VM Young opposes deadline on CLUP

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young is against setting a deadline to achieve a zero backlog on Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUPs) by 2013.

Young admitted that the idea is good but he believes that it is not achievable by next year.

“It sounds good but to put a deadline on it is not really good. I’m not in favor of giving a deadline on this because it needs to be planned and executed well,” he said.

“I don’t think that it is achievable by next year because we still have lots of problems to solve and we lack finances,” Young added.

Vice President Jejomar C. Binay said CLUPs serve as guide in the rational and sustainable use of land resources.

“Sa pamamagitan ng CLUP, magiging malinaw ang direksyon sa wastong paggamit ng mga lupain, ito man ay mapa-agrikultura, komersiyo, pabahay at iba pa,” Binay said.

In order to achieve this, Binay said the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) has adopted the cluster approach to hasten the preparation of CLUPs and Zoning Ordinances (ZOs) of Local Government Units (LGUs).

“The cluster approach is a strategy of providing or extending technical planning assistance to a group of Local Government Units in the formulation or updating of their respective CLUPs and Zoning Ordinances,” Binay said.

“It also aims to provide an interactive environment where the LGUs can compare and share experiences and ideas on land use and development planning,” the vice president added.

Under the cluster approach strategy, the LGUs forming the cluster will undergo four (4) planning modules to be administered by the HLURB regional offices nationwide.

Priority assistance will be given to cities and municipalities without CLUPs and Zoning Ordinance, and those whose plans are due for updating.

“The approved CLUPs should be periodically reviewed and updated to respond to changes and development trends that have implications on the land use and physical development of the city or municipality,” Binay said.

“These should also comply with national and local laws, policies, and standards, and relevant updates on planning tools, systems, and policy considerations, as well as current development trends,” he added.

CLUP is the blueprint for future physical development of cities and municipalities that is mandated under the Local Government Code (RA 7160) to be adopted and enacted by the local sanggunian through a Zoning Ordinance.

Out of a total of 1,635 cities and municipalities in the Philippines, there are 204 LGUs without CLUPs and 928 LGUs with outdated CLUPs by 2013.

As of April 2012, there were already 94 completed drafts of CLUPs and ZOs ready for review by the concerned Provincial Land Use Committees (PLUCs) or by the Regional Land Use Committee (RLUC).

The PLUC is the reviewing body of CLUPs and ZOs of component cities and municipalities while the RLUC reviews the plans of HUCs and ICCs. — (FREEMAN)