1 
Republic of the Philippines  
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH (19th) CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No.  _____ 
Introduced by: Hon. Ma. Victoria Co - Pilar 
1 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
To start progress and development, first, we must recognize that our land 
resources are limited and it is an integral component of governance. Second, that 
our policies for the use and management of our land resources, must be holistic, 
efficient and effective as it affects all the sectors of our country. 
Learning from the proposals for national land use from legislators before us, they 
identified that conflicting and confusing interventions of different government 
agencies have affected the sector of agriculture, human settlement, industry, 
national economy and other areas. Hence, it is upon us to approve a policy that is 
clear, unified and systematic about the allocation, disposition, development, 
utilization and management of land resources. 
Respectfully, this bill aims to harmonize existing laws, issuance and orders 
governing the management and use of land resources. Further, this bill seeks to 
establish a guideline for the planning at the national and local level. 
With the mandate given to this new administration and the 22nd Congress let us 
now take the first step on laying the foundations of progress. 
In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly urged. 
2 
July 26, 2022
4:53 pm
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Republic of the Philippines  
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH (19th) CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No.  _____ 
Introduced by: Hon. Ma. Victoria Co - Pilar 
1 
AN ACT 
2 
INSTITUTING A NATIONAL LAND USE AND MANAGEMENT POLICY, 
3 
PROVIDING THE IMPLEMENTING MECHANISMS, AND 
4 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
5 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
6 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
7 
CHAPTER I 
8 
INTRODUCTORY PROVISIONS 
9 
10 
SECTION 1. Title – This Act shall be known and cited as the “National 
11 
Land Use Management Act of the Philippines”. 
12 
13 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policies and Principles. – it is the policy of the 
14 
State to: 
15 
(a) Provide for a rational, holistic and just allocation, utilization,
16 
management, and development of the country’s land and water
17 
resources so that their use is consistent with the principles of equity,
18 
social justice, environmental integrity and sustainable development for
19 
the common good;
20 
21 
(b) Hold owners and users of land responsible for developing and
22 
conserving their lands thereby making these productive and
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supportive of sustainable development and environmental stability in 
1 
accordance with the principle that the use of land bears a social 
2 
function and that all economic agents shall contribute to the common 
3 
good; 
4 
 
5 
(c) Treat groups of islands, including parts of islands, interconnecting 
6 
waters and other natural features which are also closely interrelated, as 
7 
forming an intrinsic geographical, economic and political entity, or 
8 
which historically have been regarded as such entity;  
9 
 
10 
(d) Strengthen the capacity of the local government units (LGUs) to 
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manage and maintain ecological balance within their territorial 
12 
jurisdiction, in partnership with the national government, in 
13 
accordance with the Philippine Constitution and Republic Act No. 7160 
14 
or the Local Government Code of 1991. 
15 
 
16 
Towards this end, the State shall institutionalize land use and physical 
17 
planning as a mechanism for identifying, determining and evaluating 
18 
appropriate land use and allocation patterns that promote and ensure: 
19 
 
20 
(1) Maintenance and preservation of environmental integrity and stability; 
21 
(2) Sustainable and just management and utilization of natural resources; 
22 
(3) Disaster risk reduction and climate risk – based planning; 
23 
(4) Protection and prime agricultural lands for food security, with 
24 
emphasis on self – sufficiency through efficient and sustainable use of 
25 
land resources consistent with the principles of sound agricultural 
26 
development, natural resources development, and agrarian reform; 
27 
(5) Protection and conservation of the country’s natural heritage, 
28 
permanent forest lands, natural forests, critical watersheds and key 
29 
biodiversity areas to ensure adequate forest cover to maintain 
30 
ecological processes in the country; 
31 
(6) Sustainable development and management of water resources; 
32 
(7) Settlements, transportation and other infrastructure development in 
33 
support of inclusive growth and rural, urban and regional 
34 
development; 
35 
(8) Improved access to affordable housing by increasing the supply 
36 
thereof through direct allocation, better access to unutilized lands, and 
37 
increased production of multiple use and higher density projects, 
38 
where appropriate; 
39 
(9) Respect for and protection of traditional resource right of the 
40 
Indigenous Cultural Communities / Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) to 
41 
their ancestral domains; compliance with free and prior informed 
42 
consent of ICCs/IPs; and recognition of customary laws and traditional 
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resource use and management, knowledge,  and practices in ancestral 
1 
domains; 
2 
(10)
Equitable access to land through State intervention that guarantees
3 
its affordability to the basic disadvantaged sectors defined under
4 
Republic Act No. 8425 or the Social Reform and Poverty Alleviation
5 
Act;
6 
(11)
Energy security or energy self – sufficiency;
7 
(12)
Preservation and conservation of parks and protected areas to keep
8 
the scenery, the natural and historic objects, and the biodiversity
9 
therein in the natural state and prevent them from being damaged for
10 
purposes of public recreational use and enjoyment; and
11 
(13)
Meaningful participation of the basic sectors.
12 
13 
SECTION 3. Scope – This act shall apply to all lands and all resources 
14 
therein, whether public, private, government – owned, and / or in the possession 
15 
of any person, whether natural or juridical, and shall guide the rational, holistic 
16 
and just allocation, utilization, development and management of the country’s 
17 
land and water resources including such activities that bear impact on said 
18 
resources. 
19 
20 
SECTION 4. Definition of Terms. – As used in this Act: 
21 
22 
(a) Agricultural land – refers to the subclass of classified agricultural lands
23 
devoted to or suitable for the cultivation of the soil, planting of crops,
24 
growing of trees, raising of livestock, poultry, fish or aquaculture
25 
production, including the harvesting of such farm products and other
26 
farm activities and practices performed in conjunction with such
27 
farming operations, by persons whether natural or juridical, and not
28 
classified as residential land, commercial land or industrial land;
29 
(b) Agricultural land use conversion – refers to the undertaking of any
30 
development activity which modifies or alters the physical
31 
characteristics of agricultural lands to render them suitable for non-
32 
agricultural purposes under an approved order of conversion issued
33 
by the appropriate government agency;
34 
(c) Alienable and disposable lands of the public domain – refers to lands of the
35 
public domain which have been delineated, classified, and certified as
36 
such and available for disposition under Commonwealth Act No. 141,
37 
otherwise known as the Public Land Act, as amended;
38 
(d) Ancestral domains – refer to all areas generally belonging to ICCs/IPs as
39 
defined in Republic Act No. 8371, otherwise known as the Indigenous
40 
Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997;
41 
(e) Ancestral Domain Suitable Development and Protection Plan (ADSDPP) –
42 
refers to a plan formulated and pursued in accordance with the rights
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of ICCs/IPs to manage and develop the land as well as natural and 
1 
human resources within their ancestral domains based on their 
2 
indigenous knowledge systems and practices on the principle of self-
3 
determination; 
4 
(f) Classified agricultural land - refers to one of the four (4) classifications of 
5 
land 
6 
under the Constitutions not classified by law as mineral land, forest 
7 
land or national 
8 
park and the only land classification subject to alienation; 
9 
(g) Coastal Area / Zone - refers to a band of dryland and the adjacent ocean 
10 
space (water and submerged land) in which terrestrial processes and 
11 
uses directly affect oceanic processes and uses, and vice versa, Its 
12 
geographic extent may include areas within a landward limit of one (1) 
13 
kilometer from the shoreline at high tide to include mangrove swamps, 
14 
brackish water ponds, nipa swamps, estuarine rivers, sandy beaches 
15 
and other areas within a seaward limit of two hundred (200) meters 
16 
isobaths to include coral reefs, algal flats, seagrass beds, and other soft-
17 
bottom areas; 
18 
(h) Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) - refers to a document embodying 
19 
a set of policies, accompanied by maps and similar illustrations that 
20 
serve as a policy guide for determining the future use of lands and 
21 
natural resources within the territorial jurisdiction of the LGUs. It 
22 
represents the community-desired pattern of population distribution 
23 
and proposes future allocation of land and resources to various 
24 
activities, It includes the processes and criteria employed in such 
25 
determination of allocation of land and resources, It is a plan for the 
26 
long-term management of the local territory covering a period of a 
27 
minimum of ten (10) years, reviewable not earlier than every five (5) 
28 
years base on the four (4) categories of  land use planning provided in 
29 
Section 6 of this Act; 
30 
(i) Comprehensive land use planning - refers to the act of defining the 
31 
allocation, 
32 
utilization, development and management of all lands within a given 
33 
territory or jurisdiction according to the inherit characteristics of the 
34 
land itself and 
35 
supportive of sustainable, economic, demographic, sociocultural and 
36 
environmental objectives as an aid to decision-making and legislation; 
37 
(j) Critical watershed - refers or forest lands that have been identified 
38 
and evaluated to provide critical and vital natural, ecological, 
39 
environmental and physical beneficial services such as water, 
40 
biodiversity, energy, irrigation, social and cultural, among others, to a 
41 
specific area or community and whose biophysical condition demands 
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immediate rehabilitation, protection and management to prevent
1 
 
its further denudation, deterioration and exploitation; 
2 
(k) Cultural heritage - refers to a totality of cultural properties, whether 
3 
natural or 
4 
human-made, preserved and developed through time, and passed on 
5 
the posterity; 
6 
(l) Customary laws - refer to a body of written/or unwritten rules, usages, 
7 
customs 
8 
And practices traditionally and continually recognized, accepted, and 
9 
observed by respective ICCs/IPs consistent with IPRA; 
10 
(m) 
Danger zones - refer to areas with high level of threat to the lives and 
11 
well- 
12 
being of people that cannot be addressed through scientific, physical 
13 
and engineering methods, and are therefore not suitable for settlement 
14 
and permanent structures. Areas can only be declared as danger zones 
15 
after proper technical studies and public consultations with affected 
16 
families are conducted; 
17 
(n) Development plan - refers to a document that defines the activities and 
18 
measures that the national government or LGUs intend to implement 
19 
over a specified period of time in order to achieve the defined set of 
20 
development goals identified in the national or local physical 
21 
framework plans. It integrates socioeconomic, financial, fiscal legal 
22 
legislative, institutional and sectoral plans of the national government 
23 
or any of its instrumentalities or a particular LGU, consistent with the 
24 
objectives identified in spatial plans such as land use plans or physical 
25 
framework plans. It may include an analysis of problems and 
26 
resources, definition of goals and objectives, policy guidelines, project 
27 
and target achievements, and an implementation mechanism which 
28 
defines the roles and contributions expected from the government and 
29 
the private 
30 
sector; 
31 
(o) Disaster-prone areas or Geo-hazard areas - refer to areas frequented by 
32 
and/or vulnerable to experience weather, climatic, hydrologic, 
33 
geologic, and other natural disturbances or calamities; 
34 
(p) Disaster risk reduction - refers to the concept and practice of reducing 
35 
disaster risks through systematic efforts to analyze and manage the 
36 
casual factors of disasters, including reduced exposures to hazards, 
37 
lessened vulnerability of people and property, wise management of 
38 
land and the environment, and improved preparedness for adverse 
39 
events; 
40 
(q) Ecologically fragile lands - refer to lands within critical watersheds, 
41 
brackish and freshwater wetlands, pasturelands, inland rivers and 
42 
waterways, coastal and settlement areas, and croplands which require 
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7 
rehabilitation, protection, and whose continued unsustainable use 
1 
would result in physical risks and threats to life and property, public 
2 
health and safety, as well as adversely affect the productivity of 
3 
lowland agricultural areas and stability of the upland system; 
4 
(r) Ecotourism - refers to a form of sustainable tourism within a natural
5 
and/or cultural heritage area where community participation,
6 
protection and management of natural resources, culture and
7 
indigenous knowledge and practices, environmental education and
8 
ethics, as well as economic benefits   are fostered and pursued for the
9 
enrichment of the host community and satisfaction of visitors;
10 
(s) Energy resources - refer to surface to subsurface substances that serve as
11 
energy sources. These are traditionally mineral fuel deposits such as
12 
coal, petroleum, natural gas or renewable resources from geothermal,
13 
hydro reservoirs, or nonconventional sources including ocean waves,
14 
solar, wind, biomass, and other similar resources which serve the same
15 
purpose;
16 
(t) Energy resource lands - refer to lands where naturally occurring or
17 
indigenous Energy resources exist in sufficient quantity and/or quality
18 
as to be economically viable for exploration, development, production,
19 
utilization, and distribution purposes;
20 
(u) Environmentally critical area - refer to areas declared by law as:
21 
22 
(1) areas for Natural parks, watershed reserves, wildlife preserves,
23 
and sanctuaries;
24 
(2) Areas set aside for aesthetic and visual value;
25 
(3) Areas that constitute the habitat for any endangered or threatened
26 
species of indigenous Philippine wildlife both flora and fauna;
27 
(4) Areas of unique historic, archaeological, or scientific interests;
28 
(5) Areas that are traditionally occupied by ICCs/IPs
29 
(6) Areas with critical slopes;
30 
(7) Areas frequented and/or hard   hit by natural calamities such as,
31 
but not limited to, geologic hazards, floods, typhoons and
32 
volcanic activities;
33 
(8) Recharge areas of aquifers;
34 
(9) Mangrove areas;
35 
(10) Coral reefs;
36 
(11) Mossy and virgin forests;
37 
(12) Rivers and riverbanks;
38 
(13) Swamp forests and marshlands;
39 
(14) Foreshore lands;
40 
(15) protected areas pursuant to republic Act No. 7586 or the NIPAS
41 
Act of 1992; and
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8 
 
(16) areas set aside as aesthetic potential tourist spots. This term shall 
1 
also include other terrestrial, aquatic and marine areas that need 
2 
special protection and conservation measures because they are 
3 
ecologically fragile or they are needed for food security and food 
4 
self-sufficiency as determined by concerned agencies and LGUs in 
5 
consultation with the concerned stakeholders; 
6 
 
7 
(v) Exhausted mineral resources - refer to a situation where the mineral 
8 
resources in specific sited are no longer in sufficient quantity or quality 
9 
to justify additional expenditure for extraction or utilization; 
10 
(w) 
Flood plain - refers to the portion of a river valley adjacent to a river 
11 
channel which is covered with water when the river overflows its 
12 
banks at flood stages, and which usually consists of silt deposited by 
13 
the stream; 
14 
(x) Flood-prone areas - refer to low-lying areas usually adjacent to large or 
15 
active water bodies and which therefore experience regular or seasonal 
16 
inundation as a result of changes in the mean water level of these 
17 
bodies or because of land reclamation and other artificial interference 
18 
with the natural processes. 
19 
(y) Food security - refers to the policy objective of meeting the requirements 
20 
for food availability, accessibility, and affordability of the present and 
21 
future generations of Filipinos in a sustainable manner, through local 
22 
production or importation in case of shortage based on a micro level 
23 
situation, or both, and taking into account the country’s existing and 
24 
potential resource endowments and related production advantages, 
25 
and consistent with the overall national development objectives and 
26 
policies; 
27 
(z) Food self-sufficiency - refers to the policy objective of meeting the food 
28 
requirements through intensive local food production in a sustainable 
29 
manner based on the country’s existing and potential resources and 
30 
related production advantages; 
31 
(aa) 
Foreshore land - refers to a string of land margining a body or water, 
32 
the part of a seashore between the low-water line usually at the 
33 
seaward margin of a low tide terrace and the upper limit of wave wash 
34 
at high tide often marked by a beach scarp or berm; 
35 
(bb) 
Forest - refers to an ecosystem or an assemblage of ecosystems 
36 
dominated by trees and other woody vegetation; a community of 
37 
plants and animals interacting with one another and its physical 
38 
environment; 
39 
(cc) 
Forest lands - refers to one of the four (4) classifications of land 
40 
under the Constitution under the public domain classified and/or 
41 
determined as suitable for forest purposes not classified as mineral 
42 
land, national park and classified agricultural land. These include all 
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permanent forest, forest reserves, forest reservations, and all the 
1 
remaining unclassified lands of the public domain;   
2 
(dd) 
Forest Land Use Plan (PLUP) - refers to the allocation of forest lands 
3 
into their appropriate uses consistent with existing biophysical 
4 
conditions such as topography, soil type, land use, climate, water 
5 
sources and socioeconomic, cultural and political realities. Forest land 
6 
use planning should be able to delineate protection and production 
7 
forests; 
8 
(ee) 
Forest land sub classification - refers to the process of determining the 
9 
most appropriate and sustainable use of forest lands primarily as 
10 
protection forest and production forest. They may be further 
11 
subclassified as grazing/pasture land, recreational areas and other 
12 
uses taking into account ecological, social and economic 
13 
considerations; 
14 
(ff) Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) - refers to the consensus of all 
15 
members of the ICCs/IPs to be determined in accordance with their 
16 
respective customary laws and practices, free from any external 
17 
manipulation, interference and coercion, and obtained after fully 
18 
disclosing the intent and scope of the activity, in a language and 
19 
process understandable to the community; 
20 
(gg) 
Geo-hazards - refer to nature and human-induced geological 
21 
processes that have potential to cause destruction and which pose a 
22 
threat or risk to a person’s life and property. These may include, but 
23 
are not limited to, ground, water and weather-related conditions, 
24 
volcanic and earthquake induced hazards as ground shaking, ground 
25 
rupture, earthquake-induced landslides, liquefaction and tsunami; 
26 
(hh) 
Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) - refer 
27 
to groups of people or homogenous societies identified by self-
28 
ascriptions and ascriptions by others, who have continuously lived as 
29 
organized community on communally bounded and defined territory, 
30 
and who have, under claim of ownership since time immemorial, 
31 
occupied, possessed and utilized such territories, sharing common 
32 
bonds of language, customs, traditions and other distinctive cultural 
33 
traits, or who have, through resistance to political, social and cultural 
34 
inroads of colonization, nonindigenous religions and cultures, became 
35 
historically differentiated from the majority of Filipinos. ICCs/IPs shall 
36 
likewise include peoples who are regarded as indigenous on account of 
37 
their descent from the populations which inhabited the country at the 
38 
time of conquest or colonization, or at the time of inroads of 
39 
nonindigenous religions and cultures, or the establishment of present 
40 
State boundaries, who retain some or all of their own social, economic, 
41 
cultural and political institutions, but who may have displaced from 
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10 
 
