DA loses 50K hectares on illegal land conversion

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) is seeking an end to the illegal conversion of prime agricultural lands in the country as the government is losing an estimated 50,000 hectares yearly.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said he has brought the matter to President Duterte on the conflict between national government agencies and local government units over the conversion of prime agricultural lands for industrial or residential use.

“Under the present set up, local government units have the power to reclassify lands within their political boundaries and allow the use of the areas for purposes other than agricultural,” Piñol said.

“This unfettered power to reclassify lands, however, has resulted in the indiscriminate conversion of prime agricultural lands into industrial and residential areas,” he added.

Data from the DA showed approximately 50,000 hectares of prime agricultural lands are lost to industrial and residential companies every year.

These also include irrigated areas which were part of the National Irrigation Administration service area developed at an estimated cost of P400,000 per hectare.

Just recently, the agri chief said he received requests for help from residents of Isabela and Dinagat Islands on the conversion of irrigated areas into commercial and housing purposes.

“Luna and Mercedes towns in Isabela showed big warehouses reportedly owned by foreigners which were constructed in irrigated areas,” Piñol said.

“In Dinagat Islands, an overseas Filipino worker complained that an irrigated land which his father had been tilling for 28 years was sold to be used for a housing subdivision,” he added.

Because of these, Piñol is planning to talk with Agrarian Reform Secretary John Castriciones this week to have the complaints acted upon.

He also directed all regional directors to document all conversions of agricultural lands for purposes other than farming in their areas.

“While I believe that with the growing population, more subdivisions need to be built, I do not agree that the establishment of these subdivisions in prime agricultural lands should be allowed,” Piñol said.

He emphasized that some investors buy prime farm lands and wait for the three-year reglementary period before applying for conversion as the law states that agricultural lands which are not utilized for farming for a period of three years could be converted for industrial and residential uses.

“In many cases, housing and industrial companies do not even bother to wait for the end of the three-year period. Using their connections with local government units, they just proceed with the conversion without getting clearances from the national government committee which handles land conversions,” Piñol said.