Land is an essential life-giving resource. On it depends the country’s capacity to meet the fundamental needs of the people as well as future generations.
Unfortunately, while the Philippine population steadily increases at a rate of 2.36% annually (with close to 2 million people added to the populace every year), the amount of land resources in the country remains the same.
Given the finite character of land, the country’s land resources are fast becoming entangled into conflicting demands, abuses, and misuses from various groups or sectors.
Existing laws on various land uses are sectoral in approach, which cannot resolve conflicting sectoral demands for land.
Lacking in existing sectoral laws are the priorities for land use that cut across sectors and put premium on long-term sustainability, local productive capacity and overall social equity.
What is needed is a national land use policy that harmonizes the reasonable claims of all those who hold interest on land and safeguards and promotes the general welfare of both existing and future generations through the proper management of land resources.
In harmonizing conflicting claims and interest over land uses, the State must set a scale of priorities for land uses as well as guidelines and criteria based on the assessment of the development needs of various sectors especially the basic sectors who are bound to be displaced as a result of inappropriate or destructive land uses.
CLUP Now!
Multi-sectoral POs and NGOs have banded together under Peoples’ ALARM (Peoples’ Advocacy for Land Use Reform) to pressure Congress to pass this very important policy measure. Unfortunately, efforts to come-up with a comprehensive land use policy during the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th Congress proved futile.
Since its inception during the 9th Congress, Peoples’ ALARM has been committed to working with Congress to ensure the passage of a comprehensive and responsive NLUA. Our positions have been reflected in some of the NLUA bills filed in the 12th Congress (filed by Rep. Etta Rosales).
In 2010, Peoples’ ALARM was renamed Campaign for Land Use Policy Now! to address the multi-issue, multi-sectoral character of land use. It is presently composed of 24 POs, NGOs and civil society advocates representing the concerns of fisherfolks, peasants, indigenous peoples, urban poor and environmental groups.
CLUP Now! strongly supports the passage of HB 478 or the Zoning and Land Use Policy Act, filed by AKBAYAN Rep. Arlene Bag-ao. In the course of advocating for its passage, the network has consistently reached out to CLUP Now! network in the provinces, government agencies, other land use advocates to strengthen our campaign for the passage of a law that would harmonize existing laws. Conflicts arising from the lack of such law greatly affect marginalized sectors since they are the most vulnerable.
CLUP Now! members
- NGOs for Fisheries Reform (NFR),
- Urban Land Reform-Task Force (ULR-TF),
- Philippine Association for Intercultural Development (PAFID),
- Pambansang Kilusan ng mga Samahang Magsasaka (PAKISAMA),
- Katutubong Samahan ng Pilipinas (KASAPI),
- Sentro ng Alternatibong Lingap Panligal (SALIGAN),
- John J. Carroll Institute on Church and Social Issues (JJCICSI),
- Asian NGO Coalition for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (ANGOC),
- Institute of Politics and Governance (IPG),
- Philippine Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in Rural Areas (PhilDHRRA),
- Center for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (CARRD),
- Focus on the Global South (Focus),
- Pambansang Katipunan ng mga Samahan sa Kanayunan (PKSK),
- Center for Agrarian Reform Empowerment and Transformation (CARET),
- Citizen’s Action Party (AKBAYAN),
- 53 Ektarya ng Makabud,
- Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM),
- Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD),
- Haribon Foundation (Haribon),
- Task Force Baha Talibayog (TFBT),
- People’s Campaign for Agrarian Reform Now (AR! Now),
- Alternative Law Groups (ALG) and
- Kaisahan Tungo sa Kaunlaran ng Kanayunan at Repormang Pansakahan (KAISAHAN).
- Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM)
- Tambuyog Development Center
Pass a Land Use Policy Now!
Pass HB 478!
Pass HB 478!
