Republic of the Philippines

House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila {

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS \
First Regular Session

2715

House Bill No.

Introduced by Honorable ERLPE JOHN “PING” M. AMANTE

EXPLANATORY NOTE

istent with the policy of the State to ensure the availability, adequacy,
accessibility of food supplies to every Filipino at all times and to promote food
security, particularly rice supply as mandated by Republic Act No. 8435 otherwise
known as the “Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1997", this Bill seeks
to impose a Fifteen (15) - Year Moratorium on the conversion of all irrigated and
irrigable lands covered by irrigation projects.

In compliance with this goal of the government towards Rice Self-Sufficiency,
different programs and support to rice farmers were launched in order to attain this
purpose. This can be gleaned from massive financial and institutional support to
rice farmer sector. The Department of Agriculture has introduced ranges of options
for raising rice production to meet the domestic consumption requirements and to
minimize importation which will lead our country towards rice self-sufficient nation.

‘The National Government through the Department of Agrarian Reform is still
fulfilling its mandate to balance the opportunity for the landless by the distribution
of lands to qualified farmer-beneficiaries. However, in the pace of industrialization,
rampant land conversion from agricultural to non-agricultural purposes such as
industrial and residential among others which resulted to massive loss of lands
devoted to agricultural production particularly in the rice sector.

It is towards this end that the State should devise effective mechanism to
balance the necessity to preserve agricultural land for rice production and other
agriculture-related activities and the unrelenting pace of industrialization.

In view of the foregoing, the approval of this Bill is earnestly sought.


Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No, 2715

Introduced by Honorable ERLPE JOHN “PING” M. AMANTE

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR FIFTEEN (15) YEAR MORATORIUM.
ON THE PROCESSING AND APPROVAL OF APPLICATION FOR CONVERSION
OF ALL IRRIGATED AND IRRIGABLE LANDS COVERED BY IRRIGATION
PROJECTS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives in session assembled:

Section 1. Declaration of Policy- It is the policy of the State that to ensure the
availability, adequacy, accessibility of food supplies to every Filipino and to promote
food security, including sufficiency in our staple food, particularly rice supply; there
should be an effective mechanism in maximizing the full potential of lands for
agricultural production.

Section 2. Definition of Terms- as used in this Act, the following term shall mean:

(a) “Irrigated Land”- _ refers to land serviced by natural irrigation or
irrigation facilities. This includes lands where water is not readily available
because existing irrigation facilities need rehabilitation or upgrading or where
irrigation water is not available year-round.

(b) “Irrigable Land”- _— refers to land displaying marked characteristics
justifying the operation of an irrigation system and which the government or
other private institutions have funding commitment or plan.

(o) “Processing and Approval” - refers to the processing and approval of the
application for conversion with the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) for


conversion of agricultural land to non-agricultural purposes as provided in
the provision of Executive Order 129-A Series of 1987.

(d) “Conversion Moratorium” - refers to the prohibition on conversion of all
irrigated lands and irrigable lands already covered by irrigation projects with
firm funding commitments.

Section 3. Moratorium on Land Conversion. The Department of Agrarian
Reform and the Department of Agriculture are hereby mandated to impose a Fifteen
(15) Year Moratorium on the processing and approval of application for conversion
of all irrigated and irrigable land covered by irrigation projects.

, executive
tent with the

Section 4. Repealing Clause- All laws, rules and regulations, dec:
orders and administrative orders or parts thereof which are incon:
provisions of this Acts are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 5. Separability Clause If any part or provision of this Act shall be
held invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions hereof which are not affected shall
remain in full force and effect.

Section 6. Ejfectivity Clause-This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in at least two (2) newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,