Philippines' National Land and Water Use Code Policy
Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF THE PHILIPPINES
Quezon City
ELEVENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 2277
Introduced by Hon. Loretta Ann Rosales
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Land is a limited resource. The absence of a nation's land use policy, against the increasing demand for land for food production, housing, tourism and industries has led to the irrational use and allocation of the country's scarce land resource.
Prime agricultural lands, which supply the country's food and provide livelihood for millions of small farmers and their families are being converted at an alarming rate. Agricultural lands legally converted to other uses have increased more than eight times from 4,500 hectares in 1991 to 42,000 hectares in 1996. Meanwhile, illegal land conversion is growing at a faster pace. It is estimated that at least 200,000 hectares of agricultural lands have already been converted to other uses without the necessary conversion approval from the Department of Agrarian Reform.
The shift in land use patterns poses serious threats to the livelihood of small farmers and to the country's food security. Many farmers, particularly in Sumilao, Bukidnon, Rizal, Bulacan and Bataan are forced out of their lands to give way to the construction of golf courses, subdivisions and industrial and tourism sites.
The conversion of ricelands has contributed to the country's increasing dependence on importation to meet it staple crop requirement. Rice imports have tripled from 180,000 metric tons in 1988 to 750,000 metric tons in 1997. The Philippine Peasant Institute estimates that if the agricultural lands illegally converted for other purposes were used to produce food it would have yielded 560,000 metric tons of rice, which is bigger than price imports in 1995 when the Philippines experienced the rice crisis.
Unfortunately, the Philippines cannot rely on imports to meet its food needs. The supply
HOUSE OF THE PHILIPPINES
Quezon City
ELEVENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 2277
Introduced by Hon. Loretta Ann Rosales
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Land is a limited resource. The absence of a nation's land use policy, against the increasing demand for land for food production, housing, tourism and industries has led to the irrational use and allocation of the country's scarce land resource.
Prime agricultural lands, which supply the country's food and provide livelihood for millions of small farmers and their families are being converted at an alarming rate. Agricultural lands legally converted to other uses have increased more than eight times from 4,500 hectares in 1991 to 42,000 hectares in 1996. Meanwhile, illegal land conversion is growing at a faster pace. It is estimated that at least 200,000 hectares of agricultural lands have already been converted to other uses without the necessary conversion approval from the Department of Agrarian Reform.
The shift in land use patterns poses serious threats to the livelihood of small farmers and to the country's food security. Many farmers, particularly in Sumilao, Bukidnon, Rizal, Bulacan and Bataan are forced out of their lands to give way to the construction of golf courses, subdivisions and industrial and tourism sites.
The conversion of ricelands has contributed to the country's increasing dependence on importation to meet it staple crop requirement. Rice imports have tripled from 180,000 metric tons in 1988 to 750,000 metric tons in 1997. The Philippine Peasant Institute estimates that if the agricultural lands illegally converted for other purposes were used to produce food it would have yielded 560,000 metric tons of rice, which is bigger than price imports in 1995 when the Philippines experienced the rice crisis.
Unfortunately, the Philippines cannot rely on imports to meet its food needs. The supply