TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
republic of the PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
25 JlJi_ -7 PI :28
SENATE
220
S. No.
Introduced by Senator FRANCIS N. PANGILINAN
AN ACT 
r:
nni^uTDTXTMr1 THF rONVERSION OF IRRIGATED AND IRRIGABLE 
Agricultural lands for non-agricultu^l uses, amen wng for 
THE PURPOSE SECTION 20 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7160, OTHERWIS 
KNOWN AS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE OF 1991
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Philippines, with approximately 9.7 million hectares of agricultural land out 
of its roughly 30 million total land area,' faces an accelerating crisis due to 
unchecked agricultural land conversion.
Rapid urbanization and population growth continue to consume vast tracts of 
agricultural lands for subdivisions, commercial centers, and industrial zones, directly 
threatening food security and the agricultural economy.
According to the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), a total of 97,592.5 
hectares of agricultural land, which is the size of Metro Manila and Cebu City were 
approved for conversion to non-agricultural purposes from 1988 (when the 
comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law took effect) to 2016.' This figure, however, 
does not account for pending applicaUons, agricultural land reclassified by local
. Katrildo, « .. (Marcti C ao.7). «an, 
““at ^
2017. Available at https:// newsinfo.inquirer.net/876377/many-farms-lost-to land conversion, (acc
2 Ibid.


government units (LGUs), or illegal land conversions, suggesting that actual 
agricultural land loss is far greater than the reported number of conversions.
Regions vital for food production, such as Calabarzon and Central Luzon, bear 
the brunt of these conversions3, underscoring the severe risk to the nation's food 
sufficiency and the sustainability of its agricultural sector, as prime agricultural lands 
are economically vulnerable to non-agricultural development.
To protect critical agricultural areas and curb the unbridled agricultural land 
conversion, this measure seeks to amend Section 20 of Republic Act No. 7160, 
otherwise known as the Local Government Code. It mandates additional, crucial 
approvals from the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Agrarian Reform 
(DAR), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and local 
government units (LGUs), ensuring a more stringent and coordinated approach to 
agricultural land conversion applications.
sought.
In view of the foregoing, the immediate approval of this bill is earnestly
FRANCIS NTPANGILINAN
Senate
1 Ibid.


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
S. No.
SENATE
220
25 JUL -7 P1 :28
mr:
Introduced by Senator FRANCIS N. PANGILINAN
AN ACT
PROHIBITING THE CONVERSION OF IRRIGATED AND IRRIGABLE 
AGRICULTURAL LANDS FOR NON-AGRICULTURAL USES, AMENDING FOR 
THE PURPOSE SECTION 20 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7160, OTHERWISE 
KNOWN AS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE OF 1991
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Title. - This Act shali be known as " The Agricultural Land Conversion
2 
Ban Act."
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policies.- The conversion of agricultural lands to non-
4 
agricultural uses shall be governed by the following policies:
5 
1. The State shall preserve irrigated and irrigable agricultural lands to ensure food
6 
security;
7 
2. The State shall ensure that ail sectors of the economy and all regions of the
8 
country are given optimum opportunity to develop, through the rational 
and
9 
sustainable use of resources peculiar to each area, 
in order 
to maximize
10 
agricultural productivity, to promote efficiency and equity, and to accelerate
11 
the modernization of the agriculture sector of the country; and
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3. Conversion of agricultural lands to non-agricultural uses shall be strictly
13 
regulated and may be allowed only when conditions prescribed herein are
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present and complied with.


1 
Sec. 3. Definition of Terms- As used in this Act, the following terms are defined
2 
as follows:
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(a) Agricultural iandveHers to land devoted to or suitable for the cultivation of the
4 
soil, planting of crops, growing trees, raising of livestock, poultry, fish or
5 
aquaculture production, including the harvesting of such farm products and
6 
other farm activities and practices performed in conjunction with such farming
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operations by persons whether natural or juridical and not classified for
8 
residential, commercial, industrial or other non-agricultural uses;
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(b) Irrigable land refers to land displaying marked characteristics justifying the
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operation of an irrigation system.
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(c) Irrigated land refers to land serviced by natural irrigation or irrigation facilities.
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This includes lands where water is not readily available because existing
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irrigation facilities need rehabilitation or upgrading or where irrigation water is
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not available year-round.
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(d) Land use conversion refers to the act or process of changing the current
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physical use or a piece of agricultural land into some other use other than the
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cultivation of the soil, planting of crops, growing of trees, including harvesting
18 
of produce therefrom, as approved by the Department of Agrarian Reform
19 
(DAR).
20 
Sec. 4. Scope of the Agricultural Land Conversion- All irrigated and irrigable
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agricultural lands planted but not limited to rice, corn, crops, sugar, coconut,
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vegetables, and fruit trees blocked and mapped according to standards by the Bureau
23 
of Soil and Water Management shall not be converted into non-agricultural uses.
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Sec. 5. Amendments to Republic Act No. 7160.-S&X\on 20 of Republic Act 7160,
25 
otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991 is hereby amended to read
26 
as follows:
27 
"Sec. 20. Reclassification of Lands. - (a) A city or municipality may, through
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an ordinance passed by the sanggunian after conducting public hearings for
29 
the purpose, authorize the reclassification of agricultural lands and provide for
30 
the manner of their utilization or disposition in the following cases: (1) when
31 
the land ceases to be economically feasible and sound for agricultural purposes
32 
as determined by the Department of Agriculture (DA) [or]; (2) where the land


