Former Philippine Senator and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima filed a bill to limit the conversion of agricultural lands, warning it threatens food security. "If the government's priority is food security, it must end the haphazard conversion of our agricultural lands," she stated. The bill requires three national agency certifications before land can be reclassified. Citing government data, de Lima said 98,939 hectares were converted between 1988-2016. "The right to adequate food is a fundamental human right that the government must protect," she emphasized. "This means safeguarding our farmlands and empowering our farmers."
