Press Release
February 25, 2019

Bill requiring SUCs to develop idle lands okayed

All state universities and colleges (SUCs) will soon be required to submit a land management plan following the approval of a bill on second reading seeking to maximize the use of land resources within the universities or colleges.

Senator Chiz Escudero, sponsor of House Bill 8370, otherwise known as the act requiring state universities and colleges (SUCs) to prepare and implement a land use development and infrastructure plan, said the bill also seeks to provide a safe and decent living space for students, who usually come from remote parts of neighboring municipalities and cities where the SUCs are located.

"It has been observed that some students, especially those coming from poor families, usually drop out of school saying they can no longer afford to pay the costly board and lodging near the universities or colleges," Escudero said.

"It is necessary for the school to ensure the safety and well-being of the students by providing them dormitories inside the state university and college," he added.

Escudero said faculty members and staff will likewise be provided with housing projects to enable them to work effectively and efficiently.

Under the proposed legislation, all SUCs shall submit a Land Use Development and Infrastructure Plan (LUDIP) to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) within two years after approval of the bill. The plan will be updated periodically as the need arises.

All land use or infrastructure projects of the SUCs shall be required to follow the LUDIP, which shall be linked with the land use plan and practice of the local government units (LGUs) to ensure that they complement with the LGUs activities and projects.

The bill also provides that no infrastructure project of the SUCs shall be approved unless their LUDIP has been implemented and submitted to the CHED.

According to the bill, SUCs may seek the assistance and cooperation from other agencies such as the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB), the University of the Philippines School of Urban and Regional Planning (UP-SURP), the Department of Public Works and Highways, among others.

The CHED, UP-SURP and the HLURB shall design capacity building programs for the SUCs to enable them to develop and prepare suitable land use plans.

Escudero said the passage of the bill into law would ensure an effective land use development and infrastructure plan that would utilize idle assets within the school.

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