MALOLOS CITY, Bulacan — Senatorial candidates of Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas on Wednesday (May 7) vowed to end the decades-long congressional gridlock on the proposed National Land Use Act (NLUA), saying its passage will require bold political will and the appointment of reform-minded committee chairs who are serious about land use planning and sustainability.
In a press conference, former Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said the prolonged failure to pass the measure—pending for more than 30 years—is not due to lack of proposals, but to weak leadership and lack of urgency in both chambers of Congress.
“Siguro reorganization ng mga committees, at ang ilagay nating chairman ng committee na mag-sponsor o mag-defend ng bills tungkol sa land use ay ‘yung talagang may malasakit sa pagpapaayos ng land use ng buong Pilipinas,” Lacson pointed out.
Lacson said the Senate must be deliberate in choosing a leader who will push the bill forward and not allow it to languish in committee again.
Former Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III agreed on the need for strong leadership and sustained commitment in Congress, saying the fate of NLUA has long been stalled by the failure of both chambers to act in unison.
“It has to be a combination,” Sotto stressed.
He noted that during his time as Senate President, the Senate passed the measure, but the House failed to act, and when the House eventually approved its version two or three terms later, the Senate committee handling it failed to move it forward.
Sotto said this back-and-forth inaction underscores the importance of choosing the right committee chairpersons in both chambers who will prioritize the bill and shepherd it through the legislative process.
“Tama ‘yung sinabi ni Senator Lacson. Importante ang pagpili ng chairman ng committee na ha-handle noon para maasikaso. Both houses, not only the Senate but also in the House of Representatives,” Sotto said.
The proposed NLUA seeks to establish a comprehensive, science-based policy to guide the classification, allocation and sustainable use of land across the Philippines.
It aims to balance competing demands for housing, agriculture, industry and environmental protection while preventing haphazard development and unchecked land conversion.
Alyansa believes the absence of such a framework leaves the country vulnerable to worsening climate impacts, unregulated urban expansion and long-term threats to food security.
Despite repeated endorsements from previous administrations and its recent certification as urgent by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the NLUA has remained stalled due to alternating inaction by either chamber of Congress.
Alyansa candidates are committed to ensuring the NLUA is passed within the first year of the 20th Congress.
Aside from Lacson and Sotto, the Alyansa slate also includes former Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos, Makati City Mayor Abby Binay, Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Senator Pia Cayetano, Senator Lito Lapid, former Senator Manny Pacquiao, Senate Majority Leader Francis “Tol” Tolentino, ACT-CIS Representative and former Social Welfare Secretary Erwin Tulfo, and Deputy Speaker Camille Villar. (UnliNews Online)
