ALYANSA’S TULFO, “TOL” LEAD PUSH FOR NATIONAL LAND USE ACT IN SENATE BID

April 19, 2025 Community Billboard

Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial candidates Erwin Tulfo and Francis “Tol” Tolentino vowed to prioritize the long-overdue passage of the National Land Use Act should they win seats in the 20th Congress. Tulfo, a former Social Welfare Secretary and current
ACT-CIS Representative, underscored the urgency of enacting the measure to stop the continued depletion of the country’s agricultural lands due to unregulated land conversion. “We must pass the National Land Use Act because land conversion is being abused. This law is for the people, not just a select few. We need to put an end to this issue,” Tulfo said.

He warned that without firm safeguards in place, more farmers would be forced to sell armlands to developers due to financial hardship and lack of government support, putting the country’s long-term food security at risk. “As long as the National Land Use Act remains
unpassed, we can expect our agricultural lands to shrink further,” Tulfo said. “Farmers have no choice but to sell because they’re struggling, and that hurts us all in the end,” Tulfo said. Tolentino shared Tulfo’s concern, saying the bill has languished in Congress for too
long and deserves renewed momentum. “I support the call to bring this measure back to life and ensure its passage in the 20th Congress. This legislation has been pending for far too long,” he said.

The Senate Majority Leader also proposed integrating the land use policy with the One Town, One Product program to help communities balance economic growth with agricultural sustainability. “Protecting land doesn’t mean halting development—it means planning it better,” he pointed out. The National Land Use Act seeks to establish a comprehensive and sustainable framework for land use planning and regulation across the country. Despite being repeatedly filed in past Congresses, it has never reached enactment. With support from
senatorial candidates Tulfo and Tolentino, the long-delayed legislation could finally gain the traction it needs in the next Congress.