Iligan City Mayor Frederick Siao delivers a speech before stakeholders during the presentation of the new Comprehensive Land Use Plan 2025-2027 on Friday (July 24, 2026). The new plan aims to create zoning and urban planning that will transform Iligan City into a globally competitive local government unit. (Photo courtesy of Iligan CIO)
ILIGAN CITY – The local government of Iligan City on Friday presented the new Comprehensive Land Use Plan that would establish zoning and development plans envisioning a smart metropolis.
At the presentation with stakeholders, Mayor Frederick Siao said the CLUP 2025-2027 is a long-term strategy aimed at transforming Iligan into a globally competitive, resilient and adaptable city to industrial technologies.
“It determines where our children will safely live, where our businesses will grow, and where our natural waters and forests will remain protected,” he said.
Before the new CLUP was finalized, the plan underwent a comprehensive 12-step planning process, including a data-driven diagnostic assessment to evaluate the city’s economic conditions, infrastructure and environmental resources.
The Planning and Development Office outlined that the city will adopt a polycentric development model, which seeks to expand development beyond the urban center by establishing new growth corridors and agro-innovation hubs in neighboring villages, including Ditucalan, Sikyop,and Rogongon.
Councilor Marlene Young, chairperson of the Provincial Board’s Committee on Land Use Plan, Housing Development and Urban Poor, presented the proposed zoning ordinance that will serve as the city’s primary legal instrument for regulating land use to ensure orderly, systematic, and inclusive urban development.
In line with the new CLUP, the proposed Zoning Map and Land Use Quantification outlined adjustments in land allocation, including expanded forest and agroforestry areas and revisions to residential and agricultural zones to address population growth while safeguarding the environment and protecting property rights.
The city previously had a CLUP approved for 2013-2022, and the new plan aligns with national frameworks requiring the integration of disaster risk reduction and management principles, including geo-hazard maps and vulnerability assessments.
Iligan, which serves as a sub-regional center in Northern Mindanao, is projected to see its population increase to nearly half a million by 2040, reinforcing its role as a highly urbanized and industrialized city within the Cagayan-Iligan Industrial and Trade Corridor. (PNA)