The Manila Times

President reiterates urgency of national land use policy

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday vowed to give “urgent attention” to the proposed measure institutionalizing a national land use policy that will ensure the country’s holistic development.

In a speech during the grand launching of Pier 88 in Liloan, Cebu, Marcos said he would persuade Congress to immediately pass the proposed National Land Use Act (NLUA), one of his priority bills.

“Allow me to reiterate the urgency of enacting a [National] Land Use Policy for our country, which is a priority legislative agenda of this administration,” Marcos said.

“This time, we will see to it that this measure shall be given [the] urgent attention that it deserves, cognizant of its fundamental importance to our holistic national development.”

Marcos also thanked the House of Representatives for its “timely and significant” approval of House Bill (HB) 6128 or the proposed NLUA.

On Monday, the House approved on final reading the proposed NLUA which seeks to provide the national framework for the development of the country’s land to ensure its optimum use, consistent with the principle of sustainable development.

Marcos said he has personal knowledge of the significant impact of the bill, adding that worked on the measure as a senator and chairman of the Urban Planning, Housing and Resettlement Committee.

“Through a [national] physical framework plan, all mandates and policies on land use shall be integrated — from watersheds to farmlands from cultural heritage sites to ancestral domains, from protected disaster-prone areas,” Marcos said.

The passage of the bill is “terribly important,” Marcos said, adding that local governments must ensure that their respective physical and land use plans “will conform to and will be consistent with the national plan.”

“Hence, the whole-of-government approach. Moreover, national and local governments will tap the budding profession of environmental planners for its technical expertise in the crafting of accurate and well-aligned physical and land use plans,” he said.

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2023-05-28T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-05-28T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://manilatimes.pressreader.com/article/281779928500712

The Manila Times