Binay backs land use act

Vice President Jejomar Binay. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Vice President Jejomar Binay on Friday expressed support for the passage of a National Land Use Act that would rationalize and make equitable the use of lands in the country.

Binay told members of the Chamber of Real Estate and Builders’ Associations (CREBA) in a meeting that he directed the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) to enlist the assistance of government housing agencies and local governments in conducting an inventory of non-irrigable lands.

He said the housing agencies would formulate a consolidated position on the Land Use Bill pending before Congress.

“The purpose is to prioritize the development of needed infrastructure that will fully utilize the potential of these lands,” he said.

Binay also urged Creba to help in preparing a study of the viability of using this type of land for housing, as well as in conducting the inventory.

According to Binay, if the study finds that the non-irrigable lands are still part of the public domain, the housing sector will recommend the issuance of a presidential proclamation declaring these areas as socialized and non-socialized housing sites.

“This approach will save us from the long and tedious process of conversion and will reduce the cost of developing these sites for housing,” the Vice President added.