The city's revised comprehensive land use plan (CLUP) was already approved by City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog after it was reviewed by the City's Planning and Development Office through the help of City Councilor Edward Yee, chairman of Committee on Zoning.

Yee said after the mayor's approval, this ordinance will be forwarded to the Regional Urban Land Use Committee (RULUC) under the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) for review and then to the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) for confirmation.

He said the HLURB will return the copy to the mayor's office and the mayor will recommend the final approval of the said ordinance to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) for its proper enforcement.

The city government commissioned the expertise of international urban planner and architect Felino Palafox for the revisions after the 14-year-old CLUP which was drafted in 1998 to cover years until 2010, needed revisions to fit the present socio-economic condition, said City Planning and Development Officer Jose Roni Peñalosa.

Peñalosa said that the salient revisions and features of the revised CLUP include: mixed land development uses and urban planning to introduce a more compact Iloilo City, use of public transport to encourage walking and minimal use of private vehicles, encourage measures on open spaces such as public parks and for private lands to maintain open spaces and green buildings, a solid and doable zoning ordinance on enforcement not to be influenced by politicians, a transit-oriented development for private establishments to contribute open spaces, sidewalks, waiting shed, covered walkways and more lighting.

The urban land use plan also covers parking setbacks, the value of business-friendly city to establishments, the natural set-up of six separate city districts to emphasize the waterfront city, multi-centered growth nodes, more responsive strategies for employment, education and tourism, and comprehensive drainage plan for tourism and infrastructures.*