House bans conversion of prime agri lands

The House of Representatives has banned the conversion or reclassification of prime agricultural land after it approved House Bill 5240 or the National Land Use measure on third and final reading.

The bill defines prime agricultural lands as all contiguous irrigated areas and irrigable lands already covered by irrigation projects; all alluvial plain lands highly suitable for agriculture, irrigated or not, identified to satisfy the country’s needs for food self-sufficiency and security; agro-industrial croplands currently planted and suitable to industrial and high value crops; highlands, or areas located at an elevation of 500 meters or above and have the potential for growing semi-temperature and high value crops outside of declared permanent forestlands and protection forests, and not located in ecologically fragile and environmentally critical areas.