Eastern Visayas – The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has acknowledged the challenges in regulating land use conversion in rural areas of Eastern Visayas, particularly as landowners construct structures on farmlands. During a press briefing on Monday, DAR Eastern Visayas regional director Robert Anthony Yu urged local government officials to ensure landowners have the necessary land use conversion approval from DAR before constructing buildings in agricultural areas.
According to Philippines News Agency, Yu noted that monitoring developments across the region is difficult, with the issue being less severe in highly urbanized cities and more developed towns where local governments coordinate with DAR. From 2006 to October 2023, DAR approved the conversion of 318 hectares of farmland in the region’s six provinces for various non-agricultural uses.
Land use conversion involves changing the physical use of agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes or different agricultural uses other than soil cultivation, as approved by DAR. Under Philippine law, only DAR has the authority to approve or disapprove applications for converting agricultural lands to residential, commercial, industrial, or other land uses. The regional head of DAR can authorize conversions for areas up to five hectares, while larger conversions require approval from the DAR secretary.
Republic Act 6657, or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, regulates these conversions to preserve prime agricultural lands and ensure food security. Agricultural land is defined as land devoted to soil cultivation, crop planting, tree growing, livestock, poultry, fish, or aquaculture production, including the harvesting of such farm products and other farm activities and practices.