their traditional domains, or who may have resettled outside of their 
1 
ancestral domains; 
2 
(ii) Inland waters - refer to waters, which are not coastal and marine waters, 
3 
and not subject to acquisitive prescription consistent with the 
4 
provisions of Presidential Decree No. 1067 or the Water Code of the 
5 
Philippines; 
6 
(jj) Integrated watershed management - refers to a planning strategy or 
7 
program for Watershed areas that complement environment sound soil 
8 
and water management practices with mechanisms for ensuring 
9 
greater responsibility, involvement, or participation of individuals, 
10 
groups, communities and other stakeholders benefiting from these 
11 
areas and water-related infrastructure; 
12 
(kk) 
Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) - refer to the present most important 
13 
sites for Biodiversity conservation worldwide. These are places of   
14 
international importance for the conservation of biodiversity through 
15 
protected areas and other governance mechanisms. They are identified 
16 
nationally using simple, standard criteria, based on their importance in 
17 
maintaining species populations. 
18 
(ll) Land - refers to resources, both artificial and natural, found on the 
19 
surface, below, and above the ground including inland waters and the 
20 
air therein; 
21 
(mm) Land sub classification - refers to the act of determining and assigning 
22 
specific uses of classified lands such as forest lands, classified 
23 
agricultural lands, mineral lands and national parks in accordance with 
24 
existing laws and this Act; 
25 
(nn) 
Land use - refers to the manner of allocation, utilization, 
26 
management and Development of land; 
27 
(oo) 
Land use classification - refers to the act of delineating or allocating 
28 
lands according to protection land use, production land use, 
29 
settlements development and infrastructure development as defined 
30 
and provided for in this Act; 
31 
(pp) 
Mandatory public hearings/Consultations - refers to the    mechanism 
32 
to ensure the involvement of concerned stakeholders and communities 
33 
in land use planning, from the barangay to the national level, to ensure 
34 
the social acceptability of the plans. It should involve giving notice of 
35 
hearing/consultation to concerned stakeholders through publication or 
36 
posting in conspicuous places, conduct of a reasonable number of 
37 
hearings, and solicitation of positions to arrive at a consensus. Public 
38 
presentation of the plans: 
39 
(qq) 
Marine Protected Area (MPA) - refers to a defined area of the sea 
40 
established and set aside by law, administrative regulation or any other 
41 
effective means in order to conserve and protect a part of or the entire 
42 
enclosed environment, through the established of management 
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guidelines. It includes all declared areas governed by specific rules or 
1 
guidelines in order and manage activities within the enclosed areas; 
2 
(rr)  Mineral exploration - refers to the systematic searching or protecting for 
3 
mineral resources including energy resources; 
4 
(ss) 
Mineral lands - refers to lands of the public domain, excluding those 
5 
in permanent forestlands and protection lands, where mineral 
6 
resources are found in sufficient quantity and quality for extraction, 
7 
development and utilization; 
8 
(tt)  Multiple use of land resources - refer to the utilization or management 
9 
strategy for any land, which allows any activity, involving one or more 
10 
of its resources, depending on the result of prior evaluation on its 
11 
numerous beneficial use, that will produce the optimum benefits to the 
12 
development and progress of the country and the public welfare 
13 
without impairment or with the least injury to its other resources; 
14 
(uu) 
Municipal waters - refers to not only streams, lakes, inland bodies of 
15 
water and tidal waters within the municipality which are not included   
16 
within the protected areas as defined under Republic Act No. 7586 of 
17 
the National Integrated Protected Areas System or the NIPAS Act of 
18 
1992, public forest, timber lands, forest reserves of fishery reserves, but 
19 
also marine waters included between (2) lines drawn perpendicular to 
20 
the general coastline from points where the boundary lines of the 
21 
municipality touch the sea at low tide and a third parallel with the 
22 
general coastline including offshore islands and fifteen (15) kilometers 
23 
from such coastline. Where the territory of a  municipality includes 
24 
several islands, outermost points of such islands shall be used as base 
25 
points and connected by archipelagic baseline, irrespective of the 
26 
lengths of such baselines from the main coastlines. Where two (2) 
27 
municipalities are situated on opposite shores that there is less than 
28 
thirty (3) kilometers of marine waters between them, the third line shall 
29 
be equally distant from opposite shire of the respective municipalities; 
30 
(vv) 
National integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) - refers to the 
31 
classification and administration of all designated protected areas to 
32 
maintain essential ecological processes and life-support systems, to 
33 
preserve genetic diversity, to ensure sustainable use of resources found 
34 
therein, and to maintain their natural conditions to the greatest extent 
35 
possible; 
36 
(ww) National Land Use Policy Council (NLIPC) - refers to the 
37 
administrative, policy-making, and making regulatory body created 
38 
under this Act; 
39 
(xx) 
National Park - refers to forest reservation essentially of natural 
40 
wilderness Character which has been withdrawn from settlement, 
41 
occupancy or any form of Exploitation except in conformity with 
42 
approved management plan and set aside as such exclusively to 
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conserve the area or preserve the scenery, natural and historic objects, 
1 
wild animals and plants therein and to provide enjoyment of these 
2 
feature in such areas. It shall also refer to lands and waters of the 
3 
public domain classified as such in the 1987 Constitution which include 
4 
all areas under the NIPAS, pursuant to Republic Act No. 7586 or the 
5 
NIPAS Act of 1992. Primarily designated for the conservation of native 
6 
plants and animals and associated habitats and cultural diversity; 
7 
(yy) 
Network of Protected Areas for Agriculture and Agro-industrial 
8 
Development (NPAAAD) - refers to agricultural areas identified by the 
9 
Department of Agriculture (DA) through the Bureau of Soils and 
10 
Water Management (BSWM) in coordination with the National 
11 
Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA) in order to 
12 
ensure the efficient utilization of land for agriculture and agro-
13 
industrial development and to promote sustainable growth. The 
14 
NPAAAD covers all irrigated areas; all irrigable lands already covered 
15 
by irrigation projects: all alluvial plains: lands highly suitable for 
16 
agriculture whether irrigated of not; agro-industrial croplands or lands 
17 
planted to industrial crops that support the validity of existing 
18 
agricultural infrastructure and agro-based enterprises; highlands or 
19 
areas located at an elevation of five hundred (500) meters or above and 
20 
have the potential for growing semi-temperate and high value crops; 
21 
all agricultural lands that are ecologically fragile the conversion of 
22 
which will result in serious environmental degradation; and all 
23 
mangrove areas and fish sanctuaries; 
24 
(zz) 
Permanent forest of Forest reserves - refers to lands of the private or 
25 
public domain which have been identified and determined to be 
26 
needed for protection, conservation, Preservation and management as 
27 
forest and shall be reserved, conserved and protected into perpetuity 
28 
for such purpose; 
29 
(aaa) Permanent forestlands - refer to the forestlands, within public lands, 
30 
that have been identified, determined and demarcated on the ground 
31 
by the State to serve such purpose and shall be protected, conserved, 
32 
preserved, maintained and manage as forestlands      free from any 
33 
form of utilization, exploitation or development, and reserved    
34 
permanently as such for the benefit and use of future generations; 
35 
(bbb) Physical framework plans - refer to the national, regional or provincial         
36 
indicative plans that outline the overall and macro-level physical 
37 
development     objectives, priorities, directions and strategies in its 
38 
respective levels as prepared, reviewed, integrated and finalized by the 
39 
national, regional, regional and provincial land use councils/boards, 
40 
respectively, based on the Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUPs) of 
41 
the LGUs and the national policy guidelines relating to land use and 
42 
environment management to prevent or mitigate the adverse effects of 
43 


13 
 
inappropriate resource utilization on food security, the people’s 
1 
welfare, and their environment; 
2 
(ccc) Premature or illegal conversion - refers to any activity that modifies or 
3 
alters the physical characteristics of agricultural lands to render them 
4 
suitable for nonagricultural purposes without an approved order of 
5 
conversion from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary; 
6 
(ddd) Prime agricultural lands - refer to all contiguous irrigated areas and 
7 
irrigable lands already covered by irrigation projects; all alluvial plain 
8 
lands highly suitable for agriculture whether irrigated or not have been 
9 
identified to satisfy the country’s needs for food self-sufficiency and 
10 
security; agro-industrial croplands or lands presently planted and 
11 
suitable to industrial and high value crops; highlands, or areas located 
12 
at an elevation of five hundred (500) meters or above and have the 
13 
potential for growing   semi-temperature and high value crops outside 
14 
of declared permanently forestlands and protection forests, and are not 
15 
located in ecologically fragile and environmentally critically areas; 
16 
(eee) Production forest - refers to forestland located in production lands 
17 
managed    primarily for the production of timber and other tree 
18 
products; 
19 
(fff) 
Production land use - refers to the direct and indirect utilization of 
20 
land to generate output resulting from the following activities; 
21 
agricultural, fish farming or        aquaculture, timber or agri-forestry, 
22 
grazing and pasture, mining, indigenous energy resource 
23 
development, industry, and tourism; 
24 
(ggg) Protected areas - refer to portions of land and water set aside by 
25 
reason of their unique physical and biological significance, managed to 
26 
enhance biological diversity, and protect against human exploitation. 
27 
For purposes of this Act, these shall also      include all-natural forests 
28 
and agricultural lands identified and delineated under this      Act; 
29 
(hhh) Protected forests - refer to forests and forestlands, in both public and 
30 
private     lands, that have been identified and determined by the State 
31 
for the beneficial use of present and future generations and shall be 
32 
preserved, conserved, protected and maintained as such free from any 
33 
form of utilization, exploitation or development; 
34 
(iii) 
Protected land use - refers to the use of land primarily reserved for 
35 
rehabilitation, conservation, and protection purposes and the 
36 
promotion of the country’s ecological     and life-support systems; 
37 
(jjj) Public domain - refers to lands belongings to the State which may be 
38 
classified as agricultural, forest or timber, mineral, or national park as 
39 
provided for in the Constitution; 
40 
(kkk) Reclassification of agricultural lands - refer to the act of specifying how 
41 
agricultural lands shall be utilized for non-agricultural uses such as for 
42 
residential, industrial, or commercial purposes, through the local 
43 


14 
 
planning and zoning processes pursuant to the Local Government 
1 
Code of 1991, and subject to the requirements and procedure for 
2 
conversion; 
3 
(lll) Resettlement sites - refer to areas identified by the appropriate national 
4 
agency or by the LGU, with respect to areas within its jurisdiction, 
5 
which shall be used for the relocation of the underprivileged and 
6 
homeless, as defined under Republic Act No. 7279 or the Urban 
7 
Development and Housing Act (UDHA) of 1992; 
8 
(mmm) Restoration - refers to returning forestland to its original forested 
9 
state in terms of species’ composition, structure, function and 
10 
productivity; 
11 
(nnn) Restoration zones - refer to forest areas where activities are 
12 
conducted to restore its forested state; 
13 
(ooo) River basin - refers to the horizontal projection of area from which a 
14 
river and its tributaries receive surface water originating from 
15 
precipitation; 
16 
(ppp) Settlements - refer to communities or built – up environment areas 
17 
where people prefer to live in; 
18 
(qqq) Settlements development - refers to any improvement on existing 
19 
settlements or any proposed development of certain areas for 
20 
settlement purposes. It also involves the spatial distribution of 
21 
population, identification of the roles and functions of key                  
22 
urban centers, determines of relationships among settlement areas, and 
23 
the provision of basic services and facilities of identified major 
24 
settlement areas or growth centers; 
25 
(rrr) 
Shoreline - refers to a strip of land covering at least one (1) kilometer 
26 
from the point where seawater reaches during the highest high tide; 
27 
(sss) Spatial data infrastructure  -refers to a system consisting of spatial 
28 
data, technology, policies, practices, relationships, people and 
29 
resources necessary to  acquire, process, store and distribute spatial 
30 
information to improve sharing and use throughout all levels of the 
31 
government and private sector, among others, which shall                       
32 
be operationalized through electronic system that provides access to a 
33 
network of spatial data sources and users and shall serve as the official 
34 
linkage of the government to international and regional spatial data 
35 
infrastructure; 
36 
(ttt) 
Socialized housing - refers to housing programs and projects covering 
37 
home lots, houses and lots, or low-rise to medium-rise buildings, or 
38 
high density housing projects undertaken by the government or the 
39 
private sector for the underprivileged and homeless citizens which 
40 
shall include sites and services development,                                             
41 
long-term financing direct subsidy programs, liberalized terms on 
42 


15 
 
interest payment, and such  other benefits in accordance with the 
1 
UDHA and Batas Pambansa Blg. 220; 
2 
(uuu) Socialized housing sites - refer to lands identified and designated by 
3 
LGUs as  sites for socialized housing pursuant to Article IV of the 
4 
UDHA and its implementing      guidelines; 
5 
(vvv) Strategic Agriculture and Fisheries Development Zones (SAFDZs) - refer 
6 
to areas within the NPAAAD identified for production, agro-
7 
processing and marketing activities to help develop and modernize, 
8 
within the support of government, the agriculture and fisheries sectors 
9 
in an environmentally and sociocultural sound manner; 
10 
(www) 
Sub classification or Reclassification of Agricultural Lands - refers 
11 
to the process undertaken by the LGUs of allocating declared 
12 
agricultural lands in their respective territorial jurisdictions to specific 
13 
uses such as residential, industrial or commercial purposes and may be 
14 
used as a basis for application for land conversion by the owners 
15 
thereof; 
16 
(xxx) Sustainable development - refers to the development objective of 
17 
meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the 
18 
ability of future generations to meet their own needs, consistent with 
19 
the principles of social equity, efficiency, and environmental integrity; 
20 
(yyy) Sustainable traditional resource rights refer to the rights of ICCs/IPs to                 
21 
sustainably use, manage, protect and conserve: (1) land, air, water, and 
22 
minerals;(2) plants, animals and other organism; (3) collecting, fishing 
23 
and hunting grounds; (4) sacred sites; and (5) other areas of economic, 
24 
ceremonial and aesthetic value in accordance with their indigenous 
25 
knowledge, beliefs, system and practices; 
26 
(zzz) Tourism development areas - refer to specific sites for tourism 
27 
development located in areas identified as priorities in the national and 
28 
regional tourism master plans as well as those designated through 
29 
legislative and executive issuances as tourist spots and tourist zones 
30 
which can be developed into tourism estates or integrated resort, 
31 
leisure, recreation complexes, and other tourism-related facilities; 
32 
(aaaa) Tourism ecozone - refers to tourism development areas, outside 
33 
protection lands, which have been granted Special Economic Zone 
34 
status, through the Philippine Export Authority (PEZA) registration 
35 
and issuance of the required Presidential Proclamation, with its metes 
36 
and bounds delineated by said Proclamation, pursuant to Republic Act 
37 
No. 7916 or The Special Economic Zone Act (SEZA) or 1995, as 
38 
amended;    
39 
(bbbb) Tourism estates - refer to large tracts of land with well-defined 
40 
boundaries in any area, excluding those in protection lands, identified 
41 
in the Philippine tourism master plan and regional tourism master 
42 
plan, by proclamation of the President and/or by acts of Congress 
43 


16 
 
and/or by local legislation and declared suited for the  development of 
1 
an integrated tourism and resort complex with prescribed carrying 
2 
capacities and limits for its facilities and activities; 
3 
(cccc) Tourist spot - refers to a particular area/site/spot, human-made or 
4 
natural, known for its unique tourist/visitor-drawing attributes and 
5 
activities and which may be classified according to its social, cultural, 
6 
natural, historical, aesthetic, visual, scientific, religious, and 
7 
recreational significance; 
8 
(dddd) 
Tourist zone - refers to a geographic area with well-defined 
9 
boundaries proclaimed as such by the President and/or by acts of 
10 
Congress. No development projects for any purpose shall be initiated 
11 
and introduced within the zone prior to the formulation of a tourist 
12 
master development plan which shall be undertaken in coordination 
13 
with the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Tourism Infrastructure 
14 
and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA). A tourist zone is established 
15 
for the enhancement and/or the conservation of cultural and historical 
16 
heritage and for the appreciation and enjoyment of the local population 
17 
and its visitors; 
18 
(eeee) Urban areas - refer to all cities regardless of their population density 
19 
and to municipalities with a population density of at least five hundred 
20 
(500) persons per square kilometer; 
21 
(ffff) Urbanizable areas - refer to sites and lands which, considering 
22 
present characteristics and prevailing conditions, display marked and 
23 
great potential of becoming urban areas within a period of five (5) 
24 
years;                                                                            
25 
(gggg) Urban forestry or Green space - refers to the establishment or setting-
26 
up of areas for mini-forest, eco-parks or small nature parks, in both 
27 
public and private lands: wetlands, humans-made lagoons and lake 
28 
systems, riverbanks and shores, grasslands, roof and rock gardens: 
29 
lining roads and highways with trees, shrubs, or ornamental plants, 
30 
and ground landscaping of schools, hospitals, and other government 
31 
agencies in order to improve the environment in urban areas; 
 
