Metropolitan Davao: Recommendations Paper

Metro Davao, formally known as Metropolitan Davao, is one of the metropolitan areas in the Philippines located in the Mindanao Island group. It includes the cities of Davao, Panabo, Tagum, Island Garden City of Samal, Digos, and Mati, as well as the municipalities of Sta. Cruz, Hagonoy, Padada, Malalag, Sulop, Carmen, Maco, Malita, and Sta. Maria. It is the largest metropolitan region with a total area of 6,492.84 km2. According to geographical studies, only 12% of its land area is urban, with the majority being rural. Even so, over 80% of the population resides in urban areas, primarily in Davao, Tagum, and Digos. Its population as determined by the 2020 Census of Population and Housing is 3,339,284 with a population density of 510 inhabitants per square kilometer or 1,300 inhabitants per square mile (Philippine Statistics Authority, 2021).

Most of the regionʼs inhabitants are Cebuano speakers while English is the medium of instruction in schools. In addition to the languages native to the region, such as the Giangan, Kalagan, Tagabawa, Matigsalug, Ata Manobo, and Obo, Chavacano, and Hiligaynon are also extensively spoken. Other languages spoken in the region include Maguindanao, Maranao, Sama-Bajau, Iranun, Tausug, and Ilokano.

Aside from its cultural diversity, Metro Davaoʼs economy is also one of the biggest in the country and the most affluent in Mindanao. Davao City—from which the metropolitan region derives its name—is known as the “Crown Jewel of Mindanao” because of its position as Mindanaoʼs financial and commerce center. Tourist hotspots are also all over the region such as the Philippine Eagle Center, Mount Apo or “grandfather of Philippine Mountains,” and Eden Nature Park.

Aside from tourism, agriculture is also a formidable sector within the metropolitan area. With its expansive terrain, rich soil, and favorable climate, there is an abundance of various fruits produced such as banana, coconut, durian, mangoes, mangosteen, and pomelos. These products are supplied to both local and international markets, generating income for the residents and contributing to the metropolitan as well as the national economy. In addition to rapidly expanding commercial and land projects, the region is also home to prestigious universities including the Ateneo de Davao University, the University of Philippines Mindanao, and the University of Mindanao.

Ateneo De Davao University UP Mindanao University of Mindanao

Philippine Eagle Center Mount Apo Eden Nature Park

Metro Davao initially lacked a formal legal framework during its early stages of development. It neither obtained recognition through an act of Congress, an executive declaration by the President, nor a formal agreement among the constituent cities and municipalities within the metropolitan area.

In comparison to the case of Metro Manila, the component cities and municipalities were grouped into a province through a decree issued by then-President Ferdinand Marcos. From then on, Greater Manila, as it was known earlier, became Metro Manila.

In 2022, as part of the national government's strategy to invigorate major cities and encourage their expansion in terms of physical planning and urban service delivery, the establishment of Metropolitan Davao was realized. This was accomplished through the enactment of RA 11708, also known as "An Act Creating the Metropolitan Davao Development Authority, Defining Its Powers and Functions, and Providing Funds Therefor." Recognizing the rapid urbanization of Davao City and the rising population in neighboring cities and provinces, the government decided to establish Metropolitan Davao as a special development and administrative region.

Presidential Legislative Liason Office (PLLO) Creating the Metropolitan Davao Development Authority (MDDA) on January 27, 2022

RA 11708 created a special body known as the Metro Davao Development Authority (MDDA), which was mandated to administer the necessary powers and functions for the effective management of Metro Davao. Through the enactment of this law, the MDDA was granted the authority to carry out its duties in facilitating the development and coordination of the metropolitan region.

The Metropolitan Davao Development Authority (MDDA) exercises its jurisdiction over various areas in Mindanao. These places include the following cities and municipalities:

Cities

Davao City

Panabo

Tagum

Island Garden City of Samal, Davao Del Norte

Digos, Davao Del Sur

Mati, Davao Oriental

Municipalities

Sta Cruz, Davao Del Sur

Hagonoy, Davao Del Sur

Padada, Davao Del Sur

Malalag, Davao Del Sur

Sulop, Davao Del Sur

Carmen, Daval Del Norte

Maco, Davao De Oro

Malita, Davao Occidental

Sta. Maria, Davao Occidental

The Metropolitan Davao Development Authority (MDDA) is entrusted with various functions to facilitate the effective management and development of the metropolitan area. The MDDA is tasked to formulate and implement comprehensive and integrated development plans that are aligned with the Davao Regional Development Plan (DRDP) and Philippine Development Plan (PDP). It is also responsible for the promotion of sustainable urban development by establishing policies related to traffic management, waste management, as well as public safety and security. In addition to its policy-making role, the MDDA conducts assessments and offers recommendations to the Metropolitan Davao Development Council concerning development permits for residential, commercial, and industrial purposes. This encompasses major land development projects that possess a substantial impact on transportation and traffic across the local government units (LGUs) operating within Metropolitan Davao. The MDDA also serves as a platform for fostering collaboration and coordination among the different local government units (LGUs) within Metro Davao. It encourages joint efforts in addressing common issues and pursuing shared development goals.

