Mayor warns vs delay in CLUP’s approval
FEARING that Dagupan may soon be overtaken by its neighbors in the economic field, Mayor Belen Fernandez again called on the city’s Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) to finally approve the city’s proposed new Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP).
Fernandez revealed that a number of investors who initially wanted to set up their businesses in Dagupan are already heading to other areas after finding no more commercial place in the already overcrowded business districts in the city.
She said during the KBP Forum last Thursday that Calasiao, Sta. Barbara, Urdaneta City and even San Fernando, La Union have all updated their CLUP responding to the demands of times.
The planned construction of a new city hall is being hindered by the absence of a new CLUP.
The existing CLUP of the city was prepared and approved 40 years ago, Fernandez pointed out.
“That is why, I am asking our councilors to now approve the proposed new CLUP if they really love their city and people. Otherwise, Dagupan will always be at the tail end of economic development,” she said.
The PUNCH sources said the city council is still reportedly unable to act on the CLUP because Councilor Alfie Fernandez, the chairman of the Committee on Land Use has repeatedly refused to calendar the proposed CLUP for deliberation and voting by the city council for still unclear reasons.
The draft of the revised CLUP was not only subjected to a number of public hearings locally but already passed the criteria of the Regional Land Use Committee (RLUC).
Three new growth areas were identified in the proposed CLUP: Lucao-Pantal area, Bonuan area and the Tebeng-Caranglaan area.
Ms. Fernandez said the old CLUP will not enable Dagupan to sustain its enviable position as commercial center city for another 10 years in the face growing challenges posed by its neighbors.
The growth areas established by the old CLUP are now filled to the brim and there is an urgent need for the city to open up new growth areas in order to maintain its reputation as the center of trade, commerce and education in Northern Luzon. (Leonardo Micua)
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