CREBA backs National Land Use Act

MANILA, Philippines - The largest organization of real estate developers in the country has expressed support to the proposed National Land Use Act (NLUA) pending in Congress, saying its passage would provide the country a much-needed land use plan.

The Chamber of Real Estate and Builders’ Associations Inc. (CREBA) yesterday said the passage of the bill would put the country’s economic and physical development in order by setting four major categories of land uses.

The categories are for protection, production, settlements and infrastructure.

CREBA national president Charlie Gorayeb said a national land use plan has long been needed by the country.

“If done correctly, it shall be a key policy reference for all local comprehensive land use and development plans in all sectors, including commercial, industrial, housing and real estate,” Gorayeb said.

Gorayeb, however, said the NLUA should also adapt to current laws that had already been used by the business community for important investment decisions.

The NLUA is likewise expected to resolve the uncertainty as to where and what exactly is the extent of the protected lands that are banned from conversion, CREBA national chairman Noel Toti Cariño added.

Citing a CREBA study, Gorayeb debunked misconception that the real estate sector is the culprit for food shortage as a result of “indiscriminate” conversion of lands.

CREBA said its study showed agriculture lands account for some 12.5 million hectares or 42.72 percent of the country’s total hectarage of 29.5 million.  Built-up areas, meanwhile, amounted to only 2.52 percent of total.

“Lands developed for non-agri uses – from time immemorial up to year 2010 – have hardly made a dent in the country’s total agricultural hectarage despite all government and private infrastructure nationwide. It even expanded by 5.4 percent from 2003 to 2010,” Gorayeb said.

The group earlier supported NEDA and HUDCC appeals to reconsider government’s planned imposition of a two-year moratorium on land use conversion, saying such a move will halt housing delivery particularly to the millions of homeless poor.