TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Mayor Darwin C. Estran֮ero said that government agencies responsible for the conversion of lands must first secure the appropriate clearance from the local government prior to approval to ensure collaboration in striking the needed balance between development and food security.
He claimed that local officials were surprised to know that some vast tracks of agricultural lands have already been converted into subdivision or industrial sites without the consent of the local government which will have an impact on the implementation of the zoning and other plans of the city in the future.
“We need to maintain the existing width of our roads to avoid future traffic problems in the future. We have also to ensure that our agricultural production will not be affected so that we will maintain the city’s status as a major producer of rice in the Cordillera,” Mayor Estran֮ero stressed.
The local chief executive disclosed that one of the provisions of the city’s comprehensive land use plan (CLUP) is the restrictions on conversion of lands within 100 meters from the center of the road to ensure that the roads around the city will remain wide for the convenience of the public.
“We call on government agencies responsible for the conversion of lands to first secure the necessary clearance from the city before approving the said request so that we will be able to align our efforts to strike a balance between development and agricultural production<’ Estran֮ero added.
According to him, there have been numerous inquiries from prospective investors which had been received by the local government over the past several months but the fact remains that Tabuk is also an agriculture area that is why there is a need to maintain a balance between development and food production.
The mayor claimed that the local government is in favor of development but it must be done pursuant to established parameters to ensure the preservation and protection of the city’s environment and food production to avoid future problems of rapid urbanization just like what is happening in other similarly situated cities around the country.
He admitted that robust development in the city that is why the same must be done pursuant to the rules and regulations that were already put in place to avoid future complications and problems that will have an impact on the city’s condition which will jeopardize the city’s progress in the future.
However, the city official claimed that the local government will respect prior rights of individuals that were able to secure their titles to their properties that fall within the 100-reter restrictions on both sides of the road to avoid legal problems that will arise in the future once the affected individuals will seek legal action against the city.
