9 June 2026, Cagayan de Oro City — The Cagayan de Oro Trade and Investment Promotions Center (Oro-TIPC), under the leadership of Local Economic Development and Investment Promotions Officer John W. Asuncion, convened a Coordination Meeting on the Proposed Creation of the Development Review Panel (DRP) on June 9, 2026, at Fairways Grill & Restaurant, Pueblo de Oro Golf Clubhouse, Cagayan de Oro City.
The meeting brought together national government agencies, local government offices, housing and real estate stakeholders, and private sector representatives to discuss reforms aimed at streamlining development permit processing and improving the ease of doing business in the City.
Key participants included City Councilor Atty. Edgar S. Cabanlas, Majority Floor Leader of the 21st City Council and Chairperson of the Committee on Subdivision and Landed Estates; Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Region X Regional Director Paris Raymond S. Gaballo; Ms. Esther M. Sumingcan of Pag-IBIG Fund Cagayan de Oro; Subdivision and Housing Developers Association (SHDA) Northern Mindanao Governor Mr. Voltaire Antonio Flores; SHDA NorthMin President Ms. Vivian S. Vestil; Organization of Socialized and Economic Housing Developers (OSHDP)–Cagayan de Oro Chapter President Ms. Rosabelle B. Villanueva; and a representative from Pueblo de Oro Development Corporation.
City government offices included the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA), the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO), the City Housing and Urban Development Department (CHUDD), the Office of the City Building Official (OBO), the City-Local Environment and Natural Resources Office (CLENRO), the Office of the City Engineer, the Business Permits and Licensing Division (BPLD), the City Finance Department (CFD), and the City Assessment Department (CAD).
A Unified Approach to Development Permitting
The meeting opened with a presentation by Ms. Carol Anne M. Chua, Project Development Officer II of the Investment Services Division of Oro-TIPC, who outlined a proposed streamlined development approval framework. The proposal involves transitioning the existing Preliminary Subdivision Development Plan/Development Permit (PSDP/DP) process into a Unified Development Plan (UDP) — a consolidated, inter-agency framework designed to reduce duplication, harmonize documentary requirements, and allow for simultaneous technical reviews by concerned offices.
The Development Review Panel (DRP)
At the core of the reform is the proposed Development Review Panel (DRP) — a multi-disciplinary, inter-agency technical review body that would evaluate major development projects before agency-specific permits and clearances are issued. The DRP would be chaired by the City Mayor, with Oro-TIPC as Co-Chairperson and the City Planning and Development Office as Vice-Chairperson. Member offices would include the Office of the City Engineer, CLENRO, OBO, CHUDD, CAD, CFD, BPLD, RTA, DHSUD, and other relevant agencies.
Under the proposed process flow, project proponents would submit development plans and documents for simultaneous review by all concerned agencies — enabling technical issues to be addressed early and reducing the back-and-forth that currently slows down permitting.
A First for Cagayan de Oro
Participants from both the public and private sectors expressed strong support for the initiative, noting that the DRP would be the first formal mechanism in Cagayan de Oro City to bring together key national government agencies and local government offices under a unified technical review process — aligning requirements, synchronizing evaluations, and facilitating faster processing of development applications.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to continue refining the proposed framework. Through the UDP and DRP, the City Government of Cagayan de Oro aims to reduce processing times, eliminate redundant submissions, improve transparency, and strengthen investor confidence — furthering CDO's position as a competitive destination for business, housing, and real estate investment.n
