HLURB, mayor laud UNDP’s land use

ORMOC CITY, Philippines — An official of the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board-Region 7 lauded the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for fulfilling a major role in the production of the supplemental guide handbook for the conduct of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP).

Zenaida Estur of HLURB-7, in her visit to the city, told The Freeman that the handbook — in four volumes including the conduct of mainstreaming of Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction into the CLUP — is being used by the agency throughout the country.

“The board approved the handbook in 2014. Since then, we in the HLURB have been using it in the conduct of CLUP to the local government units. We are thankful to the UNDP,” she said.

Mayor Grace Casil of Biliran town in Biliran province also praised UNDP’s assistance extended to the local government unit. “We could not find the exact words to thank UNDP,” she said citing her experience with invited investors who always ask her if Biliran has a CLUP.

The continuing CLUP process, the latest of which was held from August 8 to12 in Ormoc City, is now nearing completion in Biliran.

Dario Cubelo, UNDP area coordinator, said Biliran town will be the first one, among eight LGUs in Biliran province to have a CLUP. Biliran, which has 11 barangays, is now in the process of consolidating the output of the recent workshop.

The CLUP’s seminar-workshops have been attended by elected officials, barangay chairmen, department heads and government officers with HLURB as resource entity. (FREEMAN)