COMMUNITY, WEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT:Examining Implications of Agricultural Land Use

Conversionwithin the City of Dasmariñas

A Research Report presented to theFaculty of the Social Sciences Department

College of Liberal Arts

In Partial fulfillment of the Requirements in the CoursePrinciples of Economics with Land Reform and Taxation (SOSC107)

INTRODUCTION

From the beginning, as a default, all lands are considered to be agriculture or

forested lands which primarily function as areas of production of necessities that sustain the

living while of course not inducing so much damage into the natural environment. As an

area begins to develop lands are gradually being altered and converted into residential,

commercial, industrial, institutional etc. Thus, land conversion may be considered as a

partner for development.

Land use conversion, as the alteration of agricultural lands into non-agriculture use

for the sake of adapting to the continuous growth of human needs, is an adverse process to

which advantages and disadvantages affecting the society, economy and environment,

come into an unequal and changing scale of opportunities and threats. Alterations in land

use are traced back to prehistory. As settlements seek for development changes, most

especially during the industrial revolution, industrialization has encouraged the

concentration of human populations within urban areas and the depopulation of rural areas,

accompanied by the intensification of agriculture in the most productive lands. More

recently, urbanized cities suffer from too much congestion and pollution that developments

have already dispersed to neighboring rural areas and the towns after them which resulted

to vast land-use conversion petitions.

For years, the Philippines bidding towards different tags that would entail rise of the

country’s international economic status have been invariably transforming rural landscapes

into a bustling hub of human activity. Encouraged by the constant desire to attract foreign

investments that would generate more employment opportunities, and decongest major

population centers, the government tolerated rampant conversion of productive farmlands

across the country to various urban uses. Large swathes of irrigated agricultural land in the

“rice bowl” provinces of the Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog regions have been

converted to a variety of urban and industrial uses: export processing zones and industrial

estates; institutions such as hospitals and universities; leisure landscapes such as golf

courses, resorts and theme parks; and, most significantly in terms of the area involved,

residential subdivisions. Unexpectedly, despite significant the significant economic growth

within these areas, the process has brought about both mixed results engendering a serious

debate on the real value of agricultural land conversion.

As a former barrio of Imus, Dasmarinas was originally an agricultural town. But due to

its proximity to Metro Manila, urban wave from the metropolitan area has reached the

depths of the barrio now known as Dasmarinas City. Residential, including resettlement

areas, have emerged, occupying most areas of the town. As the population grew bigger,

investors became more and more interested, which eventually brought about land

conversion for industrial, institutional and commercial uses. Due to these developments,

along with the congestion of its proximate urbanized cities, Dasmarinas has been filled with

immigrants from the metro which have already outnumbered original Dasmarinenos.

With the presence of industrial parks and urbanization, potential harvests of crops

has been prolonged causing farmers’ depreciating income which makes it hard for them to

gain their investments back. And because of that, an increase in land conversion has been

eminent.

READINGS

2.1 RELATED LITERATURE

Dasmariñas City Comprehensive Land Use Plan

Dasmariñas, like any other town, has established a comprehensive land use plan to

guide developments within the city. It contain reports and factual sets of information

regarding the city such as the socio-economic profile, land use, history, physical and natural

characteristics and any other data collated into a book to best compile and record

development changes of the city. This CLUP has helped the researchers identify places

where vast agricultural lands are converted into non-agricultural uses. It has also provided

future plans of the local government in relation to their vision and mission. With those things

identified, researchers would be able to determine a focal point for the study and eventually

formulate conclusions and recommendations that would expose the pros and cons of Land

Use Conversion to the Local Government and to its constituents, the Dasmarineños.

Land Use Conversion under the Agrarian Reform LawBy Atty. Jose V. Mejia

As a study focusing on Land use conversion, the researchers must be aware of

several Land Reform Laws as established by the Department of Agrarian Reform. This

literature is then reviewed by researchers for this article created by Atty. Mejia contains an

overview of the Land Reform Law, legal mandate of land conversion, distinction of land

conversion, reclassification and exemption, DAR rules and regulations and other issuances

of DAR.

