and formulation 
8 
of their local land use plans, development and sectoral plans, and other land use-related concerns that 
9 
maybe raised by these bodies. It shall maintain a national network of technical capable and qualified 
10 
representatives under its supervision and administration that shall provide technical advisory and 
11 
secretariat support to local land use planning bodies at the LGU levels. The technical advisory and 
12 
assistance service shall develop and provide training and capacity building programmes on land use 
13 
planning, land management, zoning, mapping and other related skills for local government units to 
14 
enhance and strengthen their capacity to effectively perform the functions ofLGUs under this Act. 
15 
( c) Administrative and financial services - shall provide day-to-day administrative, human 
16 
resources, budgeting, logistical snpport and financial services to the NLUC and its technical 
17 
secretariat. It shall also perform other administrative and support services necessary for the effective 
18 
and efficient operation of the NLUC and NLUC secretariat. 
19 
Alticle 2 
20 
REGIONAL AND LOCAL LAND USE PLANNING BOARDS 
21 
SEC. 20. City/Municipal Land Use Planning and Management Board (C/MLUPMB) - Thc 
22 
C/MLUPMB is hereby created under this Act in all municipalities and cities, including highly 
23 
urbanized and component cities, to oversee the preparation, integration, adoption and approval of their 
24 
respective Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUPs) and shall ensure the consistency of such plans 
25 
with approved national, regional and provincial planning guidelines. The C/MLUPMB shall also be 
26 
directly responsible for the effective management and implementation of the approved CLUP and for 
27 
ensuring that any existing and future local policies, including zoning ordinances, development 
28 
initiatives, programs and projects introduced within its jurisdiction are consistent with and supportive 
29 
of the land use resource management and physical planning objectives, directions and character 
30 
identified by the approved CLUP. 
31 
SEC. 21. Powers and Responsibilities of the City/Municipal Land Use Planning and 
32 
Management Board. - The following are the powers and responsibilities of the C/MLUPMB: 
33 
(a) In coordination with the city/municipal planning and development office/coordinator, 
34 
review and issue the necessary local planning guidelines andlor implementing policies for the 
35 
preparation and tormulation of the CLUPs within its jurisdiction as provided for by approved national, 
36 
regional and provincial planning policies and guidelines; 
37 
(b) 
Review and endorse to the sangguniang bayan or sangguniang panlungsod the draft 
38 
CLUP for adoption; 


22 
1 
(c) Ensure the input of the barangays within the jurisdiction of the respective city/municipal on 
2 
sectoral, temporal and spatial dimensions of the plan and its consistency with approved national, 
3 
regional and provincial planning guidelines; 
4 
(d) Review, monitor and assess the implementation and operationalization of the approved 
5 
CLUP; 
~) 
(e) Decide and resolve land use policy and zoning conflicts that may arise between or among 
7 
barangays within the LGUs; 
@:) 
(f) Resolve and decide any complaints regarding the issuance of applications for locational 
9 
clearances, building and zoning permits and/or other planning-related requirement for any project, 
10 
both private and public, by the LGU to ensure consistency and conformity with the approved CLUP 
11 
and zoning ordinances; 
12 
(g) Advise the local chief executive and sangguniang bayan on all matters pertaining to land 
13 
use and physical planning; 
14 
(h) Promote cooperation and sharing of resources between and among its barangays and 
15 
neighboring LGUs to address common land use and development issues inlcuding those related to geo-
16 
physical hazards, watershed and river basins, coastal and marine waters, climate change impact and 
17 
disaster risks; and 
18 
(i) Convene a technical working group composed of city/municipal agriculturist, city/municipal 
19 
environment and natural resources officer, city/municipal engineer, city/municipal assessor and such 
20 
other LGU officials with land related functions in the preparation of the CLUP. The TWG may request 
21 
any field officials of national government agencies with land administration function to assist for the 
22 
same purposes. 
23 
SEC. 22. Composition of the CIMLUPMB. - The C/MLUPMB shall be composed of five (5) 
24 
members and shall be headed by a Chairperson: 
25 
(a) City/municipal planning and development coordinator (C/MPDC); 
26 
(b) 
Chairperson of the Sangguniang Bayan Committee on Environment and Natural 
27 
Resources who shall serve as the chairperson of the C/MLUPMB; 
28 
(c) One (I) representative from the local business/private sector association/chamber of 
29 
commerce, who shall be appointed from among the accredited organizations within their respective 
30 
development councils; 
31 
(d) One (I) representative from the basic sector and marginalized groups (urban poor, 
32 
fisherfolk, farmers and indigenous peoples) who shall be appointed from among the accredited 
33 
organizations within their respective development councils; and 
34 
(e) NLUC representative who shall serve as ex-officio member. 
35 
Except for ex officio members, the members of the C/MLUPMB shall be appointed for a term 
36 
of three (3) years, subject however to the elected office held, government employment and/or official 
37 
designation in the LGU, national agency and/or local business/private sector association or basic and 
38 
marginalized sector group representation in the Board. 
The City/Municipal Planning and 
39 
Development Coordinator/Office (C/MPDC/O) shall provide technical secretariat and administrative 
40 
support and resources for the effective operation of the C/MLUPMB. 


