MAYOR Sebastian Duterte greenlighted Executive Order No. 24 creating a technical working group (TWG) to facilitate coordination for the technical and administrative components of the Master Plan for Metropolitan Davao.
Duterte signed the EO on Aug. 19 for a more comprehensive and sustainable urban development Master Plan.
The City Planning and Development Office will chair the TWG, which also counts as members the City Mayor’s Office, City Transport and Traffic Management Office, City Environment and Natural Resources Office, City Engineer’s Office, Office of the City Building Official, Davao Public Transport Modernization Project Team (Davao Bus Project), City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Davao City Investment Promotion Center, City Tourism Operations Office and City Agriculturist’s Office.
It can be noted that the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and the city government conducted the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)-funded technical assistance project entitled “Davao City Infrastructure Development Planning and Management Capacity Building Project (IM4Davao) which created an urban infra development plan and list of priority projects.
These include road and public transportation network development, gateway facilities, water supply systems, industries, treating sewage, and managing solid waste and traffic in the city.
Republic Act No. 11708, Series of 2022, issued on April 13, 2022, provided for the establishment and operation of the Metropolitan Davao Development Authority (MDDA) and the Metropolitan Davao Development Council (MDDC) as MDDA’s governing and policy-making body.
Metropolitan Davao area is composed of Davao City; the cities of Panabo, Tagum, and the Island Garden City of Samal (1GACOS) in Davao del Norte; the City of Digos in Davao del Sur; the City of Mati in Davao Oriental; and the municipalities of Sta. Cruz, Hagonoy, Padada, Malalag, and Sulop in Davao del Sur, Carmen in Davao del Norte, Maco in Davao de Oro, and Malita and Sta. Maria in Davao Occidental, and other cities and municipalities.
NEDA and MDDC requested JICA to prepare a master plan in line with IM4Davao and apply it to the wider Metro Davao.
JICA and NEDA will formulate the Comprehensive and Sustainable Urban Development Master Plan for Metropolitan Davao for the plan period of 2025-2045.
Both parties signed the Record of Discussions on Nov. 10, 2023, effectively greenlighting the Metropolitan Davao project.
The master plan will guide the local government units of Metropolitan Davao to pursue development, especially in land use planning, agri-ecotourism and urban greening, Davao Gulf coastal resource management; Joint delivery of urban facilities and services (transport and traffic, housing, solid waste and wastewater, digital connectivity, water, energy, public security disaster risk reduction-flood control).