2.2 RELATED STUDIES

Effects of Land-Use Conversion on Local Agriculture: The Case of Cavite, PhilippinesDANILO C. CARDENASSocio-Economics Research DivisionPCARRD, Los Baños, Laguna 4030, Philippines

“For years, the Philippines’ bid toward NIC-hood has been invariably transforming the once

serene rural landscape into a bustling hub of human activity, inducing the massive

conversion of hundreds of hectares of productive farmlands into various urban uses.

Unexpectedly, the process has brought about mixed results spawning a serious debate on

the real merits of agricultural land conversion. Thus, the significance of the current level of

farmland conversion relative to local agriculture and rural communities was examined.

The study also revealed that aside from the direct loss of productive capacity, the

successive land conversions that have taken place in the past has also negatively influenced

whatever little agriculture remained. These externalities were generally reported to have

taken several forms which imposed additional burdens on existing farming conditions even if

the remaining agricultural lands were not physically altered in any major way. On the other

hand, results of the cost-benefit analysis indicated that agricultural land conversion were

both financially and economically justified. Even when the results were evaluated using

different discount rates, time horizons, and varying combinations of different agricultural

lands converted, the winners have consistently gained more than what the losers lost; and

there were substantial positive net gains for society as a whole. Thus, in general, results of

the study bore that the positive side of land conversion could substantially offset its obvious

disadvantages.”

Quoted above is the abstract of the study reviewed that helped researchers assess

the influence of Land Use conversion in the whole province of Cavite. It may also be a basis

for comparison of issues and/or effects identified by the researchers within the City of

Dasmariñas which will be helpful in concluding the overall advantage and disadvantage of

land conversion to localities affected.

The Politics of Urban-Rural relations: Land Use Conversion in the PhilippinesPHILIP F. KELLY Southeast Asian Studies ProgrammeNational University of Singapore10 Kent Ridge Crescent, SingaporeKey issues on land use,

“By examining the process of land use conversion in Manila’s extended metropolitan region,

this paper suggests that rural-urban relations must be seen as intensely political. The

conversion of rice land into industrial, residential and recreational uses represents a political

process in two senses: first, policy choices are made relating to the use of land that reflect a

particular set of developmental priorities; and second, the facilitation of conversion involves

the use of political power relations to circumvent certain regulations. These points are made

at three different, but interconnected, levels: at the national level of policy formulation; at

the local level of policy implementation and regulation; and at the personal level of everyday

power relations in rural areas. The paper draws upon fieldwork in the rapidly urbanizing

province of Cavite to the south of Metropolitan Manila.”

The above quoted text is an excerpt from the study of Phillip Kelly regarding Land

use conversions in Cavite. It is cited in this research as a related study since it tackles the

effects of Land Use conversion to the locality and their environment. It is a beneficial review

for the completion of the study since it may provide insights, regarding not only the

transformation of the Province of Cavite from rural to urban area but also the political

aspects of land conversion process, which will help researchers fully understand the

situation and issues within the City.

PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA

4.1 DASMARINAS PROFILE (Comprehensive Land Use Plan)

Existing Land Use

The total area of 9,013 hectares of the municipality s divided into four land uses:

urban/built-up areas, agricultural areas, open grasslands and water bodies.

Table no. 1Dasmarinas Land Use 1999

Land UseClassification

AREA(Hectares) Total percentage

Built-up areas 5,756.74 63.87%Residential (3,686.269) 67.20%Commercial (65.000) 1.13%Institutional (180.300) 3.13%

Parks & Recreation (32.520) 0.56%Roads (790.731) 13.74%

Cemetery (30.000) 0.52%Dumpsites (5.000) 0.09%

Agro-Industrial (40.000) 0.69%Special Use (Planned Units

Development) (321.920) 5.59%

NAPOCOR (123.000) 2.10%Industrial areas (300.000) 5.21%

Agricultural Areas 2,045.56 22.69%Open Grassland 785.70 8.72%

Waterbodies 425.00 4.72%

TOTAL 9,013.00 99.96%

Built-Up Area

Urban development as evident in the built-up areas, which constitute about 48.06%

of the total land area, comprise of residential, commercial, institutional, industrial, parks and

recreational as well as cemetery, roads, dumpsite and Special Use or Planned Unit Area.

