AN EXECUTIVE order is being prepared to declare a two-year moratorium on the conversion of agricultural lands, Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano has said.
Following the reconvening of the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council (PARC) after former President Benigno Aquino III shunned it for almost 10 years since 2006, Mariano said the conversion of these agricultural lands to other uses will be suspended.
“The PARC agreed to impose a two-year moratorium on the conversion of agricultural lands. We also prepared an executive order, subject to review and amendments by the President,” Mariano told reporters in a Palace press briefing.
The agrarian reform chief added they are seeking to reform the situation wherein more than 50,000 ha of land were converted into non-agriculture uses in 2015 alone.
The moratorium shall cover and apply only to all awarded lands under Republic Act No. 6657 as amended; and those covered by Presidential Decree 27 and other Agrarian Reform laws.
Mariano said that the moratorium will cover the processing and approval of all applications for land use conversion of agricultural lands to non-agricultural uses, including those covered with notices of coverage.
The new executive order seeks to maintain retention areas, including leasehold lands estimated at 1.2 million hectares.
The order will also seek to protect more thatn 4.7 million ha agricultural lands distributed or awarded in the past to more than 2.7 million agrarian reform beneficiaries.
Under Agrarian Reform Laws, illegal and premature conversion of lands are prohibited of up to 10 years if there are no conversion orders issued by the DAR, which has the exclusive authority to issue, approve or disapprove applications for land use conversions.
Mariano said the move to preserve prime agricultural lands within two years can fast track the government’s review of land conversion permits, and leasehold contracts.
“We need this to know if there have been violations … In this draft Executive Order, a task force will be created to assess the status of land use conversion in the country and that DAR has the support of other implementing agencies as well,” Mariano said.