Duterte mulling halt in conversion of agri lands

MANILA, Philippines - The executive order imposing a moratorium on the acceptance of new applications for the conversion of agricultural lands is still being studied but may be issued “soon,” Malacañang said Wednesday.

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said the Offices of the Executive Secretary and the Cabinet Secretary have convened to discuss the draft order, which was intended to promote food security.

“The fourth version is already with ES (executive secretary) and that's under study and that should come out soon,” Abella said in a press briefing.

In September, agrarian reform secretary Rafael Mariano said his agency has drafted an executive order imposing a two-year moratorium on the conversion of agricultural lands.

Mariano said the draft order would cover all awarded lands under Republic Act no. 6657 as amended, Presidential Decree no. 27 and other agrarian reform lands.

It would also be applicable to all agricultural lands with notices of coverage issued by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), irrigated and irrigable lands, prime agricultural lands, retention areas of the land owners which are tenanted and agricultural lands with agricultural activities that are being cultivated by farmers.

In a related development, members of the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council (PARC), the highest decision-making body on agrarian reform, met in  Malacañang on Tuesday after a ten-year hiatus.

Abella said the council asked the president to certify as urgent the Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill or House Bill No. 555.

“It was discussed last night but Executive Secretary has said that it will be for study and for complete staff work,” he said.

The council also discussed ways to improve access to loans and to strengthen the PARC secretariat.

“They consider it justified and there were no objections regarding the strengthening of the secretariat,” Abella said.

“However, the study of the budget requirements will be studied by the DBM because the budget has increased from P15 million to P30 million,” he added.