Selected employees of the Ministry of Human Settlements and Development of the BARMM completed their week-long training sponsored by the The Asia Foundation (TAF) on the formulation of Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) held at Punta Isla Lake Resort, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato, on February 1-5, 2021.

Minister Atty. Hamid Aminoddin D. Barra said the training aimed to equip the participants with the needed knowledge and competencies to enhance its technical assistance to the Local Government Units (LGUs) for efficient and effective development of their CLUP.

Chief Administrative Officer Nomaire Madid described the CLUP as a concrete plan used by LGUs to strategize the development of their assigned locations and how to optimize their land use for placement of certain structures and production sites such as schools, central business areas, agriculture and industry, housing, and more.

Madid added that a CLUP must pass through the Sangguniang Bayan to be able to receive a Zoning Ordinance after which, the LGU may begin the development of their specified location following its contents.

A CLUP ideally takes 18 months to be completed but as per observations, it takes ten years, sometimes more, for some LGUs to realize the plan. As per presentation of the resource speaker, each one should be updated every three years or at least after a decade.

Engr. Rahib Labay, with the assistance of Rahib Nando, TAF Capacity Development Officer and Engr. Muslima Abusama, Housing and Homesite Regulation Officer (HHRO)-II of MHSD, served as the resource person of the training and emphasized that the ultimate goal of the development of CLUP is to improve the quality of life in different aspects and sectors.

Representatives from the LGU of Balindong, Lanao del Sur and from the Bangsamoro Transition Authority also attended the week-long training.

Balindong LGU is now 60-80% complete in the realization of their CLUP. The MHSD aims to deliver technical assistance to help the local government finish their comprehensive plan before 2021 ends.

The training focused on the overview of the CLUP with emphasis on the 12 planning processes and its core components such as settlement, infrastructure, production, and protection.

Various assessments and reports on how other regions, such as Mandaue City in Cebu, planned and implemented their CLUPs were also presented to the participants.

During the closing program, Sam Chittick, TAF Country Representative, happily congratulated the participants, via video message on Microsoft Themes, for successfully completing the training.

He also listened and responded positively on the impressions that came from trainees Salembai A. Abdullah, Information Officer III and Yasser M. Salik, HHRO-III who both thanked the TAF and the ministry for the improvement in their knowledge on CLUP and for the inspirations provided to them.

MHSD Deputy Minister Atty Jose I. Lorena and Bangsamoro Director General Esmael W. Ebrahim also graced the training and provided significant inputs on CLUP for the participants.

The second phase of the CLUP training is planned to take place in Cagayan de Oro City either by late February or early March this year.