NEDA seeks passage of its version of the National Land Use Act

A National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board committee on Tuesday urged Congress to immediately pass the National Land Use Act (NaLUA), which aims to harmonize land use policies across the country.

In an emailed statement, the NEDA said that its National Land Use Committee on Monday (NLUC) approved a resolution to adopt the agency's version of the proposed NaLUA.

According to NEDA, the approval of NLUC Resolution No. 1 was arrived at during a special meeting chaired by Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia.

"The National Land Use Act was identified by President Rodrigo Duterte as among the priority legislative measures in his State of Nation Addresses (SONA) since 2017," said Pernia.

"In his fourth SONA last week, the President appealed again to all legislators to immediately pass the NaLUA to ensure the rational and sustainable use of our land and our physical resources."

According to the NEDA, it would seek Duterte's endorsement of the NLUC version of the proposed NaLUA during the next cabinet meeting.

During last week's SONA, the President asked Congress to urgently pass the NaLUA in order for the country to "meet the demands of the new investors coming in."

"A science-based National Land Use Plan would serve as basis for the LGUs in crafting respective development plans and help disperse economic activities to the countryside. The dispersion of the economic and business activities to Visayas and Mindanao," the President declared.

"It's not just a campaign promise, it is an economic imperative and a key to our country's sustainable and equitable development. We will encourage investors to develop rural areas and Metro Manila and other mega urban areas." — Jon Viktor Cabuenas/DVM, GMA News