FIRST, among equals. That is what the City Planning and Development Office (PSDO) aims to be and should be.

It is in this office where ideas are incubated, cultured and developed into plans aimed at improving the city and its residents. The name of the office itself sufficiently explains the reasons for its being.

At the head of this so-called think tank of the local government of the City of Mabalacat is Rosan Paquia, also the concurrent City Administrator which job description solely demands Rosan's time. How does he balance his working time? Placed on the working table (which doubles as conference table) outside his "resident" table are volumes of paperwork needing to be read, scrutinized and acted upon.

Rosan has a way of prioritizing his tasks and, so far, he has acquitted himself well.

Assisting him in his various tasks are his staff: Ellgheeber Mendiola, Philip Gamboa, Gerard Candelaria, Jay Manalo, Ella Gomez, Lorna So, Connie Tuazon, Francis Foronda, Paolo de Leon, Santi Daquis, Eden Zabala, Irish Tolentino, Monalisa Cunanan, Roxanne Dayrit, Iry Lising, Francis Manarang (BAC) Patrick Matitu, Danica Ayson, Khryslerie Alonzo, Ronald

Babadilla, Ed Gabrang and Cezar (Sai) Rivera.

The Office has just completed the Comprehensive Development Plan which serves as the road map of the city government. Previously, it has submitted strategis and institutional development plans for better use of the city.

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In compliance with the DOTr and DILG Memorandum Circular No. 001, series of 2017 which created the Local Public Transport Route Plan or LPTRP, the office has completed and submitted the plan, the first LGU to submit the LPTRP draft to the LTFRB.

The LPTRP is required before the LTFRB can issue new and renewal of franchises to PUJs.

Cities, municipalities and provincial governments are required to craft a plan within 6 months after the workshops participated in by the staff of the City Planning and Development Office. The plan will be evaluated by the LTFRB and be adopted by the local legislative department of the LGU before its implementation.

The Local Public Transport Route Plan is a plan detailing the route network, mode and required number of units per mode for delivering public land transport services.

With this plan, the city's local public transport services will be rationalized and improved.