A high-level inter-agency body tasked with shaping the country’s land use direction has begun work for 2026, convening its first meeting to align policies and planning frameworks for endorsement to the administration’s top economic body.

The National Land Use Committee (NLUC), under the Economy and Development Council, met on Feb. 25 to deliberate on measures aimed at improving land governance and strengthening coordination across agencies. The council is chaired by Arsenio M. Balisacan, who also heads the Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DepDev).

Proposals cleared by the committee will be elevated to the Economy and Development Council for final approval. The council itself is chaired by Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The NLUC serves as the government’s principal advisory and coordinating platform on land use and physical planning. It provides policy advice to the President and the council on land-related concerns, works to harmonize guidelines across departments, and recommends national and subnational physical planning frameworks for approval.

The committee draws members from key departments whose mandates intersect on land and development issues. These include the Department of Agriculture, Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Transportation, and Department of Tourism. The Office of the Executive Secretary and a representative from the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines are also part of the body.