New PlanSmart tool to help LGUs generate resilient land use plans

The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) announced Thursday that it has officially launched PlanSmart for Sustainable Human Settlements—a digital platform that helps local governments prepare risk-informed land use and urban development plans.

Developed in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) and supported by the World Bank, the platform was created under the PlanSmart initiative and builds on the DoST’s GeoRiskPH system. The tool enables LGUs to collect, visualize, and analyze environmental, demographic, and hazard data to guide smarter and safer development. It also supports the semi-automatic generation of Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUPs), streamlining what has long been a time-consuming process. The project forms part of the policy reforms supported under the World Bank’s US$500-million DRM and Climate Development Policy Loan with a Catastrophe Deferred Drawdown Option approved in November 2023.

To formalize collaboration and data sharing, DHSUD, DoST, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) signed a joint commitment during the launch. The DENR will provide datasets to support climate- and disaster-resilient planning of local government units.

“We welcome the development of the PlanSmart for Sustainable Human Settlements app and its support capacity-building program as tools for our LGUs that are at the forefront of mitigating and managing disaster risks. This app, which will systematically generate CLUPs using evidence-based information, will significantly help LGUs build communities that are more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable,” DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon P. Aliling said.

“Through PlanSmart, it is my vision that we will have a geospatially-enabled Philippines where we evaluate data, time, and location together for better analysis and decision-making,” DoST Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. explained.

“The World Bank, as well as the Global Facility for Disaster Rehabilitation and Recovery (GFDRR), staunchly support this effort led by our national government partners. This is an important means of supporting a unified, inclusive, and forward-looking agenda that builds disaster and climate resilience for long-term sustainable development,” said Zafer Mustafaoğlu, World Bank Division Director for the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Brunei.

“As the custodian of our country’s natural resources, the DENR recognizes that sound environmental data is the bedrock of effective planning. We remain committed to working closely with DHSUD and DOST to advance data sharing, enhance standards and methodologies, and ensure that LGUs are equipped to craft risk-informed, ecologically balanced land use and development plans. Through this collaboration, we aim to deepen the local understanding of the interconnected ecosystems, from ridge to reef, and strengthen the foundations for resilient, sustainable communities,” DENR Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla said.

PlanSmart for SHS is a key component of DHSUD’s PLANADO Program, which aims for 100 percent of LGUs to have risk-informed CLUPs by 2028.

Training activities have begun, starting with 28 LGUs from Regions II and III during a pilot session in Clark, Pampanga, supported by the DRREAL-TA Program. More than 200 LGUs nationwide are expected to benefit from the training.

“This app will significantly improve the way LGUs plan,” Secretary Aliling said. “It’s about planning ahead, not just responding to disasters,” he added.

With PlanSmart for SHS, LGUs now have a tool to shape smarter, more resilient, and sustainable communities.