ESSC and the Municipality of Pilar in Bohol Province are undertaking a partnership agreement to build and strengthen the Geographic Information System (GIS) capability and to review and update the 1997-2006 Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) of the local government.

The CLUP meanwhile is one of the fundamental tools for local governance and decision-making. Specifically, a CLUP is a policy guide for the regulation of land uses within the LGU's territorial jurisdiction. It defines the policies of the local government on settlements, protected and production areas, and infrastructure that should be consistent with the overall development vision. The CLUP normally has a timeframe of 10 years and subject to a review every five years.

More than 63% of Pilar's land area is devoted to agriculture. It also has within its territorial jurisdiction the Malinao dam, the biggest impounding dam in the province, which services 4,600 hectares of rice production areas not only of Pilar but of the municipalities of Dagohoy, San Miguel, Alicia and Ubay as well. The headwaters of three major watersheds (Wahig-Inabanga, Carood and Ipil watersheds) in the province and a substantial portion of the Eskaya CADC are also located within the municipality.

The Municipality of Pilar has been a recipient of ODA-funded projects. The establishment of the PhP 142M Koieca-funded 142 million pesos grains processing facility and the forthcoming implementation of the ADB-funded Integrated Natural Resources and Environmental Management (INREM) project are among the expected developments in the municipality by 2011.

In view of these developments and other potential growth initiatives of the municipality, LGU-Pilar intends to strengthen its institutional capacity and clarify its strategic direction in their land use planning. The proposed partnership also provides another opportunity for LGU-Pilar and ESSC to reinforce their past engagement which started a decade ago through the Carood Watershed Management Council.