23 
Aside from the C/MPDO/C, the C/MLUPMB may call upon other local and national 
2 
government offices and agencies such as the local engineer, the assessor and the local field 
3 
representatives of the DA, the DPWH, the DOTC, the DOT, the DENR, the DAR, the DcpED and 
4 
other concerned national agencies to assist the C/MLUPMB in the performance of its roles and 
5 
mandates. 
6 
Annual appropriations for the operation and activities of the C/MLUPMB shall be included in 
7 
the annual budget proposal of the C/MPDO/C: Provided, That other funds and resources, including 
8 
grants, applicable service fees and charges collected, contributions, donations, and other funds to 
9 
support its operations and activities may be accepted and received by the C/MLUPMB, subject to 
10 
existing auditing and reporting procedures. 
II 
LOUs shall create and/or activate their respective C/MLUPMB upon guidelines issued by the 
12 
NLUC for such purposes, not later than six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act. 
13 
SEC. 23. Provincial Land Use Planning and Management Board (PLUPMB). - The PLUPMB 
14 
is hereby created in all provinces under this Act to oversee the preparation, integration, adoption and 
15 
approval of the Provincial Physical Framework Plan (PPFP) and shall ensure its consistency with 
16 
approved national and regional planning guidelines. The PLUPMB shall also be directly responsible 
17 
for the effective management and implementation of the approved PPFP and ensure that any existing 
18 
and future development initiatives, programs and projects introduced within its jurisdiction are 
19 
consistent with and supportive of the land use resource management and physical planning objectives, 
20 
directions and character identified in the approved PPFP. 
21 
In addition to the functions enumerated in Section 109 of the LOC, the PLUPMB shall: 
22 
(a) Advise the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on all matters pertaining to land use and physical 
23 
planning; 
24 
(b) Review and endorse to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for adoption, the provincial physical 
25 
framework plans, prepared and periodically updated by the Provincial Planning and Development 
26 
Office and other land use and physical planning-related policies; 
27 
(c) Assist the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in reviewing the CLUPs of component 
28 
cities/municipalities to ensure consistency with the provincial physical framework plans and 
29 
compliance with the limits prescribed under the 1991 LOC for reclassifying agricultural lands; and 
30 
(d) Decide and resolve policy conflicts on land use planning, classification, and, allocation that 
31 
may arise between or among cities/municipalities and any unresolved land use conflicts at the 
32 
city/municipal level. 
33 
The PLUPMB may call upon any local of1icial concerned such as Provincial Planning and 
34 
Development Coordinator, Provincial Agriculturist, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources 
35 
Officer, Provincial Engineer, Provincial Assessor, or any official of national agencies and other 
36 
relevant agencies during discussions on land use and physical planning concerns. 
37 
SEC. 24. Composition o/the PLUPMB. - The PLUPMB shall be composed of the following 
38 
fourteen (14) members to be selected based on the rules to be formulated by the NLUPC as provided in 
39 
this Act: 
40 
41 
(a) 
Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator (PPDC); 
(b) 
Chairperson of SP Committee on Environment and Natural Resources; 


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(c) 
Provincial Chapter President - League Of Municipalities and/or League of Cities; 
(d) 
Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer (PARO); 
(e) 
Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO); 
(f) 
Provincial Agricultural Officer (PAO); 
(g) 
NCIP Provincial Officer; 
(h) 
NLUC Technical Representative; 
(i) 
One (l) representative from the local business/private sector association/chamber of 
commerce, who shall be appointed from among the accredited organizations within their respective 
development councils; 
(j) 
Four (4) representatives from the basic and marginalized sector groups (urban poor, 
fisherfolk, farmers, indigenous peoples): Provided, That at least two (2) representatives shall be 
women: Provided, further, That the representatives shall be appointed from among the accredited 
organizations within their respective development councils; and 
(k) 
Designated board chairperson to be chosen among the members. 
Except for ex-officio members, the members of the PLUPMB shall be appointed for a term of 
three (3) years, subject however to the elected office held, government employment and/or official 
designation of the local government unit, national agency and/or local business/private sector 
association or basic and marginalized sector group representation in the Board. The NLUPC, within 
ninety (90) days from its establishment, shall formulate the rules for the selection of the chairperson 
and the members in the PLUPMB. The Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator/Office 
(PPDC/O) shall provide technical secretariat and administrative support and resources for the effective 
operation of the PLUPMB. 
Aside from the PPDO, the PLUPMB may call upon other local and national governmcnt offices 
and agencies such as the local engineer, assessor, and local field representatives of the DA, DPWH, 
DOTC, DOT, DENR, DAR, DECS, NCIP and other concerned national agencies to assist the 
PLUPMB in the performance of its roles and mandates. 
Appropriations for the regular operation and activities of the PLUPMB shall be included in the 
annual budget proposal of the PPDO: Provided, That other funds and resources, including grants, 
applicable service fees and charges collected, contributions, donations, and other funds to support its 
operations and activities may be accepted and received by the PLUPMB subject to existing auditing 
and reporting procedures. 
SEC. 25. Regional Land Use Policy Board (RLUPB). - At the regional level, the Regional 
Land Use Policy Board (RLUPB) shall be institutionalized, replicating the NLUC structure and 
composition which shall include a duly authorized representative from the NEDA, the DENR, the DA 
and the DAR. The RLUPB shall have the following functions: 
(a) 
Formulate and adopt regional policies on land use and physical planning; 
(b) Prepare and periodically update a regional physical framework plan, taking into 
consideration national polices and lower level plans; 
(c) Assist the provinces in preparing and periodically updating its physical framework plans to 
ensure consistency with the regional and national plans and policies and to facilitate its integration to 
the regional plans; 


25 
1 
(d) Review, prior to adoption by respective sanggunians, the Provincial Physical Framework 
2 
Plan and CLUPs of highly urbanized and independent component cities to ensure consistency with the 
3 
regional physical framework plan and national policies set forth by LUPC and compliance with limits 
4 
prescribed under the 1991 LGC for reclassifying agricultural lands; 
5 
(e) Decide and resolve policy conflicts on land use planning, classification, and allocation that 
6 
may arise between or among regional line agencies, provinces and cities/municipalities; 
7 
(f) Monitor changes in land use and other physical resources in the region; 
8 
(g) Evaluate consistency of major programs and projects with the regional physical framework 
9 
plans and their impact on land use and the environment; 
10 
(h) Undertake the gathering of regional data for the Land Resource Information and 
11 
Management System; and 
12 
(i) Perform other related functions as may be directed by the LUPC. 
13 
Article 3 
14 
ADOPTION, ApPROVAL AND REVIEW OF LAND USE PLANS 
15 
SEC. 26. Component Cities and Municipalities. - Component cities and municipalities shall 
16 
have the power and authority to adopt and approve their respective CLUPs and ZOs through their 
17 
respective sanggunians subject to the power of review of their respective provinces only with respect 
18 
tc! the consistency of the CLUPs and ZOs with Section 7 hereof on the preparation of the provincial 
19 
physical framework plan. 
20 
SEC. 27. Provinces and Independent and Highly Urbanized Cities. -
Provinces and 
21 
independent and highly urbanized cities shall have the power and authority to adopt and approve their 
22 
respective CLUPs, ZOs or provincial physical framework plan, as the case may be, through their 
23 
respective sanggunian but subject to the review of the RLUPB as provided in Section 25 of this Act. 
24 
Article 4 
25 
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND LGUs 
26 
SEC. 28. National Base Mapping Program. -- A national mapping program shall be 
27 
implemented, coordinated, and monitored through the creation of an Inter-agency Technical 
28 
Committee (ITC) composed of the NAMRIA, as the lead agency, the Bureau of Soils and Water 
29 
Management (BSWM), the Forest Management Bureau (FMB), the Land Management Bureau (LMB), 
30 
the Land Registration Authority (LRA), the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PA WB), the Mines 
31 
and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology 
32 
(PHlVOLCS), the DAR, the National Water Resources Board (NWRB), the DOE, the NEDA and 
33 
other concerned government agencies/bureaus. The ITC shall be constituted, and the mapping program 
34 
shall be initiated, within thirty (30) days from the effectivity of this Act. The agencies mentioned in 
35 
this Section shall endeavor to finish their base mapping program within two (2) years upon the 
36 
effectivity of this Act. 
37 
To facilitate land use planning and as a part of the National Base Mapping Program, the 
38 
Interagency Technical Committee (ITC) shall establish a nationally consistent Alphanumeric Grid 
39 
Reference System based on universally-defined coordinate and grid systems for accurate and 
40 
consistent identification and communication. 


