With the support from the WILUP Team, the Municipal Government of Los Baños (MGLB) conducted the continuation of their Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) target setting and Priority Programs and Activities (PPAs) formulation on October 12, 2023 at the AV Room of the Los Baños Municipal Hall. The agenda was to validate the mission, vision, targets, development thrust, and PPAs of the municipality and was attended by representatives from regional government agencies and Los Baños municipal offices. 

The meeting began with the discussion of the proposed Vision and Mission for the municipality, aimed at projecting a vivid picture of its aspirations by the year 2035. Asst. Professor Mario Tercero, WILUP project leader, reiterated the importance of these revised Vision and Mission statements, highlighting the need to ensure that they reflect the history, heritage, and unique potential of Los Baños as a municipality, with a particular emphasis on how the springs can serve as a focal point for ecotourism.

The session shifted its focus to the review of Development Thrust and Target Setting by dividing participants into several groups, each dedicated to specific aspects of Los Baños’ development priorities. These groups include economic/coastal/heritage, infrastructure/physical, forest/ancestral domain/climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction, and social. The participants, as experts in their respective fields, engaged in in-depth discussions about their assigned topics, offering valuable input for the working documents.

The discussion included the examination of PPAs with an essential dataset provided by the Municipal Planning and Development Office which was shared for accessing through a link. It is important to note that this linkage will be particularly instrumental in the crafting of the PPAs by the MGLB, with a special focus on the Local Development and Investment Program.

Moving forward, a link to the CLUP working file will be emailed to other stakeholders for continued coordination. For the Major Development Thrust, inputs from the municipal and regional offices, along with other institutions, will be evaluated. The final output, reflecting collaborative efforts, will be presented to TWG members for feedback and endorsement.