A “simplified” land-conversion process has been put in place to streamline the tedious process of application for land-use conversion, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) said on Wednesday.
Through DAR Administrative Order 1, Series of 2019, Agrarian Reform Secretary John R. Castriciones said in a news statement that specific provisions of AO 1, Series of 2002, are amended to ensure the speedy disposition of the said cases.
The DAR, the lead-implementing agency of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program and its amended version, CARP Extension with Reform (CARPer) is mandated to approve or disapprove applications for land-use conversion of agricultural lands to nonagricultural purposes pursuant to Section 65 of the Republic Act 6657, as amended by Executive Order 129-A, and paragraph (13), Section 3, Title XI of the Revised Administrative Code of 1987 (EO 292).
Under the Department Administrative Order 01, Series of 2019, no application shall be accepted, docketed and processed unless the documentary requirements for conversion grant are complete and sufficient in form and substance.
“When the agricultural land, which is the subject of the application for conversion has been acquired under RA 6657, its conversion shall be allowed only if the applicant is the agrarian reform beneficiary thereof and the applicant upon conversion shall fully pay the price of the land,” reads another section of the new AO.
Also, electronic copies of land titles can now be used as a basis for identifying the landholding and its registered owner subject of the application in lieu of a certified true copy of the title except for the following provinces and cities: Sulu (Jolo); Batanes (Basco); Cagayan (Tuao); Basilan (Isabela); Cadiz City, Negros Occidental; Silay City; Negros Occidental; Dapitan City; and Province of Tawi-Tawi (Bongao).
Changes concerning requirements from other agencies and local government units are also outlined in the abovementioned AO.
Last February, the DAR clarified that the order merely ensures the streamlining of the process for land-use conversion applications, and that “there is no truth to the erroneous and malicious allegations that the proposed AO is “anti-farmer.”
The recently issued and official DAR AO 01, Series of 2019, reflects the directive of President Duterte for all concerned agencies that play a role in determining the requirements provided by the law for land conversion, and come up with a solution that makes sure the process will not be delayed subject to the tiller’s rights and food sufficiency, Castriciones said.
To recall, President Duterte has ordered the DAR to distribute government-owned agricultural lands as part of the current administration’s commitment to agrarian reform, and started off with the distribution of remaining agricultural lands on Boracay Island with the Boracay’s Ati tribe members as primary beneficiaries.