Liloan’s land use plan

Iwrite to request the immediate retraction and removal online of an article published today on Sunstar Cebu, page A18, Business Section and on www.sunstar.com.ph, titled “Revisit land use plans, LGUs urged” written by Jeandie O. Galolo.

While the article prominently mentions the Municipality of Liloan and contains false and damaging information against it, it is noted that no previous efforts were made by the writer to contact the Municipal Government of Liloan to verify the information published therein. Further the information contained in the article is belied by public record.

The article features an interview with Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) 7 Officer Francis D. Ordeniza and highlights the duty of local governments under Section 20 of the Local Government Code of 1991 to prepare its respective comprehensive land use plans and to enact the same by way of a zoning ordinance. Unfortunately, it also states erroneous and false information, to wit:

“Meanwhile, Bogo City and the towns of Carmen, Malabuyoc and Liloan in Cebu do not even have a land use plan, data from the HLURB revealed.”

I have written a letter-request to Ordeniza to immediately issue a written statement correcting and clarifying the erroneous and false information. The letter states, thus:

“As early as July 23, 1978, the Municipality of Liloan had already approved a land use plan through Sangguniang Bayan Resolution No. 170, entitled ‘Approval of the Land Use Plan of the Municipality of Liloan, Cebu.’ Moreover, on Dec. 12, 1982, the Sangguniang Bayan of Liloan passed Zoning Ordinance No. 9, Series of 1982; and on Dec. 13, 1993, it passed Zoning Ordinance No. 93-06.

“On June 1, 2009, the Sangguniang Bayan of Liloan amended and repealed the previous Zoning Ordinance through its passage of Zoning Ordinance No. 2009-07, titled ‘An Ordinance Revising the Zoning Regulations of the Municipality of Liloan, Cebu and Provising for the Administration, Enforcement and Amendment Thereof and for the Repeal of All Ordinances in Conflict therewith.’ Thereafter, on Oct. 13, 2009, the Sangguniang Bayan of Liloan passed Resolution No. 2009-147, titled ‘A Resolution Adopting a Comprehensive Land Use Plan for the Municipality of Liloan, Cebu.’

“Subsequently, on Nov. 16, 2011, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of the Province of Cebu passed Resolution No 1726-2011, titled “Approving the CLUP of the Municipality of Liloan, Cebu for the planning period 2009-1018 and the Zoning Ordinance of the Municipality as amended.”

The implications of the erroneous and false information on the alleged nonexistence of Liloan’s land use plan are far reaching, and the damage caused, incalculable. It unfairly dampens the economic climate of Liloan and its viability to existing and potential investors, not to mention that it baselessly imputes a violation of law by local officials and implies that the local government is governing without a clear plan for land use and development. This is simply not true.

To prevent further damage to the Municipality of Liloan, I request that Sunstar Cebu immediately issue a retraction of the article and to remove said article from www.sunstar.com.ph.-- Mayor Ma. Esperanza Christina C. Frasco, Municipality of Liloan