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The spatial and non-spatial data generated by these activities shall be downloaded to the LGU 
as soon as practicable. On the other hand, existing land information data available to the national 
government agencies as of the effectivity of this Act shall be immediately downloaded to the LGU. 
For purposes of uniformity and standardization, the LGUs, to be assisted by the appropriate 
agencies of the national govermnent, shall likewise prepare their respective territorial maps using 
\ 
scales, symbols, and other indicators to be prescribed in accordance with this Act. The completed 
maps shall be integrated in the national physical framework plan pursuant to Section 5 of this Act. 
SEC. 29. National Geo-hazard Mapping Program. -
Within thirty (30) days from the 
effectivity of this Act, a nationwide geo-hazard mapping program shall be initiated jointly thru the 
NLUC by the PHIVOLCS, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services 
Administration (PAGASA), the NAMRIA, the MGB, the BSWM, and the DOE, in coordination with 
the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), the Regional Disaster 
Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC), and other concerned government agencies. 
The program shall include the generation of indicative geo-hazard zoning maps that will outline areas 
in the Philippines which are prone to liquefaction, landslides, severe flooding, lahar, ground rupturing, 
tsunami, river erosion, coastal erosion, sinkhole collapse, earthquake, lava flow, pyroclastic flow, base 
surge, and other natural hazards. 
For purposes of uniformity and standardization and in order to develop a safe-built 
environment, the LGUs shall subsequently incorporate and integrate the generated geo-hazard zoning 
maps in their respective CLUPs. Said geo-hazard maps shall serve as guide for all the LGUs in the 
preparation of their own hazards-constrained development plans. The national physical framework 
planning, pursuant to Section 5 hereof, shall incorporate these geo-hazard maps. 
All infrastructure activities including real estates and subdivision projects and the development 
of tourist spots requiring an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) shall be required to submit 
an Engineering Geological and Geo-hazard Assessment Report (EGGAR). 
SEC. 30. Scope and Nature of Responsibilities of Other National Government Agencies. - All 
concerned national government agencies/bodies shall periodically report to the NLUC on the various 
activities and accomplishments relative to land use. 
Likewise, they shall provide their respective 
sectoral/development plans and render technical and administrative support if called upon by the 
NLUC relative to the implementation of the provisions of this Act. 
SEC. 31. Submission of Annual Report on the Implementation of CLUPs . . - The C/MLUPC 
. 
I 
shall submit an allliual report on the implementation of their land use plans to the PLUPMB, which 
shall integrate the same for submission to the RLUPB, which shall in turn integrate the provincial 
reports for submission to the NLUC. 
CHAPTER VI 
SPECIAL AREAS OF CONCERN 
Article I 
AGRICULTURAL LANDS 
SEC. 32. Priority Areas for Agricultural Development. -
Priority areas for agricultural 
development for purposes of agricultural production shall be those agricultural areas under protection 
----------


27 
land use covered under Republic Act No. 6657 or the CARP, as amended, and those covered under 
2 
Network of Protected Areas for Agricultural and Agro-Industrial Development (NPAAAD), defined in 
3 
Section 4 of this Act and in R.A. No. 8435 or the "Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act". 
4 
SEC. 33. Conversion of Agricultural Lands. - Prime agricultural lands and specific types of 
5 
lands to the extent necessary for attaining food self-sufficiency in rice and corn and food security in 
6 
other basic commodities, as determined by the DA, subject to mandatory public hearings/consultations 
7 
with the LOUs, the private sector, the NOOs, and POs, shall be protected from conversion, which 
8 
s'hall include but not limited to areas under the NPAAAD: Provided, That all irrigated and irrigable 
9 
lands, all lands developed or possessing the potential for development of high value crops, and all 
10 
agricultural lands that are ecologically fragile and whose conversion will result in serious 
11 
environmental problems cannot be converted, the areas under which are subject to review every ten 
12 
(10) years by the DAR, with the mandatory public hearings/consultations. 
13 
SEC. 34. Sub-classification or Re-classification of Agricultural Lands by LeUs -
Sub-
14 
classification or re-classification of agricultural lands to other uses under Section 20 of the LOC of 
15 
1991 shall exclude the protected agricultural lands as stated in the preceding section. Moreover, such 
16 
sub-classification/reclassification is not synonymous to conversion. The DA and DAR shall provide 
\ 
17 
the LOUs with complete list and maps of protected agricultural lands within their territorial 
18 
jurisdictions. 
19 
Article 2 
20 
ANCESTRAL DOMAIN 
21 
SEC. 35. 
Priority Areas jor Agricultural Development within Ancestral Domain. -
22 
Agricultural lands within ancestral domain shall be developed in accordance with their Ancestral 
23 
Domain Sustainable Development Protection Plan (ADSDPP). 
24 
SEC. 36. 
Respect For Ancestral Domains. -
The Ancestral Domain Management Plan 
25 
(ADMP) or ADSDPP shall be adopted in the CLUP and/or other plans that the LOU is mandated to 
26 
produce. The extent of the ancestral domains shall be reflected in the land use plan, where it will be 
27 
zoned as such in the zoning ordinance and shall be co-managed by the LOU and IP community. 
28 
Additionally, the ADSDPP shall be included in the investment plans of the LOU. 
29 
SEC. 37. Ancestral Domain Policy Adoption. -- Ancestral domain policies shall be adopted in 
30 
the LOU's land use policy framework. However, in the event that the ADMP/ADSDPP is still in the 
31 
formulation stage or remains to be formulated, the right to self-determination and traditional resource 
32 
and management systems and processes shall be upheld at all times as provided for by the IPRA of 
33 
1997. 
34 
Article 3 
35 
FOREST LANDS AND WATERSHED MANAGEMENT 
36 
SEC. 38. Forestland Boundary Delineation. -
Pursuant to Section 4, Article 12 of the 1987 
37 
Constitution which mandates Congress to determine by law the specific limits of forestlands and 
38 
national parks, the Secretary of the DENR shall submit to Congress the final forestland boundaries 
39 
delineated by province and the Congress shall consider the same for adoption. 
40 
SEC. 39. Reversion of Alienable and Disposable Lands to Forestlands. -
Upon the 
41 
recommendation of the Secretary of the DENR, duly reviewed and endorsed by the NLUC, and after 


