DAGUPAN CITY, May 23 (PNA) — Mayor Belen Fernandez hailed the approval of the revised Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) of Dagupan by the Regional Land Use Committee (RLUC) of Region 1 which, she said, will chart the future of her city for the next 10 years.
Fernandez led a delegation of Dagupan City officials that attended the RLUC meeting on May 22 at the National Economic and Development Authority (NtEDA) regional office which discussed and approved the revised CLUP of Dagupan.
The RLUC meeting was presided over by NEDA Regional Director Nestor Rillon as chairman with Director Teresita Galacgac of the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) as vice chair.
The salient feature of the revised CLUP is the addition of three new growth areas of Dagupan, namely the Lucao-Pantal area designed for tourist-oriented establishments, like hotels and restaurants, Bonuan area, proposed site of high end residential subdivisions; and the Tebeng-Caranglaan area which is designed as location for warehouses and industrial establishments.
The Lucao-Pantal area is also being eyed as the location of the proposed Dagupan fish port and a government center.
Fernandez said Dagupan needed new growth areas to stay competitive and catch up with many fast-rising cities in Luzon and the entire Philippines.
She said the new growth areas would make Dagupan more business friendly as it assured adequate spaces for expansion by existing business establishments and for new investments coming from the outside.
The mayor was accompanied to the RLUC meeting by City Administrator Farah Decano and City Planning and Development Officer Romeo Rosario who was the one who made the presentation of the revised CLUP before the committee.
All three defended the revised CLUP which they said was the biggest hope of Dagupan and its people to rise further to greater heights in the face of various challenges, including the coming Asean integration.
After its approval by RLUC, the revised CLUP will be returned to the city council of Dagupan for final review and approval.
But the same would be finally submitted to the National Land Use Committee chaired by NEDA for final approval before it can become operational. (PNA)