Senators of the 15th Congress: be the heroes of the poor and hungry! pass NLUA today!

A press statement by the Campaign for Land Use Policy Now! (CLUP Now!)
February 6, 2013

Is it almost the end for NLUA, yet again?

After the CREBA deluge of paid ads last Monday against the National Land Use Act, suddenly 3 Senators expressed interest to interpellate last Monday – Drilon, Villar and Marcos. Yesterday, Senator Enrile joined the fray. He and Senator Marcos said they were not yet ready to give their individual amendments. Senator Villar was absent. Only Senator Drilon finished giving his amendments.

After three years of deliberation, discussions, consultations on this landmark bill, they suddenly pay attention to it on the last three days of session! It was already approved on 2nd reading last week but was reverted back after a mere motion last Monday. It secured a Certification as Urgent from the President and yet, some Senators are still belaboring its passage.

Twenty-two Senators approved the Committee report. This was even a campaign promise by Senator Enrile during the 2010 elections. So they didn't bother to study it, only until a group of real estate developers came out with a million pesos worth of paid ads in one day? Or was it all a ploy to really push it against the wall on the last three days of session when its champion, Senator Gringo Honasan and advocates of NLUA can't do anything about it anymore?

The bill only wants to ensure the country's food self sufficiency and climate change adaptation! It wants to make sure that LGUs will follow minimum requirements for using land for food security, ecological conservation and safe settlements. NLUA will just map out what is already mandated under existing laws for Protection, Production, Settlements and Infrastructure.

For instance, prime agricultural lands (10.5 million hectares) are already mandated as protected under the Network of Protected Agricultural and Agro-Industrial Development (NPAAAD) of the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA) or RA 8435. The Department of Agriculture affirms that LGUs have attested to this coverage through consultations.

Furthermore, local autonomy is NOT being compromised. There are processes involved in formulating the National Land Use Plan. Only the framework and guidelines to formulate the plan will be set at the National level.

Today, we hope and pray again that the Senators will deliver their amendments, and heed the appeal of Senator Honasan to finish their comments so the bill will be passed today. After all, it has been certified as urgent by no less than the President.

Dear Senators, developed economies now, like Saudi Arabia, South Korea and Japan, are turning to other countries to grow their food. We are still blessed with agricultural lands to grow our own food and develop a full-blown industry from agriculture. 40% of the country’s labor force is still in agriculture and 70% of our poor are in the agriculture sector as well.

We don’t think you would rather plant houses than food on our land. The marginalized and vulnerable Pinoys cannot even afford to buy their food, let alone spend on these housing projects targeted for overseas workers. It’s so easy to convert land to non-agricultural uses but it is so difficult to revert land back to agriculture. Engineering solutions are more available for settlements rather than reviving soil fertility. Also urban spaces are not just on the land now but use airspace as well. So why be afraid of protecting lands for agriculture?

If only Congress bothered to pass NLUA 20 years ago, perhaps all those lives lost at Cherry hills, La Isla Oro, from Ondoy, Sendong, Frank, Pablo and countless other storms could have been saved. The urban poor say the resettlement areas they are thrown off to are still located in geo-hazard areas and with poor access to basic services. The list of reasons for passing NLUA can go on and on, but if the Senators still fear the unknown of NLUA, we will never really achieve food security and safe settlements for future generations.

President Benigno Aquino III himself underscored the importance of this legislation when he certified the NLUA as URGENT.

CLUP Now! strongly urges, appeals, beseeches the Senators of this Congress to pass NLUA, TODAY! CREBA, although powerful, is just ONE sector. They do not represent us, the MAJORITY of this nation – the farmers, fisherfolk, urban poor and indigenous peoples sectors.

We voted for you as our legislators in the august chambers of Congress, expecting that you will be our voices and protect our interests in crafting the laws of our land.