  
32 
(hhhh)Water security refers to the sufficient access throughout the year to 
33 
the minimum daily requirement of clean water to maintain a healthy 
34 
life;  
35 
(iiii) 
Water use - refers to the appropriation of water for domestic, 
36 
municipal, irrigation, power generation, inland fisheries, poultry and 
37 
livestock, industrial and commercial, environmental, and recreational 
38 
use;                                                                                            
39 
(jjjj) 
 Watershed - refers to a topographically delineated area of land from 
40 
which rainwater can drain as surface run-off vis-a-vis a specific stream 
41 
or river system to a common outlet point which may be a dam, 
42 


17 
 
irrigation system or urban water supply take-off point, or where the 
1 
stream discharges into a river, lake, or the sea; 
              
2 
(kkkk) Zoning - refers to the regulatory tool for delineating the specific 
3 
land uses in accordance with the approved CLUP within the territorial 
4 
jurisdiction of a  city/municipality and specifying the conditions for 
5 
their regulation; subject to the limitations imposed by law and 
6 
competent authority; and                                                                                                          
7 
(llll) 
Zoning ordinance (ZO) - refers to a local law passed by the 
8 
Sangguniang Bayan or Panlungsod approving the development 
9 
control/zoning plan in accordance with an approved or adopted CLUP 
10 
of the city/municipality, providing for the regulations and other 
11 
conditions on the land uses including the limitation on the 
12 
infrastructure that may be placed within the city’s/municipality’s 
13 
territorial jurisdiction. It incorporates the protected areas, protected 
14 
agricultural lands and ancestral lands as provided for in this Act. 
15 
 
16 
CHAPTER II 
17 
FRAMEWORK FOR LAND USE PLANNING 
18 
 
19 
 
SEC. 5. Basic Land Use Considerations. – Various land uses as categorized in 
20 
the succeeding section shall be determined in a manner that promotes the 
21 
policies and principles defined in Section 2 of this Act and shall consider the 
22 
following elements of the framework therefor, among other: 
23 
(a) Protection land use category as defined in Section 6 shall prevail over 
24 
existing production land use category. The State shall undertake the 
25 
necessary action in changing the classification of these production areas; 
26 
(b) Preservation, conservation, rehabilitation and protection to perpetuity of 
27 
permanent forestlands, critical watersheds, key biodiversity areas, 
28 
environmentally critical and ecologically fragile areas and prime 
29 
agricultural lands from any other land use, conversion, disposition, 
30 
intrusion, utilization and development aside from their                      
31 
determined use and limits; 
32 
(c) Protection of natural forests and natural resources ensures environmental 
33 
stability, conserve biological diversity, improve ecosystem functions and 
34 
provide long-term ecological and economic benefits. Designated 
35 
restoration areas are designed to revive the ecosystem functions and 
36 
services of forests as well as improve the economic and                    
37 
ecological benefits of local communities; 
38 
(d) Protection of forest and wetlands from infrastructure development to 
39 
preserve the ecological include, but not limited to, river channelization 
40 
and dredging, large-scale irrigation and river diversions which reduce 
41 
riverine habitat and alter flood patterns and natural flow regimes, reduce 
42 


18 
 
downstream water availability for agriculture and contribute to 
1 
salinization through saltwater intrusion in coastal areas; 
2 
(e) Resolution of land use conflicts which are life-threatening or threatening 
3 
to public safety, sustainability of key production resources or employment 
4 
activities and the delivery of basic services which are harmful or 
5 
destructive to protected areas, flora, fauna, and other protected natural 
6 
resources. Greater consideration shall be given to the human and tenurial 
7 
rights of vulnerable groups in resolving land use conflicts; 
8 
(f)       Identification of geo-hazard prone areas and high risk/danger zones 
9 
and corresponding risk reduction measures to ensure the prioritization of 
10 
life and safety: Provided, that specifically identified and assessed as 
11 
extremely hazardous and high-risk/danger zones shall be similarly 
12 
protected and cleared from all forms of human-made obstacles, 
13 
obstructions and instructions to ensure and secure public health and                             
14 
safety; 
15 
(g) Respect for existing customary rights and traditional land uses of ICCs/IP; 
16 
(h) Identification of settlements areas to check the demand for land and 
17 
establish the location of employment-generating industries and basic 
18 
services; and 
19 
(i) The availability of natural resources including indigenous energy 
20 
resources for energy security and self-sufficiency. However, infrastructure 
21 
energy projects such as dams with large reservoirs in natural ecosystem 
22 
shall not be allowed if it would interrupt the connectivity of river systems, 
23 
disrupt fish spawning and migration, and alter seasonal flood regimes. 
24 
 
25 
          SEC. 6. Categories of Land Uses for Planning Purpose. – In determining and                          
26 
defining the national, regional and provincial framework plans, and CLUPs, 
27 
land uses shall be group into four (4) major functional uses as follows: 
28 
(a) Protection Land Use refers to the use of land primarily reserved for 
29 
rehabilitation, conservation, and protection purposes and the promotion of 
30 
the country’s ecological and life-support systems. Planning for protection 
31 
land use intends to achieve environmental stability and ecological 
32 
integrity, ensure a balance between resource use and the preservation of 
33 
some areas with environmental, aesthetic, educational,                             
34 
cultural and historical significance, aid and protect people and human-
35 
made structures  from the ill-effects of natural hazards. 
36 
 
37 
         Areas under this category are those covered by the NIPAS Act of 
38 
1992 and other coastal and marine protected areas; areas outside NIPAS, 
39 
which include, but are not limited to: 
40 
 
41 
(1) Natural and restored forests, which consists of: 
42 


19 
 
(i) All existing areas within forestland containing primarily and 
1 
secondary forest of whatever types or species; 
2 
(ii) All existing areas within forestland containing secondary-growth or                         
3 
residual forests of whatever type or specie; 
4 
(iii) Areas identified as key biodiversity areas (KBAs); 
5 
(iv) Restoration areas; 
6 
(v) All mangroves forests; 
7 
(vi) All easement areas as defined under Presidential Decree No. 1067,                           
8 
otherwise known as the Water Code of the Philippines; and 
9 
(vii) All other areas that would be deemed appropriate for protection, 
10 
as designated by the Department of Environmental and Natural 
11 
Resources (DENR), subject to the approval of the NLUPC created 
12 
pursuant to Section 55 hereof. 
13 
(2) Rehabilitated and/or reforested degraded mining areas; 
14 
(3) Critical ecosystem for protection, such as: 
15 
(i)   Coral reefs; 
16 
(ii)  Marshes and wetlands; 
17 
(iii) Lake and rivers; 
18 
(iv) Caves; and 
19 
(v)  Waterfalls. 
20 
(4) Disaster-prone areas that include areas subject to, or may be subject to: 
21 
                    (i)     Recurrent flooding; 
22 
                    (ii)    Liquefaction; 
23 
                    (iii)   Tsunamis 
24 
                    (iv)   Storm surges; 
25 
                    (v)    Polar vortex; 
26 
                    (vi)   Mass wasting 
27 
                    (vii)  Volcanic eruption 
28 
                    (viii) Direct impact of seismic activity; 
29 
                    (ix)   Other disaster caused by climatic conditions; and 
30 
                    (x) Other areas that pose a high degree of hazard to human 
31 
occupation and activity. 
32 
(5) Critical watershed areas; 
33 
(6) Marine protected areas; 
34 
(7) All prime agricultural land as defined under this Act; 
35 
(8) Ecologically fragile and environmentally critical areas whose 
36 
conversion will result to serious environmental problems and threats 
37 
to public health and safety;  
38 
(9)  Natural and human-made areas/sites of cultural, historical and                                      
39 
anthropological significance, which are declared as such by 
40 
internationally recognized institutions; and 
41 
(10) 
 All other areas not included and declared as production areas shall                         
42 
become protected areas. 
43 


20 
 
(b) Production Land Use refers to the most efficient, sustainable, and 
1 
equitable utilization, development and management of land for 
2 
productive purposes which are not classified for protection land use as 
3 
defined in this section. Areas included in this category are agricultural 
4 
lands, coastal and marine zones, production forest, mineral                            
5 
lands, energy resource lands, industrial, and tourism development areas 
6 
where productive activities could be undertaken to meet the country’s 
7 
requirements for economic growth and development. Protection land use 
8 
shall comprise of, but shall not be limited to:  
9 
(1) Other agricultural lands not identified as prime agricultural lands. 
10 
They shall consist of, but shall not be limited to: 
11 
(i)      Lands whose soils are suitable agricultural development; 
12 
(ii) All alluvial plain lands that are suitable for agricultural production                          
13 
and/or can be devoted to food production; 
14 
(iii)   All lands that are traditional sources of staple food; 
15 
(iv) All croplands required to attain a certain scale of production to 
16 
sustain the economic viability of existing agro-based industries in the                            
17 
municipality, city or province; and 
18 
(v)    All lands in areas not highly prone to natural hazards that are 
19 
suitable for the production of tree crops and other cash crops. 
20 
(2) Coastal, inland water and marine zones, such as fishponds; 
21 
(3) Production forests, such as: 
22 
(i) All areas within forestland not classified as protection forests under                          
23 
Section 6(a) and shall be devoted to the production of timber and/or 
24 
non-forest products or the establishment of industrial tree plantations, 
25 
tree farms, woodlots, agro-forestry, or as multiple-use forests; 
26 
(ii) All areas within forestlands considered as rangelands for grazing                              
27 
purposes; and 
28 
(iii) All areas within forestlands managed under the community-based                          
29 
forest management in areas not classified as protection forests. 
30 
(4) Rangelands for grazing; 
31 
(5) Industrial development areas; and 
32 
(6) Tourism development areas, including potential small island for 
33 
similar purposes. 
34 
(c) Settlements and Institutional Land Use refers to the use of urban and rural 
35 
lands for settlements development purposes and/or improvements on 
36 
existing settlements involving the spatial distribution of population, 
37 
identification of the roles and functions of key urban centers, 
38 
determination of relationships among settlement areas, and the                                
39 
provision of basic services and facilities to such settlements. 
40 
It shall also include lands identified for institutional uses such as 
41 
educational, administrative, government, law enforcement, health care 
42 


21 
 
and social services. Settlements and institutional land uses aim to ensure 
1 
for the present and future generation the: 
2 
(1) Effective integration of activities within and among settlements, 
3 
allowing efficient movement of people and production of commodities 
4 
through the provision of appropriate land, infrastructure, and facilities; 
5 
and 
6 
(2) Access of the population to housing, education, health care, recreation, 
7 
transportation and communication, sanitation, and basic utilities such 
8 
as water, power, waste disposal, and other services; 
9 
(d) Infrastructure Land Use refers to the use of land dedicated to the provision 
10 
of basic services that foster economic and other forms of integration 
11 
necessary for producing or obtaining the material requirements of 
12 
Filipinos, in an efficient, responsive, safe and ecologically friendly built 
13 
environment. It includes, among others, subsectors like: road networks, 
14 
transportation and communication facilities, social services, 
15 
environmental services facilities, and utilities. 
16 
   Provided, That the determination of the functional uses of lands within 
17 
ancestral domains should be consistent with the land use categories 
18 
provided for in this Act: Provided, further, That other subcategories of land 
19 
uses in delineated ancestral domains may be formulated by the concerned 
20 
ICCs/IPs themselves in accordance with their particular needs and 
21 
traditional resource and management systems. 
22 
 
23 
SEC. 7. Land Use Plans for Ancestral Domains. – Land use plans for ancestral                        
24 
domains shall be formulated by the ICCs/IPs themselves in accordance with 
25 
their particular needs and traditional resource and management systems with the 
26 
assistance of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), the LGU’s 
27 
and civil society organizations (CSOs) concerned. Such plans shall be recognized 
28 
and adopted in the barangay, city/municipal, provincial, regional and physical 
29 
framework plans. 
30 
             Physical framework plans made prior to the delineation of ancestral 
31 
domains included in such plans or ordinances shall, without prejudice to the 
32 
rights of the ICCs/IPs concerned, adopt different land use categories in 
33 
accordance with their particular needs and traditional resource and management 
34 
systems. 
35 
             In cases where there are no ADSDPPs, the LGUs and the ICCs/IPs shall 
36 
jointly     formulate the land use within the ancestral domain until such time that 
37 
the ICCs/IPs have formulated their ADSDPPs. 
38 
              
39 
SEC. 8. Adoption of Multiple Uses of Land. - The primary and alternative uses 
40 
of a specific land resources shall be determined and evaluated by the respective 
41 
local land use      boards prior to any decision for the assignment of its use. Areas 
42 
feasible for sustainable resource use may be considered multiple-use zones 
43 


22 
 
wherein settlements, tourism, agriculture, agro-forestry and extraction activities 
1 
and other income-generating, or livelihood activities may be allowed, except 
2 
areas under protection land use: Provided, That multiple uses of land resources 
3 
shall be in accordance with priorities in land use allocation identified in the 
4 
approved physical framework and land use plans wherein such multiple uses              
5 
are compatible with the original land use and planning, and that no 
6 
reclassification shall be allowed: Provided, further, That, where there are vested 
7 
rights, titles, and claims prior to the enactment of this Act over the areas feasible 
8 
for sustainable land resource use, the same shall be respected. 
9 
 
10 
CHAPTER III 
11 
SPECIAL AREAS OF CONCERN 
12 
 
13 
ARTICLE ONE. LAND USE CLASSIFICATION 
14 
 
15 
             SEC. 9. Review of Land Use Classification. – The NLUPC shall review and 
16 
assess the current land use classification system and definitions used in the 
17 
country to ensure that it reflects the actual use of lands in the country. 
18 
 
19 
             The Land Management Bureau (LMB) shall provide the necessary 
20 
technical Information, conduct the needed assessment of the status of the existing 
21 
lad use classification and shall submit an assessment report to the NLUPC not 
22 
later than ninety (90) days from the establishment of the latter. 
23 
 
24 
             SEC. 10. Consideration of Assessment Report. – Upon validation and 
25 
affirmation by local land use boards, the land use classification assessment report 
26 
submitted by the LMB shall be taken into consideration by the NLUPC in the 
27 
formulation of its planning guidelines. 
28 
 
29 
ARTICLE TWO. NIPAS AREAS 
30 
 
31 
             SEC. 11. Integrated Management Strategy. – For more effective planning,             
32 
management, and protection of protected areas at  the provincial and 
33 
city/municipal levels, the Protected Area Management Plan (PAMP) referred to 
34 
in the NIPAS Law shall be incorporated in the Provincial Physical Framework 
35 
Plan (PPFP) and CLUPs if applicable, wherein protected area zoning shall be 
36 
reflected. 
37 
 
38 
ARTICLE THREE. AGRICULTURAL LANDS 
39 
 
40 
             SEC. 12. Priority Areas for Agricultural Development. – The priority areas for 
41 
agricultural development are the areas distributed under agrarian reform, areas 
42 
that can be covered by the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), 
43 


23 
 
and those identified as part of the NPAAAD. The mapping of the NPAAAD 
1 
under the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA) shall be 
2 
completed not later than one (1) year from the effectivity of this Act. 
3 
 
4 
             SEC. 13. Conversion of Agricultural Lands. – All lands considered and 
5 
identified as prime agricultural lands shall be maintained, managed and 
6 
protected for agricultural use and shall not be subjected to any form of 
7 
conversion or reclassification. 
8 
 
9 
             All other agricultural lands not identified as prime agricultural lands can 
10 
only be converted to nonagricultural uses upon issuance of a DAR conversion 
11 
order: Provided, That such conversion shall not drastically change the nature of 
12 
the overall land uses in the  surrounding and adjacent areas from its existing land 
13 
use. 
14 
 
15 
Provided, That consistent with the State policy on giving priority to the 
16 
completion of the CARP, those lands covered under compulsory 
17 
acquisition/voluntary offer to sell, production or profit-sharing subject to CARP 
18 
shall also be protected from conversion pending the distribution and/or 
19 
installation of the farmer beneficiaries. 
20 
 
21 
Provided, further, That pending the completion of mapping activities of the 
22 
specific areas under the NPAAAD and the SAFDZs under the AFMA and their 
23 
incorporation in the National Physical Framework Plan (NPFP), the application 
24 
for conversion of these areas shall not be given due course by the appropriate 
25 
government agency. 
26 
 
27 
ARTICLE FOUR. ANCESTRAL DOMAIN 
28 
 
29 
SEC. 14. Priority Areas for Agricultural Development Within Ancestral Domain. 
30 
–  Agricultural lands within ancestral domain shall be developed in accordance 
31 
with their ADSDPP. 
32 
 
