Marcos emphasizes urgency of enacting law on land use

n By VINCE LOPEZ

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday underscored the urgency of enacting a law on land use policy, a few days after Congress approved on third and final reading the proposed National Land Use Act (NLUA).

“But now, allow me to reiterate the urgency of enacting a land use policy for our country, which is a priority legislative agenda of this administration,” the President said during his speech at the Pier 88 inauguration in Liloan, Cebu on Saturday.

The Chief Executive said he would ensure that the proposed law would be given the urgent attention that it deserves due to

SPD buy-bust in P’que yields

P23.4-m shabu

n By JOEL E. ZURBANO

THE Southern Police District (SPD) has announced the seizure of P23.4 million worth of shabu during a buy-bust operation early Saturday morning in Parañaque City.

The entrapment conducted by Parañaque City Police - Substation 4 and Station Drug Enforcement Unit on Balimbing Street, Phase 3 Olivarez Compound, in Barangay San Dionisio also resulted in the arrest of 41 years old volunteer fireman Jonnie Romo.

SPD director Brig. Gen. Kirby John Kraft said Romo, alias Han, was suspected to be involved in the drug trade in southern Metro Manila.

Seized from the suspect were 3,450 grams of shabu worth P23.46 million, a weighing scale, a brown envelope, one blue-green eco bag, and the cash and boodle money used in the entrapment operation.

Drug charges were being prepared against Romo for subsequent filing at the Parañaque prosecutor’s office.

The confiscated shabu will be turned over to the SPD Forensic Unit for quantitative and qualitative analysis.

Metro Manila Police director Maj. Gen. Edgar Alan Okubo commended the SPD and the Paranaque City Police for the successful operation.

“The success of this operation exemplifies the dedication and tireless efforts of the SPD and the local community in promoting peace and order,” Okubo said.

its fundamental importance to the country’s holistic national development.

Marcos said he has personal knowledge of the significant impact of the bill on the people as he had a chance to work on it when he chaired the Senate Committee on Urban Planning, Housing and Resettlement.

The passage of the bill by the Senate then, however, was overtaken by events.

“This time, we will see to it that this measure shall be given the urgent attention that it deserves, cognizant of its fundamental importance to our holistic national development,” the President said.

“Through a physical framework plan, all mandates and policies on land use shall be integrated— from watersheds to farm lands from cultural heritage sites to ancestral domains, from protected disaster-prone areas,” he added.

Marcos also noted that local governments must ensure that their respective physical and land use plans will conform to and will be consistent with the national plan.

He added that the national and local governments “will tap the environmental

Inbrief

‘Betty’ threatens to rain out BARMM sportsfest

COTABATO CITY –Early morning rains did not stop athletes from warming up for the second day (Saturday) of the regional competition at the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Athletic Association sports events here.

planners for their technical expertise in the crafting of accurate and well-aligned physical and land use plans.”

The House of Representatives approved last Monday onthird and final reading of House Bill No. 8162, or the proposed NLUA, which gives the government the tool to properly identify land use and allocation patterns in all parts of the Philippines.

It was earlier identified as a priority measure of President Marcos under the Legislative-Executive Development Council (LEDAC).

Marcos thanked the House of Representatives for approving the proposed measure.

Several bills on the proposed land use policy have also been filed in the Senate.