WHEREAS, it is the policy of the state as declared under Republic Act No. 8435 to assure the availability, adequacy, accessibility of food supplies to every Filipinos at all times;

WHEREAS, the State shall ensure that the poorer sectors of society have equitable access to resources, income opportunities, basic and support services especially in areas where productivity is low;

WHEREAS, the State shall promote food security, including sufficiency in our staple food, particularly the rice supply;

WHEREAS, to meet the needs of the increasing number of Filipinos, there is a need for the production of rice to be optimized to meet our local needs and consumption;

WHEREAS, to ensure sufficient rice supply there is a need for all lands utilized and intended for rice production to be protected from any other land use or conversion;

NOW THEREFORE I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Republic of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and the law, do hereby order the following:

SECTION 1. That the processing and approval of all land conversions applications affecting rice lands and lands mentioned under Republic Act No. 8345 considered as Network of Protected Areas for Agricultural and Agro-industrial Development (NPAAD) which includes and covers all irrigated areas, all irrigable lands already covered by irrigation projects; all alluvial plain land highly suitable for agriculture whether irrigated or not; Agro-industrial crop lands or lands presently planted to industrial crops that support the viability or existing agricultural infrastructure and agro-based enterprises, highlands, areas located at an elevation of five hundred (500) meters or above and have the potential for growing semi temperate and high-value crops; all agricultural lands that are ecological fragile and mangrove areas and fish sanctuaries shall be temporarily suspended for two (2) years.

SECTION 2. The Department of Agrarian Reform is hereby tasked for the implementation of this order.

SECTION 3. All orders, rules and regulations and issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with this Administrative Order are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SECTION 4. This Administrative Order shall take effect immediately after publication in a newspaper of general circulation.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 16th Day of May 2008


By the President:

(Sgd.) EDUARDO R. ERMITA
Executive Secretary