DAR reminds landowners of June 30 special land conversion deadline

TACLOBAN CITY, June 21 (PNA) – The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Eastern Visayas calls all landowners who are still planning to convert agricultural lands into housing and resettlement sites super-Typhoon Yolanda survivors to file their applications for land use conversion at the regional office before June 30 this year.

DAR Regional Director Sheila Enciso said that Administrative Order No. 9, series of 2014 or the special rules on applications for land use conversion necessary for the construction of resettlement areas for those affected by the said typhoon is going to expire on June 30.

This special rule increases the authority of the regional directors in Regions 4-B, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 13 to decide on applications for land use conversion as well as the authority of the Regional Center for Land Use Policy, Planning and Implementation (RCLUPPI) to process the same from five hectares to 50 hectares, Enciso explained.

Otherwise, applicants of more than five hectares will be filing their applications at the central office where the Secretary has the jurisdiction, she added.

Enciso explained that under this special rule certain fees and documents required under Administrative Order No. 1, series of 2002 are waived. However, applicants need to secure a certification from the National Housing Authority (NHA) stating that the development is necessary for the construction of resettlement residential areas.

At the moment, record at the DAR shows that only two had filed land use conversion with this office for this purpose. (PNA)

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