In order to visualize land use conflicts in a given municipality/city, this IP is included in the CLUP process to organize the data regarding classified areas in the respective municipality.

LM04 Land Classification

Another source of information concerning alienable and disposable lands is the Land Management Bureau (LMB).

Satellite Image- A picture of the earth taken from an earth-orbital satellite. Satellite images may be produced photographically or by on-board scanners (e.g. MSS).

Aerial Photo- High altitude pictures taken from an aircraft or satellite.

The objective is to prepare an existing land use map of the municipality/city to see the actual development in a municipality/city. Satellite images and aerial photos will greatly aid the planner in delineating the boundaries of the different land uses. This is the best and quickest way to prepare an existing land use map.

Built-up Area – a contiguous grouping of ten (10) or more structures
Agricultural – an area within a city/municipality intended for cultivation/fishing and pastoral activities, e.g. fish farming, cultivation of crops, goat/cattle raising, etc.
Forest - an area within a city/municipality intended primarily for forest purposes
Residential - an area within a city/municipality principally for dwelling/housing purposes
Commercial - an area within a city/municipality for trading/services/business purposes
Industrial – Includes manufacturing, refining, fabricating, assembly, storage, parking and other incidental uses; including food processing, cottage industries, sawmills, rice mills, steel mills, chemical processing, etc.
Institutional - an area within a city/municipality principally for general types of institutional establishments e.g. government offices, schools, hospitals/clinics, academic/research, convention center.

LM01 Existing General Land and Water Use

The resolution of the Satellite Image and the size of the municipality/city are of major consideration. High-resolution satellite images (2.5 m or higher) are ideal and will be useful for both urban and rural areas but these are more expensive. Low resolution Satellite images (10 m or lower) are inexpensive and can cover a larger area but are only of good use for rural areas (forest, agricultural) and in identifying built up/urban areas. For low-income municipalities, it is advisable to have high resolution satellite Images.

For a large rural municipality/city, a combination of Low Resolution Satellite Images and either Aerial Photography or High Resolution Satellite image may be very useful in preparing the existing land use map for LGU. Aerial Photography or High Resolution Satellite images will best be used for the urban areas (usually the Poblacion). Archive images of not more than 5 years for rural areas and 3 years for urban areas may be used. If the available archive image is older, or no Aerial Photographs are available, it is advisable for the LGUs to acquire these photos if funds allow.

Aerial Photos or satellite images will not be enough to create the existing land use map. At first, they can be used to view the municipality/city ‘from the top’. An initial interpretation of the images can already be made to determine the actual land use, however, ground survey is necessary to determine unidentifiable features and to verify if initial interpretation is correct.

It is also preferable that the base map coincide with the aerial photos or satellite images. Documentation on how and what adjustments were made to whatever dataset was adjusted should be created and attached as metadata on the adjusted layer.

Residential areas are usually clusters of small buildings, organized in blocks and streets.

Aside from NIPAS areas, there are also protected areas which are “Non-NIPAS.” The current issue pervading in protected areas is the actual protection and preservation of these areas from illegal activities.

The objective of the GIS Analysis is to map out the protected areas as part of the input maps in determining suitable areas for future urban development. The final output map will show the areas which should be protected and therefore are not available for urban development.

(RA 7586 NIPAS Act)
Section 8 Buffer Zones For each protected area, there shall be established peripheral buffer zones when necessary, in the same manner as Congress establishes the protected area, to protect the same from activities that will directly and indirectly harm it. Such buffer zones shall be included in the individual protected area management plan that shall be prepared for each protected area. The DENR shall exercise its authority over protected areas as provided in this Act on such area designated as buffer zones.

Strict Nature Reserve is an area possessing some outstanding ecosystem, features and/or species of flora and fauna of national scientific importance maintained to protect nature and maintain processes in an undisturbed state in order to have ecologically representative examples of the natural environment available for scientific study, environmental monitoring, education, and for the maintenance of genetic resources in a dynamic and evolutionary state;

Natural Park is a relatively large area not materially altered by human activity where extractive resource uses are not allowed and maintained to protect outstanding natural and scenic areas of national or international significance for scientific, educational and recreational use;

Natural Monument is a relatively small area focused on protection of small features to protect or preserve nationally significant natural features on account of their special interest or unique characteristics;

Wildlife Sanctuary comprises an area which assures the natural conditions necessary to protect nationally significant species, groups of species, biotic communities or physical features of the environment where these may require specific human manipulation for the perpetuation;

Protected Landscapes and Seascapes are areas of national significance which are characterized by the harmonious interaction of man and land while providing opportunities for public enjoyment through recreation and tourism within the normal lifestyle and economic activity of these areas;

Resource Reserve is an extensive and relatively isolated and uninhabited area normally with difficult access designated as such to protect natural resource of the area for future use and prevent or contain development activities that could affect the resource pending the establishment of objectives which are based upon appropriate knowledge and planning;

Natural Biotic Area is an area set aside to allow the way of life of societies living in harmony with the environment to adapt to modern technology at their pace;

Other Categories established by law, conventions or international agreements which the Philippine Government is a signatory.

