Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. has cleared the way for select agricultural land conversions, carving out exemptions for renewable energy and government socialized housing projects from an earlier moratorium on land-use reclassification.
In a new circular signed March 3, Tiu Laurel allowed the processing and issuance of certificates for land-use reclassification covering green energy developments and socialized housing initiatives, provided these are certified by the appropriate authorities.
The order takes effect three days after its filing with the Office of the National Registrar of the UP Law Center in Quezon City.
“By carving out limited exemptions to land-use reclassification moratorium, we seek to strike a balance in allowing critical energy and housing projects to proceed while keeping most farmland conversions on hold pending policy reforms that will ensure food security in the future,” Tiu Laurel said.
The exemption covers renewable energy projects endorsed by the Department of Energy or other authorized agencies, as well as socialized housing projects implemented or certified by the National Housing Authority and similar undertakings cleared by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).
The move partially lifts the moratorium imposed under Department Circular No. 1 dated Jan. 5, which suspended the acceptance and processing of applications for land-use reclassification until June. The freeze was meant to serve as a safeguard against what the DA had described as “undue conversion” of agricultural lands.
While the broader suspension remains in force, the DA said the exemptions recognize the strategic importance of renewable energy expansion and the urgent need for government-backed housing. The agency maintained that only projects with proper certification will qualify, ensuring oversight remains intact.
All other applications for reclassification will continue to be held in abeyance, including appeals already pending before the Office of the Secretary.
During the suspension period that ends in June, the DA is reviewing existing policies to strengthen regulatory controls, ensure consistency in approvals and better protect agricultural production areas. The department underscored that food security remains a top priority, warning that unchecked land conversions could erode agribusiness investments and undermine long-term national food supply stability.
The DA noted that surging demand for urban expansion, infrastructure projects and local zoning revisions has fueled a rise in reclassification applications in recent years. Without tighter rules, it said, prime agricultural lands could be diverted at a pace that threatens farm output.