33 
SEC. 15 Respect for Ancestral Domains. – The Ancestral Domain 
34 
Management Plan (ADMP) or ADSDPP shall be adopted and integrated into the 
35 
CLUP and/or other plans that the LGU is mandated to produce. The extent of 
36 
ancestral domains shall be reflected in the land use plan, and shall be zoned as 
37 
such in the zoning ordinance. It shall be comanaged by the LGU and ICC/IP 
38 
community. Additionally, the ADMP/ADSDPP shall be included in the 
39 
investment plans of the LGU. 
40 
 
41 
SEC 16. Ancestral Domain Policy Adoption. -  Ancestral domain policies shall 
42 
be adopted in the LGU’s land use policy framework. However, in the event that 
43 


24 
 
the ADMP/ADSDPP is still in the formulation stage or remains to be formulated, 
1 
the right to self-determination, and the observance of traditional resource and 
2 
management systems and processes shall be upheld at all times, as provided for 
3 
under Republic Act No. 3871. 
4 
 
5 
ARTICLE FIVE. FOREST LANDS AND RESERVATION OF 
6 
WATERSHED 
7 
 
8 
SEC. 17. Permanent Forestlands. – All forestlands are classified as forest or                 
9 
timberlands. Titles, settlements, permits, leases, and/or agreements within 
10 
critical habitats, critical watershed areas, protected areas and KBAs shall be 
11 
reviewed, and their legality affirmed. All erroneous titles, settlements, permits, 
12 
leases and/or agreements within permanent forestlands shall be cancelled or 
13 
revoked in due course. Noncompliance with and violations of these instrument 
14 
shall be grounds for their cancellation or revocation: 
15 
 
16 
Provided, That the applicable provision of Republic Act No. 3871 shall be                      
17 
respected. 
18 
 
19 
SEC. 18. Additional Areas to be Included as Permanent Forestlands. – The                     
20 
following lands are needed for environmental protection and forestry purposes 
21 
and shall not be reclassified as agricultural lands or for any other land use: 
22 
 
23 
(a) Isolated patches of forest, regardless of size and/or area, with rocky 
24 
terrain or which protect a spring/water source for communal use; 
25 
(b) All mangroves and swamplands including twenty (20)-meter wide 
26 
strips facing oceans, lakes and other bodies of water not yet classified as 
27 
alienable and disposable lands; 
28 
(c) Ridge tops and plateaus regardless of size found within or surrounded 
29 
wholly or partially by forestlands where headwaters emanate; 
30 
(d) Twenty (20)-meter wide strips of land from the edge of the normal 
31 
height waterline of rivers and streams with channels of at least five (5) 
32 
meters width which are not yet classified as alienable and disposable; 
33 
(e) Areas needed for public interest such as research or experimental 
34 
purposes; and 
35 
(f) Areas considered as environmentally critical because of their 
36 
vulnerability to damage from landslides, volcanic eruptions, and other 
37 
natural causes. 
38 
 
39 
SEC. 19. Reversion of Alienable and Disposable Lands to Forestlands. – Upon 
40 
the recommendation of the DENR Secretary, duly reviewed and endorsed by the 
41 
NLUPC, and after due consultations with the concerned LGUs and the affected 
42 


25 
 
parties, Congress may authorize the reversion of alienable and disposable lands 
1 
of the public domain or portion thereof to forestlands. 
2 
 
3 
SEC. 20. Critical Watershed Areas. – The DENR, in coordination with the 
4 
DA, the LGUs concerned, and other government agencies, including 
5 
government-owned and - controlled corporations, and after mandatory public 
6 
hearings/consultations, shall identify and delineate critical watershed areas that 
7 
need to be protected, rehabilitated, enhanced, and/or withdrawn from uses that 
8 
contribute to their further degradation. 
9 
 
10 
SEC. 21. Formulation and Implementation of Integrated Watershed Management              
11 
Plans. – With the assistance of the DENR and upon mandatory consultations with 
12 
the concerned sectors and communities, the LGUs, through their local land use 
13 
boards, shall prepare their watersheds management plans which shall be 
14 
integrated into their respected CLUPs. The formulation and integration of the 
15 
plan shall be guided, among others, by the principle of the management and 
16 
development of inland water resources at the watershed level and shall be 
17 
consistent with the National Forestry Master Plan (NFMP). 
18 
 
19 
The DENR and the concerned LGUs shall jointly implement the watershed                  
20 
management plan subject to regular consultations with and involvement of the 
21 
community and other stakeholders in the implementation of the plan. 
22 
 
23 
SEC. 22. Establishment and Management of National Parks. – All areas 
24 
proclaimed by the President and Congress to be under the NIPAS, unless 
25 
disestablished, including those   identified initial components of the NIPAS as 
26 
KBAs shall comprise the National Parks classification of the public domain. The 
27 
DENR and concerned LGUs shall ensure that such areas are integrated in the 
28 
CLUP and physical framework plans.  Provided, however, That the preparation of 
29 
management plans of protected areas and national parks shall be in    accordance 
30 
with the provisions of the NIPAS Act and other laws establishing or declaring 
31 
specific areas as protected areas. 
32 
 
33 
SEC. 23. Establishment of Restoration Zones. – Restoration areas shall be                
34 
designated in the management plan as such. Designation of restoration zones is 
35 
compulsory in all forest management plans and for all LGUs. 
36 
 
37 
ARTICLE SIX. COASTAL ZONES 
38 
 
39 
SEC. 24. Criteria for the Allocation and Utilization of Lands Within the Coastal                 
40 
Zones. – The allocation and utilization of lands within the coastal zones shall be 
41 
subject to the following guidelines: 
42 
 
43 


26 
 
(a) Areas vegetated with mangrove species shall be protected, 
1 
preserved and managed as mangrove forestland and shall not 
2 
be converted to other uses; 
3 
(b) Areas that meet all accepted criteria on elevation, soil type, soil 
4 
depth topography, supply for successful fishpond development, 
5 
and are not identified as mangrove protected areas, shall be 
6 
utilized for aquaculture purposes as long as a 4:1 ratio for    
7 
mangroves and fishponds is maintained to support ecological 
8 
processes in mangrove ecosystem; 
9 
(c) Areas subclassified as mangrove and still suitable for use as 
10 
such, or due to environmental conditions need to be preserved 
11 
as mangroves but are devoid of mangrove stands, shall not be 
12 
converted to other uses. The DENR shall ensure that these lands 
13 
shall be reforested within a given period of time. 
14 
(d) Areas accessible to the sea and identified for fisherfolk 
15 
settlement and housing but are not part of or are not within any 
16 
protected land use areas shall be allocated to traditional 
17 
fisherfolk who are inhabitants of the coastal communities, 
18 
members of registered fisherfolk organizations, holders of 
19 
stewardship lease contracts or titles to ancestral domains or any 
20 
form of property right arrangements who participate in coastal 
21 
resource management initiatives, subject to the usual census 
22 
procedures of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban 
23 
Development (DHSUD): Provided, That the government shall 
24 
issue marine tenurial rights to organizations concerned based on 
25 
a criteria to be established by the NLUPC; 
26 
(e) Areas that are neither subclassified as mangrove, fisherfolk 
27 
settlement nor fishpond may be devoted to recreational or 
28 
tourism purposes: Provided, That such undertaking will not 
29 
result in environmental degradation and displacement of small 
30 
fisherfolk;                    
31 
(f) Areas which are considered as traditional fishing grounds shall 
32 
be used primarily for such purpose;  
33 
(g) Areas shall be allocated for small infrastructure needed by 
34 
municipal fisherfolk and for fishing gear, boats, and post-
35 
harvest facilities; and 
36 
(h) Areas which form part of foreshore lands as defined in this Act, 
37 
including those under lease agreements or arrangements shall 
38 
undergo zoning and evaluation so their   boundaries, actual 
39 
sizes and corresponding uses can be determined while ensuring 
40 
that mangrove protection or restoration zones are considered to 
41 
keep the required 4:1 ratio between mangroves and fishponds. 
42 
                                                                                                                                                 
43 


27 
 
SEC. 25. Coastal Land Zone Sub classification. -  All public lands in the 
1 
coastal zones shall be subclassified into any of the following: fishponds, 
2 
mangroves, protection from tidal surge preservation of biodiversity, habitats and 
3 
sanctuaries for endangered wildlife, fisherfolk settlement, or 
4 
recreational/tourism areas. No sub classification of coastal zones to different uses 
5 
shall be done without the following: 
6 
 
7 
(a) Conduct of a comprehensive inventory and resource and 
8 
environmental assessment by the DENR with respective LGUs and 
9 
accredited Nongovernment organizations/people’s organizations 
10 
(NGOs/POs) within their jurisdiction. The result of such assessment along 
11 
with a list of all existing applications and expired Foreshore Lease 
12 
Agreements shall be posted in three (3) conspicuous places in the affected 
13 
localities; and 
14 
(b) Prior consultation with local Fisheries and Aquatic Resource 
15 
Management Councils (FARMCs) formed pursuant to Republic Act. No. 
16 
8550 or The Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998. 
17 
 
18 
SEC. 26. Zoning of Coastal Areas. – The LGUs, in coordination with the                           
19 
DENR, the FARMCs, local fisherfolk organizations and other concerned 
20 
stakeholders such as women and the youth, shall prepare the Coastal Zoning 
21 
Resource Management Plan (CZRMP) which shall be incorporated in the CLUP. 
22 
Management zones defined in the CZRMP should be reflected in the CLUP and 
23 
the subsequent ZO. 
24 
 
25 
SEC. 27. Tourism and Recreation Zone. – The designation of areas for 
26 
tourism and resorts near or over fishery areas or ports thereof shall be with the 
27 
consent of the concerned LGUs and FARMCs, and shall comply with the policies 
28 
and guidelines set forth   in this Act. 
29 
 
30 
SEC. 28. Protection of Waterways, Easements and Flood Plains. – Structures of                
31 
any kind shall not be built in waterways and easements. Pursuant to Presidential 
32 
Decree No. 1067 or the Water Code of the Philippines, the banks of rivers and 
33 
streams and the shores of the seas and lakes throughout their entire length and 
34 
within a zero of three (3) meters in urban areas, twenty (20) meters in agricultural 
35 
areas and forty (40) meters in front areas, along their margins are subject to the 
36 
easement of public use only in the interest of recreation, navigation, floatage, 
37 
fishing, and salvage. 
38 
 
39 
 
The protection of flood plains shall adopt a river basin management 
40 
approach, in order to come up with integrated flood mitigation interventions. 
41 
Development within flood   plains and other flood-prone areas must be 
42 
controlled or, if allowed, must be so sited, constructed and serviced that the lives 
43 


28 
 
of occupants are not put at risk and that disruptions during floods are 
1 
minimized. The identification and characterization of flood-prone areas and 
2 
flood plains shall be an integral part of the CLUP preparation. The LGUs shall 
3 
establish land use regulations to mitigate flood risks through the CLUPs and 
4 
ZOs. 
5 
 
6 
 
To promote the best interest and the coordinated protection of flood 
7 
plains, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), in coordination 
8 
with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the DENR, shall 
9 
declare flood control areas, as necessary, and shall prohibit or control activities 
10 
that could damage or cause deterioration of lakes and dikes, obstruct the flow of 
11 
water, change the natural flow of rivers, increase flood   losses or aggravate flood 
12 
problems pursuant to the Water Code of the Philippines. 
13 
 
14 
 
SEC. 29. Disposition of Public Lands for Fishponds. – Upon the effectivity of 
15 
this Act, but subject to existing rights and the preceding section, no fishpond 
16 
lease agreement (FLA) shall be issued for tidal swamps, mangroves and oilier 
17 
swamps, marshes, ponds, foreshore lands, and coastal areas within public lands, 
18 
including those presently declared available for fishpond development. The 
19 
NLUPC, in coordination with the DENR, the DA, the FARMCs and the LGUs 
20 
shall set aside a portion of available public lands for fish propagation, fish 
21 
sanctuary, conservation, ecological purposes and fisherfolk settlement                 
22 
areas. Fishponds covered by existing FLAs, but are abandoned or are not 
23 
operating  efficiently and are found suitable for mangroves shall be reforested 
24 
with mangroves. 
25 
 
26 
 
SEC. 30. Immediate Restoration of Converted Mangrove Areas. – The DENR, in 
27 
coordination with the FARMCs and other concerned agencies, shall immediately 
28 
take steps in the restoration of all abandoned, undeveloped and underutilized 
29 
fishponds to their original state as mangrove forests. 
30 
 
31 
ARTICLE SEVEN. MINERAL LANDS 
32 
 
33 
 
SEC. 31. Policies on Mineral Lands. – Land use policies for mineral lands 
34 
shall be geared towards the rational, ecologically sound, and sustainable use of 
35 
mineral resources which shall promote economic growth for the local economy 
36 
and uphold the human rights of indigenous peoples and local communities in the 
37 
affected areas. 
38 
 
39 
 
SEC. 32. Criteria for the Allocation and Utilization of Lands for Mining 
40 
Purposes.  – The allocation and utilization of lands for mining purposes shall be 
41 
guided by the following: 
42 


29 
 
 
(a)  The principle of sustainable development shall be observed at all 
1 
times; 
2 
(b) In case of small-scale mining, adequate and acceptable safeguards shall 
3 
be instituted by the holders of mining rights or permits to prevent 
4 
environmental degradation of the mining sites and adjacent areas; 
5 
(c) Mineral reservations which have become nonoperational for more than 
6 
ten (10) years as determined by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) 
7 
shall be placed under appropriate surface management by the DENR; and 
8 
(d) Ancestral domains declared as protected by virtue of their ADSDPP as 
9 
well as all watershed areas shall be closed to mining. 
10 
 
11 
SEC. 33. Reversion of Mineral Lands. – All minerals lands with exhausted 
12 
mineral resources, as determined by the MGB, shall automatically revert to their 
13 
original land classification, that is, as forest land or agricultural land. The 
14 
concerned mining companies shall bear the full cost of rehabilitation of these 
15 
areas. 
16 
 
17 
ARTICLE EIGHT. ENERGY RESOURCES 
18 
 
19 
SEC. 34. Guidelines for the Allocation and Utilization of Lands for Energy                    
20 
Resource Exploration, Development, Production, Utilization, and Distribution Purposes. 
21 
– To ensure that the objectives of maintaining ecological balance and maximizing 
22 
the power potential from indigenous energy resources in the most economical 
23 
and environmentally acceptable means are realized, the allocation and utilization 
24 
of lands shall be guided by the following, consistent with existing regulations 
25 
and laws on energy resources: 
26 
 
27 
(a) Indigenous energy resource exploration and development, for the 
28 
purpose of creating a National Energy Resource Inventory and 
29 
Database as well as an Energy Resource Block Map shall be allowed 
30 
subject to the implementation of complementary watershed and other 
31 
land management plans; 
32 
(b) Indigenous energy resource exploration, development production, 
33 
utilization, and distribution shall be subject to the appropriate 
34 
requirements and processes of the Philippine Environmental Impact 
35 
Statement (EIS) system. Each project shall secure an Environmental 
36 
Compliance Certificate (ECC) prior to project implementation to 
37 
ensure that adequate and appropriate environmental management 
38 
measures and optimum methods for resources access and recovery are 
39 
used; 
40 
(c) Protected areas as defined in Section 4 hereof shall be closed to any 
41 
kind of energy resource development; 
42 


30 
 
(d) Energy reservations or portions thereof which have become or have 
1 
been established to be non-economically viable to operate or are no 
2 
longer used for energy purposes shall be reclassified to other land uses, 
3 
subject to existing laws covering energy reservations; and 
4 
(e) Renewable energy shall be preferred over other energy resource. 
5 
 
6 
SEC. 35. Reversion of Energy Resource Lands. – All exhausted indigenous 
7 
energy resource lands as determined by the Department of Energy (DOE), which 
8 
are not covered by proclamations shall automatically revert to the category of 
9 
forestlands or agricultural  lands open to disposition, whichever is appropriate, 
10 
unless the DENR shall classify such  arcas for other purposes. Exhausted energy 
11 
resource lands shall refer to specific energy resource sites whose energy reserves 
12 
of the desired type/s are no longer in sufficient quantity or quality to justify 
13 
additional expenditure for their extraction and utilization. 
14 
 
15 
ARTICLE NINE. SETTLEMENTS DEVELOPMENT 
16 
 
17 
SEC. 36. Municipalities, Cities, and Settlements Development. – The 
18 
development of municipalities, cities, and settlements through CLUP and 
19 
implemented by the ZOs of cities and municipalities shall be guided by urban 
20 
zoning standards designed to maximize existing urban spaces taking into 
21 
account studies of pertinent government agencies on climate change. 
22 
 
23 
SEC. 37. Settlements Within Geo-hazard Areas and/or High Risk/Danger Zones. 
24 
– Settlements within geo-hazard areas and/or high risk/danger zones shall not 
25 
be allowed. In cases where there are existing settlements within geo-hazard 
26 
and/or high risk/danger zones, the concerned government agencies shall 
27 
provide assistance to concerned LGUs and settlers in instituting safety and 
28 
corrective measures to address the potential danger or risk. 
29 
 
