Marcos admin’s Senate bets push for passage of national land use bill
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. raising the hands of the senatorial candidates of the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas at a rally in Tacloban.
MANILA, Philippines — The Marcos administration-backed senatorial candidates have promised to pass the national land use bill if they win in the 2025 midterm elections.
The Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas’ senatorial slate made this commitment during their campaign rally in Santa Rosa, Laguna on Saturday, March 22.
The proposed National Land Use Act (NLUA) aims to provide the government with a framework to properly identify land use and its allocation patterns across the country.
ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo said that continued land conversion would impact food security and livelihood of farmers.
READ: How the proposed National Land Use Act can fast-track housing
“The farmers, since they hardly earn anything and receive no support or subsidies from the national government, have no choice but to sell their land to be turned into subdivisions or industrial areas,” Tulfo said in Filipino.
Former Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos also emphasized that land development can compromise food security.
“Food security is crucial for our country. We can deeply feel the issue of rice prices, the price of palay, and the challenges faced by our rice fields. This is not only happening in Laguna but across the entire Philippines. Due to rapid development, you’ll be surprised to see rice fields disappearing,” Abalos said in Filipino.
Former Senate President Vicente Sotto III said the bill was approved by the Senate in the 15th Congress, but it failed to pass the House of Representatives.
This time around, the House approved on third and final reading the proposed NLUA, but it remains pending in the Senate.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. previously identified the bill as a priority measure.
READ: Romualdez: 31 of 42 Marcos admin priority bills already passed
“Now, as we enter the 20th Congress, if we are fortunate enough to have the support of Laguna to return, we will make sure to pass the Land Use Act in the Senate. That is the solution to the problem you mentioned happening in Laguna,” Sotto said in Filipino.
Former Senator Panfilo Lacson said that while the rise of industries contributed to Laguna’s economy, agricultural lands must be preserved.
“That can be further developed through the intervention of the local government unit of Laguna and the municipalities, where they can propagate and salvage what remains to revive agriculture in Laguna,” he said in Filipino.
For reelectionist Senator Francis Tolentino, the One Town, One Product law should be linked with land use regulations to protect agricultural lands. He added that preserving farmlands would not only be beneficial for Laguna, but for the rest of the country.
