BAGUIO CITY — The Baguio City government is set to use digital monitoring tools to address recurring zoning exemptions and ensure that actual development conforms to the city’s land-use plans.

City Planning, Development, and Sustainability Office head Donna Tabangin presented the updated Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) to the Baguio City Council during a review of key city development documents.

Tabangin said the high volume of exemption applications from 2017 to 2026 indicated systemic issues in land-use enforcement.

Many developers had begun construction or business operations before securing zoning clearance, forcing the city to address nonconforming projects retroactively through exemptions rather than established land-use guidelines.

The existing zoning framework also failed to sufficiently align development intensity with the carrying capacity of specific neighborhoods. Road width, water availability, drainage infrastructure, disaster hazards, and environmental sensitivity vary across Baguio, meaning developments that appear compliant under general zoning rules could still strain local utilities or increase risks to communities.

Unmonitored growth has also created discrepancies between official zoning maps and actual population densities. Several barangays have become densely populated despite being designated as low-density areas, while high-intensity projects in areas with narrow roads have worsened traffic and parking problems.

To address these gaps, the city is integrating digital technologies into its planning operations. A key tool is a Digital Twin system, which maps existing physical conditions and establishes a real-time data baseline for the city. The system will work alongside data from the Community-Based Monitoring System to assess long-term development trends.

The proposed Zoning Ordinance adopts a site-sensitive approach through zoning overlays. Instead of relying solely on a property’s base classification, the framework will consider site-specific constraints, including hazard susceptibility, infrastructure capacity, road access, and nearby environmental resources, before projects are approved.

Barangay officials will also have a more active role in enforcement. Under the updated plan, barangay councils may appoint focal persons or committees to monitor construction and report unauthorized developments at an early stage.

City officials aim to make compliance with land-use plans the standard requirement for future developments, moving away from the use of exemptions to accommodate nonconforming projects.