28 
due consultations with the concerned LGUs and affected parties, Congress may authorize the reversion 
2 
of alienable and disposable lands of the pubiic domain or portion thereof to forestlands. There~fter, 
3 
said lands shall be included in the preparation of land use plans within forestlands. 
4 
SEC. 40. Critical Watershed Areas. - The DENR, in coordination with the DA, LGUs, and 
5 
other government agencies, including government-owned and -controlled corporations, and with 
6 
mandatory public hearings/consultations, shall review, identify and delineate critical watershed areas 
7 
that need to be protected, rehabilitated, enhanced, and/or withdrawn from uses that contribute to their 
8 
further degradation. 
9 
SEC. 41. Formulation and Implementation of Integrated Watershed Management Plans. - In 
10 
the absence of a law on the protection and sustainable management of our forests, the LGUs through 
II 
their local land use committees and upon mandatory public hearings/consultations with the concerned 
12 
sectors, and with the assistance of DENR, shall prepare their watershed management plans which shall 
13 
be integrated with their respective CLUPs. The formulation and integration of the plan shall be guided, 
14 
among others, by the principle that the management and development of inland water resources shall 
IS 
be at the watershed level. A nationwide mapping of watersheds in the country shall be implemented. 
16 
In cases where the watershed areas transcend the boundaries of a particular municipality, an 
17 
inter-LGU committee composed of representatives from local land use committees of the LGUs where 
18 
the watershed area is located shall be formed. With the assistance of the D ENR and upon mandatory 
19 
public hearings/consultations with the concerned sectors, the inter-LGU committee shall formulate the 
20 
watershed management plan for the said watershed area. 
21 
The DENR and the concerned LGUs shall jointly implement the watershed management plan 
22 
subject to regular consnltations with and involvement of the community and other stakeholders in the 
23 
implementation of the plan. 
24 
The preparation of forest land use plans shall make use of the watershed as the basic planning 
25 
unit. 
26 
Article 4 
27 
COASTAL ZONE 
28 
SEC. 42. Criteria on the Allocation a~d Utilization of Lands within the Coastal Zones. - The 
29 
allocation and utilization of lands within the coastal zones shall be guided by the following: 
30 
31 
32 
33 
34 
35 
36 
37 
38 
39 
40 
41 
(a) 
Areas vegetated with mangrove species shall be preserved for mangrove 
production 
and shall not be converted to other uses; 
(b) 
Areas which meet all accepted criteria on elevation, soil type, soil depth, topography, 
supply for successful fishpond development, and are not identified as mangrove protected areas, shall 
be utilized for aquaculture purposes: Provided That, a 4: I ratio for mangroves and fishponds is 
maintained to support ecological processes in mangrove ecosystems; 
(c) Areas sub-classified as mangrove and still suitable for use as such, or due to environmental 
conditions need to be preserved as mangrove, but is devoid of mangrove stands shall not be converted 
to other uses. The DENR shall ensure that these lands shall be reiorested within a given period of 
time; 
(d) Areas accessible to the sea and identified for fisher folk settlement and housing shall be 
allocated to traditional fisherfolk who are inhabitants of the coastal communities and members of 


29 
1 
legitimate fisherfolk organizations andlor holders of stewardship lease contracts or titles to ancestral 
2 
domains or any form of property right arrangements who participate in coastal resource management 
3 
initiatives, subject to the usual census procedures of the HUDCC. 
4 
(e) Areas which are neither sub-classified as mangrove, fisherfolk settlement nor fishpond may 
5 
be devoted to recreational or tourism purposes: Provided, That such undeltaking will not result in 
6 
environmental degradation and displacement of small fishers; 
7 
(f) Areas which are considered as traditional fishing grounds shall be used primarily for such 
8 
purpose; 
9 
(g) Areas which have been allocated for small infrastructure needed by fisherfolk shall be 
10 
allowed; and 
11 
(h) Areas which form part of foreshore lands as defined in this Act including those which are 
12 
under lease agreements or alTangements shall undergo zoning and evaluation to determine their 
13 
boundaries and actual sizes and corresponding uses, taking into consideration the protection of 
14 
mangroves or restoration zones and the compliance with the required 4: 1 ratio between mangroves and 
15 
tlshponds. 
16 
SEC. 43. Coastal Land Zone Sub-classification. - All public lands in the coastal zones shall be 
17 
sub-classified into any of the following: estuaries, lagoons, inter-tidal flats, mudflats, fishponds, 
18 
mangroves, protection from tidal surge, for preservation of biodiversity, habitats and sanctuaries for 
19 
endangered wildlife, fisherfolk settlement, or recreational/tourism areas. No sub-classification of 
20 
coastal zones to different uses shall be done without the following: 
21 
(a) 
Conduct of a comprehensive resource and environmental assessment by the DENR and 
22 
respective LGUs and accredited NGOs and POs within their jurisdiction; and 
23 
(b) Prior consultation with the Local Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management Councils 
24 
(FARMCs) formed under Republic Act No. 8550 or the Philippine Fisheries Code. 
25 
SEC. 44. Zoning of Foreshore Areas. - Local government units, in coordination with the 
26 
DENR, shall conduct zoning of their respective foreshore areas to assist government and community 
27 
fishers identify priority areas for conservation and development, and to enable them to set targets for 
28 
mangrove reforestation and rehabilitation. 
29 
SEC. 45. Protection of Waterways Easements and Flood Plains. - Structures of any kind shall 
30 
nbt be built in waterways easements. Pursuant to PD 1067 or the Water Code, the banks of rivers and 
31 
streams and the shores of the seas and lakes throughout their entire length and within a zone of three 
32 
(3) meters in lll'ban areas, twenty (20) meters in agricultural areas and forty (40) meters in forest areas, 
33 
along their margins, are subject to the easement of public use only in the interest of recreation, 
34 
navigation, floatage, fishing and salvage. 
35 
The protection of flood plains shall adopt a river basin management approach in order to come 
36 
up with integrated flood mitigation interventions. Development within flood plains and other flood-
37 
prone areas must be controlled or, if allowed, must be so sited, constructed and serviced that life of 
38 
occupants are not put at risk and that disruptions during floods are minimal. The identification and 
39 
characterization of flood-prone areas and flood plains shall be an integral part of CLUP preparation. 
40 
Through the CLUPs and zoning ordinances, LGUs shall establish land use regulations to mitigate flood 
41 
risks. 


