INTERESTS’ VERSUS LAND USE ACT DO NOT FAZE PROPONENTS

BILL 8162 WOULD BE A GAME CHANGER’

expressing hope on the eventual enactment of the bill that the lower chamber

House of Representatives had passed on Third and Final Reading on May 22, 2023.

Salceda, chair of the House committee on ways and means, explained that the bill aims for the “optimal economic use” of land because “land is the most scarce of all economic resources.

“A national land use plan will enable us to protect ecology, use our farms in the most efficient way possible, and reserve adequate space for our growing needs for energy, housing, irrigation and infrastructure,” Salceda explained.

On May 22, 2023, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading the proposed Land Use Act embodied in House Bill 8162 by a 262-3-0 vote. Salceda and other principal authors of the bill seek to institute a national land use policy that has been years in the making.

Priority legislation

The bill is among the LegislativeExecutive Development Council (LEDAC) measures of President Marcos and is still identified as among the priority legislation for the Second Regular Session of the 19th Congress which will open on Monday, July 24 in time for Mr. Marcos’ Second SONA.

“This is a long-awaited measure and the President knows its importance. Through this proposed National Land Use Act (NLUA), the government will have the tool to properly identify land use and allocation patterns in all parts of the country,” Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez earlier of HB 8162’s passage.

“Through the guidance of the Chief Executive, the House members also made it so that the measure would pave the way for the Philippines to achieve food security,” Romualdez said. President Marcos is the concurrent Department of Agriculture (DA) secretary.

In Brief

SEC WARNS VS. TWO INVESTMENT FIRMS

THE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has advised the public against dealing with two investment firms, Lushapple.ph and Way Home Store Philippines Inc. (WHSPH), due to their unauthorized solicitation of investments.

In separate advisories posted on its website, the SEC said these firms are selling investment contracts to the public without the required license from the commission.

Based on information and reports received by SEC, Lushapple.ph is enticing the public through social media platforms to invest in the said entity with promised earnings of up to 40 percent interest.

The said entity claims it would help investors grow their money by investing in several businesses specifically in selling electronic devices, gold, Luxury items, appliances, and others. Jenniffer B. Austria

P23B IN CONTRABAND SEIZED IN ‘23 1ST HALF

G. Romualdez receives a memento and a copy of the resolution of the City Council of Mabalacat on Friday, giving due recognition to his exemplary achievements in public service that brought honor to the city, being the son of a native, the former Ms. Juliette Gomez. Romualdez was the guest of honor and keynote speaker for the 11th Anniversary of the Cityhood of Mabalacat and the groundbreaking for its New Government Center. With him are Mabalacat Mayor Crisostomo C. Garbo (right) and Vice Mayor Gerald Guttrie