A multi-sectoral policy group indicated the need for Congress to pass into law a bill specifying the best suitable use for the development of identified lands.

"The immediate passage of the bill on land use is important. It will unify land use (which is an improvement of the) SAFDZ in order to develop crops (and other land uses) adaptable to areas," said Dr. Albert P. Aquino, writing panel secretary for the Philippines Agriculture (PA) 2020.

A preceding program on land use classification earlier drafted by government particularly for agricultural processes was under the Strategic Agriculture and Fisheries Development Zone (SAFDZ).

The multi-sectoral program PA 2020 reported that the Philippines as of 2003 has 15.86 million hectares of forestlands of which 14.77 million hectares are already classified and one million hectares are unclassified lands of the public domain.

As a policy, the Philippines should use these forestlands as production areas under sustainable development programs such as through as Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM) rather than these forestlands’ declaration as protected areas, stressed Aquino.

A 2003 data of the National Statistics Coordination Board show that up to 2002, 6.441 million hectares of the country’s land are planted to cereals; 4.046 million hectares, rice; 2.395 million, corn; 4.09 million, coconut; 374,000, sugarcane; 398,000, banana; 45,000, pineapple; coffee, 147,000; and mango, 142,000.

Identification of these lands according to their most suitable use will enable government and the private sector to put up basic infrastructure and other services that will maximize land use.

Besides, fast conversion of agricultural lands into residential use should be averted if mass production of crops over contiguous lands have to be achieved.

"Agricultural lands are very important since crops and livestock production remains as the country’s economic activitites and source of livelihood for majority of Filipinos. As of 2000, estimates of arable lands under temporary crops are 5.66 million hectares. Those under permanent crops are 4.36 million hectares," according to PA2020.

Data showed that destruction of agricultural lands are due to kaingin (slash and burn) where 29,878 hectares of upland was involved, conversion to industrial use, disasters (lahar mudflow).