30 
SEC. 38. Designation of Waste and Environment Management Site. – Each city 
31 
or municipality shall identify and designate an area to serve as waste and 
32 
environment management, waste disposal, and facilities within one (1) year from 
33 
the effectivity of this Act. The LGUs, in coordination with the DENR or any other 
34 
competent authority, shall identify sanitary landfill in order to fast-track the 
35 
conduct of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study and to facilitate 
36 
the processing of the ECC. The site or area shall be identified in the city’s or 
37 
municipality’s CLUP. For this purpose, cities and municipalities shall establish 
38 
their solid waste management program, pursuant to Republic Act No. 9003, 
39 
otherwise known as the “Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000”. 
40 
Likewise, as provided under Section 33 of the Local Government Code of 1991, 
41 
cities and municipalities may, through appropriate ordinances, bind themselves 
42 
towards the establishment of a common solid waste management program. 
43 


31 
 
 
1 
 
Within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act, the DENR, in 
2 
coordination with concerned agencies, shall promulgate the necessary guidelines 
3 
and standards for the formulation and establishment of solid waste management 
4 
programs by cities and municipalities, and shall submit the same to the NLUPC 
5 
for review and approval. 
6 
 
7 
 
SEC. 39. Designation and Zoning of Socialized Housing Sites. – Each sites or 
8 
municipality in urban, urbanizable and rural areas shall designate, through the 
9 
CLUP, adequate lands for housing or residential purposes, including socialized 
10 
housing and resettlement areas for the immediate and future needs of the local 
11 
population as well as the underprivileged and homeless in their territory, 
12 
pursuant to existing laws and regulations. In order to ensure adequate 
13 
availability of land for the housing needs of the local population, the CLUP may 
14 
be revised at the minimum of ten (10) years, and reviewable not earlier than 
15 
every five (5) years. 
16 
 
17 
 
The designated sites for socialized housing shall be located in residential 
18 
zones, and shall be zoned as socialized housing zones that are integrated in the 
19 
city’s or municipality’s ZO, duly approved by the NLUPC, pursuant to existing 
20 
laws and regulations. Preference shall be given to lands proximate to public 
21 
transportation facilities which may include inter alia railways and public 
22 
terminals. 
23 
 
24 
 
The location of resettlement areas may either be on-site or off-site and may 
25 
be within the city or municipality: Provided, That designated settlement and 
26 
socialized housing areas shall consider the proximity and accessibility of the 
27 
affected community to employment, economic activities and social services. 
28 
 
29 
Within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act, the NLUPC, in 
30 
coordination with concerned agencies, pursuant to HUDCC Resolution No. 521, 
31 
Series of 1992; Executive Order No. 124, Series of 1993; and other pertinent 
32 
guidelines on the matter, shall promulgate the necessary guidelines for the 
33 
identification and designation of socialized housing sites. All cities and 
34 
municipalities in urban and urbanizing areas shall identify and designate their 
35 
socialized housing sites within one (1) year from the effectivity of this Act and 
36 
must submit the list of these sites and their respective areas to the HUDCC. These 
37 
sites shall be used exclusively for socialized housing as defined in the UDHA. 
38 
 
39 
 
SEC. 40. Zoning of Identified Sites for Socialized Housing. – The identified 
40 
sites for socialized housing shall be located in residential zones identified by the 
41 
city’s or municipality’s CLUP and ZO duly approved by the NLUPC. However, 
42 
for cities and municipalities where the identified sites are not within the said 
43 


32 
 
residential zones, the location shall be within the priority sites and conform with 
1 
the suitability criteria as defined in Sections 6.3 and 6.4 of the Guidelines in 
2 
HUDCC Resolution No. 521, Series of 1992, or as may be defined in subsequent 
3 
issuances. The identified sites shall be zoned as socialized housing zones as 
4 
defined herein. 
5 
 
6 
 
The current ZO of LGUs shall be reviewed and revised such that the 
7 
socialized housing component shall be integrated thereto. 
8 
 
9 
 
SEC. 41. Valuation of Lands for Socialized Housing. – Equitable land valuation 
10 
guidelines for socialized housing shall be set by the Department of Finance 
11 
(DOF) on the basis of the market value reflected in the zonal valuation, or in its 
12 
absence, on the latest real property tax declaration. For sites already occupied by 
13 
qualified beneficiaries under the UDHA, and sites identified as socialized 
14 
housing zones as defined in this Act, the DOF shall factor into the valuation, the 
15 
blighted status of the land as certified by the LGU or the National Housing 
16 
Authority (NHA). 
17 
 
18 
 
SEC. 42. Guidelines for Identification of Settlement Sites. – In identifying                   
19 
settlements areas, prospective sites should be: 
20 
 
21 
(a) Within alienable and disposable lands but not in environmentally 
22 
critical, geo-hazard or other protection areas; 
23 
(b) Along established urban growth directions; 
24 
(c) With provision for or can be provided with basic services and utilities; 
25 
(d) Within the 0 to 8% slope range; and  
26 
(e) Accessible from existing built-up areas and other employment centers 
27 
through existing or proposed roads and other transportation facilities. 
28 
 
29 
SEC. 43. Urban Forest or Green Space. – Each city or highly-urbanizing        
30 
municipality shall identify, designate, and allocate lands owned by the city or 
31 
municipality as urban forest or green space, based on the guidelines and 
32 
standards to be issued by the DENR and approved by the NLUPC. 
33 
 
34 
SEC. 44. Protection of Ecological Harmony. – To ensure the ecological                              
35 
harmony of towns, cities and settlements, certain projects that can alter the 
36 
present use of a zoned area shall not be issued a building permit, business 
37 
permit, and/or development permit. The identification of these projects shall be 
38 
done in coordination with the LGU concerned. All LGUs shall be required to 
39 
designate restoration areas in their forest land use plans. 
40 
 
41 
 
42 
 
43 


33 
 
ARTICLE TEN. INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AREAS/SITES 
1 
 
2 
SEC. 45. Criteria for Designating Industrial Development Areas. – The                  
3 
identification and establishment of industrial development areas shall conform to 
4 
the provision of Republic Act No. 7916 or the SEZA of 1995 as amended by 
5 
Republic Act No. 8748, Republic Act No. 6657 or the Comprehensive Agrarian 
6 
Reform Law (CARL) as  amended by Republic Act No. 9700 or the 
7 
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms (CARPER), 
8 
Republic Act No. 8371 or the IPRA, Republic Act No. 7279 or the UDHA, 
9 
Republic Act No. 8550 or the Philippine Fisheries Code as amended by Republic 
10 
Act No. 10654, and Republic Act. No. 8435 or the AFMA, taking into 
11 
consideration the following: 
12 
 
13 
(a) Identified network of areas for agricultural development and protected 
14 
agricultural areas pursuant to Republic Act No. 8435; 
15 
(b) National policies on the regional dispersal of industries and agri-based 
16 
industrial development; 
17 
(c) Identified growth areas and corridors in the National Development 
18 
Plan; 
19 
(d) NIPAS and non-NIPAS areas such as, but not limited to, KBAs and 
20 
restored areas that require protection; 
21 
(e) National and Urban Development and Housing Framework; 
22 
(f) Identified Socialized Housing Zones; and  
23 
(g) National Framework for Physical Planning and other existing national 
24 
programs and policies. 
25 
 
26 
The designated industrial development areas shall be located only in production                     
27 
land use areas and shall become an integral part of the land use plan and ZO of 
28 
the city or municipality where these areas are located. Republic Act No. 9700, 
29 
Republic Act No. 8371, Republic Act No. 7279, Republic Act No. 8550, Republic 
30 
Act No. 8435, and Republic Act No. 7160 or the local Government Code of 1991 
31 
shall apply to all Special Economic Zones and Free Ports. 
32 
 
33 
ARTICLE ELEVEN. TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AREAS 
34 
 
35 
 
SEC. 46. Designating Tourism Development Areas. – The identification, 
36 
selection, and development of tourism development areas, and tourism 
37 
enterprise zones (TEZs) shall be done in consultation and coordination with the 
38 
concerned LGUs, the TIEZA, the DOT, and other concerned national government 
39 
agencies, the private sector and the affected communities, subject to the 
40 
provisions of Republic Act No. No. 9593 or the Tourism Act of  2009. Tourism 
41 
development areas shall likewise include those covered by legislative and 
42 
executive issuances such as tourist spots, tourist zones and tourism ecozones 
43 


34 
 
which can be developed into tourism estates or integrated resort, leisure and 
1 
recreation complexes and other tourism-related facilities as well as those 
2 
identified in the national, regional, and area- specific tourism master plans and 
3 
other sector plans, such as ecotourism and agritourism sites: Provided, That such 
4 
sites designated for tourism development are outside of areas identified for 
5 
protection land use. As much as practicable, community-based tourism shall be 
6 
the principal mode of tourist spot operation. Republic Act No. 9700, Republic Act 
7 
No. 8371, Republic Act No. 7279, Republic Act No. 8550, Republic Act No. 8435, 
8 
and Republic Act No. 7160 shall apply and Executive Order No. 111, Series of 
9 
1999 that provided for the National Ecotourism Strategy shall likewise apply to 
10 
all tourist zones and tourist development areas. 
11 
 
12 
 
Designated areas for tourism development shall become part of the CLUPs 
13 
and ZOs of the cities or municipalities where these are located. 
14 
 
15 
 
SEC. 47. Identification and Preservation of Cultural Heritage. – In accordance 
16 
with Republic Act No. 10066 or the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009, the 
17 
National Historical Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) in 
18 
coordination with other concerned agencies, local communities, and the private 
19 
sector, shall identify and declares areas and structures which shall be protected 
20 
and preserved as part of the Philippine cultural heritage. The NHCP and the NM, 
21 
in consultation with the NCCA and the HLURB, shall designate heritage zones to 
22 
protect the historical and cultural integrity of a geographical area that is 
23 
significant to national history. 
24 
 
25 
 
26 
The LGUs, in consultation with the NHCP, the NM, and the NCCA, shall 
27 
designate heritage zones to protect the historical and cultural integrity of 
28 
integrity of geographical areas and cultural spaces of intangible cultural 
29 
properties, which are significant to a city or municipality and the community. 
30 
 
31 
ARTICLE TWELVE. INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT 
32 
 
33 
SEC. 48. Allocation and Use of Land for Infrastructure Development. – Land,                              
34 
whether public or private, shall be allocated and utilized for priority 
35 
infrastructure projects that are supportive of national or local development 
36 
objectives. The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), in 
37 
consultation with the concerned national government agencies, LGUs, and the 
38 
private sector, shall identify and periodically review, update and/or revise the 
39 
list of priority infrastructure projects under an overall national strategic 
40 
infrastructure development plan subject to the provisions of this Act, Republic 
41 
Act No. 8435 and Republic Act No. 8371: Provided, That such national strategic 
42 


35 
 
infrastructure development plan shall be consistent and integrated in the 
1 
objectives and directions of the  NPFP. 
2 
 
3 
In determining and evaluating the list of priority infrastructure of projects,              
4 
consideration shall be given to those that; 
5 
 
6 
a. Respond to immediate and vital requirements of the national and regional 
7 
economy with priority to improving production-market integration, inter-
8 
modal transport, conveyance and logistic linkages, rural infrastructure 
9 
and the development of the agriculture and fisheries sectors; 
10 
b. Upgrade existing facilities to international public safety standards; 
11 
c. Address the need for sustainable settlements development; and 
12 
d. Mitigate the destructive effects of natural disaster-causing phenomena or 
13 
those that shall serve as alternatives to existing infrastructure found in 
14 
natural hazard-prone areas. 
15 
 
16 
Provided, That the provision and implementation of infrastructure support 
17 
shall be made compatible with existing environmental conditions and the 
18 
physical, whether natural or human-made, and cultural character of the area. 
19 
Mandatory public consultations pursuant to existing laws and regulations shall 
20 
be held prior to the conduct of all infrastructure projects that will necessarily 
21 
involve dislocation or displacement of people in the area. 
22 
 
23 
Provided, further, That the proponent of the infrastructure project shall 
24 
follow the rules on just and humane eviction or demolition under Section 28 of 
25 
Republic Act No. 7279 as s last resort notwithstanding the provisions of Republic 
26 
Act No. 8975, prohibiting lower courts from issuing temporary restraining 
27 
orders, preliminary injunctions, or preliminary mandatory injunctions, and that 
28 
the proponent shall follow provisions of Republic Act No. 8371, particularly 
29 
those pertaining to the rights of  ICCs/IPs in case of displacement. 
30 
 
31 
Provided, finally, That national government infrastructure projects shall 
32 
provide    budgetary allocations for the adequate relocation of displaced 
33 
communities. 
34 
 
35 
SEC. 49. Infrastructure Projects Within Geo—hazard Areas. – Construction of 
36 
priority infrastructure projects within hazard-prone areas    shall be allowed; 
37 
Provided,  That mitigating and/or preventive measures are adopted and 
38 
implemented to address the potential adverse economic, sociocultural, and 
39 
environment impacts that will emanate from these infrastructure projects, subject 
40 
to the findings and recommendations of a feasibility study/EIA in accordance 
41 
with Presidential Decree No. 1586 (EIS System) and Republic Act No. 4846 or the 
42 
Cultural Properties Preservation and Protection Act. 
43 


36 
 
 
1 
Existing projects that were undertaken without the required EIA and 
2 
which pose a threat to the environment, or to integrity of historic, archaeological, 
3 
or scientifically significant areas or impinge in critical ecosystems, may be 
4 
terminated immediately, or mitigating measures: Provided, That the rules on 
5 
mandatory public hearings/Consultations  and just and humane eviction or 
6 
demolition shall also be observed prior to the termination,  gradual phase-out, or 
7 
relocation of projects that will necessarily involve dislocation or displacement of 
8 
people in the area. 
9 
 
10 
 
11 
CHAPTER IV 
12 
PHYSICAL FRAMEWORK AND LAND USE PLAN 
13 
 
14 
 
SEC. 50 National Land Use Planning Process. – The physical framework and 
15 
land use planning process shall be participatory, following a combined bottom-
16 
up and top-down approach, with mandatory public hearings/consultations 
17 
conducted at all levels, and shall consider available and updated 
18 
multidisciplinary scientific information of land uses.  
19 
 
20 
 
A set of national policy guidelines and standards for physical planning 
21 
shall be formulated by the NLUPC. These shall guide the preparation and 
22 
formulation of the NPFP, Regional and Provincial Physical Framework Plans 
23 
(RPPFPs). 
24 
 
25 
 
These standards shall give due consideration to conflicting uses and areas 
26 
being used, declared of designated for agrarian reform, protected areas, coastal 
27 
resource management and/or ancestral domains. 
28 
 
29 
 
The NPFP shall define the national strategy and objectives of the country’s 
30 
urban, rural and regional development. It shall guide the rational distribution of 
31 
population, access to economic opportunities and social services, sustainable 
32 
utilization of resources, and maintenance of environment integrity. 
33 
 
34 
 
Furthermore, it shall consider the existing Regional Physical Framework 
35 
Plans (RPFPs) and the Provincial Physical Framework Plans (PPFPs). 
36 
 
37 
 
The RPFPs, the PPFPs and the CLUPs, which cover the physical 
38 
development of their respective territories, shall be consistent with the NPFP: 
39 
Provided, That the integration and harmonization of physical framework plans at 
40 
all levels shall be iterative to ensure that the concerns of both top and bottom 
41 
levels of government are considered in the NPFP, the RPFPs, the PPFPs and the 
42 
CLUPs. 
43 


37 
 
 
1 
 
The physical framework and land use plans prepared at all levels shall be 
2 
consistent with each other, specifically on the linkages of the major land use 
3 
categories to ensure their complementation in the utilization, development and 
4 
management of resources. The period of coverage of the national, regional and 
5 
provincial framework plans shall be thirty (30) years with regular review and 
6 
updating every ten (10) years. 
7 
 
8 
 
SEC. 51 National Physical Framework Plan. – The NPFP shall guide the 
9 
planning  and management of the country’s land and other physical resources at 
10 
the national and sub-national levels, and indicate board spatial directions and 
11 
policy guidelines on protection land use, production land use, settlement and 
12 
development and infrastructure development. The NPFP shall be the basis for 
13 
adopting the land use and physical planning-related guidelines, including zoning 
14 
and other land use control standards that will guide the formulation of 
15 
city/municipal ZOs. 
16 
 
17 
 
The NLUPC, in consultation with concerned sectors and communities 
18 
shall update the NPFP after such period that objectives and goals set by the NPFP 
19 
have been substantially achieved. It shall also formulate and issue the 
20 
appropriate planning guidelines and standards through which all physical 
21 
planning, land use and management of resources shall be reviewed, prepared, 
22 
formulated and monitored. 
23 
 
24 
 
The resulting land use plan/physical framework shall be the basis for the                           
25 
identification, formulation and development of national and local development 
26 
plans, programs, projects and activities of government at all levels. 
27 
 
28 
 
SEC. 52. Regional Physical Framework Plan (RPFP). – The RPFP shall provide                         
29 
board spatial directions and policy guidelines on protection land use, production 
30 
land use, settlement development, and infrastructure development at all regional 
31 
level and guide the formulation of the PPFPs. The RPFPs. The RPFP shall 
32 
consider the existing PPFPs and the CLUPs of LGUs within the territorial 
33 
jurisdiction of the region. 
34 
 