LM05 NIPAS 
LM06 Non-NIPAS

1. To modernize the agriculture and fisheries sectors by transforming these sectors from a resource-based to a technology-based industry;
2. to enhance profits and incomes in the agriculture and fisheries sectors, particularly the small farmers and fisherfolk, by ensuring equitable access to assets, resources and services, and promoting higher-value crops, value-added processing, agribusiness activities, and agro-industrialization.

The SAFDZ analysis should result in two maps. The first one will display all SAFDZ areas. This SAFDZ layer can be acquired from BSWM (see below, step 3) and will include all land in the municipality. The second map will present a layer of the SAFDZ areas of importance, where the Network of Protected Areas for Agricultural and Agro-industrial Development (NPAAAD) are the areas that are classified as prime agriculture land. This layer will be used later in the risk and suitability analysis, where any area declared as NPAAAD will be a constraint, and should not be considered or planned for urban use.

1. All irrigated areas including all irrigable lands already covered by irrigation projects with firm funding commitments;
2. All alluvial plain land highly suitable for agriculture whether irrigated or not;
3. Agro-industrial crop lands or lands presently planted to industrial crops that support the viability of existing agricultural infrastructure and agro-based enterprises;
4. Highlands which are areas located at an elevation of five hundred (500) meters or above and have the potential for growing semi temperate and high-value crops;
5. All agricultural lands that are ecologically fragile, the conversion of which will result in serious environmental degradation;
6. Mangrove areas;
7. Fish sanctuaries.

It was only in 1997 that the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA, Rep. Act No. 8371) passed into law. The law recognizes ownership held by indigenous peoples in the form of ancestral lands and domains. It authorizes the delineation of indigenous peoples’ areas and the issuances of evidences of titles called Certificates of Ancestral Land Title (CALT) or Certificates of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT). Claims that had been issued through former DENR programs were to be converted to titles. It also recognized a limited form of self determination for communities within ancestral domain allowing the State to recognize customary laws for the settlement of conflicts.

Ongoing claims on ancestral land that are not yet given titles are handled by the Ancestral Domain Office (ADO) under the National Commission for Indigenous People (NCIP).

The objective of the GIS analysis is to show the areas bounded by ancestral domains/lands. Since these areas often are situated in forest lands, they will be outside the real scope of the CLUP. Nevertheless, their location and delineation should be a part of the CLUP GIS.

LM08 Ancestral Domain

There are two national bodies - National Commission for Culture and Art (NCCA) and the National Historical Institute (NHI) – that are given the role to preserve Filipino cultural heritage (NCCA) and promote and administer national shrines, monuments and landmarks (NHI). These agencies can provide support in different issues concerning cultural heritage. But the LGU should also by itself preserve and protect such objects that the officials consider to be of cultural heritage. Within the means of comprehensive land use planning and the zoning ordinances the LGU can set up rules for preservation of such sites.

Compared to more pressing issues such as infrastructure development, poverty alleviation or job creation, the preservation of cultural heritage may seem less of a priority. But effective conservation of heritage resources not only helps in revitalizing the local economy (through tourism) of municipalities/cities, it also brings about a sense of city identity and belonging to its residents.

The objective of the GIS analysis is to conserve urban heritage - historical buildings, festivals, art forms, dance, music and sculptures. A resulting map showing an inventory of cultural heritage objects and sites serves as a first step to analyze where such objects are situated and what specific measures can be taken in order to protect and preserve them.

1. Immaculate Conception: District of Intramuros, City of Manila
2. Nuestra Senora: Municipality of Santa Maria, Province of Ilocos Sur
3. San Agustin: Municipality of Paoay, Province of Ilocos Norte
4. Santo Tomas: Municipality of Miag-ao, Province of Iloilo

The two other sites are:

5. Rice Terraces of the Philippines Cordilleras, Ifugao Province
6. Historic Town of Vigan, Province of Ilocos Sur

Other sites may be determined in coordination with the NCCA and the NHI, and through the LGU’s own inventories.

LM09 Cultural Heritage

The aspects of such areas should conform to and be protected by the zoning ordinance of the municipality/city.