Built-up areas are present in all barangays with the largest concentration on Dasmariñas

Bagong Bayan (DBB) Resettlement Area, Zone I, I-A, II, III and IV portion of Barangay

Salawag, Paliparan I, II, III, Sabang and San Jose are fast developing in residential areas with

new subdivision locating therein.

DBB Resettlement Areas composed of 44 barangays dominate the central portion.

Influence areas include Salitran III and IV and portion of Sampaloc IV. This is a high-density

built-up area, which is dominantly residential and being a residential area, it has a

commercial, institutional and industrial areas provided to encourage development as a total

self-reliant community.

Agriculture Development Needs

The existing agricultural development in the area shows a downward trend evidenced

by the continuous decrease in the area devoted to agriculture. It has been noted that said

lands are being converted to non-agricultural uses. Likewise, reduction in the physical area

causes commensurate reduction in volume and value of production of the remaining

agricultural areas. This situation has been brought about by an upsurge of the real estate

industry considering the town proximity to Metro Manila. These make the prices of land

lucrative enough for farmer owners, tenants and farm workers to sell their farm lots and

rights to real estate developers. These are manifestations of shifting development trends

which local officials must address to and keep the municipality attitude to the best

alternative towards development.

As per analysis of palay production reveals a great shortage of the crop to meet the

standard requirement of 124 kg / capital /year. Even if the 263.30 hectares of productive

rice land hits the 95 cavans / hectare target, it can only feed 2.27% of the total current

population. Strategies to maximize production and the provision of other sources of

livelihood to the populace, which will enable them to import rice from other areas, can be

adopted to compensate for the loss or inability to provide additional areas for rice

production.

Vegetable and fruit yields may not be commensurate in figures with requirements of

the population but backyard garden and orchard can augment the production data.

Likewise, since vegetable is a very common crop, deficiency is not so much a problem. It

can be acquired through own initiative and at a lower cost. Cropping season can be doubled

or tripled to suffice the requirement. In general, the municipality is more of a food importer.

Residential Areas

Of the total built-up area, about 67.20% are residential areas. These include clusters

of residential units in the different barangays and all existing residential subdivision in the

municipality. There are a total of about 167 residential subdivisions in the municipality.

Barangays Salitran I-IV, Sabang, San Jose, Burol Main, the whole Zone I, I-A, II, III, IV and San

Agustin I-III are generally residential with the presence of several subdivisions projects that

augments local residential areas. Portions of Langcaan I, Sampaloc I-V and Paliparan I-III are

also fast becoming subdivision areas.

With the projected population of 442,572 the gross residential area density is 49.10

persons or about 9.59 households per hectares. This give average lots size per household of

462 square meters. The municipality then is a low density residential area.

For the year 1999, total number of dwelling units is 63,061. Considering the increase

from 1980 to 1990, there is a construction rate of10.67% per year. Using the standard of

one dwelling unit per household, there is a current backlog of 23,373 units to house, the

86,440 households and an additional backlog of 208 units due to obsolescence and decay

which needs replacement.

By the end of the planning period, 2010, there will be a total housing backlog of

172,175 units. Considering an average lot size of 93.20 square meters, the projected

requirement will be 3,220 hectares of residential land.

Institutional Areas

Institutional areas cover approximately 180.300 hectares or 3.13% of the total built-up area.

Schools occupy about 166.6165 hectares. These include public and private elementary,

secondary and tertiary levels institutions of learning. The municipality is the host of the

major universities in Metro Manila that establish school branches in the locality, these are De

La Salle University-Dasmariñas and School of Medicine. Philippine Christian University and

Technological University of thePhilippines. In terms Colleges, computer center and

vocational courses, the municipality had three(3) colleges, 3 computer school and 2

vocational school. The presence of these institutions made the municipality an alternative

site for educational needs of students all over the country and a university center in region.