30 
1 
The DPWH, in coordination with DOST and DENR, shall declare flood control areas, as 
2 
necessary, and prohibit or control activities that could damage or cause deterioration of lakes and 
3 
dikes, obstruct the flow of water, change the natural flow of rivers, increase flood losses or aggravate 
4 
flood problems pursuant to PD 1067. 
5 
1\rticle 5 
6 
MINERAL LANDS 
7 
SEC. 46. Criteria for the Utilization and Allocation of Land for Mining Purposes. - To 
8 
ensure that ecological balance and sustainable use of mineral resources will promote economic growth 
9 
and uphold human rights of indigenous peoples and/or local communities in areas with mmmg 
10 
operations, the allocation and utilization of lands for mining purposes shall be guided by the 
11 
following: 
12 
(a) The principle(s) of sustainable development; 
13 
(b) In case of small-scale mining, adequate and acceptable safeguards shall be instituted by the 
14 
holders of mining rights or permits to prevent environmental degradation of the mining sites and 
15 
adjacent areas; 
16 
(c) 
Mineral reservations which have become non-operational for more than five (5) years as 
17 
determined by the MGB shall be placed under appropriate surface management by the DENR; and 
18 
(d) 
Consistent with the Mining 1\ct of 1995, areas closed to mining operations shall be 
19 
periodically reviewed through mineral exploration to be undertaken by the DENR for the purpose of 
20 
determining whether or not their continued closure is consistent with the national interest and, if 
21 
warranted, recommend their reclassification as mineral lands. 
22 
(e) 
Land under protection land use shall be exempted from mining activities to minimize the 
23 
effect of natural calamities and to protect food security respectively. 
24 
(f) The small to large scale mining op'erations shall recognize the tenurial instrument giveh by 
25 
the government such as Original Certificate of Title (OCT), Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT), 
26 
Certificate of 1\ncestral Domain Title (C1\DT), Emancipation Patent - Certificate of Land Ownership 
27 
1\ ward (EP-CLOJ\) and other instruments. 
28 
SEC. 47. Reversion of Mineral Lands. - 1\11 mineral lands with exhausted mineral resources, 
29 
as determined by the MGB upon the recommendation of the DENR, shall revert to its original land 
30 
classification, , either as forestland or agricultural land. The full cost of rehabilitation shall be borne 
31 
by the company or entity which undertook the mining activity in the area. In the case of forestlands, 
32 
the DENR may classify such areas for other purposes in consultation with concerned LGU's, the 
33 
Department of Tourism (DOT), and other national government agencies. 
34 
1\rticle 6 
35 
ENERGY RESOURCE LANDS 
36 
SEC. 
48. Guidelines jor the Utilization and Allocation of Lands for Energy Resource 
37 
Exploration, Development, Production, Utilization, and Distribution Purposes. - To ensure that the 
38 
objectives of maintaining ecological balance and maximizing the power potential from indigenous 
39 
energy resources in the most economical and environmentally-acceptable means are realized, the 
40 
allocation and utilization of lands for said purposes shall be guided by the following, consistent with 
41 
existing regulations and laws on energy resources: 


31 
(a) 
Indigenous energy resource exploration and development for the purpose of a National 
2 
Energy Resource Inventory and Data Base as well as Energy Resource Block Map shall be allowed 
3 
subject to the implementation of complementary watershed and other land management plans; 
4 
(b) Indigenous energy resource exploration, development, production, utilization, and 
5 
distribution shall be subject to the appropriate requirements and processes of the Philippine 
6 
Environmental Impact Statement (ElS) System, 
Each project shall secure an Environmental 
7 
Compliance Certificate (ECC) prior to project implementation to ensure adequate and appropriate 
8 
environmental management measures and optimum methods for resource access and recovery are 
9 
utilized; and 
10 
(c) Energy reservations or portions thereof which have become or have been established to be 
II 
non-economically viable to operate or are no longer used for energy purposes shall be released to give 
12 
way to other land uses, subject to existing laws covering energy reservations, 
13 
SEC, 49. Reversion of Energy Resource Lands. ~ All exhausted indigenous energy resource 
14 
lands not covered by proclamations shall automatically revert to the category of forestlands or 
15 
agricultural lands open to disposition, whichever is appropriate. Exhausted energy resource lands shall 
16 
refer to specific energy resource sites whose energy reserves of the desired type/s are no longer in 
17 
sufficient quantity or quality to justify additional expenditure for their extraction and utilization. 
18 
CHAPTER VII 
19 
SETTLEMENTS DEVELOPMENT 
20 
SEC. 50. Town, City, and Settlements Development. -- The development of town, city, and 
21 
settlements through the zoning ordinances of cities and municipalities shall be guided by CLUPs and 
22 
urban zoning standards designed to maximize existing urban spaces. Socialized housing and settlement 
23 
areas shall be established only on alienable and disposable lands and which are expressly declared by 
24 
an act of Congress or Presidential Proclamation that the same are no longer intended for public 
25 
service or development of the national wealth or otherwise been converted to patrimonial 
26 
property in order to avoid further degradation of forestlands. 
27 
SEC. 51. Settlements Within Geo-hazard Areas. 
~ Settlements, in particular housing or 
28 
residential developments, within geo-hazard areas may be allowed provided that mitigating and/or 
29 
protective measures are adopted to address the potential danger or risk to lives and property within 
30 
such settlements. 
31 
SEC. 
52. Designation of Sanitary Landfill. 
~ Each city or municipality shall identify, 
32 
designate and allocate an area preferably within their territorial jurisdiction to serve as sanitary landfill 
33 
within one (I) year from the effectivity of this Act. The LOUs, in coordination with the DENR or any 
34 
other competent authority, shall identify sanitary landfill in order to fast-track the conduct of 
35 
environmental impact assessment study and to facilitate processing of the environmental compliance 
36 
certificate. The site or area shall be identified in the city or municipality's CLUP. For this purpose, 
37 
cities and municipalities shall establish their solid waste management program, pursuant to R.A. No. 
38 
9003, otherwise known as the "Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000". Likewise, as 
39 
provided under Section 33 of the LOC, cities and municipalities may, through appropriate ordinances, 
40 
bind themselves towards the establishment of a common solid waste management program. 


