Friday, July 04, 2008 [ manilatimes.net ]
TO avoid massive destruction caused by typhoons, the House Special Committee on Land Use is pushing for the passage of a National Land Use Code by Congress.
According to Rep. Antonio Cerilles of Zamboanga del Sur, the calamity caused by Typhoon Frank on the environment could have been prevented if an honest-to-goodness land use code was in place.
“Our country cannot move forward simply because we do not have a land use code. Two weeks ago, we saw entire provinces affected by flooding, landslides, and mudslides, afflicting millions of Filipinos. The typhoon destroyed property, endangered lives, and damaged crops threatening the food security of our country,” he said.
The lawmaker pointed out that the indiscriminate conversion of lands such as entire forests can aggravate the effects of typhoons, like the in the case of Iloilo City and other areas in Panay Island when it was hit by Typhoon Frank.
He stressed the land use measure is among the 28 priority bills agreed upon by members of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory
Council during the body’s first meeting in August 2007.
It was Cerilles who filed House Bill 3175 seeking to institutionalize a National Land Use Policy, which aims to put in place a land use and allocation pattern. The measure shall promote and ensure food security; help achieve sustainable tourism development; and reduce the vulnerability of populations to natural and man-made disasters.
He said this can be accomplished through efficient and sustainable use of land resources; sustainable use of natural resources; maintenance and preservation of the environment; conservation of soil and water resources; and sound population distribution and settlements development. -- Jomar Canlas
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