FAQS

Conversion vs. Reclassification?

Land Use Reclassification is the act of specifying how agricultural lands shall be utilized for non-agricultural uses as embodied in the land use plan, subject to the requirements and procedure for land conversion. It is the mandate of  Local Government Units pursuant to R.A. 7160 and MC 54 s. 1993

Land Use Conversion is the act of changing the current physical use of a particular land as approved by the Department of Agrarian Reform. It is guided by R.A. 6657, DAR AO 1 s. 1999 and DAR AO 1 s. 2002  

Does Revocation of Administrative Order No. 18 Series of 2020 mean removal of DA Certificate?

DA issued DA Administrative Order No. 30, “Revocation of Administrative Order No. 18 Series of 2020” on Oct. 7, 2020.  DA AO No. 18 s. 2020 pertains to the Guidelines on the Issuance of Certificate of Eligibility for Conversion of Agricultural Lands. To avoid confusion the DA certificate of eligibility for conversion of agricultural lands is issued as a requirement of the Department of Agrarian Reform.

On the other hand, RA 7160 or the Local Government Code provides that cities and municipalities may reclassify agricultural lands into non-agricultural uses within their respective jurisdictions, subject to the limitations and other conditions prescribed under Section 20 of the LGC. The guidelines that govern Section 20 of RA 7160 authorizing cities and municipalities to reclassify agricultural lands into non-agricultural uses are Memorandum Circular (MC) No.54 series of 1993 and Joint HLRB, DAR, DA, DILG Memorandum Circular prescribing the Guidelines to Implement MC 54 [The Authority of Cities and Municipalities to Reclassify Lands within the Limits Prescribed by Section 20 of RA 7160 otherwise known as The Local Government Code of 1991] dated March 21, 1995.

The revocation of DA AO No. 18 s. 2020 does not affect the implementation of these two issuances which should be observed in the reclassification of agricultural lands pursuant to Sec 20 of RA 7160.

What are the list of Requirement and process for reclassification/conversion of Agricultural Lands?

The provision on the requirements and process for conversion is found in Department of Agrarian Reform Administrative Order (A.O.) No. 01, Series of 2002 as amended by DAR AO No. 1 series of 2019.

On the other hand, provision on the requirements and process for reclassification is found is Memorandum Circular No. 54 (1991) and Joint HLRB, DAR, DA, DILG, Memorandum Circular of 1995