CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA) — The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD)-10 and the Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, Inc. (Oro Chamber) are urging local government units (LGUs) for the timely update of Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUPs). This move aims to meet the changing needs of local government units (LGUs) and attract long-term investments in Northern Mindanao.
DHSUD-10 Assistant Regional Director Rey Niog emphasized the urgency of CLUP updates during a November 11 press conference. He explained the need to adapt to rapid urbanization, population growth, and infrastructure development.
Although CLUPs do not have an official expiration date, Niog pointed out that many existing plans fail to reflect the realities of rapidly growing communities.
“CLUPs don’t expire, but many approved plans no longer meet the needs of their locality. For instance, Cagayan de Oro’s CLUP no longer addresses the city’s growth, particularly urbanization. That is why they have to update their CLUP,” he said.
Niog confirmed that Cagayan de Oro is amending its CLUP, which is now under regional review.
“For some LGUs, they are still in the process of updating. CLUP cannot be done within one month because it has four modules. As per experience, the preparation of CLUP takes more than one year because of the several studies, mapping, enumeration, then consultation at the barangay level, consultation at the province for component cities and municipalities, and highly urbanized cities at the regional level and national level,” he added.
The Oro Chamber has long advocated for completing Cagayan de Oro’s updated CLUP, which will guide the city’s development and attract investors.
Raymundo G. Talimio, Jr., chair of the Oro Chamber Board of Trustees, reaffirmed the Chamber’s strong support for the plan’s timely finalization, citing its crucial role in stimulating economic growth and identifying key areas for investment.
“One of the first things investors want to see is the CLUP because that’s where they will invest. We are pleased with Cagayan de Oro’s proposed CLUP, which is set for completion by the end of this year. We have been pushing and working hard with that for the last two and a half years, for the city to have one. We are also grateful to the USAID because they came in and they were able to assist,” Talimio said.
He said the updated plan will unlock new investment opportunities by identifying four new growth areas within Cagayan de Oro, ensuring that the city remains competitive in attracting businesses.
Talimio explained that they are collaborating with the city government of Cagayan de Oro to make “Invest in Cagayan de Oro” a regular program starting next year. They plan to visit key cities like Metro Manila and Cebu to promote the advantages of investing in Cagayan de Oro. He emphasized that to do this effectively, a clear and finalized CLUP is necessary to highlight the investment opportunities for potential investors. (APB/PIA-10)
