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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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