Officials from Local Government Units (LGUs) of Basilan were grateful as they enhanced their knowledge and skills on the formulation and updating of their Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUPs) after the training-workshop conducted by the Ministry of Human Settlements and Development, the Housing Arm of the BARMM, on November 24-27 at the LM Metro Hotel, Zamboanga City.

Ustadz Ibrahim M. Haruddain, MPA, Provincial Director for the MHSD’s Basilan Office, officially opened the program explaining the importance of the training-workshop.

“The workshops will help guide the planning and development of your respective areas with the long-range goals and objectives. This workshop is also a preparation and preservation for our next generation and for betterment of the future,” PD Haruddain said.

Engr. Sabturani Bakil, PD for the MHSD’s Tawi-Tawi Office, also graced the training and shared the importance of proper planning.

“Proper planning and having the correct data will impact the cost of the project. That is why it is very important that we invest in our planning,” PD Bakil said.

The workshops began with participants grouped into two, the Writeshop team and the Mapping team.

The Writeshop team was facilitated by the Housing and Homesite Regulation Officers (HHRO) to update their respective sectoral data, while the Mapping team was trained by Arturo Racaza, Geographic Information System (GIS) Specialist, in drafting the required CLUP maps such as base maps, thematic maps, and hazard maps using Quantum GIS.

Engr. Muslima K. Abusama, ELUUDD Officer-in-Charge, presented the Formulation and Revisiting Vision of the CLUP, as well as the required data and tables for the Demography Study.

Presentations from other HHROs were the 12-step CLUP formulation and the Infrastructure and Utilities Sector by Raynan Francisco Cabato, The Social Sector and Contents of CLUP volume 3 (2013 Enhanced Guidelines) by Mursidier A. Sajili, and The Economic Sector by Bensaudi Taludjog.

Other BARMM Ministries were also invited to share invaluable insights and data of their respective Ministries throughout the training.

The agriculture, agrarian and fisheries data, which included subjects on planning, specifically on Rationalizing Local Planning and Land, Property and Patrimony served as a very good reference  book for crafting Land Use Plan, as discussed by Mohaliden M. Mohammad, EnP, Planning Officer III from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform.

The Ministry of Public Works’ (MPW) Roads and Bridges Data was presented by Engr. Mohammad Ali S. Mauna, Senior Environment Specialist. He also emphasized the importance of infrastructure planning specifically in mobility and accessibility.

Vision and Spatial Structure was presented by Mush Abulkhayr Ahmad, Designated Provincial Youth Development Officer from the Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO).

Led by the Environment, Land Use, and Urban Development Division (ELUUDD) of the MHSD, the training had participants composed of Municipal Planning and Development Coordinators, Planning Officers, and Mapping Technicians from the LGUs of Akbar, Albarka, Haji. Moh. Ajul, Haji. Muhtamad, Lamitan, Lantawanan, Maluso, Sumisip, Tabuan Lasa, Tipo-tipo, and Tuburan.