ILOILO City – Local government units (LGUs) across Western Visayas are being urged to refresh their outdated Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUPs) to ensure they remain relevant in guiding local development over the next decade.
Environmental Planner Eva Maria Marfil, regional director of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) for Western Visayas, stressed the importance of regularly updating CLUPs.
According to Marfil, an updated land use plan is critical to steering a municipality or city’s growth in the right direction.
“It’s crucial for an LGU to have a current CLUP as it sets the course for local development,” Marfil explained.
She also highlighted that major cities such as Iloilo and Bacolod have already updated their CLUPs, while Negros Occidental has revised its Provincial Development and Physical Framework Plan.
To support LGUs lagging behind, DHSUD has been offering training to boost local capacity in updating their land use plans.
Marfil noted that 90 out of 139 LGUs in the region have benefited from these capacity-building initiatives this year alone.
Additionally, 126 LGUs have received technical assistance to better manage land use monitoring and the implementation of zoning ordinances.
Marfil assured LGUs that even if their CLUP has expired, their zoning ordinances remain in force until a new plan is adopted.
However, she urged LGUs to prioritize the updates, particularly because maintaining a current CLUP makes them eligible for the Seal of Good Local Governance awarded by the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
Earlier this year, DHSUD rolled out the Planado Program, a nationwide initiative designed to strengthen LGU capacities in urban planning. By 2028, the program aims to clear all backlogs and ensure that every LGU has a modern and functional CLUP in place. (With a report from the Philippine News Agency)/PN
