CEBU CITY, Cebu (PIA) -- The Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development (DHSUD) on Tuesday launched the Planado (Plan & Do) program in Cebu City to address urbanization issues in the country. 

The program also marks the start of the journey towards creating greener, smarter, and more resilient communities for Filipinos, said DHSUD Undersecretary Henry L. Yap in his message during the launching. 

“Building homes, human settlements, and communities, it is not just about constructing houses, buildings, or roads, it’s about creating spaces and places where people can thrive, families can live and grow, businesses can succeed, and the environment can be preserved for future generations,” said Acuzar. 

Planado is a five-year program starting this year until 2028 to streamline and digitalize land use and urban planning development and processes in the country. 

Challenges of urbanization

In the last 20 years, the Philippines has continued to grow and urbanize, bringing with it a rapid increase in population and creating more towns and cities. 

Alongside this growth, rural lands have been transformed for residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial purposes. 

Although urbanization brings with it many benefits, it also creates challenges for communities. 

“Urbanization also brings with it problems and challenges on housing, basic services, facilities and utilities, land tenure, and employment. Thus, planning is very important to manage the advent of urbanization,” explained Mylene Rivera, director of DHSUD’s Environmental, Land Use and Urban Planning and Development Bureau (ELUPDB).

Rivera said urban planning in the country is currently plagued by several issues, such as fragmented and disconnected development plans, poor urban planning in designs of cities and municipalities, and limited technical capacity of local planners. 

DHSUD launched the Planado program to address these issues and streamline and digitalize land use and urban planning in the local government units (LGUs). 

“We want to promote urban transformation in our cities to address hazards and structural vulnerabilities, and improve human settlements to be more livable, safe, and resilient,” said Rivera during the launching.

Commitment of support

Five national government agencies gave their commitment of support to the Planado program during the launching, namely: National Economic Development Authority, Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Department of Science and Techonology. 

In his message, PIA Director-General Jose A. Torres, Jr. said the agency will fully support the program’s aims of addressing the human settlement and urban development concerns in the country. 

“We believe that the Planado program is a vital initiative that will improve the quality of life of millions of people who lack access to and affordability of basic human needs. We also encourage everyone, especially the media and those involved in communication to work with us in PIA to support the Planado program and add to its efficacy and sustainability,” said Torres. 

DILG Mandaue City director Johnjoan A. Mende, speaking on behalf of Sec. Benjamin C. Abalos, Jr., emphasized the critical role of the LGUs in ensuring the success of the program.  

“The LGUs are the partners of the NGAs. Their commitment to compliance with risk-informed CLUPs and comprehensive development plans is paramount as per their mandate under the Local Government Code of 1991,” said Mende. 

Call to action 

Under the program, LGUs and urban planning stakeholders will craft and implement plans that are responsive and sustainable.

“Planado is a call to action for LGUs, NGAs, and urban stakeholders to plan. We must also make sure that we implement, execute, perform, and do as we have planned. It’s the only way for the country to sustain our economic growth and development amid the challenges of the times,” said Rivera. 

Planado aims to achieve the following goals: 100 percent of LGUs to have ride-to-reef and risk-informed land use plans by 2028; harmonized and digitized land use plan formulation and monitoring; implementation of innovative urban development and urban green space projects; optimization of use of idle government lands; integrated land use, housing and urban development database; and participatory land use, urban planning and development. 

Under the program, the ELUPDB will provide technical assistance to LGUs in completing their urban planning and implementing their plans. 

The bureau will facilitate the streamlining and harmonization of policies and guidelines on land use formulation review and approval process. 

DHSUD will also conduct trainings for LGUs to ensure that their land use plans are responsive, up to date, evidence-based, well-communicated, and aligned with local development plans.

Christine Delfin Homez, president of the Philippine Institute of Environment Planners in Cebu and head of the Talisay City planning and development coordinator’s office, said the Planado program will be a big help to LGUs from the planning to implementation of their Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUP). 

“Makatabang namo ang Planado in helping us to implement kung unsay naa sa among CLUP. Our vision nga we want to be a ‘smart city,’ nga sustainable among development. Although naa na sa among CLUP, ang steps unsaon pag implement on the ground with some technical assistance, they can help us,” said Homez. 

(Planado will help us to implement what is in our CLUP. Our vision is to be a ‘smart city’ with sustainable development. Although this is already in our CLUP, with their technical assistance, they can help us how to implement this on the ground.)  

Executive Order 72, series of 1993, mandates LGUs to formulate or update their CLUPs in conformity with land use planning and zoning standards. 

CLUP is a planning document which identifies and evaluates appropriate land use and activities to be allowed in each zone in their area.   (JJT/RMN/PIA7)