Manila, July 24 -- To further protect agricultural lands in the country, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said it will soon release streamlined and intensified safeguards for the conversion of agricultural lands.

This comes after the agency lifted the moratorium on the issuance of certification on land use reclassification imposed in January, under DA Memorandum Circular 32, series of 2026, signed on June 30.

In an interview, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the agency's recommendation is now in its final draft, with the target release eyed within a week or two.

"Ilalagay sa bagong (It will be put in the new) policy that we will have to identify. We need to maintain at least 3 million hectares of rice land," he said on t...