Other institutions such as government buildings, religious center and health

institution are also included in these areas. The municipal hall and the Catholic Church are

within the central area. The largest health institutions are the 170-bed University Medical

Center at Brgy. Burol which serves not only the local residents but also those of nearby

provinces and the 100-bed Dr. Jose Rizal National Medical Research Center at Dasmariñas

Bagong Bayan.

The municipality has a total number of 49,001 elementary students with 858

teachers and 625 classrooms. To follow the standard ratio of 50 students per teacher and 50

students per classroom, there’s a need of additional 122 teachers and 355 classrooms

and maintenance/repair of 107 deteriorating classrooms.

In high school there are 18,507 enrolled students, 418 teachers and 209 classrooms,

again to follow standard ratio. There’s a need of additional 161 classroom. In terms of

teachers, there is no need to hire but to eliminate campus crowding, proper monitoring

should be done to know if the campuses meets the requirements, so excess students can

transfer to other campuses.

The Municipality has two (2) assisting rural health units and base on the

medical standard of 1 RHU per 50,000 population, there is a current requirement of nine (9)

RHU. By the end of the planning period of the year 2010 and with a projected population of

1,863,206 a total of 19 RHU’s shall have been existing to meet the needs of the population.

In terms of additional medical personnel the projected requirement is shown in table

no. 54. Current requirement for the following medical staff are: Rural Sanitary Inspector (RSI)

– 15 and Rural Health Midwife (RHM) – 36.

Since Dasmariñas has been envisioned as a medical/research center, it is hoped that

all the standards set forth as regard medical resources shall have been strictly complied

with.

Projected Land Requirement

Tables below shows ”Total Projected Land Requirements and Additional Land

Requirements” by the end of planning period, year 2010. These are based on Land use

planning standards and population. It can be noted that the largest users are residential,

industrial and roads requirement. It’s understandable since, housing and livelihood

interconnected with each other through network of roads are basic components of human

settlements. Residential area requirements constitute about 48.93% of the total area

required; industrial, 20.88% and roads 25.05%

Other user such as commercial, institutional, parks and recreation, dumpsite and

cemeteries comprises the remaining 5.14% of the total land requirement. Considering the

existing land users, the additional requirements as presented, is about twice the size of the

municipality. Likewise, as per existing land use, the areas that “may be made available” for

these requirements are open grassland and agricultural areas, totally 2,831.26 hectares that

is 22.22% of the total additional requirements.

Cognizant of the needs of the population in terms of housing, livelihood, facility of

movement and other support services that require land allocation the municipality opted for

conversion of existing agricultural areas on a phasing scheme and the adoption of suitable

development strategies and architectural design that will maximize the use of land to cope

with the requirement.

Table no.22010 Projected Land Requirement

Land Use Classification Total Land Requirement (hectares) Percentage (%)

Residential 8,733.768 48.93Commercial 172.700 0.97Institutional 621.069 3.48Industrial 3,726.412 20.88

Parks and Recreation 14.600 0.08Roads 4,471.694 25.05

Dumpsites 62.107 0.35Cemetery 47.000 0.26

Total 17,849.350 100.00

4.2 DISCUSSION

Being a town traditionally gaining income from agriculture, multiple crops are gained

from the town. As shown on table 3, the town has been gaining so much from agriculture

years before so much land were converted.

Table no.3Agricultural Lands before Conversion

Source: MARO, City of Dasmarinas

The town, as shown on table 3, has much estimated asset value from livestock and it

is noticeable that this agricultural field fed some digits more than a half of the total asset

value of different lands converted for agricultural use. But on farming alone, greatest assets

are seen on multi-story cropping which is estimated to be 506.89 million.

