(The Philippine Star) | Updated June 5, 2013 -
12:00am
MANILA,
Philippines - A national organization of real estate developers has called on
lawmakers for a thorough review of the National Land Use Act (NLUA) now pending
in Senate before it is finally passed into law.
Certified as
urgent by President Aquino back in February, SB 3091—along with its counterpart
bill at the Lower House (HB 6545)—provides for the creation of a National Land
Use Commission to oversee all matters concerning the management, assignment and
disposition of the country’s available land.
“We are calling on our honorable senators to
make the necessary changes to certain provisions of the bill which, if left
unchecked, will result in a slowdown of growth in the areas of infrastructure,
tourism and real estate development,” Charlie A.V. Gorayeb, national president
of the Chamber of Real Estate and Builders’ Associations, Inc. (CREBA) said in
an interview. He expressed the private real estate and housing development
sector’s concern on the negative effects that the proposed bill may bring to
the industry and the economy.
The CREBA
executive cited provisions in Senate Bill 3091 which “defines all agricultural
lands as protected areas and leaves very little of the land pie for other use
in housing, infrastructure and other non-agricultural use.”
“Certain provisions under Sec. 4 and Sec. 29
of the bill render almost every piece of land unavailable for housing,
infrastructure and other non-agricultural developments. While the bill itself provides for
‘protection of the rights of basic sectors to equitable access of the country’s
land’, it fails to clarify how these other sectors can have access to the
same.” Gorayeb pointed out.
In the
process, this abrogates the zoning and reclassification powers of the local
government units in determining the highest and best use of lands in their
localities which needs to be constantly updated to respond to market demands.
“Land use
policy affects many sectors and we believe that ample consultation and
thoughtful debates will be a key factor in ensuring its benefits for all
concerned,” he further said.
CREBA is not
opposed to the policy per se, but the group believes that it must be based on
the principles of fairness and equity and must not be done hastily at the
expense of the rest of the nation.
“We have
nothing against the enactment of NLUA, the protection of our agri lands, or the
advancement of the farming sector. We just want certain provisions ironed out
to provide all other sectors, not only housing and real estate, equal access to
the nation’s land and other natural resources.”
Gorayeb said
that during the last session before the Senate adjourned last February, at
least three senators placed on record that they will introduce amendments to
the bill.
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