The Department of Agriculture (DA) is imposing a five-month moratorium on the issuance of certifications necessary for land conversion, citing the need to protect agricultural lands and strengthen food security.

Under Department Circular (DC) No. 1 dated Jan. 5, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel temporarily suspended the submission and processing of new applications for the agency’s certification.

Only applications filed before the DC’s effectivity will continue to be processed, while appeals pending before the Office of the Secretary will be held in abeyance until the moratorium ends.

The suspension will remain in effect until June, unless otherwise lifted or extended through a subsequent order.

Throughout the moratorium period, Tiu Laurel said the DA will review the certification process to improve its oversight and protect farmlands from “undue conversion.”

Tiu Laurel said they are currently looking at introducing a more thorough review process for each application to ensure that the country’s agricultural productivity is not affected.

“If possible, the DA does not want land reclassification unless there is a replacement land that can be irrigated,” he told Manila Bulletin.

Due to the rapid demand for urban expansion, the DA has observed a surge in applications for land conversion certifications.

If this is not properly regulated, Tiu Laurel said this “may adversely affect agricultural production areas, agribusiness investments, and long-term national food supply stability.”

The Secretary’s new directive specifically halted the implementation of Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 26 signed on June 27, 2022, which outlines the DA’s certification process in pursuit of the Local Government Code of 1991.

Under the law, a city or municipality may authorize the reclassification of agricultural land on the condition that the land ceases to be economically feasible for agricultural use, or if its conversion for residential, commercial, or industrial purposes poses greater economic value.

A joint memorandum circular (JMC) in 1995 among several government agencies later required DA certification as a prerequisite for the reclassification of farmlands.

The JMC was signed by the DA, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), and the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB), which has since been consolidated into the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).

Under the JMC, local government units (LGUs) may apply for the reclassification of agricultural land if there is a requirement for additional areas for urban expansion and human settlements to accommodate current and projected population growth.

LGUs may also convert land if actual urban growth and expansion have veered from the approved land use, or if a project certified by the government as a significant national project requires more land.

Farmlands exempted from reclassification are irrigated lands and irrigable lands covered by irrigation projects with firm funding commitments at the time of application.

Aside from LGUs, owners of private agricultural land, beneficiaries of the agrarian reform program, and government agencies may also apply for land conversion.

When applying for DA certification, the applicant must submit all pertinent information on the proposed land conversion, including the specific changes in land use and the municipal land use plan map reflecting these changes.

The DA, through its regional units, will conduct assessment and validation of the area. The certification will be issued by the regional executive director covering the farmland.

With the certification, the applicant may proceed with the next stages of the land conversion process, including filing the required application with the DAR for evaluation and approval.