WHEREAS, LOI 1350 institutionalized land use and physical planning in the country and created the National Land Use Committee (NLUC) on 02 August 1983;

WHEREAS, there is a need to amend LOI 1350 to strengthen the NLUC by elevating it into a National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board Committee;

WHEREAS, the NLUC, as a NEDA Board Committee, can advise the President and the NEDA Board on all matters concerning land use and physical planning; and decide and resolve land use policy conflicts between or among national government agencies;

WHEREAS, there is a need to provide for rational utilization and management of the country's land and other physical resources to ensure their optimum use consistent with the principles of sustainable development;

WHEREAS, the existing national laws on land uses, such as agrarian reform, protected areas, ancestral domain, fisheries, forestry, agricultural modernization, mining and housing, are sector specific and do not address cross-cutting land use issues;

WHEREAS, population growth and numerous development priorities, such as food security, settlements development, industry and development, environmental protection and infrastructure continue to compete for limited land resources; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to Executive Order (EO) No. 230, the NEDA is primarily responsible for the coordination of development planning and formulation of continuing, coordinated and fully integrated social and economic policies, plans and programs both at the national and regional levels toward the achievement of sustainable economic growth coupled with an equitable distribution of income and wealth.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. Strengthening of NLUC. The NLUC is hereby strengthened and reconstituted into a NEDA Board (NB) committee, thus making it the highest policy-making body on land use.

SECTION 2. Composition. The NB-NLUC shall be composed of the following:

Chairperson	:	Secretary of Socio-Economic Planning
Members	:	Secretaries of Environment and Natural Resources; Agriculture; Agrarian Reform; Trade and Industry; Public Works and Highways; Transportation and Communications; Tourism; Interior and Local Government; Justice; Science and Technology; and Energy.
		Chairpersons of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council/Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board; and the National Commission on Indigenous People.
		Two private sector representatives.
		The NB-NLUC shall invite the respective Presidents of the League of Provinces, Municipalities and Cities to its meetings.

SECTION 3. Functions of the NB-NLUC. The NB-NLUC shall:

1. Advise the President on matters concerning land use and physical planning;
   
   
2. Formulate a national physical framework plan and other inter-sectoral policies and programs that guide the rational utilization and management of the country s land and other physical resources, and the preparation of sub-national physical framework plans. The national physical framework plan shall integrate relevant sectoral as well as regional socio-economic and physical framework plans and policies;
   
   
3. Promote the integration of land use and physical planning policies, plans and programs, including disaster risk management, into national socio-economic plans and programs;
   
   
4. Decide and resolve land use policy conflicts among agencies of the national government;
   
   
5. Establish and maintain, in conjunction with the various appropriate government agencies, a database system which would identify and classify the present and possible uses of specific land areas, public and private, comprising the total land resources of the nation; and
   
   
6. Provide policy directions to the Regional Land Use Committees in the performance of their physical planning functions.
   

SECTION 4. Creation of the NB-NLUC Technical Board. A Technical Board shall be created to provide technical support to the NB-NLUC.

SECTION 5. Composition of the Technical Board. The Technical Board shall be composed of the following:

Chairperson	:	NEDA Deputy Director-General for Regional Development
Members	:	Representatives of the member-agencies of the NB-NLUC, who shall have the rank of not lower than Director level.

SECTION 6. Institutionalization of the Regional Land Use Committee (RLUC). At the regional level, the RLUC, under the Regional Development Council, will be strengthened, with a replicated NB-NLUC composition. The RLUC may call on any department, bureau, office, agency or instrumentality of the government and/or private entities and organization for cooperation, support and assistance in the performance of its functions.

1. Formulate and periodically update the Regional Physical Framework Plan (RPFP), taking into consideration national, interregional, regional and local plans and policies;
   
   
2. Promote the integration of land use and physical planning policies, plans and programs, including disaster risk management into the regional socio-economic plans and programs;
   
   
3. Decide and resolve region-specific land use policy conflicts among government agencies;
   
   
4. Review and recommend appropriate actions to the NB-NLUC on land use policy conflicts between or among national government agencies;
   
   
5. Assess changes in land use and other physical resources in the regional and the implementation of RPFP policies;
   
   
6. Evaluate consistency of major programs and projects with the RPFP and their impact on land use and the environment;
   
   
7. Undertake the gathering, updating and maintenance of a regional database system; and
   
   
8. Perform other related functions as may be directed by the NB-NLUC.

SECTION 7. The NB-NLUC may call on any department, bureau, office, agency, or instrumentality of the government and/or private entities and organization for cooperation, support and assistance in the performance of its functions.

SECTION 8. Funds. Funds needed to carry out the provisions of this EO for the first calendar year shall be drawn from the current NLUC funds under the NEDA budget. Thereafter, additional sums as may be necessary for the full implementation of the strengthened NLUC's functions shall be included in the General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 9. Implementing Authority of the Secretary of Socio-Economic Planning. The Secretary of Socio-Economic Planning shall issue such implementing rules and regulations and other issuances as may be necessary to ensure the efficient and effective implementation of the provisions of this EO. The IRR shall also detail the functions of the member-agencies.

SECTION 10. Repeal. All previous issuances inconsistent with the provisions of this EO are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 11. Effectivity. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 1st day of December, the year of Lord, Two Thousand and Eight.


By the President:

(Sgd.) EDUARDO R. ERMITA
Executive Secretary