35 
 
The Regional Land Use Policy Council (RLUPC), created under Section 59 
36 
of this Act, shall formulate and periodically update the RPFP based on the 
37 
guidelines issued by the NLUPC, in a manner consistent with and following the 
38 
objective of the NPFP. Likewise, the Medium-Term Regional Development Plan 
39 
(MTRDP) and the Medium-Term Regional Development Investment Program 
40 
(MTRDIP) shall be guided by and made consistent with the objectives identified 
41 
in the RPFP. 
42 
 
43 


38 
 
 
SEC. 53. Provincial Physical Framework Plan (PPFP). – The PPFP shall                                      
1 
determine the physical development of the entire territory, consolidate and                                    
2 
harmonize the comprehensive land use plans of component cities and 
3 
municipalities, consistent with the RPFP. It shall reflect the indicative land use 
4 
land use management and physical development direction of the province. 
5 
 
6 
 
Further, the PPFP shall serve as basis for other sectoral and development 
7 
plans related to land, natural resources, infrastructure facilities, including the 
8 
development  plan of the province; the reconciliation and rationalization of the 
9 
land use proposals among component cities and municipalities with the higher 
10 
level framework plan; guiding development agencies and private developers, 
11 
particularly those that undertake large-scale projects: and providing a basis for 
12 
resolving conflicts arising from the implementation of land use plans and 
13 
development projects involving two (2) or more municipalities.  
14 
 
15 
 
The PPFP shall serve as the basis for the preparation of the Provincial 
16 
Development Plan (PDP) and the Provincial Development Investment Program 
17 
(PDIP). The PPFP, the PDP, the PDIP and/or the Provincial Physical Framework 
18 
and Development Plan (PPFDP) shall serve as the basis for the formulation of 
19 
sectoral action plans of national government agencies in the province and all 
20 
LGUs within its jurisdiction. The province may opt to prepare their PDP 
21 
alongside the preparation of PPFP and consolidate them into a PPFDP:  
22 
 
23 
Provided, That PPFDP shall remain consistent with the PPFP: Provided, 
24 
further, That any review or changes in the PPFP shall coincide with the overall 
25 
review process of the NPFP. The Provincial Land Use Planning and Management 
26 
Board (PLUPMB) created under this Act shall ensure that the PPFP is consistent 
27 
with the national and regional planning framework and guidelines issued by the 
28 
NLUPC/RLUPC. The PPFP shall be presented to the Provincial Development 
29 
Council (PDC) for endorsement to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, which shall 
30 
formally adopt and approved the PPFP. The approved PPFP shall be submitted 
31 
to the RLUPC for consolidation and integration into the RPFP. 
32 
 
33 
 
Under the general supervision of the PLUPMB, the Provincial Planning 
34 
and Development Coordinator/Office (PPDC/PPDO) shall provide technical, 
35 
secretariat and administrative support in the preparation, consultation, 
36 
integration and formulation process of the PPFP. 
37 
 
38 
 
SEC. 54. City and Municipal Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUPs). – All                               
39 
barangays shall provide their sectoral, temporal and spatial data for the CLUP 
40 
which shall serve as the foundation for the foundation for the formulation of the 
41 
city/municipal CLUPs. The data shall be provided by the Sangguniang 
42 
Pambarangay through stakeholder consultations. The CLUP shall determine the 
43 


39 
 
specific uses of land and other physical and natural resources, both private and 
1 
public, within their territorial jurisdiction including areas comanaged with the 
2 
national government and, as appropriate, management plans for ancestral 
3 
domains, critical watersheds, river basins, and protected areas. 
4 
 
5 
 
The CLUP shall delineate actual boundaries on the ground within the 
6 
territorial jurisdiction, embody the desired land use patterns of the barangay, city 
7 
or municipality, translate and integrate sectoral plans, and provide appropriate 
8 
policies for each of the four (4) land use planning categories. The spatial 
9 
directions prescribed in the CLUP shall serve as the basis for the preparation and 
10 
formulation of the Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) and Local 
11 
Development Investment Program (LDIP) of the LGUs.  
12 
 
13 
 
Consistent with the national standards and guidelines prescribed in 
14 
Section 50 of this Act, the cities and municipalities shall, in consultation with the 
15 
concerned sectors, prepare their respective CLUPs. The City/Municipal Land 
16 
Use Planning and Management Board (C/MLUPMB) created under this Act shall 
17 
be responsible for the preparation and formulation of the CLUP and ensure its 
18 
consistency with national and regional physical planning guidelines and 
19 
standards. Under the general supervision of the respective                               
20 
C/MLUPMB, the City/Municipal Planning and Development 
21 
Office/Coordinator (C/MPDO/C) shall provide technical, secretariat and 
22 
administrative support in the preparation, consultation, integration and 
23 
formulation process of the respective CLUPs of each city of municipality. 
24 
 
25 
 
The CLUPs shall be submitted by the city/municipal local development 
26 
councils (LDCs) dor adoption and approval of the Sangguniang Bayan (SB). The 
27 
approved CLUPs shall be submitted to the province for integration into the PPFP. 
28 
 
29 
CHAPTER V 
30 
IMPLEMENTING STRUCTURE AND MECHANISM 
31 
 
32 
 
SEC. 55. Creation of the National Land Use Policy Council (NLUPC). – The                                
33 
National Land Use Committee (NLUC) under the NEDA Board (NB) is hereby 
34 
abolished and in its stead, the NLUPC shall be created. It shall exercise the 
35 
powers and responsibilities identified under this Act and assume the functions of 
36 
the NEDA Board-National Land Use Committee (NB-NLUC). It shall further 
37 
exercise the powers and functions pertaining to land use planning vested by law 
38 
on the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB), except the following 
39 
which shall remain as official functions of the HLURB: 
40 
 
41 


40 
 
(a) Formulate land use planning guidelines in the preparation of the 
1 
CLUPs and ZOs of the LGUs to ensure compliance with the national 
2 
policies, objectives, priorities and directions set by the NLUPC; 
3 
(b) Provide technical and other forms of planning assistance to, including 
4 
capacity-building for, LGUs and zoning boards; and 
5 
(c) Act as the appellate body on decisions of local zoning bodies on 
6 
locational clearance applications and/or oppositions thereto and other 
7 
zoning issues involving private rights. 
8 
 
9 
The NLUPC shall act as the highest policy-making body on land use and 
10 
shall resolve land us policy conflicts between or among agencies, branches, or 
11 
levels of the government. It shall integrate efforts, and monitor developments 
12 
relating to land use and the evolution of policies. 
13 
 
14 
SEC. 56. Composition of the NLUPC.- The NLUPC shall be headed by the                               
15 
Director General of the NEDA as Chairperson. It shall choose a Vice Chairperson 
16 
from among the members of the Council, who shall assume the functions of the 
17 
Chairperson in case of absence. The NLUPC shall meet at least once every 
18 
quarter. 
19 
 
20 
The members of the Council shall be the following: 
21 
 
22 
(a) The Secretary of the DAR; 
23 
(b) The Secretary of the DA; 
24 
(c) The Secretary of the DENR; 
25 
(d) The Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government 
26 
(DILG); 
27 
(e) The Chairperson of the NCIP; 
28 
(f) The Chairperson of HUDCC; 
29 
(g) The Chief Executive Officer of the HLURB; 
30 
(h) The Administrator of the NAMRIA; 
31 
(i) The President of the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP); 
32 
(j) The President of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP); 
33 
(k) Two (2) representatives each from four (4) basic sectors directly involve 
34 
in land use, namely: urban poor, peasants, fisherfolk, and indigenous 
35 
peoples who shall be appointed by the respective National Anti-
36 
Poverty Commission (NAPC) sectoral councils. Of the eight (8) sectoral 
37 
representatives, at least four (4) shall be women, provided that one of    
38 
whom shall be from the Moro sector: 
39 
(l) Four (4) representatives from the developers’ associations, the 
40 
accredited associations of professionals dealing with land use such as, 
41 
but not limited to, urban and regional planners, environmental 
42 


41 
 
planners, architects, geologists and geodetic engineers, the business or 
1 
private sectors; and 
2 
(m) 
The Head of the NLUPC Secretariat who shall be nonvoting ex 
3 
officio  member. 
4 
The members of the Council who are Cabinet Secretaries may 
5 
designate their duly authorize and permanent representatives whose 
6 
ranks in no case be lower than Undersecretary. 
7 
 
8 
SEC. 57. Powers and Functions of the NLUPC. – The NLUPC shall    have 
9 
the following powers and functions: 
10 
 
11 
(a) Guide the determination and identification of the country’s 
12 
strategic land use development and physical planning objectives, 
13 
priorities and directions, as well as recommend the adoption, 
14 
passage, or amendment of laws to ensure that plans,                     
15 
programs, projects and activities, including local government 
16 
initiatives affecting land use are consistent with national 
17 
development objectives; 
18 
(b) Formulate the necessary national policy guidelines in the 
19 
preparation of the country’s physical framework plans, including 
20 
the setting of limits/target key land uses needed for protection, 
21 
production, settlements and infrastructure for present and future 
22 
needs: 
23 
 
24 
(c) Ensure that policies, guidelines and standards on land use and 
25 
physical planning, including zoning, shall be followed by the 
26 
RLUPC, local land use boards and concerned national agencies, and 
27 
that the RPFP, the PPFP and the CLUPs shall be consistent with the 
28 
NPFP; 
29 
 
30 
(d) Ensure the consistency of other national development and sectoral 
31 
plans and programs, including the Medium-Term Philippine 
32 
Development Plan (MTPDP) and Public Investment Program (PIP), 
33 
with the NPFP; 
34 
 
35 
(e) Integrate and harmonize all laws and policies relevant to land use 
36 
in order to come up with a rational, cohesive, and comprehensive 
37 
national land use framework, and if warranted, recommend to 
38 
Congress the adoption, passage or amendment of laws to ensure 
39 
that sectoral plans, projects and activities, including local 
40 
government initiatives affecting land use are consistent with 
41 
national development objectives; 
42 


42 
 
(f) Resolve policy conflicts on land use between or among agencies, 
1 
branches, or levels of government and unresolved land use policy 
2 
conflicts at the regional level; 
3 
 
4 
(g) Issue locational clearances for projects of national significance; 
5 
 
6 
(h) Call on any department, bureau, office, agency, or instrumentality 
7 
of the government and or private entities and organizations for 
8 
cooperation, support, and assistance in the performance of its 
9 
functions; 
10 
 
11 
(i) Review the NPFP every ten (10) years; 
12 
 
13 
(j) Advise the President of the Philippines and the NEDA Board on all 
14 
matters concerning land use and physical planning; 
15 
 
16 
(k) Adopt rules of procedures for the orderly and expeditious conduct 
17 
of meetings and other business of Council; and 
18 
 
19 
(l) Perform such other acts and functions and exercise such other 
20 
powers as may be necessarily implied, inherent, incidental, or 
21 
related to the foregoing. 
22 
 
23 
SEC. 58. NLUPC Secretariat. – The existing unit of the NEDA in charge 
24 
of Land Use and Physical Planning Division shall act as NLUPC Secretariat 
25 
which shall perform functions such as, but not limited to, managing information, 
26 
gathering of data, coordinate the monitoring of government agencies and LGUs, 
27 
ensuring multi-stakeholder participation towards formation of local land use 
28 
policy boards, sharing of database and mapping systems, and reinforcing 
29 
relevant assessment tools and capability-building programs. 
30 
 
31 
 
32 
CHAPTER VI 
33 
REGIONAL AND LOCAL LAND USE POLICY BODIES 
34 
 
35 
SEC. 59. Regional Land Use Policy Council (RLUPC). – At the      regional 
36 
level, the Regional Land Use Committee (RLUC) is hereby abolished and in its 
37 
stead, the RLUPC shall be created. The RLUPC shall be institutionalized, 
38 
replicating the NLUPC structure and composition. It shall chaired by the NEDA 
39 
Regional Director and exercise the following functions: 
40 
 
41 


43 
 
(a) Formulate regional policies and guidelines which are consistent with 
1 
the national planning guidelines issued by the NLUPC in the 
2 
preparation and formulation of the respective provincial physical 
3 
planning and CLUPs of LGUs within its jurisdiction;  
4 
(b) Prepare and periodically update the RPFP, taking into consideration 
5 
national policies and lower level plans; 
6 
(c) Review, prior to adoption by respective Sanggunians, the PPFPs and 
7 
the CLUPs of highly urbanized and independent component cities to 
8 
ensure consistency with the RPFP and national policies set forth by the 
9 
NLUPC; 
10 
(d) Decide and resolve policy conflicts on land use planning, classification, 
11 
and allocation that may arise between or among regional line agencies, 
12 
provinces and cities/municipalities; 
13 
(e) Monitor changes in land use and other physical resources in the region; 
14 
(f) Coordinate and monitor the land use activities of regional line agencies 
15 
and LGUs; 
16 
(g) Evaluate consistency of major programs and projects of regional 
17 
agencies and entities with the RPFP and their impact on land use and 
18 
the environment; and  
19 
(h) Perform other related functions as may be directed by the NLUPC. 
20 
In forest land use management, where the watershed area/continuum 
21 
covers several municipalities across different provinces, an inter-LGU task force 
22 
composed of representatives from the RLUPC and the concerned municipal 
23 
LGUs where the watershed area is located shall be formed. With the assistance of 
24 
the DENR and upon mandatory consultations with the concern sectors, the inter-
25 
LGU task force shall  formulate the Watershed Management Plan for the said 
26 
watershed area. 
27 
 
28 
SEC. 60. Provincial Land Use Planning and Management Board (PLUPMB). –                            
29 
The Provincial Land Use Committee (PLUC) is hereby abolished. The Provincial 
30 
Land Use Planning and Management Board of PLUPMB is created in all 
31 
provinces under this Act to oversee the preparation, integration, adoption and 
32 
approval of the PPFP and shall ensure its consistency with approved national 
33 
and regional planning guidelines. The PLUPMB shall also be directly   
34 
responsible for the effective management and implementation of the approved 
35 
PPFP and ensure that any existing and future development initiatives, programs 
36 
and projects introduced within its jurisdiction are consistent with and supportive 
37 
of the land use resource management and physical planning objectives, 
38 
directions and character identified in the approved PPFP. 
39 
    
40 


44 
 
SEC. 61. Powers and Responsibilities of the Provincial Land Use Planning and                             
1 
Management Board. – The following are the powers and responsibilities of the 
2 
PLUPMB: 
3 
 
4 
(a) Formulate necessary provincial planning guidelines and/or 
5 
implementing policies for the preparation and formulation of the 
6 
respective CLUPs within its jurisdiction consistent with approved 
7 
national and regional planning policies and guidelines; 
8 
 
9 
(b) Submit to the PDC the draft CLUP for its transmission to the 
10 
Sangguniang Panlalawigan and for the PDC to use it as reference for 
11 
consistency and complementation with other development plans; 
12 
 
13 
(c) Review, monitor and access the implementation and operationalization 
14 
of the approved CLUP and its consistency with physical planning and 
15 
land use management objectives and goals identified in the CLUP; 
16 
 
17 
(d) After an appropriate period of time or upon instruction and advice by 
18 
the NLUPC, conduct and initiate a progress review of the PPFP and the 
19 
achievement of its stated objectives and goals and update the PPFP; 
20 
 
21 
(e) Decide and resolve policy conflicts on land use planning, classification, 
22 
and allocation that may arise between or among cities/municipalities 
23 
and facilitate the resolution of any unresolved land use conflict, 
24 
including political boundary conflicts, at the city/municipality level; 
25 
 
26 
(f) Advise the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on all matters pertaining to 
27 
land use and physical planning; 
28 
 
29 
(g) Promote cooperation and sharing of resources between and among 
30 
component LGUs of the province or with neighboring LGUs to address 
31 
common land use and development issues including those related to 
32 
geo-physical hazards, watershed and river basin management, coastal 
33 
and marines, climate change impact and disaster risks; and 
34 
 
35 
(h) Assist the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in reviewing the submitted 
36 
CLUPs of component cities/municipalities to ensure consistency with 
37 
the PPFP. 
38 
In cases where the watershed areas transcend the boundaries of a 
39 
particular municipality, an inter-LGU task force composed of representatives 
40 
from the PLPMB of the municipal LGUs where the watershed area is located 
41 
shall be formed. 
42 


45 
 
 
1 
SEC. 62. Composition of the PLUPMB. – The PLUPMB shall be composed of 
2 
the following fifteen (15) members to be selected based on the rules to be 
3 
formulated by the NLUPC as provided in this Act: 
4 
 