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shall have substantially greater economic value for residential, commercial, or 
industrial purposes as determined by the sanggunian concerned [i]; OR (3)
WHEN THE LAND IS NOT IRRIGATED OR IRRIGABLE AND NOT 
INCLUDED AMONG AGRICULTURAL LANDS IDENTIFIED BY 
ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER (AO) 20, SERIES OF 1992, AS NON- 
NEGOTIABLE FOR CONVERSION, AS IDENTIFIED BY THE DA: 
PROVIDED, THAT PRIOR TO THE ENACTMENT OF AN ORDINANCE 
RECLASSIFYING AGRICULTURAL LANDS, THE SANGGUNIAN 
CONCERNED MUST FIRST SECURE THE FOLLOWING CERTIFICATES 
FROM THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES (NGAS) 
CONCERNED:
(1) 
A CERTIFICATION FROM THE DA INDICATING:
A. 
THE TOTAL AREA OF EXISTING AGRICULTURAL LAND IN 
THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT (LGU) CONCERNED;
B. 
THAT SUCH LANDS ARE NOT INCLUDED AMONG THOSE 
CLASSIFIED FOR CONVERSION OR RECLASSIFICATION UNDER 
AO 20, SERIES OF 1992; AND
C. 
THAT THE LAND HAS CEASED TO BE ECONOMICALLY 
FEASIBLE FOR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES;
(2) 
A CERTIFICATION FROM THE DAR THAT SUCH LANDS ARE 
NOT DISTRIBUTED OR PROGRAMMED FOR DISTRIBUTION TO 
AGRARIAN REFORM BENEFICIARIES; AND
(3) 
A CERTIFICATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF 
ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES (DENR) INDICATING 
THAT THE PROPOSED RECLASSIFICATION IS ECOLOGICALLY 
SOUND.
PROVIDED, FURTHER, THAT THE FAILURE OF SAID NGAS TO ACT 
ON PROPER AND COMPLETE APPLICATION FOR SUCH 
CERTIFICATIONS WITHIN THREE (3) MONTHS FROM RECEIPT OF 
THE SAME SHALL BE DEEMED AS APPROVAL THEREOF, AND, Provided, 
FURTHERMORE, That such reclassification shall be limited to the following


1 
percentage of the existing agricultural area, at the time of the passage of the
2 
ordinance:
3 
(l)XXX
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(2) X X X
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(3)X X X
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(b) X X X
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(c) The local government units shall, In conformity with existing laws,
8 
continue to prepare their respective comprehensive land use plans enacted
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through the zoning ordinances which shall be the primary and dominant bases
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for the future use of land resources: Provided, That SECTION 4 OF THE
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AGRICULTURAL LAND CONVERSION BAN ACT AND the requirements for
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food production, human settlements, and industrial expansion shall be taken
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into consideration in the preparation of such plans.
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(d) [When approval by a national agency is required for rcdasGificotion, such
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approvol shall not be unreasonably withheld. Failure to act on a proper and
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complotG applicotion for rcelasGificotion within three (3) months from receipt
17 
of the same shall be deemed os approvol hereof:] NOTHING IN THIS
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SECTION SHALL BE CONSTRUED AS REPEALING, AMENDING, OR
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MODIFYING IN ANY MANNER THE PROVISIONS OF R.A. NO. 6657,
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OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE COMPREHENSIVE AGRARIAN REFORM
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LAW OF 1988 AND OF R.A. NO. 9700, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE
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COMPREHENSIVE AGRARIAN REFORM PROGRAM EXTENSION WITH
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REFORMS."
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Sec. 6. Penalties. — Any person found to have violated the provisions of this Act
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shall be punished by imprisonment of not less than six (6) years and a fine of not less
26 
than One Hundred Fifty Thousand Pesos (P150,000.00) but not more than Three
27 
Hundred Thousand Pesos (P300,000.00).
28 
If the conversion has been completed or irreversible, the building or
29 
infrastructure shall be confiscated by the State. The confiscated property shall be
30 
turned over to the local government with jurisdiction for public use or for public
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auction.


1 
If the violator of this Act is a corporation, partnership, or any other juridical
2 
entity, the penal provisions hereof shall be applied to the president or chief executive
3 
officer of the corporation, the managing partner in the case of a partnership or the
4 
equivalent head in the case of any juridical entity or any other person acting in their
5 
behalf. In the case of corporations, the indictment shall include the manager of the
6 
department responsible for the construction or conversion.
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If the violator is a government official, the additional penalty of permanent
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disqualification from employment in the government or any of its subdivisions,
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instrumentality, or government-owned or controlled corporations shall be imposed.
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Any person who evicts a farmer tilling an agricultural land to make it appear that
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the land has no present tiller or occupant or who changes the crop of the land to make
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it appear that the land is not devoted to rice, corn and other staple food, shall be
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punished with an imprisonment of not less than one (1) year but not more than three
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(3) years.
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Sec. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The DA, in consultation with the
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DAR and the DENR, shall formulate the implementing rules and regulations of this Act
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within ninety (90) days after its approval. Such rules and regulations shall take effect
18 
fifteen (15) days after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the
19 
Philippines.
20 
Sec. 8. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid or
21 
unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected by such declaration shall remain in
22 
full force and effect.
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Sec. 9. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, ordinances, rules, regulations,
24 
other issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby
25 
repealed or modified accordingly.
26 
Sec. 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
27 
complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general
28 
circulation.
Approved,