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 
34 
35 
36 
37 
38 
39 
40 
41 
32 
Within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act, the DENR, III coordination with 
concerned agencies, shall promulgate the necessary guidelines and standards for the formulation and 
establishment of solid waste management programs by cities and municipalities, and shall submit the 
same to the LUPC for review and approval. 
SEC. 53. Designation and Zoning o/Socialized Housing Zones. - Each city or municipality in 
urban, urbanizable and rural areas shall designate through the CLUP adequate lands for housing or 
residential purposes, including socialized housing and resettlement areas for the immediate and future 
needs of the local population as well as the underprivileged and homeless in their territory, pursuant to 
existing laws and regulations. In order to ensure adequate availability of land for the housing needs of 
the local population, the CLUP shall be updated, at the earliest after every ten (10) years for provinces, 
cities and municipalities. 
The designated sites for socialized housing shall be located in residential zones, and shall be 
zoned as socialized housing zones that are integrated in the city or municipality's zoning ordinance, 
pursuant to existing laws and regulations. Preference shall be given to lands proximate to public 
transportation facilities which may include inter alia railways and public terminals. 
Fisherfolk settlements and housing in coastal municipalities shall be zoned near the sea for 
easy access to their livelihood pursuant to Section 42 of this Act. 
SEC. 54. Urban Forest or Green Space. - Each city or highly urbanizing municipality shall 
identify, designate, and alJocate lands owned by the city or municipality as urban forest or green space 
based on the guidelines and standards to be issued by the DENR and approved by the NLUC. 
CHAPTER VIII 
INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AREAS 
SEC. 55. Criteria for Designating Industrial Development Areas. - The identification and 
establishment of industrial development areas including Special Economic Zones andlor freeports 
shall conform with the provisions of R. A. No. 7916, or the Philippine Economic Zone Authority 
(PEZA) Act, R.A. No. 6657 or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, (CARP) Act, as 
amended by R.A. No. 9700 or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program with Extension and 
Reforms Act (CARPER), R.A. 8371 or the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA), R.A. No. 7279 or 
the Urban Development Housing Act (UDHA), and R.A. No. 8435 or the Agriculture and Fisheries 
Modernization Act (AFMA), taking into consideration the following: 
(a) 
Identified network of areas for agricultural development and protected agricultural areas 
pursuant to the AFMA; 
(b) 
National policies on the regional dispersal of industries and agri-based industrial 
development; 
(c) Identified growth areas and corridors in the National Development Plan; 
(d) National Protected Areas System (NIP AS) and non-NIPAS areas that require protection; 
(e) National and Urban Development and Housing Framework; 
(f) Identified Socialized Housing Zones; 
(g) National framework for physical planning and other existing national programs and 
policies; 
(h) Local Government Unit (LGU) consent through a resolution from the affected LGU's 


, 
" 
33 
1 
respective sanggunians; 
2 
(i) Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) and Environmental Impact Statement (ElS); 
3 
G) Certificate of no overlap from the DENR, DAR and the NCIP; and 
4 
(k) NEDA approval. 
5 
The land use plans of all Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and/or freeports whether created by 
\ 
6 
special laws, through Republic Act No. 7916 (PEZA Law) or executive proclamations shall conform to 
7 
the approved Comprehensive Land Use Plans pursuant to this Act. 
The National Land Use 
8 
Commission (NLUC) shall order all Special Economic Zones and freeports to submit revised land use 
9 
plans, for review and approval by their respective city or mWlicipal couucils where these areas are 
10 
located. 
II 
Any ambiguity in the conflict or overlap in land use shall be resolved m favor of the 
12 
preferential rights of the basic and marginalized sectors protected by the Constitution. 
13 
NEDA shall review and evaluate the viability in terms of the volume of investments against 
14 
the cost of environment, labor, tax incentive, and maintenance of peace and order of Special Economic 
15 
Zones and freeports. 
16 
The designated industrial development areas shall become an integral part of the land use plan 
17 
and zoning ordinance of the city or municipality where these areas are located. 
18 
CHAPTER IX 
19 
TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AND HERITAGE AREAS 
20 
SEC. 
56. Designating Tourism Development Areas. -
The identification, selection, and 
21 
development of tourism development areas, tourism estates and tourism enterprise zones (TEZs) shall 
22 
be done in consultation and coordination with the concerned LGUs, the TIEZA and concerned national 
23 
government agencies, the private sector, and the affected communities, subject to the provisions of 
24 
R.A. No. 9593 or Tourism Act of 2009. Tourism development areas shall likewise include those 
25 
covered by legislative and executive issuances as tourist spots, tourist zones and tourism ecozones 
26 
which can be developed into tourism estates or integrated resort, leisure and recreation complexes and 
27 
other tourism-related facilities as well as those identified in the national, regional and inter-regional 
28 
tourism, and area specific tourism master plans and other sector plans such as ecotourism and agri-
29 
tourism sites. 
30 
Designated areas for tourism development shall become part of the CLUPs of the cities or 
31 
municipalities where these are located. 
32 
Lands identified as part of a TEZ shall qualify for exemption from the coverage of Republic 
33 
Act Nos. 7279 and 6657 subject to rules and regulations to be crafted by the TIEZA, HUDCC, DAR 
34 
and DA: Provided, That a certificate shall be obtained from the DA that said lands are no longer 
35 
economically feasible and sound for agricultural purposes, consistent with Section 33 ofthis Act. 
36 
SEC. 
57. Identification and Declaration of Areas for Protection, Conservation and 
37 
Preservation of Cultural Heritage. -
Pursuant to R. A. No. 10066, the National Historical 
38 
Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and/or the National Museum in coordination with National 
39 
Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), HLURB and other concerned agencies, local 
40 
communities, and the private sector, shall identify declared areas and structures which shall be 
41 
protected and/or preserved as part of the Philippine cultural heritage subject to the IPRA. 