5 
(a) The Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator (PPDC) 
6 
(b) The Chairperson of Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on 
7 
Environment and Natural Resources; 
8 
(c) The Provincial Chapter President-League of Municipalities and/or 
9 
League of Cities; 
10 
(d) The Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer (PARO); 
11 
(e) The Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO); 
12 
(f) The Provincial Agricultural Officer (PAO); 
13 
(g) The NCIP Provincial Officer; 
14 
(h) The HLURB Regional Officer; 
15 
(i) Three (3) representatives from the local business or private sector, the 
16 
developers’ association and accredited associations of professionals 
17 
dealing with land use such as but not limited to, urban and regional 
18 
planners, environmental planners, architects,  geologist, geodetic 
19 
engineers, and chamber of commerce, who shall be appointed from 
20 
among the accredited organizations within their respective 
21 
development councils; 
22 
(j) Four (4) representatives from the basic sector groups (urban poor, 
23 
fisherfolk, farmers, indigenous peoples): Provided, That at least two (2) 
24 
representatives shall be women: Provided, further, That the 
25 
representatives shall be appointed from among the accredited 
26 
organizations within their respective development councils: Provided, 
27 
finally, That in predominantly Muslim areas, one shall be from the 
28 
Moro sector; and 
29 
(k) The designated Board Chairperson to be chosen among the members. 
30 
Except for ex officio members, the members of the PLUPMB shall be 
31 
appointed for a term of three (3) years, subject however to the elected office held, 
32 
government employment and/or official designation of the LGU, national 
33 
agency and/or local business/private sector association or basic sector group 
34 
representation in the Board. The NLUPC, within ninety (90) days from its 
35 
establishment, shall formulate the rules for the selection of the Chairperson and 
36 
the members of the PLUPMB. The Provincial Planning and Development 
37 
Coordinator/Office (PPDC/PPDO) shall provide technical secretariat and 
38 
administrative support and resources for the effective operation of the PLUPMB. 
39 
 
40 
Aside from the PPDO, the PLUPMB may call upon other local and 
41 
national government offices and agencies such as the local Engineer, Assessor, 
42 


46 
 
and local field representatives of the DA, the DPWH, the DOT, the DENR, the 
1 
DAR, the DepED, the NCIP and other concerned national agencies to assist the 
2 
PLUPMB in the performance of its roles and mandates. 
3 
 
4 
 
The appropriations for the regular operations and activities of the 
5 
PLUPMB shall be included in the annual budget proposal of the PPDO: Provided, 
6 
That other funds and resources, including grants, applicable service fees and 
7 
charges collected, contributions, donations, and other funds to support its 
8 
operations and activities may be accepted and received by the PLUPMB subject 
9 
to existing auditing and reporting procedures. 
10 
 
11 
 
SEC. 63 City/Municipal Land Use Planning and Management Board                                             
12 
(C/MLUPMB). -  A City/Municipal Land Use Planning and Management Board 
13 
or C/MLUPMB is hereby created under this Act in all municipalities and cities, 
14 
including highly urbanized and component cities, to oversee the preparation, 
15 
integration, adoption and approval of their respective CLUPs. It shall issue a 
16 
certificate of Compliance prior to the submission of the CLUP to the Sanggunian 
17 
to ensure the consistency of such plans with approval national, regional and 
18 
provincial planning guidelines. The C/MLUPMB shall also be directly 
19 
responsible for the effective management and implementation of the approved 
20 
CLUP and for ensuring that existing and future local policies, including ZOs, 
21 
development initiatives, programs and projects introduced within its jurisdiction 
22 
are consistent with and supportive of the land use resource management and 
23 
physical planning objectives, directions and character identified by the approved 
24 
CLUP. 
25 
 
26 
 
SEC. 64. Powers and Responsibilities of the City/Municipal Land Use Planning                            
27 
and Management Board. – The C/MLUPMB shall exercise the following powers 
28 
and functions; 
29 
 
30 
(a) Ensure the inclusion of the input of the barangays within the 
31 
jurisdiction of the respective city/municipality on sectoral, temporal 
32 
and spatial dimensions of the plan and its consistency with approved 
33 
national, regional and provincial planning guidelines; 
34 
(b) Review, monitor and assess the implementation and operationalization 
35 
of the approved CLUP and its consistency with physical planning and 
36 
land use management objectives and goals identified on the CLUP; 
37 
(c) Issue a Certificate of Compliance to the Sanggunian as proof that CLUP                        
38 
is compliant with national land use policies, guidelines and standards; 
39 
(d) Submit the LDC the draft CLUP for its transmission to the Sanggunian 
40 
and for the LDC to use it as basis for consistency of and 
41 
complementation with other development plans; 
42 


47 
 
(e) Decide and resolve policy conflicts on land use planning, classification, 
1 
and allocation that may arise between or among barangays and 
2 
facilitate the resolution of any unresolved land use conflict, including 
3 
boundary conflicts, involving barangays; 
4 
(f) Based on the CLUP, review and endorse for approval/disapproval 
5 
applications for locational clearances, building and zoning permits 
6 
and/or other planning-related requirement for any project, both 
7 
private and public, that is submitted to the LGU for issuance; 
8 
(g) Advise the Sangguniang Bayan on all matters pertaining to land use 
9 
and physical planning; and 
10 
(h) Promote cooperation and sharing of resources between and among its 
11 
barangays and neighboring LGUs to address common land use and 
12 
development issues including those related to geo-physical hazards, 
13 
watershed and river basins, costal and marine waters, climate change 
14 
impact and disaster risks. 
15 
SEC. 65. Composition of the C/MLUPMB. – The C/MLUPMB shall be 
16 
composed of the following thirteen (13) members and shall be headed by a 
17 
Chairperson: 
18 
 
19 
(a) The City/Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator 
20 
(C/MPDC); 
21 
(b) The Chairperson, Sangguniang Bayan Committee on Environment and 
22 
Natural             Resources; 
23 
(c) The President of the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC); 
24 
(d) The Municipal Agrarian Reform Officer (MARO): 
25 
(e) The LGU Environment and Natural Resources Officer (City/Municipal 
26 
ENRO); 
27 
(f) The Municipal Agriculture Officer (MAO); 
28 
(g) Three (3) representatives from the local business/private sector, the 
29 
developers’ associations, and the accredited associations of 
30 
professionals dealing with land use such as, but not limited to, urban 
31 
and regional planners, environmental planners, architects, geologist 
32 
and geodetic engineers, and chamber of commerce, who shall be 
33 
appointed from among the accredited organizations within their 
34 
respective development councils; 
35 
(h) Four (4) representatives from the basic sector groups (urban poor, 
36 
fisherfolk, farmers and indigenous peoples): Provided, That at least two 
37 
(2) representatives shall be women: Provided, further, That the 
38 
representatives shall be appointed from among the accredited 
39 
organizations within their development councils: Provided finally, That 
40 
in predominantly Muslim areas, one shall be from the Moro sector; and 
41 
(i) The designated Board Chairperson to be chosen among the members. 
42 


48 
 
Except for ex officio members, the members of the C/MLUPMB shall be 
1 
appointed to a team of three (3) years, subject however to the elected 
2 
office held, government employment and/or official designation in the 
3 
LGU, national agency and/or local business/private sector association 
4 
or basic sector group representation in the Board. The NLUPC, within 
5 
ninety (90) days from its establishment, shall formulate the rules for the 
6 
selection of the Chairperson and members of the C/MLUPMB. The 
7 
City/Municipal Planning and Development Office/Office 
8 
(C/MPDO/C) shall provide technical secretariat and administrative 
9 
support and resources for the effective operation of the C/MLUPMB.  
10 
 
11 
Aside from the C/MPDO/C, the C/MLUPMB may call upon other local 
12 
and national government officers and agencies such as the local Engineer, 
13 
Assessor, and local field representatives of the DA, the DPWH, the DOTr, the 
14 
DOT, the DENR, the DAR, the DepEd and other concerned national agencies to 
15 
assist the C/MLUPMB in the performance of its roles and mandates. 
16 
 
17 
 
The annual appropriations for the operation and activities of the 
18 
C/MLUPMB shall be included in the annual budget proposal of the 
19 
C/MPDO/C: Provided, That other funds and resources, including grants, 
20 
applicable service fees and charges collected, contributions, donations, and other 
21 
funds to support its operations and activities may be accepted and received by 
22 
the PLUPMB subject to existing auditing and reporting procedures. 
23 
 
24 
 
LGUs shall create and/or activities their respective C/MLUPMB upon 
25 
guidelines issued by the NLUPC for such purposes, not later than six (6) months 
26 
from the effectivity of this Act. 
27 
 
28 
CHAPTER VII 
29 
ADOPTION, APPROVAL AND REVIEW OF LOCAL LAND USE 
30 
AND PHYSICAL FRAMEWORK PLANS 
31 
 
32 
SEC. 66. Approval and Review of PPFP and CLUPs. – The PPFP     and CLUPs 
33 
of the respective city/municipal LGUs, including highly urbanized cities and 
34 
independent component cities shall be submitted by the local use boards to the 
35 
LDCs for transmission to the local Sanggunian for approval. 
36 
 
37 
SEC. 67. Approval of RPFP and NPFP. – The RPFP and NPFP shall be 
38 
submitted for review and approval of the RLUPC and NLUPC, respectively, 
39 
upon the conduct of appropriate stakeholder and agency consultations: Provided, 
40 
That such process and guidelines shall be prepared and issued by the NLUPC 
41 
within six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act. 
42 
 
43 


49 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
1 
MAPPING AND DATA MANAGEMENT FOR LAND USE PLANNING 
2 
 
3 
SEC. 68. National Mapping and Spatial Data Infrastructure Program 
4 
(NMSDIP). – A national mapping program shall be implemented, coordinated 
5 
and monitored by the Interagency Technical Committee (ITC) which is hereby 
6 
created. It shall be composed of  the NAMRIA as the lead agency, the BSWM, the 
7 
Forest Management Bureau (FMB), the LMB, the Land Registration Authority 
8 
(LRA), the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB), the MGB, the 
9 
Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the DAR, the 
10 
DA, the NCIP, the National Water Resources Board (NWRB), the DOE, the 
11 
National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), the 
12 
NEDA, and other concerned government agencies. The ITC shall be constituted, 
13 
and the mapping and spatial data infrastructure program shall be initiated within 
14 
thirty (30) days from the effectivity of this Act. The program shall be responsible 
15 
for the production of base and decision maps and associated spatial database for 
16 
all planning levels based on the guidelines of the NLUPC. 
17 
 
18 
 
Under the program, all government stakeholders concerned in the 
19 
production of maps of various themes shall collaboratively formulate the 
20 
government’s spatial data infrastructure master plan and respective government 
21 
agency/stakeholders’ spatial data infrastructure plans which shall be basis for 
22 
subsequent funding and eventual project                                                                                                
23 
implementation and/or operation. 
24 
 
25 
 
All pertinent and updated thematic map/data from supporting agencies 
26 
of the program shall be submitted to the NAMRIA for compilation and 
27 
integration into a national geospatial database established under the program.  
28 
 
29 
 
The NAMRIA shall finish its base mapping program within two (2) 
30 
years upon the effectivity of the Act and provide updates thereof to support the 
31 
implementation of the spatial data infrastructure program. 
32 
The spatial and non-spatial data generation by these activities shall be 
33 
transmitted to the LGU as soon as practicable. Existing land information data 
34 
available to the national government agencies as of the effectivity of this Act shall 
35 
be immediately transmitted to the LGUs. 
36 
 
37 
 
For purposes of uniformity and standardization, the LGUs, assisted by the 
38 
appropriate agencies of the national government, shall likewise prepare their 
39 
respective maps using scales, symbols, and other indicators to be prescribed in 
40 
accordance with this Act. The completed maps shall be integrated in the NPFP 
41 
pursuant to Section 51 of this Act. 
42 
 
43 


50 
 
 
SEC. 69. Maps for Planning. – Within one (1) year after the NLUPC’s 
1 
approval of the Guidelines and Standards for planning at all levels, available 
2 
NAMRIA maps and all maps made available to NAMRIA by supporting 
3 
agencies shall be submitted to the NLUPC for national, provincial, cities and 
4 
municipalities planning. The NLUPC shall forward these maps to the respective 
5 
PLUPMBs and C/MLUPMBs after it has reviewed and approved them. Pertinent 
6 
maps to be produced through the NMSDIP shall include, among others: 
7 
 
8 
a. Topographic Maps; 
9 
b. Geologic Maps; 
10 
c. Hydrologic Maps; 
11 
d. Climate Maps; 
12 
e. Soils Maps; 
13 
f. Slope Maps; 
14 
g. Mineral Resource Maps; 
15 
h. Existing Land Use Maps; 
16 
i. Land Suitability Maps for: 
17 
1) Settlements; 
18 
2) Agriculture; 
19 
3) Industrial areas; and 
20 
4) Others, 
21 
j. Agricultural Maps: 
22 
1) Network of Protected Areas for Agricultural and Agro-
23 
industrial Development; 
24 
2) Commodity Specific Development Guide Maps; 
25 
3) Land Limitation Maps; 
26 
4) Cropping System Zones Maps; 
27 
5) Hydro-ecological Conditions Map; and 
28 
6) Irrigation Systems Maps. 
29 
k. Land Classification Maps; 
30 
l. Municipal Waters Delineation Maps and MPAs; 
31 
m.  Geo-Hazard Maps: 
32 
1) Flood-Prone Areas; 
33 
2) Hazard Zonation Maps for Volcanoes; 
34 
3) Map of Fault Systems; 
35 
4) Tsunami-Prone Areas; and 
36 
5) Erosion Prone Areas; 
37 
n. Tourism Maps; 
38 
o. Transportation Maps; 
39 
p. Traffic Flow; 
40 
q. Maps Designating Areas Served by: 
41 
1) Power; 
42 
2) Telecommunications; and 
43 


51 
 
3) Water. 
1 
r. Maps indicating the following facilities: 
2 
1) Health; 
3 
2) Education; and 
4 
3) Power. 
5 
s. Domestic Water Supply; 
6 
t. Industrial Areas; 
7 
u. Population Distribution Maps; 
8 
v. Ancestral Domain Map; 
9 
w. NIPAS Areas; 
10 
x. Areas Suitable for Urban Expansion; 
11 
y. Watershed Areas; and  
12 
z. Forest Lands: 
13 
1) Protection Areas; 
14 
2) Production Areas; and 
15 
3) Restoration Areas; 
16 
aa. Key Biodiversity Areas; and 
17 
bb. Marine Protected Areas 
18 
 
19 
SEC. 70. Ground Delineation of the Country’s Permanent Forest Line. – 
20 
Pursuant  to the Constitution and as provided under this Act, the final 
21 
destination and ground delineation of the country’s permanent forest line shall 
22 
be completed within one (1) year from the effectivity of this Act: Provided, That 
23 
appropriations for the fulfillment of this provision shall be included in the annual 
24 
appropriations of the DENR: Provided, further, That the complete report on the 
25 
delineation of the country’s permanent forest line shall be                                
26 
submitted to the NLUPC for appropriate integration in the country’s strategic 
27 
land use  development plan and policies. 
28 
 
29 
 
SEC. 71. Completion and Updating of Existing Cadrastal Surveys. – The                                      
30 
completion of incomplete cadastral surveys of LGUs and the updating of existing 
31 
surveys shall be given priority consideration and allocation of resources in the 
32 
implementation of this Act. The DENR shall include in its annual appropriations 
33 
the completion and updating of all incomplete and existing cadastral surveys of 
34 
all LGUs in the country: Provided, That such surveys and maps shall be integrated 
35 
into the National Spatial Database Information and Mapping System. 
36 
 
37 
 
In cases of ancestral domains, self-delineation by ICCs/IPs of their 
38 
ancestral lands shall be employed to determine boundaries as provided for under 
39 
Republic Act No. 8371. 
40 
 
41 


52 
 
 
SEC. 72. Ground Delineation of Land Use. – For effective planning to take                                
1 
place at the local level and for easy enforcement of the ZO of each 
2 
city/municipality, land uses must be identifiable both on the map and on the 
3 
ground. A Joint Committee comprised of the LGU, as represented by its 
4 
C/MLUPMB, and of the national government agency concerned, to be assisted 
5 
by the C/MPDC, shall identify and delineate on the ground the land uses within 
6 
their jurisdiction. The following shall be given priority: 
7 
 
8 
(a) Forest Lands: 
9 
(1) Protection; and  
10 
(2) Production. 
11 
(b) Ancestral Domains: 
12 
(c) NIPAS Areas: 
13 
(1) Strict Protection Zone; and 
14 
(2) Municipal Use Zone. 
15 
(d) Watershed Areas: 
16 
(1) Critical; and 
17 
(2) Multiple Use. 
18 
(e) Network of Protected Areas for Agricultural and Agro-industrial 
19 
Development                     (NPAAAD); 
20 
(f) Socialized Housing Sites and Settlement Expansion Areas; 
21 
(g) Extents of environmentally Constrained Areas; 
22 
(h) Easement Areas; 
23 
(i) Critical coastal Areas: 
24 
(1) Mangroves; and 
25 
(2) Sea grass 
26 
 
27 
Critical marine resources shall also be delineated both on the map and in 
28 
the waters. Perimeters of critical offshore areas, such as coral reefs, shall be 
29 
marked in accordance with the coastal resource management plans concerned. 
30 
 
31 
All maps shall be updated as new important information and data become 
32 
available or as determined by urgent need. Updating of maps shall be 
33 
undertaken not more often than every ten (10) years. 
34 
 
35 
 
SEC. 73. National Geo-hazard Mapping Program. – Within thirty (30) days 
36 
from the effectivity of this Act, a nationwide geo-hazard mapping program shall 
37 
be initiated jointly the NLUPC by the PHIVOLCS, the Philippine Atmospheric 
38 
Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the 
39 
NAMRIA, the MGB, and the DOE, in coordination with the NDRRMC, the 
40 
Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils, and other 
41 
concerned government agencies. The program shall include the generation of 
42 


