Cagayan de Oro River Dev’t Plan under review

THE Cagayan de Oro River Development Plan is being reviewed by the City Council committee on planning and development chaired by Councilor Ian Mark Q. Nacaya.

As presented by Engr. Ermin Stan B. Pimentel, City Housing and Urban Development Department (CHUDD) officer, during the committee’s recent meeting, the plan prescribes the framework for the sustainable management of the Cagayan de Oro River Basin.

This covers water resources management, watershed management, creation of an institutional framework and physical structure for management, flood-control mitigation and hazard management, community participation which will promote more sustainable management in the basin, socio-economic plan, among others.

Pimentel said the plan, along with its mitigations and interventions formulated from the Sendong experience was already approved in principle in 2012. However, he said, some initiatives done in a broader perspective should also be integrated so as to adapt to the

present state of the city.

CAPACITY-BUILDING

Councilor Nacaya said more capacity-building programs for CHUDD personnel and human resources should be conducted where long-term plans and other relevant matters may be jointly discussed and agreed upon.

These and other relevant matters are expected to create an impact on the different sectors of the city, particularly the marginalized, he further emphasized.

“Sa sunod tuig ato na gyud i-table planning and we will ask experts from USAID and other professionals nga pwede maka assist sa ato kay we should submit nga naa gyud ta pirme kulang sa foresight kay di man kaayo ta experienced. We would also like to send

personnel to some prestigious institutions conducting various training on urban development related to this area,” the councilor explained.

As this developed, the Agriculture and Productivity Office (APO) and other offices were requested to submit their respective plans for integration in the master plan.