34 
I 
The LGUs in coordination with the NHCP, the NCCA and the Cul1ural Center of the 
2 
Philippines (CCP) shall designate historical zones to protect the historical integrity of said 
3 
geographical areas and cultural space of intangible cultural properties. 
4 
CHAPTER X 
5 
INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT 
6 
SEC. 58. Allocation and Use of Land for Infrastructure Development. _. Land, whether public 
7 
or private, shall be allocated and utilized for priority infrastructure projects that are supportive of 
8 
national or local development objectives. The NEDA, in consultation with the concerned national 
9 
government agencies, LGUs, and the private sector shall identify and periodically review, update 
10 
and/or revise the list of priority infrastructure projects subject to Sections 5 and 33 of (his Act, and 
II 
Section 47 of R. A. No. 8435 or AFMA. 
In determining and evaluating the list of priority 
12 
infrastructure projects, consideration shall be given to those that: 
13 
(a) Respond (0 immediate and vital requirements of the national economy with priority on 
14 
improving rural infrastructure and the development of the agriculture and fisheries sectors; 
15 
(b) Upgrade existing facilities to international standards; 
16 
(c) Address the need for sustainable settlements development; and, 
I 
17 
(d) Help mitigate the destructive effects of natural disaster-causing pheuomena or those that 
18 
shall serve as alternatives to existing infrastructures found in natural hazard-prone areas: Provided, 
19 
That the provision and implementation of infrastructure support shall be made compatible with 
20 
existing environmental conditions and the physical, whether natural or human-made, and cultural 
21 
character of the area. Mandatory public hearings/consultations pursuant to existing laws and 
22 
regulations shall be held prior to the conduct of all infrastructure projects that will necessarily involve 
23 
dislocation or displacement of people in the area: Provided, further, That the proponent of the 
24 
infrastructure project shall follow the rules on just and humane eviction or demolition under Section 28 
25 
ofR. A. No. 7279 or the Urban Development Housing Act (UDHA), notwithstanding the provisions of 
26 
Republic Act No. 8975, prohibiting lower courts from issuing temporary restraining orders, 
27 
preliminary injunctions, or preliminary mandatory injunctions, and proponent shall follow IPRA: 
28 
Provided, finally, That national government infrastructure projects shall allocate budget for the 
29 
adequate relocation of displaced communities. 
30 
SEC. 59. Infrastructure Projects Within Geo-hazard Areas. -
Construction of priority 
31 
infrastructure projects within hazard-prone areas shall be allowed: Provided, That mitigating and/or 
32 
preventive measures are adopted to address the potential adverse economic, socio-cultural, and 
33 
environmental impacts that will emanate from these infrastructure projects, subject to the findings and 
34 
recommendations of a feasibility study/environmental impact assessment in accordance with 
35 
Presidential Decree No. 1586, Establishing An Environmental Impact Statement System, Including 
36 
Other Environmental Management Related Measures, and R. A. No. 4846 or the Cultural Properties 
37 
Preservation and Protection Act, as amended by Presidential Decree No. 374. 
38 
Existing projects that did not go through the process of an environmental impact assessment 
39 
and pose threats to the environment, integrity of historic, archeological, or scientifically significant 
40 
areas; or are impinging on critical ecosystems, shall either be, as determined by the concerned 
41 
agencies: (a) terminated immediately, (b) required to implement an Environmental Management Plan; 


.' 
35 
(c) gradually phased-out and relocated, or (d) maintained up to their life span, subject, however, to 
2 
mitigating measures: Provided, That the rules on mandatory public hearings/consultations and jUs\ and 
3 
humane eviction or demolition shall also be observed prior to the termination, gradual phase-out, or 
4 
relocation of proj ects that will necessarily involve dislocation or displacement of people in the area. 
5 
CHAPTER XI 
6 
TRAINING, EDUCATION, AND VALUE FORMATION 
7 
SEC. 60. Value Formation. ~ In order to create a well informed, responsible and committed 
8 
citizenry who values the protection, conservation and development of the country's limited land, and 
9 
other physical resources, the State shall mandate the inclusion of sustainable land usc education or any 
10 
subject related thereto in the curricula of primary, secondary and tertiary education. 
II 
SEC. 61. Information and Education Campaign. - The NLUC shall undertake a nationwide 
12 
education information campaign in land use and physical planning to be implemented by local and 
13 
national government agencies. The DILG and concerned agencies shall formulate and implement a 
14 
'land use management capability-building program for national and local government officials, 
15 
community leaders, NGOs, POs, religious sector, and the general pUblic: Provided. That it shall be 
16 
mandatory for local government officials involved in the preparation of CLUPs and PPFDP, including 
17 
the municipal, city and provincial development officer to attend the Land Use Management Capability-
18 
Building Program. 
19 
CHAPTER XII 
20 
INCENTIVES, SANCTIONS, AND PENAL TIES 
21 
Article 1 
22 
Incentives and Awards 
23 
SEC. 62. Formulation of a System of Incentives and Awards. - The NLUC shall come out 
24 
with a system of incentives and awards to LGUs that regularly update their CLUPs/ZOs within the 
25 
prescribed period, as follows: 
26 
(a) 
Provinces, Highly Urbanized Cities, and Independent Component Cities once every ten 
27 
(10) years; and 
28 
(b) 
Component cities and municipalities once every ten (10) years. 
29 
SEC. 63. Priority in Giving Technical Assistance to LGUs. ~ In providing technical assistance 
30 
and other forms of support related to land use management and the implementation of development 
31 
plans, the national government agencies shall give priority to cities and municipalities with approved 
32 
CLUPs/ZOs. 
33 
Article 2 
34 
SANCTIONS AND PENALTIES 
35 
SEC. 64. Fine for Non-Completion and Non-Commencement of Development of Agricultural 
36 
Lands with Approved Order of Conversion. -- A landowner and his/her designated developer or duly 
37 
authorized representative who fails to commence and/or complete the development of agricultural 
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lands with approved order of conversion shall be penalized, jointly or severally, with any of the 
39 
following fines based on the zonal value of the land at the time the fine is imposed: 
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(a) On failure to commence within one (1) year from the date of conversion order: 


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(I) Six percent (6%) ohhe zonal value of the subject land for the first three (3) hectares, 
(2) Fifteen percent (15%) of the zonal value of the subject land for the next three (3) hectares, 
and 
(3) Thirty percent (30%) of the zonal value of the subject land for the remaining area: 
Provided, That the order of conversion shall be deemed revoked automatically and the land shall 
revert to its original agricultural use and covered 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. 65. Authority to Impose Fine. ~ The DAR shall impose the penalty provided for tinder 
the preceding section. 
SEC. 66. Withdrawal of Local 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 
of conversion. 
SEC. 67. Utilization of Fines. - The fines collected under Sections 64, 69 and 70 hereof shall 
automatically accrue to the Agrarian Reform Fund consistent with the provisions of the CARP, as 
amended. 
SEC. 68. 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, 
(c) 
Failure to complete the preparation of the CLUP despite the availability of funds, 
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resources, and support by the sanggunian concerned. 
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Any public official or employee, regardless of whether elected or appointed or holding office 
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or employment in a casual, temporary, holdover, permanent, or regular capacity, found to be 
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responsible for any of the foregoing acts, after due notice and hearing by the appropriate body or 
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agency, shall be punished with forfeiture of salaries and allowances and suspension from: 
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I. 
Six (6) months to nine (9) months, in case of non-implementation ofCLUP; or 
2, 
Three (3) months to six (6) months, in case of non-completion of the CLUP. 
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SEC. 69. Person(s) Abetting Illegal Conversion. - Any person initiating, causing, inducing. or 
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abetting illegal conversion shall, upon conviction, be imprisoned from seven (7) to twelve (12) years 
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and imposed a fine of not less than One hundred thousand pesos (PI 00,000.00), or both at the 
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discretion of the Court: Provided, That if the offender is a public official or employee, whether elected 
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or appointed, the penalty shall, in addition thereto, include dismissal through permanent separation 
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from the service and forfeiture of all benetits and entitlements accruing to the public position and 


