A very sensitive plan which immensely matters to how Tagbilaran City should develop and grow in years to come was on Wednesday approved by the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) amidst objection by some city lawmakers

The 12^th SP, which three-year term ended Thursday noon, adopted hurriedly the city’s 10-year Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) even if copies of the 234-page  voluminous material were just recently furnished to the lawmakers

The sensitive volume contains the detailed documentation of the sectoral and special area studies conducted that provided the bases for the preparation of the CLUP, which has eight major sections.

These sections contain demography, physical resources and environment, ecosystem analysis, social services sector, economic sector, infrastructure and utilities sector, and special area studies.

Although Kag. Adam Relson Jala sponsored the adoption of the CLUP, the councilors who abstained said it was then Kag. Bibiano Inting who “forced the issue” of adopting the plan before his term was to expire the day following the session.

Referring to the councilors identified with the Mayor John Geesnell Yap II, some said tyranny of number favoring the approval in haste ruled over and out voted the voices of abstention registered by four councilors.

Kags. Augustinus Gonzaga and Dulce Glovasa and then Kags. Nerio Zamora II and Lucille Lagunay opposed the plan’s “instant” approval because they had not read the whole document.

Soft copies of the plan containing over 200 pages were just e-mailed to the councilors in the afternoon of the day before the session.

Considering its thickness and comprehensive contents, the CLUP could hardly be wholly read overnight, not to mention the fact that one would have to browse lengthily the document on the computer which could be so painful to the eyes.

Silence greeted Zamora’s query if anyone among them in the council had ever substantially read the comprehensive plan as provided to each one of them thru e-mail.

There are concerns which yet need to be addressed thru extensive discussion for a well-informed decision, according to Gonzaga and Lagunay.

The then proposed CLUP was presented in a public hearing last June 20 or just over a week before its approval and adoption by the city council.

Certain sectors, groups and agencies like the Bohol Nature Conservation Society (BONACONSO) and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) raised their own concerns such as policies in the use of coastal areas and port delineation.

Being members of the highest policy-making body of the city government, the councilors and their presiding officer, who is the vice mayor, should know all these concerns for guided legislative action, Gonzaga said.

Gonzaga failed in his move to defer the approval and adoption of the CLUP even for just one or two sessions before its final approval.

He said the very crucial singular document will define Tagbilaran’s landscape in the next 10 years or more and have tremendous impacts on the generations to come.

The CLUP is intended for 2014-2024 period, which suggests that its preparation started way back two years ago but the plan was finally adopted only last week.

But Gonzaga commented, “Nakapaabot gani tag duha ka tuig semana pa bay di aron matun-an pod na namo sa di pa aprubahan sa konseho?”

In her valedictory address before the final session of the 12^th SP adjourned, Lagunay mentioned the passage of the CLUP measure in a hurry among his “regrets.”

Sought for his comment, Inting replied thru text message, “Nahuman na ang consultation unya balik-balik na pasabot, nothing more to discuss.  Ang uban gusto pa more time to discuss.”

Inting, Lagunay and Zamora are among the councilors whose term expired at noon of June 30, Thursday, which was just half a day after the CLUP was adopted in the last session of the 12th SP on Wednesday, June 29.

Inting and Zamora finished their third and last term while Lagunay failed in her reelection bid like former Kag. Jerry Pabe.   (Ven rebo Arigo)