In line with the celebration of this year's World Food Day, the Campaign for Land Use Policy Now! Network (CLUP Now!) urges for the passage of the National Land Use Act (NLUA).

"Proper use of land will help provide food security for the country. It definitely has a significant effect in eradicating hunger not just in the Philippines, but also in other countries that import Philippine produce", stated Rep. Kaka J. Bag-ao of Dinagat Islands, the principal author of the NLUA still pending in the 16^th Congress.

Lone district of Ifugaoa's Rep. Teddy Baguilat, co-author of the NLUA bill in the Lower House, reiterated that the bill will not only help secure land for family farmers but to provide food for the whole nation, as well.

Baguilat emphasized that the President has already certified NLUA as an urgent legislation. He said that the bill covers different areas that needed urgent action such as disaster risk reduction and food security. "Hunger is a very serious problem that needs to be addressed immediately", added Baguilat. "We sometimes tend to overlook land use planning's implications on food security and world hunger."

This year's World Food Day theme: Family Farming: "Feeding the world, caring for the earth" focuses on eradicating world hunger and providing food security through farmer families and smallholder farmers.

Anthony Marzan, convener of CLUP Now! pointed out that the passage of the said bill is important since land is the main resource needed to support smallholder and family farming. One of the categories of land use planning is the Production Land Use which focuses on utilization of land for agriculture, fish farming, grazing, and pasture, among others.

For more information, contact:

Kim Alvarez, CLUP Now!
09186545059
[email protected]

Gillian Cruz, CLUP Now!
09157830489
[email protected]

CLUP Now! Network: [email protected]