53 
 
indicative geo-hazard zoning maps that will outline areas in the Philippines 
1 
which are prone to liquefaction, landslides, flooding, lahar, ground rupturing, 
2 
tsunami, river erosion, coastal erosion, sinkhole collapse, earthquake, lava flow, 
3 
pyroclastic flow, base surge, and other natural hazards. 
4 
 
5 
 
For purposes of uniformity and standardization and in order to develop a 
6 
safe-built environment, the LGUs shall subsequently incorporate and integrate 
7 
the generated geo-hazard zoning maps into their respective CLUPs and ZOs. 
8 
Said geo-hazard maps shall serve as guide for all the LGUs in the preparation of 
9 
their own hazards-constrained development plans. The NPFP shall incorporate 
10 
these geo-hazard maps. 
11 
 
12 
 
All entities conducting infrastructure activities including real estate and 
13 
subdivision projects and the development of tourist spots requiring an ECC shall 
14 
submit an Engineering Geological and Geo-hazard Assessment Report (EGGAR). 
15 
 
16 
SEC. 74. Scope and Nature Responsibilities of Other National Government                                    
17 
Agencies. – All concerned national government agencies/bodies shall periodically 
18 
report to the NLUPC on the various activities and accomplishments on land use. 
19 
Likewise, they shall provide their respective sectoral/development plans and 
20 
provide technical and administrative support if called upon by the NLUPC for 
21 
the implementation of the provisions of this Act. 
22 
 
23 
 
SEC. 75. Submission of Annual Report on the Implementation of CLUPs and 
24 
ZOs. – The local land use boards shall submit their annual report on the 
25 
implementation of their land use plans to their respective Sanggunian which 
26 
shall submit the same to the RLUPCs for consolidation. The RLUPC shall 
27 
thereafter transmit the consolidated reports to the NLUPC for monitoring and 
28 
evaluation. 
29 
 
30 
CHATER IX 
31 
TRAINING, EDUCATION AND VALUES FORMATION 
32 
 
33 
 
SEC. 76. Values Formation. – In order to develop a well-informed, 
34 
responsible and committed citizenry who value the protection, conservation and 
35 
development of the   country’s limited land , and other physical resources, the 
36 
State shall mandate the inclusion of sustainable land use education or any subject 
37 
related thereto in the curricula of primary, secondary and tertiary education. 
38 
 
39 
 
SEC. 77. Information/Education Campaign and Capacity-Building. – The 
40 
NLUPC shall undertake information/education campaign on land use and 
41 
physical planning to be implemented by local and national government agencies. 
42 
The DILG and concerned agencies shall formulate and implement a land use 
43 


54 
 
management capability- building program for national and local government 
1 
officials, community leaders, representatives of NGOs, POs, the religious sector, 
2 
and the general public.  
3 
 
4 
 
5 
CHAPTER X 
6 
INCENTIVES, SANCTIONS AND PENALTIES 
7 
 
8 
ARTICLE ONE, INCEMTIVES AND AWARDS 
9 
 
10 
 
SEC. 78. Formulation of a System of Incentives and Awards. – The NLUPC 
11 
shall come up with a system of incentives and awards to LGUs that regularly 
12 
update their CLUPs/ZOs once every eight (8) years. 
13 
 
14 
 
SEC. 79. Priority in Giving Technical Assistance to LGUs. – In providing 
15 
technical assistance and other forms of support related to land use management 
16 
and implementation of development plans, national government agencies shall 
17 
give priority to cities and municipalities with approved CLUPs and ZOs. 
18 
 
19 
ARTICLE TWO. SANCTIONS AND PENALTIES 
20 
 
21 
 
SEC. 80. Fine for Failure to Commence or Complete the Development of                                         
22 
Agricultural Lands With Approved Conversion Order. – For agricultural lands with                             
23 
approved conversion orders, the provisions of Republic Act No. 6657 (CARL), as 
24 
amended by Republic Act No. 9700, shall apply. A landowner and/or the 
25 
designated developer or duly authorized representative who fail to commence 
26 
and/or complete the development plan defined in the conversion order shall be 
27 
jointly and severally penalized. The following fines based on the zonal value or 
28 
the fair market value of the land, whichever is higher, at the time the fine shall be 
29 
imposed: 
30 
 
31 
(a) Failure to commence within three (3) years from the date of the 
32 
conversion order:  
33 
(1) Three percent (3%) for the first three (3) hectares; 
34 
(2) Ten percent (10%) for the next three (3) hectares; and 
35 
(3) Fifteen percent (15%) for the remaining area. 
36 
In such case, the order of conversion shall be revoked by operation of 
37 
law. The land shall revert to its original use as agricultural land and may be 
38 
covered by the DAR through compulsory acquisition for distribution to qualified 
39 
beneficiaries. 
40 
 
41 


55 
 
(b) Failure to complete sixty percent (60%) of the approved conversion 
1 
plan within a specified time frame shall result to the automatic 
2 
revocation by the DAR of the conversion plan on the undeveloped 
3 
portion. The land shall be reverted to its original use as agricultural 
4 
land and may be covered under the CARP for land distribution. 
5 
SEC. 81. Persons Abetting Illegal Conversion. – Any person initiating, 
6 
causing, inducing or abetting illegal conversion with intent shall be punished 
7 
with imprisonment or a fine in accordance with Act. No. 3815 or Republic Act 
8 
No. 3019, or both, at the discretion of the court. 
9 
 
10 
 
If the offender is a public official or employee, whether elected or 
11 
appointed, the penalty shall also include dismissal from service, forfeiture of all 
12 
benefits and entitlements accruing to the public position, and perpetual 
13 
disqualification to run or apply for any elective or appointive public office. 
14 
 
15 
 
If the offender is a juridical person, the penalty of imprisonment 
16 
shall be imposed on the president, chief executive officer, manager, chairperson 
17 
and all the members of the Board, and other responsible officers thereof. The 
18 
imposable fine shall ne equivalent to the zonal value of the land or forty percent 
19 
(40%) of the of the stakeholders’ equity, whichever is higher. Furthermore, the 
20 
land shall be forfeited in favor of the State and sold through public auction. The 
21 
proceeds of the sale shall automatically accrue to the Agrarian Reform Fund. 
22 
 
23 
SEC. 82. Penalty for Reclassification of Protected Agricultural Lands and                      
24 
Exceeding the Limit of Areas Allowed for Reclassification. – Any person initiating, 
25 
causing, inducing, or abetting the reclassification to nonagricultural uses of 
26 
protected agricultural areas as defined in Section 13 hereof shall be penalized 
27 
with imprisonment of twelve (12) years or a fine of not less one hundred 
28 
thousand pesos (₱100,000.00), or both, at the discretion of the court. If the 
29 
offender is a public official or employee, whether elected or appointed, the 
30 
penalty shall also include dismissal from service, forfeiture of entitlements 
31 
accruing to the public position, and perpetual disqualification to run or apply for 
32 
any elective of appointive public position. If the offender is a juridical person, the 
33 
penalty shall be imposed on the president, chief executive officer, manager, 
34 
chairperson and all members of the Board, and other responsible officers thereof. 
35 
The same penalty shall be applicable to persons who will be responsible for 
36 
exceeding the limits set forth under Section 20 of the Local Government Code 
37 
pertaining  to reclassification of lands. 
38 
 
39 
SEC. 83. Payment of Disturbance Compensation. – Following the order of 
40 
priority stated in Section 22 of Republic Act. No. 6657, as amended   by Republic 
41 
Act No. 9700, agricultural lessees and share tenants, regular farmworkers, 
42 


56 
 
seasonal farmworkers, other farmworkers, actual tillers or occupants of public 
1 
lands, collective, or cooperative of the above beneficiaries, and others directly 
2 
working on the land affected by agricultural land use conversion, shall be 
3 
entitled to the payment of disturbance compensation equivalent to five (5) times 
4 
the average of the gross harvests on the landholding during the preceding five (5) 
5 
calendar years or a certain percentage of the converted land, whichever is higher, 
6 
as determined by the DAR. 
7 
 
8 
SEC. 84. Authority to Impose Fine. – The DAR shall have the authority to 
9 
impose the fines provided under Section 80, 81, 82 and 83 of this Act. 
10 
 
11 
SEC. 85. Withdraw of Local Development Permits and/or Licenses. – Upon                             
12 
receipt of notice from the DAR, the concerned agencies, cities or municipalities 
13 
shall withdraw and/or revoke any development permit and/or other licenses 
14 
that may be necessary to develop the agricultural land subject of conversion. 
15 
 
16 
SEC. 86.  Utilization of Fines. – The fines collected under Section 84 hereof 
17 
shall automatically accrue to the Agrarian Reform Fund consistent with the 
18 
provision of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law. 
19 
 
20 
 
SEC. 87. Failure of Formulate, Implement and/or Enforce the CLUPs and 
21 
Zoning Ordinances (Zos). – Consistent with due process, the NLUPC, in 
22 
coordination with the DILG, shall evaluate, review, and recommend the filing of 
23 
changes against local chief executives and other local officials and employees 
24 
responsible for the formulation, implementation and/or enforcement of the 
25 
CLUPs for the following acts:  
26 
 
27 
(a) Failure of the CLUPs/Zos to confirm to the guidelines provided 
28 
in the NPFP; 
29 
(b) Failure to complete the preparation of the CLUP despite the 
30 
availability of funds, resources, and support by the Sanggunian 
31 
concerned; 
32 
(c) Failure to provide appropriate budgetary allocation to effect its 
33 
implementation; and 
34 
(d) Failure to implement and enforce the CLUP/ZO due to 
35 
negligence of duty. 
36 
Any public official of employee, whether elected, appointed of holding                               
37 
office/employment in a casual, temporary, holdover, permanent, or regular 
38 
capacity, found to be responsible for any foregoing acts, shall be punished with 
39 
forfeiture or salaries and allowances, and suspension from: 
40 
 
41 


57 
 
(1) Three (3) to six (6) months, in case of noncompletion of the CLUP; 
1 
or 
2 
(2) Three (3) to six (6) months, in case of nonconformity with the NPFP; 
3 
or 
4 
(3) Six (6) to nine (9) months, in case of non-implementation of the 
5 
CLUP. 
6 
Failure to comply with the provisions of Republic Act No. 8371 on the 
7 
formulation of CLUP shall be penalized according to Section 72 of Republic Act 
8 
No. 8371. 
9 
 
10 
 
SEC. 88. Illegal Conversion of City or Municipal Parks, Communal Forest, and                             
11 
Tree Parks in Subdivisions. – Penalties in the amount of one hundred thousand 
12 
pesos (₱ 100,000.00) to five hundred thousand pesos (₱ 500,000.00), or 
13 
imprisonment of six (6) years and one (1) day to twelve (12) years, or both, at the 
14 
discretion of the court, shall be imposed for each of the following offenses:  
15 
 
16 
(a) Illegally converting or causing the conversion of a city/municipal park, 
17 
communal forest, or tree parks within subdivisions established 
18 
pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 953, requiring the planting of trees 
19 
in certain places, into other uses including the construction of 
20 
permanent buildings; 
21 
(b) Destroying or causing damage to timberlands and other forest 
22 
products found in the abovementioned forest and parks; 
23 
(c) Setting the abovementioned forest and parks on fire, or negligently 
24 
permitting a fire to be set therein; and  
25 
(d) Assisting, aiding or abetting another person to commit the offenses 
26 
stated in this section. 
27 
 
28 
The offender shall likewise be imposed a fine equivalent to eight (8) times                           
29 
the commercial value of the forest products destroyed without prejudice to 
30 
payment of the full cost of rehabilitation of the areas as determined by the DENR. 
31 
 
32 
The maximum penalty prescribed shall be imposed upon the offender 
33 
who repeats the same offense, and double the maximum penalty upon the 
34 
offender who commits the same offense for the third time or more. 
35 
 
36 
All improvements made therein, as well as all vehicles, domestic animals, 
37 
and equipment of any kind used in the commission of the offense shall be 
38 
forfeited in favor of the government. 
39 
 
40 


58 
 
It not suitable for use by the DENR, said improvements, vehicles, domestic 
1 
animals and equipment shall be sold at public auction, the proceeds from which 
2 
shall accrue to the Forest Conservation and Development Fund (FCDF). 
3 
 
4 
CHAPTER XI 
5 
TRANSITORY AND FINAL PROVISIONS 
6 
 
7 
 
SEC. 89. Mandatory Review Every Ten (10) Years. – The Congress shall                                    
8 
undertake a mandatory review of this Act at least once every ten (10) years from 
9 
its effectivity or as often as it may be deemed necessary to ensure that the land 
10 
use policies and guidelines remain responsive to changing circumstances. 
11 
 
12 
 
For this purpose, the Congress may call upon the NULPC to undertake                               
13 
the necessary researches and consultation. 
14 
 
15 
 
SEC. 90. Convening of the NLUPC. – Within thirty (30) days from the 
16 
effectivity of this Act, the Chairperson shall convene the NLUPC and the Head of 
17 
the NLUPC Secretariat shall immediately assume office. 
18 
 
19 
 
SEC. 91. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within ninety (90) days 
20 
from the effectivity of this Act, the NLUPC shall promulgate its implementing 
21 
rules and regulations (IRR) including the rules on the selection of the members of 
22 
the C/MLUPMB and the PLUPMB. It shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
23 
complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of 
24 
national circulation. 
25 
 
26 
SEC. 92. Transfer of Powers and Functions. – The functions of the HLURB on 
27 
land use planning as provided for under Sections 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e, and 5f of the 
28 
Executive Order No. 648, Series of 1991; and Executive Order No. 72, Series of 
29 
1993, shall be immediately transferred to the NLUPC and its appropriate 
30 
subnational LGU structures, except as provided in Section 55 hereof. Nothing in 
31 
this Act shall be construed to transfer or limit functions embraced within the said 
32 
provisions that pertain to or relate to HLURB non-planning functions. 
33 
 
34 
 
SEC. 93. Review of Existing Land Use Plans. – Provinces, cities, and                                          
35 
municipalities with existing land use plans shall review, revise, reconcile, and 
36 
harmonize the same with guidelines and standards issued by the NLUPC within 
37 
one (1) year from the effectivity of this Act. 
38 
 
39 
 
SEC. 94. Access to Information. – Access to records and documents 
40 
pertaining to official acts, transaction, or decisions as well as to data used as basis 
41 
for policy development by the NLUPC shall be made available to the public. 
42 
 
43 


59 
 
 
SEC. 95. Appropriations. – The amount needed for the initial 
1 
implementation of  this Act shall be charged against the current year’s 
2 
appropriations of the NEDA Board –  National Land Use Committee (NBNLUC). 
3 
Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the continued implementation of 
4 
this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
5 
 
6 
 
SEC. 96. Congressional Oversight Committee on Land Use Act. – A                                              
7 
Congressional Oversight Committee on the Land Use Act shall be created. It shall 
8 
be composed of seven (7) members from the Senate and seven (7) members from 
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the House of Representatives. The Members from the Senate shall be appointed 
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by the Senate President based on proportional representation of the parties or 
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coalitions therein, with at least two (2) Senators representing the minority. The 
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members from the House of Representatives shall be appointed by the Speaker of 
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the House of Representatives, also based on proportional representation of the 
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parties or coalitions therein, with at least two (2) Members representing the 
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minority. 
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The Oversight Committee shall function for a period of not more than 
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three (3) years to oversee the implementation of this Act. The secretariat of the 
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Oversight Committee shall be drawn from the existing secretariat personnel of 
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the committees comprising the oversight. 
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SEC. 97. Non-impairment Clause. – Nothing in this Act shall be construed as 
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to diminish or, impair rights recognized, granted, or available to marginalized or 
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the basic sectors under existing laws including, but not limited to, Republic Acts 
25 
Numbered 7279 and 6657, as amended by Republic Acts Numbered 7942, 8371, 
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8550 and 9700.  
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SEC. 98. Repealing Clause. – Section 10 of Republic Act No. 8435 and 
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Sections 447 (a2vii) and 458 (a2viii) of Republic Act No. 7160 and related laws 
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and administrative issuances are hereby modified by Section 13 thereof. The 
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pertinent provisions of Executive Order No. 648; Executive Order No. 72 Series of 
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1993; and Executive Order No. 770, Series of 2008, amending Letter of Instruction 
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(LOI) No. 1350, are also modified accordingly, Section 11 of Republic Act No. 
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8435 as to penalty for agricultural inactivity and premature conversion is also 
35 
modified by Section 83 hereof. LOI No. 1350, Series of 1983; Presidential 
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Proclamation No. 2282, Series of 1983; and all other general and special laws, acts, 
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decrees executive orders, proclamations and administrative regulations, or any 
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part thereof     which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or 
39 
modified accordingly. All republic acts, executive orders, rules and regulations, 
40 
and other issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of 
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this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly. 
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SEC. 99. Separability Clause. – If, for any reason, any section of or provision 
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of this Act is declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions 
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not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.  
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SEC. 100. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days                                             
5 
after its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspaper 
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of general circulation.       
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Approved 
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