Table no.4Economic Analysis of Land Conversion

Table no.5Reason for Land Conversion

Table no.6Residential Areas converted from Agricultural Lands

Source: MPDO, City of Dasmarinas

Table no.7COMPARATIVE SWOT ANALYSIS OF LAND USE CONVERSIONS

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES OPPORTUNITIES THREATS> land transfer security benefits for farmers> highlights the value of rural lands> reduces farmers’ dependence to land

> pollution> environmental damage> land grabbing> collective ownership of land> social homelessness for the farmers

> attracts more economic development> job openings> attraction of investors> higher government income> higher rate of literacy> urbanization> Development of more housing units for the growing

> congestion> loss of agricultural lands as a food source> corruption> loss of culture> higher rate of criminal activities> breakdown of tight social networks> unemployment> pollution

population of Dasmarinas> Development of more Institutional, Medical, Commercial and Industrial Facilities> economic growth

Table no.8Land Conversion in the Province of Cavite

Source: Cavite Provincial Office

The study found that of the 12,060 ha of land converted in 1990-2000, the biggest

loss (37 percent) of private land had occurred on previously active agricultural lands

covering a total area of 4,412 ha Of this figure, about 2,557 ha were primarily devoted to

the production of food commodities, while another I,855 ha were formerly devoted to key

commercial crops. The second largest type of agricultural lands most widely converted were

the idle lands with an aggregate area of 3,573 ha. On the surface, while this type of land use

did not directly contribute to any significant reduction in productive capacity, it could still

aggravate the current situation by reducing the scope of reserve agricultural lands available

in the future since the conversion of any farmland to other uses is generally irreversible. Of

the total area petitioned for agricultural land conversion in 1986-1994, 45 percent were

exclusively for residential purposes, whereas industrial areas, mix-uses, and recreational /

commercial / institutional / service areas each accounted for only 16, 21, and 6 percent,

respectively.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Societal Effects of Land Use Conversion

Land conversion may pose different effects to the locality depending on the resource

person. Of course, for those who are directly affected by converted lots, like farmers and

their families, there could see more disadvantages to land conversion than advantages

especially if they have depended on farming so much that they do not have an open mind to

the emerging urbanization of the City of Dasmarinas. But on some cases, where farmers

have already adapted and accepted the changes within the environment they live on, they

see conversion as a good start for economic growth since commercial establishments and

known educational and medical institutions have emerged although there were times that

they found rural life where they depended on farming much more easier than the urban life

because during the times that they farm, they do not have to worry about their daily food

expenses.

Land conversion has also caused the breakdown of formerly tight social networks.

Before subdivisions and immigrants have invaded the town, residents have this tight tie

between them like a normal province would have, where bayanihan still exists. But due to

the decongestion of neighboring metropolitan areas, immigrants have fled into the town

eventually outnumbering the original Dasmarinenos.

Economic Effects of Land Use Conversion

As guided by the Local government, it was made known to the researchers that vast

conversion of lands have brought about incomparable revenues to the City that paved ways

for the improvement and beautification of public facilities. But from the residents point of

view these development projects and land conversion appeals have only worsened the

economic situation of the city because of the spreading of corruption.

Environmental Effects of Land Use Conversion

Obviously, the environmental situation of the City didn’t get better and land

conversions which have welcomed urbanization to the City brought about a worsened

environmental situation for the city. As narrated by a respondent, Dasmarinas had become a

lot more like Metro Manila where traffic has been unavoidable and the number of public

vehicles seems to be more than the number of commuters. Other than pollution, like in

Metro Manila, it has gotten hotter in Dasmarinas compared to the old times where trees are

seen almost everywhere.

Therefore, researchers do conclude that land use conversion has been accepted by

most residents based on the survey done. Although in some areas where conversion of land

has been recent, residents has not yet moved on from the event but based on the survey

results the conversion of agricultural land has been accepted by affected residents as the

time passes by for the opportunities that the conversion has brought had compensated the

negative effects that the land use conversion has brought about into their community. But

on areas where residential lands are located to industrial areas, some residents find it really

disappointing to have industrial parks within the area because of the conflicting activities

between the two.

Overall, conversion of agricultural lands hasn’t been an issue to most of the City’s

population and thus it only affects those who are within the area of conversion but are not

left without proper compensation. In addition, environmental impacts of land use conversion

may be minimized through project planning that involves replacement of the greens

removed and improvement of the natural environment.

This research report, given the span of one semester, may be considered as an

introductory study to a more detailed analysis of the land conversion situation in

Dasmarinas. Therefore it is recommended for the study to be further explored so that a

more comprehensive analysis would be developed.