IRR on land use conversion drafted

MANILA, Philippines — The inter-agency task force on land use conversion has drafted the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) on land use conversion, Agrarian Reform Secretary John Castriciones said yesterday.

The task force was formed to speed up the process of converting agricultural lands into residential, commercial and industrial use, and report on the anomalies in the conversion process.

Castriciones ordered his department’s field operations office to come up with proposals for the streamlining of land acquisition and distribution (LAD) processes.

“The agency is focusing on Executive Order 75, which ordered it to distribute all government-owned lands devoted to or suitable for agriculture but are no longer used for the purpose for which these have been reserved,” Castriciones said.

“This EO will boost the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program. It will fast-track the distribution of lands, particularly government-owned lands, to qualified beneficiaries,” he added.

As of last month, the agency has released the implementing rules and regulations of EO 75, signed by Castriciones and Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra.

“Now that the IRR has been signed and released, we’re now ready to proceed with the process of land acquisition and distribution,” Castriciones said.

The DAR aims to finish the LAD program by 2022.