THE House of Representatives approved on third reading a bill seeking to adopt a 30-year National Infrastructure Program (NIP).

At Monday’s plenary session, 254 legislators voted to approve House Bill No. 8078, with three voting against and zero abstentions.

The infrastructure plan aims to achieve “the overall long-term development vision for the Philippines by the middle of the century as a prosperous, predominantly middle-class society,” according to the bill.

The bill proposed to focus infrastructure efforts on transportation, energy, water resources, information and communications technology, agri-fisheries modernization and food logistics, and social infrastructure.

The NIP will be funded by the national budget, public-private partnership (PPP) arrangements, including hybrid PPPs, or local government units, or a combination of these sources.

The measure set a goal of developing a national transport system that is safe, efficient, economical, accessible, affordable, environmentally sustainable, user-oriented, integrated, and seamless. It also seeks to address the “fragmented” nature of water resources management.

The bill set objectives for a digital infrastructure network that ensures internet access to unserved and underserved areas, and to provide schools with facilities for online or distance learning.

“Massive infrastructure spending has been a consistent feature of previous and current administrations, (which see it) as key driver of economic growth and a generator of job opportunities. However, we have seen how this policy thrust has barely translated to meaningful transformative changes in the Philippine economy, especially on the quality of life,” Assistant Minority Leader and Gabriela Party-list Representative Arlene D. Brosas, one of the legislators voting against the measure, said.

She added that the NIP “will lock in public resources towards projects that will primarily benefit foreign investors, exporters of steel and cement and local partners for a long period of time.”

She said that resources should be focused on producing capital goods and achieving genuine agrarian reform. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

THE House of Representatives passed on third reading measures that optimize land use and encourage municipalities to consider product specialization.

At Monday’s plenary session, 262 legislators voted in favor of House Bill (HB) No. 8162, while three voted against and zero abstained.

The proposed National Land Use Act seeks to help local governments and land users identify the best use of land.

The measure proposes to create the National Land Use Commission (NLUC) under the office of the President. It will be authorized to resolve land use conflicts between and among agencies, branches, or levels of government. The NLUC will take over the powers of the National Land Use Committee, which will be abolished.

The NLUC is tasked with drafting the National Physical Framework Plan, which will have a 30-year timeline and must be updated every 10 years.

The bill calls for a 5% idle land tax on any person or entity that causes irrigated land to remain unproductive for more than a year. If the land remains unproductive for two years, it will revert to the State.

Meanwhile, 268 legislators also approved on third reading HB 1171, which seeks to institutionalize the Trade and Industry department’s One Town, One Product (OTOP) Philippines program. No legislator voted in opposition or abstained.

The OTOP program was first launched in 2004, and has since been extended to micro, small, and medium enterprises.

The measure seeks to ensure that OTOP production follows standards set by the Department of Trade and Industry, including brand development.

The Senate approved a similar bill in March. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz