By LITO RULONA Correspondent THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has advised city hall to go slow on the conversion of farmlands into residential and commercial areas even as it pointed out that the city has been sacrificing its productive lands in the name of development. Noel Supremo, DAR officer-in-charge and chief agrarian reform project officer for the province, told councilors during discussions on the proposed Integrated Zoning Ordinance (IZO) on Friday that there was a need for local officials to balance the city’s interests and be selective in the conversion of lands. “Study shows that the vast rice production areas in Cagayan de Oro are now under threat due to conversions of agricultural land to subdivisions and commercial areas. Ang development dili patas or equal tungod kay mahutdan ta og rice fields,” Supremo said. He cited three barangays here that are fast losing rice production areas: Iponan, Canitoan, and Pagatpat.  He said rice production in these villages plunged as a result of real estate development. Supremo urged local officials to strictly regulate land conversions and identify agricultural production areas so that these are not developed into residential or commercial areas. “Mawala na atong lagutmon, kahumayan og otanon tungod kay napuno na kita og mga balay. In order to preserve the remaining productive lands, local officials should identify these areas, and set guidelines so that these are not converted. Dili dapat,” he told councilors. Supreme also called on city hall, particularly the City Planning and Development Office, to spread out the real estate development especially to outlying villages that have always been poor in terms of agricultural production. Councilor Alexander Dacer, chair of the city council’s committee on subdivisions and landed estate, said the proposed IZO is also intended to identify areas considered as “danger zones,” particularly villages near water passages, as part of city hall’s climate change mitigating measures.