Two Mindanaoan senators have been pushing for the creation of the Metropolitan Davao Development Authority as a means to address the growing needs of Davao City and nearby areas through the services it will provide.
Senators Christopher “Bong” Go and Ronald dela Rosa said the creation of MDDA will help spur growth in the region.
The MDDA, Go said, will has such tasks as development planning, transport management, solid waste disposal and management, urban zoning, land use planning, shelter services, health and sanitation, as well as public safety.
“Considering the rapid urbanization of Davao City and increasing population of the cities of Panabo, Tagum, and the Island Garden City of Samal, in Davao del Norte; there’s so much traffic now,” Go said.
The former presidential aide said it is imperative that “we create an agency which can centralize and oversee” the development efforts and initiatives that deal with the challenges faced by Davao.
Since Davao region is one of the centers of development in Mindanao, Go said that the MDDA can serve as a gateway to extend the development to other regions in Mindanao.
Prior to the pandemic, the Davao Region’s gross regional domestic product grew by 7% in 2019, according to the data from the Philippines Statistics Authority. The region also accounts for 4.7% of the country’s entire GDP.
Dela Rosa for his part emphasized “the importance of having a properly coordinated, if not unified, plans for infrastructure, security and disaster resiliency, waste disposal, traffic,” among LGUs while still enjoying independent local autonomy.
The former top cop from Davao said that the alignment of policies, projects, and programs under the MDDA will ensure unhampered growth of the entire region, and not only the region’s major city.
“The creation of the MDDA will give rise to strong coordination in development planning in the region thereby assuring steadfast achievement of sustainable inclusive economic growth. Ultimately, this will redound to the benefit of our national economy,” he said.
Dela Rosa noted that despite the adverse effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Philippine Statistics Authority ranked the entire Davao Region as the 5th highest per capita GRDP and Gross Regional Domestic Expenditure in 2020 out of the 17 regions across the country, improving its ranking from 6th in 2019.
The proposed MDDA shall have jurisdiction over Davao City and the nearby cities of Panabo, Tagum, and the Island Garden City of Samal, in Davao del Norte; the City of Digos in Davao del Sur; and the City of Mati in Davao Oriental, and the municipalities of Sta. Cruz in Davao del Sur, Carmen in Davao del Norte, Maco in Davao de Oro, and Malita in Davao Occidental.