Land conversion memo out next month – DAR
Credit to Author: The Manila Times| Date: Wed, 20 Feb 2019 16:26:49 +0000
Government agencies involved in land conversion decisions will soon submit a proposed joint order that seeks to expedite the process, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) said on Wednesday.
“Our initial submission will be with the Cabinet on March 4 and after that, we will present it to the President,” Agrarian Reform Secretary John Castriciones was quoted in a statement as having told an interagency task force.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier this month ordered the creation of the task force, which was mandated to look into anomalies and also expedite the conversion of agricultural lands to residential, commercial and industrial uses.
Specifically, the President wants the land conversion process shortened from at least 24 months to just 30 days.
Duterte has blamed Castriciones’ predecessor, Rafael Mariano, as having contributed to the delay. The former DAR chief, who was appointed by Duterte after he won the presidency, had called for a two-year moratorium on land conversions to ensure food security and was rejected by the Commission on Appointments in 2017 for his left-leaning views.
In a Cabinet meeting just a few days before he tagged Mariano, Duterte also criticized the extensive requirements imposed by government agencies and local government units, and also railed against the rebel New People’s Army for preventing DAR personnel from conducting inspections.
Mariano, in response, criticized the government for wanting to fast-track the conversion process and said that a DAR Administrataive Order calling for a 30-day approval process would benefit Duterte’s “cronies” and foster corruption.
The Inter-Agency Special Task Force on Land Use Conversion created after Duterte’s outburst is comprised of agencies that handle land conversion applications. In addition to the DAR, the others are the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Agriculture, Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board, National Housing Authority and the Housing and Urban Development Coordination Council.
The Department of Energy is also involved when the land conversion is for the purpose of energy production.
“In pursuing this endeavor, it is foremost in our plans that each step are environmentally viable and socially feasible. It should also protect tillers’ rights and ensure food security,” Castriciones said in the statement.
The DAR said that Agrarian Reform Undersecretary Luis Meinrado C. Pangulayan also asked each agency to look into their processes and identify bottlenecks during the task force meeting.
“After identifying the obstacles, we also asked them to simplify procedures, shorten the number of days for processing and do away with redundant certifications,” he was quoted as saying.
Last week, Pangulayan said the DAR had a backlog of 73 land conversion applications, 46 of which were pending due to the lack of permits or feasibility studies.
FROM A REPORT BY EIREENE JAIREE GOMEZ
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