DA lifts farmlands conversion freeze

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has lifted the moratorium on farmlands conversion it issued in January this year, following a five-month review of its regulatory framework.

In Department Circular (DC) No. 32, series of 2026 dated June 30, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. effectively withdrew the suspension on the acceptance and processing of land-use reclassification applications for agricultural areas.

The move came as the DA concluded its comprehensive assessment of existing policies, procedures, and issuances governing agricultural land use.

With the lifting of the farmlands conversion freeze, the Agriculture Department will resume processing new applications for land conversion as well as pending appeals before the Office of the Secretary, which had been held in abeyance since early this year.

To recall, the DA issued Department Circular No. 1 dated January 5, 2026 which suspended the acceptance and processing of applications for land-use reclassification until June.

The moratorium was meant to serve as a safeguard against “undue conversion” of agricultural lands.

The agency, in lifting the farmlands conversion ban, effectively committed to stricter oversight to protect the country's prime agricultural lands from unchecked urban development.

The DA earlier said the multi-month reassessment was conducted to address the rising volumes of reclassification requests driven by urban expansion and infrastructure developments, which threaten to shrink the country's farming areas.

There were several bills filed in Congress that seek to restrict the conversion of agricultural lands. ML Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima filed House Bill 5762 that seeks to amend Section 20 of Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991.

In the Senate, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan also filed a similar bill. —VAL, GMA News