09/09/2026
READ | DILG to LGUs: Strictly enforce โno-build zonesโ in hazard-prone areas
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Wednesday called on local government units (LGUs) to strictly enforce existing laws and regulations on no-build zones and land-use planning, following President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.โs directive to strengthen measures protecting communities from severe flooding and other climate-related disasters.
The President directed national government agencies and LGUs to strengthen the implementation of existing laws and regulations intended to keep communities away from disaster-prone areas, stressing that public safety must take precedence over political considerations.
The DILG said the directive underscores the responsibility of LGUs to put disaster risk reduction, public safety, and environmental sustainability at the center of local land-use and development planning.
With communities facing increasingly severe climate-related hazards, the Department stressed that sound planning must be matched by consistent enforcement of existing laws and regulations, especially in areas identified as vulnerable to flooding and other hazards.
No-build zones generally cover easement areas and other locations considered unsafe for human habitation because of their exposure to hazards that may endanger lives and property.
Existing laws, including the National Building Code of the Philippines and Republic Act No. 10121, or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, provide the legal framework for regulating development in hazard-prone areas.
Under the National Building Code, sites and buildings intended for human habitation must be located at a safe distance from hazardous areas, including streams and bodies of water. RA 10121 likewise promotes disaster prevention and risk reduction measures, including preventing human settlement in areas identified as high-risk for disasters.
The DILG emphasized that LGUs are at the frontlines of enforcement and must ensure that development within their jurisdictions complies with applicable land-use, building, environmental, and disaster risk reduction policies.
Complementing these efforts, the Department continues to mobilize LGUs and communities through the KALINISAN (Kalinisan at Inisyatiba para sa Malinis na Bayan) Program and BarKaDa (Barangay at Kalinisan Day) Project.
As of May 2026, the KALINISAN and BarKaDa initiatives have mobilized more than 588,000 participants who collected 38.86 million kilograms of waste from 1.5 million public sites nationwide.
The DILG also continues to strengthen the disaster preparedness and response capabilities of LGUs through Operation L!STO, which provides local governments and communities with minimum critical actions before, during, and after typhoons, earthquakes, and other calamities.
The DILG stressed that protecting communities requires more than identifying danger zones. It requires consistent enforcement, responsible local planning, and decisive action before disasters put lives and property at risk.