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perpetual disqualification to run or apply for any elective or appointive public oiIice: Provided, 
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further, That if the offender is a juridical person, the penalty of imprisonment shall be imposed on the 
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president, chief executive officer, manager, chairperson and all the members of the board, and other 
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responsible officers thereof, and the fine shall be equivalent to the zonal value of the land or forty 
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percent (40%) of the shareholders equity, as determined at the time of judgment whichever is higher, 
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plus forfeiture of the land in favor of the State for sale though public auction, the proceeds of which 
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shall automatically accrue to the Agrarian Reform Fund as provided for in Section 67 of this Act. 
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SEC. 70. Penalty for Reclassification of Protected Agricultural Lands and Exceeding the Limit 
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of Areas Allowed for Reclassification. - Any person initiating, causing, inducing, or abetting the 
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reclassification of protected agricultural areas into non-agricultural uses and exceeding the limits set 
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forth under Section 20 of the LGC of 1991, shall be penalized with imprisonment of twelve (12) years 
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and a fine of not less than One hundred thousand pesos (PlOO,OOO.OO), or both at the discretion of the 
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court: Provided, That if the offender is a public official or employee, the penalty shall, in addition 
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thereto, include 
dismissal through permanent separation from the service, whether elected or 
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appointed, and forfeiture of entitlements accruing to the public position, and perpetual disqualification 
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to run or apply for any elective or appointive public position: Provided, further, That if the offender is 
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a juridical person, the penalty shall be imposed on the president, chief executive officer, manager, 
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chairperson and all the members of the board, and other responsible officers thereof. 
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SEC. 71. Payment of Disturbance Compensation. -
Following the order of priority as 
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enumerated in Section 22 of the CARP, as amended, qualified beneficiaries such as agricultural lessees 
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and share tenants, regular farm workers, seasonal farm workers, other farm workers, actual tillers or 
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occupants of public lands, collective, or cooperative of the above-mentioned beneficiaries, and others 
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directly working on the land affected by agricultural land use conversion shall be entitled to the 
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payment of disturbance compensation equivalent to five (5) times the average of the gross harveSts on 
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the landholding during the last five (5) preceding calendar years, as determined by the DAR. 
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CHAPTER XIII 
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TRANSITORY AND FINAL PROVISIONS 
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SEC. 72. Convening of the NLUe. - Within thirty (30) days from the effectivity of this Act, 
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the President shall convene the NLUC. 
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SEC. 73. implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within six (6) months from the effectivity of 
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this Act, the NLUC shall promulgate the rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act. 
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SEC. 74. Congressional Oversight Committee on the Land Use Act. "- There is hereby created 
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a Congressional Oversight Committee which shall monitor the implementation of this Act. lt shall be 
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composed of seven (7) members from the Senate and seven (7) members from the House of 
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Representatives. The Chairpersons of the Senate Committee on Envirorunent and Natural Resources 
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and the House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources shall be the Chair and Co-Chair of 
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the Congressional Oversight Committee, respectively. The other members from the Senate shall be 
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appointed by the Senate President based on proportional representation of the parties or coalitions 
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therein with at least one (I) senator representing the minority. The other members from the House of 
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Representatives shall be appointed by the Speaker also based on proportional representation of the 


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parties or coalitions therein with at least one (1) member representing the minority. 
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The secretariat of the Oversight Committee shall be drawn from the existing secretariat 
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personnel of the committees comprising the oversight and the funding shall be taken from the 
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appropriations of both the Senate and the House of Representatives. 
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SEC. 75. Appropriations.- The appropriations for the National Land Use Commission shall be 
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taken from the budget of the Office of the President in the General Appropriations Act in the year 
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following the effectivity of this Act shall be used to carry out the initial operations of the National 
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Land Use Commission. Thereafter, additional sums as may be necessary for the full implementation 
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ofNLUC's functions shall be included in the 'annual General Appropriations Act. 
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SEC. 76. Review of Existing Land Use Plans. ~ Provinces, cities, and municipalities especially 
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managed/administered areas by government, all Special Economic Zones and/or freeports with existing 
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land use plans shall review, revise, reconcile, and harmonize the same with the guidelines and 
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standards set forth under this Act within three (3) years from the effectivity of this Act. Actual use 
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shall be preferred over future or reserve use: Provided, That all existing locational clearances and 
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zoning permits issued by the LGUs, prior to the effectivity of this act, shall remain valid pending 
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review of the existing CLUPs and zoning ordinances and they shall not be invalidated because of the 
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sole reason that the new and approved CLUPs and ZOs have determined that they should be properly 
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located in a different land use zoning area: PI"ovided further, That appropriate measures shall be 
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adopted by the local government unit concerned, the landowner and the developer should any existing 
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structures and facilities are found to be properly covered by a different land use zoning category in 
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areas where they are currently located. Provided finally, That existing structures and facilities within 
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'extremely hazardous and high-risk/danger zones which cannot be addressed by any mitigating andlor 
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protective measures shall be required to relocate. 
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SEC. 77. Repealing Clause. ~ All republic acts, executive orders, rules and regulations, and 
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other issuances, or parts thereof, that are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
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repealed or modified accordingly. 
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SEC. 78. Non-impairment Clause. ~ Nothing in this Act shall be construed as to diminish, 
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impair, or repeal rights recognized, granted, or available to marginalized or basic sectors under existing 
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laws including but not limited to Republic Act Nos. 7279, 6657, 8371, and 8550. 
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SEC. 79. Separability Clause. ~ If for any reason or reasons, any part or provision of this Act 
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shall be declared or held to be unconstitutional or invalid other parts or provisions hereof, which are 
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not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
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SEC. 80. EffectiVity Clause. 
~ This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication 
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in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,