These are just some of the functions that RA 11708 mandates the MDDA to do. These functions collectively aim to foster sustainable growth, improve the quality of life for residents, and promote the overall development of Metro Davao as well as Mindanao.

As of now, the Metropolitan Davao Development Council is yet to be established due to the ongoing process of finalizing the IRR of the law. As such, the Metropolitan Davao Development Coordinating Committee (MDDCC) operates as the interim body of the Metropolitan Davao Development Council (MDDC). Serving as a transitory structure, the MDDCC facilitates inter-LGU cooperation and functions as a mechanism for coordinated planning, investment programming, project facilitation, and monitoring of development initiatives within Metropolitan Davao.

Davao Regional Development Plan

Philippine Development Plan

On Transportation Roads

The 1,689.96 kilometers of national highways in the Davao Region are divided into 464 kilometers of major roads, 861 kilometers of secondary roads, and 363 kilometers of tertiary roads. The building of 1,586 kilometers of roads in barangays designated as geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs) as well as conflict-affected areas (CAAs) is noteworthy; it took place during the first quarter of 2022. By fostering inclusive development and addressing the particular difficulties these communities confront, this program seeks to increase accessibility and connection in these regions.

High Priority Bus System

Davao City, as the LGU leading the metropolitan area as early as the establishment of the MDCCC and serving as the center of Metro Davao, spearheaded the creation of a public transport master plan. The plan is called Davao High Priority Bus Project System (HPBS). It is centered in Davao City but will involve major roads that are connected to other members of the metropolitan area.

In the interim, the Interim Bus Service will serve as a prelude or a testing phase for the HPBS. It is similar to the modern jeepneys proposed by the national government, but it is longer; 12 to 18 inches is the standard size for the Interim buses. Its major innovation would be an e-payment system (through beep card or QR code) but it failed to materialize, so it remained cashbased.

Once the HPBS becomes fully operationalized by the third quarter of 2023, it will traverse e a total of 29 routes, including the routes served by the Interim Bus Service. 1,000 bus units will replace 7,000 jeepneys in the hopes of decongesting the city.

The HPBS will be composed of 4 tiers:

Metro Davao - will form the core services that connect all major commercial centers along five routes;

Davao Inter - will run along with eight routes connecting the inner urban areas directly to the Davao Central Business District;

Davao Feeder - will run along nine routes linking smaller centers and areas of more dispersed populations to the Metro Davao services; and

Davao Local - will provide a link between the outer rural areas of Davao City and the main transport system or the integrated terminals.

Furthermore, the HPBS has three programs under it: (1) a modern bus system that will employ a cashless payment system, (2) a bus school to train potential bus drivers, and (3) a social development program for displaced jeepney drivers in monetary or non-monetary form (e.g. livelihood training programs, scholarships)

1. 2. 3. 4.

On Transportation

Mindanao Railway Project

The first phase of the Mindanao Railway Project will run from Tagum to Digos, passing through Davao City. By 2019, construction was expected to commence but it was snagged because first, the project proposal did not properly reflect the kind of terrain where the rails will be placed. Based on an interview with then-Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan, what the feasibility study assumed is a flat terrain, instead of round. Moreover, the Mindanao Railway Project will be 80% funded by China but the Chinese investors had backed out. The second reason implied a political issue.

Since the government will not be able to fully finance the project, they are deliberating on other foreign investments, specifically from Japan and Indonesia. They also plan to replace make the railway diesel-fueled, instead of electricity-powered, and single-tracked, instead of double-tracked (except for Davao City which will remain double-tracked) to cut costs.

However, due to political and fiscal reasons, it was shelved for a very long time, and up until now, there is uncertainty regarding the projectʼs future. As early as the 1980s, the Mindanao Railway Project has already been on the policy agenda. Despite starting land acquisition as early as 2018 which affected many individuals, the projectʼs future remains futile.

Mindanao Railway Project

The affected residents were told that they would receive compensation but they were to process it by themselves. If they did not comply, their lands would be forcibly taken by the government (Elemia & Maitem, 2022). In a similar report, the Mindanao Railway Project was one of the big ticket projects under the Build, Build, Build Program of the Duterte administration. There was no proper information dissemination about the status of the project; hence, residents were not informed that the construction has been postponed.

More importantly, the Mindanao Railway Project will affect many IP communities. Many IPs are being displaced by the HPBS and many more to follow once the project has been continued. Hence, there is a need for a consultation and a comprehensive IP resettlement plan.

The metropolitan government also reports the transportation sector with the development of its national roads, primary roads, secondary roads and etcetera with an emphasis on their construction as a means to address the issue of geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas or GIDAS and conflict-affected areas or CAAs. Other major concerns with this sector involved the inefficient internal mobility that includes the issue of agricultural production areas in Davao de Oro and Davao Oriental having limited access to the markets, constraining the supply chain and causing disruptions (RDC XI, p. 227).

