Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) believes the newly approved Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUP) of Ormoc City and the whole of Southern Leyte will help in its recovery from the pandemic.
DHSUD said the CLUPs of Ormoc City and Southern Leyte, the first ones presented to the department since it was created, were found to be compliant with national standards and guidelines.
The 10-year plans will provide directions as to the allocation of land areas for urban expansion, settlement areas, infrastructure projects, production areas and protection areas of the city and the entire province.
“The pandemic has revealed the vulnerabilities of our towns and cities, disrupting people’s lives—but looking at your plan earlier, I am hopeful that Southern Leyte is poised to hurdle this obstacle,” DHSUD Secretary Eduardo del Rosario said in a news statement.
The CLUP will also serve as the foremost basis of land resource utilization in the city as it addresses urban congestion, housing needs, road and waterways, industrialization, as well as watershed and forest management, among other pressing issues.
DHSUD said after the approval of the CLUPs of Ormoc City and Southern Leyte, four more provinces and two cities are scheduled to present their Provincial Development and Provincial Physical Framework Plans (PPFP) and CLUPs for approval and ratification in the next weeks.
By virtue of Republic Act 11201 — the law which institutionalized the DHSUD — the agency is tasked to assist LGUs in the preparation, review and approval of their CLUPs, Provincial Physical Framework Plans (PPFP), as well as Zoning Ordinances and Local Shelter Plans.
“Today, we heard how Ormoc City aims to pursue the growth and development of the city and its constituents. I commend Mayor (Richard) Gomez and his staff for a job well done — this plan will significantly impact the way the city will look and function, dictate the kind of environment your people will live in and shape the future of Ormocanons,” Del Rosario said.