House Minority Leader and 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan has urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to certify as urgent the passage of a National Land-Use Law, following the massive flooding unleashed by Typhoon Tino across Central Visayas, particularly in Metro Cebu.
In a statement on Sunday, the lawmaker stressed that proper land-use planning is absolutely imperative for disaster risk reduction, climate resilience, and environmental integrity.
“The tragic loss of lives and the widespread devastation caused by Typhoon Tino once again expose the severe gaps in our national land-use planning and disaster risk management,” Libanan said.
“We are paying the price for decades of policy inaction. Proper land-use planning is a matter of survival in this era of brutal climate change,” he added.
Libanan warned that the Philippines is bound to face stronger typhoons that bring more rainfall in shorter periods, and that new land-use policies are needed to help the country adapt swiftly to such harsh conditions.
“We must put an end to building communities in inherently unsafe areas — those prone to riverine and urban flooding, landslides, and coastal storm surges,” he stressed.
