With the Sin Tax, RH, and the National Budget;

Poor groups fear Senate might “neglect” the Land Use Law this 15^th Congress

By ANGELICA CARBALLO 

0915-9260371/akcarballo@gmail.com

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - As the Senate continues to debate the Sin Tax Bill and the 2013 National budget, leaders of farmers, fisherfolk and urban groups are growing anxious whether the Senate can deliberate the 20-year old Land Use Bill in plenary before it adjourns on December 17.

“Nakikipag-agawan po para sa atensyon ng buong Senado ang National Land Use Act sa National Budget, Sin Tax, at RH Bills. Dalawang dekada na ito pinaglalaban sa Kongreso. Ilang bagyo, sakuna, kakulangan sa pagkain, demolisyon at away sa gamit ng lupa pa ba ang kailangang mangyari para maipasa ang batas na ito?” Fretted Ruperto Aleroza of the Pambansang Katipunan ng mga Samahan sa Kanayunan (PKSK), a member of the Campaign for Land Use Policy Now (CLUP NOW!).

According to CLUP Now!, by 2015 the number of Filipinos will almost hit the 100 million mark and yet lands used for food production are continuously threatened by conversion to industrial, residential and entertainment purposes. 

CLUP Now! thus calls for the passage of the National Land Use Act, which aims to ensure Protection Land Use to guarantee that prime agricultural lands will be preserved for the needs of future generations of Filipinos.

“By 2050, the world needs to feed around 9 billion people with almost 10% coming from urban megacities.  And yet, even with the rising demand for food, farmers may not be able to increase their area to grow food. Governments continue to ignore the loss of farmland and water sources to rapid urbanization and even to climate change. We need to preserve our agricultural resources and farmers as soon as possible if we will survive this century. And this is what the National Land Use Policy being lobbied in Congress, aims to achieve.”

This is heavily emphasized by AKBAYAN Rep. Kaka Bag-ao, who served as Vice-Chair of the Special Land Use Committee in the Lower House and is a primary author of the NLUA.

Bag-ao said this is a crucial piece of legislation that the 15th Congress must claim as its crowning achievement. Rep. Bag-ao played a key role in the consolidation of the eight Land Use Bills filed in the Lower House for this Congress.

She joins the Campaign for Land Use Policy NOW! (CLUP Now!) in calling on the Senate to pass its version of the National Land Use Policy Act or SB 3091 as soon as possible. HB 6545 was passed last September 20 on 3^rdReading.

CLUP Now! is a  nationwide coalition of Non- Government Organizations and People’s Organizations dedicated to the passage of a national land use law. It was an active member of the Technical Working Group on the National Land Use Act in the Lower House.

In the Senate, Committee Report No. 94, SB 3091 or the National Land Use Act is awaiting for the senate leadership to schedule the bill for plenary deliberation.

“We support Senator Gringo Honasan in his efforts to discuss the Bill with us as its main sponsor. But we call on the other members of the Senate to support the immediate deliberation of the NLUA. “The Senate needs to act on the NLUA Bill NOW! It is high time for the passage of a land use policy law that will provide for a rational, holistic and just use and management of the country's land and water resources,” said CLUP Now! convenor Anthony Marzan.

“Nananawagan kami sa mga Senador na iguhit ang kasaysayan at mabilis nang pagusapan ang National Land Use Act. Malaki ang maitutulong ng land use planning sa maayos na pagtalaga ng mga lugar para sa pagtatanim ng pagkain at maayos at ligtas na pabahay. Dahil sa maligalig na panahon dulot ng climate change, ang mas masinop na pagpaplano kung paano gamitin ang lupa lalo na ay napakahalaga,” stressed Audie Lavador of the Urban Land Reform Movement, another CLUP Now member.

The campaign for the passage of a national land use law started in 1992. It was heard up to third reading in the 12^thCongress but failed to proceed to Bicameral deliberation. CLUP Now advocates are urging all legislators to fully support the passage of this Bill for a national framework for land use to be put in place to guide rationale and just use of the country’s resources.