DA suspends reclassification of farmlands until June

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has issued a circular signed on January 5 that imposes a moratorium on the acceptance and processing of Land Use Reclassification Certification until June, 2026. 

The DA said that applications submitted before the freeze will still be processed, yet appeals will be put on hold until the moratorium is lifted. 

“The move is designed to give the DA breathing room to reassess its regulatory framework and tighten oversight amid growing demands from urban expansion and infrastructure projects that have been eating into farm areas,” the department said in a statement on Sunday. 

The department order is a response to increasing concerns regarding the unregulated conversion of land.

“Analysts have warned that continued loss of productive farmland could erode the Philippines’ ability to grow staples like rice and corn, weaken food self?sufficiency, and make the country overly dependent on imports,” the DA said. “With food demand expanding and global markets prone to shocks, policymakers see agricultural land preservation as a strategic buffer against volatility and price spikes.” 

“Agricultural groups and advocates have long called for stronger protections, including legislative proposals to restrict conversion of irrigated and irrigable lands,” it added. 

There were several bills filed in Congress that 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. —Vince Angelo Ferreras/RF, GMA Integrated News