....NLUA is not dead!
By Maricel Tolentino
0917-8191089 MANILA, PHILIPPINES - Let it be known...that even with Certification of President Aquino that the National Land Use Act is a priority and urgent piece of legislation, it was bucked by delaying tactics of Senator Marcos and Villar on the second reading and never presented their said ammendents until the last session day of the Senate (February 6, 2013).
Let
it be known... Senators Marcos and Villar had eight months to study and provide
their ammendments since the circulation of the Committee Report in May 2012. Even
at the last minute of the last days of the Senate session the said ammendments
failed to be presented with the deliberate absence of Senator Marcos and thus
avoided deliberation on the Senate Floor. An announcement was made by the
Majority Floor Leader of the Senate, that his so-called 54 ammendments were
backed up by the powerful Chamber of Real Estates and Builders‘ Association,
Inc.
Let
it be known...that in the last Philppine Development Forum, February 4-5, 2013,
the passage of the NLUA was one of the priority policy agenda agreed upon by
government, development partners, civil societies, academe and private sector.
3 of the 6 clusters, namely the Economic, Climate Change and Human Development
and Poverty Reduction, highlighted the utmost urgency for the passage of the
NLUA.
Let
it be known...that the process that the NLUA bill, blocked by the Senate,
evolved from a highly consultative, participatory process and involved many
opportunities for different stakeholders, including real estate developers to
refine the NLUA. These efforts to reawaken NLUA took three years, and over 30
national and local consultations guided by national and international land use
planning experts.
Let
it be known...that these lawmakers have destroyed the very process and essence
of democracy, wherein, IT SHOULD BE THAT the interest of and what would benefit
the majority and not a select few, is what is deemed as the most important
factor in the laws they pass to better the lives of the citizens they serve.
Let
it be known...that the version claimed by the Chamber of Real Estates and
Builders‘ Association, Inc., was crafted only to benefit the interests of real
estate developers, and not the needs of the majority. They are not the only
citizens of this country. They do not own the right to dictate what is good for
the majority. Their arguments do not take into consideration others who have a
greater stake on our nation’s lands, who have the inherent right on how lands
from ridge to reef can be better managed.
Let
it be known...the irresponsible actions of the said lawmakers has a fatal
impact on everyone’s lives today and in the future.. that instead of
holistically adddressing the threats of disasters, food scarcity and
environmental degradation in one law,the National Land Use Act, you, me, your
children and children’s children will now have to fend and protect our
communities individually and piece by piece.
Let
it be known...The 20-year long wait for a national land use act will not wait
for another 20 years. It will be revived AGAIN...and AGAIN...and AGAIN, because
the NLUA speaks for and by the people. It puts a prime spotlight and outlines
the framework how to address food security, ecological balance and how to
safeguard the Philippines against disasters and climate change.
Let
it be known..the NLUA being pushed for passage Senate Bill 3091 is not ruled by
hunger for money, fame and self-invested power.
We
know and the rest of the Filipino people do sense what is going on. We are the
boss and not a mere handful of senators playing tricky delaying tactics.
We
know...being kept in the dark and living in uncertainty is simply NEVER
acceptable.
We
know...the power is ours, our voices matter, our votes count, if not today then
tomorrow.
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