The Department of Agrarian Reform has amended certain provisions on land use to avoid conversion of any agricultural land without the agency’s clearance and to adapt to the new normal brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic through Administrative Order No. 3 of 2021.
“The new normal requires the adoption of alternative modes to ensure the continuous delivery of services under the agrarian reform mandate,” Secretary John Castriciones said.
He said the application for conversion must be duly verified by the landowner or the landowner’s authorized representative and should contain certifications attesting that all supporting documents were issued by the proper agencies.
The administrative order specified that application for conversions may be filed either personally, where the applicants are required to furnish the department with a hard or printed copy complete with documentary requirements; or by way of electronic filing (e-filing).
“If the applicant chooses to file his application online, the applicant must furnish the Department with a soft or electronic copy of the application with the corresponding annexes through the Land Use Cases Division-Bureau of Agrarian Legal Assistance in case the land applied for conversion is more than five hectares, or to the concerned Regional Office if the land applied for conversion is five hectares and below,” the DAR chief said. Rio Araja
He said the electronic copy of the application and its annexes will be accepted only in portable document format.
He said the landowner or the authorized representative needs to file an application bond to guarantee against premature conversion over the subject agricultural land and to ensure that the applicant shall only submit true and correct information in support of his application.
“In cases of non-acceptance of an incomplete application, the Land Use Conversion Division or the Regional Land Use Committee Secretariat will issue a written statement or certificate and an e-mail response or electronic notice (with time-stamp duly-recorded), specifically stating the deficiencies or reasons for the non-acceptance and return of the application within five working days from the filing of the application for conversion which shall form part of the records of the application,” he said.
If a conversion order is granted and has become final and executory, the landowner within three days upon receipt of the order is directed to communicate in writing to the Register of Deeds where the land is located for proper annotation on the certificate of title of the converted land.