On Coastal Resource Management

On Housing

The 2023-2028 DRDP illuminates to us the challenges the Davao region has had to face. Included here are the high housing backlogs due to the increasing population and the high inmigration (or the moving into a new region); the limited affordable housing packages for the underprivileged, & the proliferation of informal settlements; the limited human and financial resources of LGU in completing and implementing the Local Shelter Plans (LSPs); areas of improvement in disaster risk mitigation plans such as the proofing of housing and resettlement facilities in the regionʼs households; the low compliance by the LGU to the Solid Waste Management Act;

To address these Housing issues, Davao Region states in its development plans to be in line with the national governmentʼs “Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino: Zero ISF Program for 2028” which the main objective is the construction of six million housing units for the next five years. Alongside this, the region intends to streamline the completion of the following: Resettlement Assistance Program to LGUs (RAP-LGU); Housing for ISFs affected by Government Infrastructure Projects; Housing for ISFs Living along Danger Areas; Government Employee Housing Program (GEHP); and the Housing Assistance Program for Indigenous Peoples (HAPIP) - all encompassing different sectorsʼ needs for housing as aimed to be addressed by the government of Davao Region.

However, there must be emphasis that the metropolitan government immediately address the streamlining of bureaucratic processes necessary to grant affordable housing to those in need and ensure equity and accessibility, and the lack of socioeconomic opportunities in relocation sites.

On Disaster Risk Reduction and Management

There are areas within the Davao Region that are extremely vulnerable or prone to landslides and rain-induced landslidesThe cities of Tagum, Panabo, Davao, and Digos; the municipalities of Carmen and Nabunturan to name but a few. And the 2023-2028 DRDP reports that in Davao City alone, 138 of its barangays, or 78% are highly vulnerable to flooding. There are also settlements that are encroaching on proclaimed Protected Areas and have begun to proliferate as reported by the Regional Development Council XI, especially in the protected landscapes or seascape areas of Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur and etc.

To address these, the region has acknowledged that it needs to have plans for vulnerability reduction especially with its spatial development as aiming to maximize the benefits of urban-rural development while bettering its disaster-resilient and climatechange adaptive communities to the “key spatial strategies of regional agglomeration, and connectivity,” as realized through the Davao Regional Spatial Development Framework (DRSDF) 2015-2045. This framework seeks to address inequalities in the areas of space and socioeconomics through the development of linkages of lagging areas or regions with leading ones.

On Land use planning and urban development

The MDDA plans to have a comprehensive land use plan (CLUP) and comprehensive development plan (CDP) for the whole metropolitan area that will serve as a guide to CLUPs and CDPs of each participating LGU. However, the governing body is not yet fully operationalize so the aforementioned plans remain fragmented.

On Land use planning and urban development

Nevertheless, urban developments in Metro Davao are ubiquitous. The bridge connecting Davao City and the Island Garden City of Samal (IGACOS) is a high-impact project under the Build, Build, Build program of the Duterte administration. It can spur economic development both in Davao City and IGACOS because there is now an added option for transportation, aside from the ferry boats. Both cities are tourist destinations, so connecting them will boost the commercial and service industries in Metro Davao. However, the construction of the bridge was delayed for many years due to environmental and ecological issues, and because of the lack of proper consultation with residents affected by the reclamation.

Another high-impact project in Metro Davao would be the underground cabling in Davao City. Underground cables were installed for three reasons: for good urban design, to prevent power interruption because of wire theft, and to stabilize electricity supply in times of disasters such as fires and typhoons. However, only a small area in Davao City has underground cables.

Furthermore, Davao City is exploring another approach to urban design—district-oriented development. By 2045, Davao City will be strategically divided into eight districts to desaturate Poblacion, the central district, and to promote growth in other areas. Creating districts will involve land acquisition that will affect four communities inhabited by indigenous peoples (IPs). The Davao City Bypass Construction Project, one of the key infrastructure projects under the 2045 strategic plan, lacks proper consultation with the IPs.

On Transportation

1

Prioritize displaced jeepney drivers in hiring employees under the HPBS

There are around 7,000 jeepneys to be phased out once the HPBS becomes fully operationalized. The displaced jeepney drivers must be prioritized in hiring bus drivers for HPBS. They must also be supported prior to the hiring process. Economic assistance must be provided in the interim, and training support must be made available as one of the requirements in hiring bus drivers is to finish the training in the bus school. Additionally, since it will be impossible to hire all the displaced jeepney drivers, the social development program of the HPBS Project must cater to the remaining blue-collar workers.

2 Additional funding for research and consultation with stakeholders

Pre-project implementation must be supported well. Research and consultation with stakeholders must receive sufficient funding to understand all factors that might affect the project.

Provide assistance in paperwork for affected individuals of the HPBS and Mindanao Railway Project

Technical and financial assistance should be provided to the affected individuals. The government is requiring them to process many documents and they need to shell out money in order to process these. Financial support before the actual compensation should be given. It can be in the form of reimbursement which can be subtracted from the total compensation they will soon receive.

Davao de Oro and Davao Oriental must improve their management of food supply chain disruptions.

The monitoring of these projects that would cater to the major and primary roads in the region must also consider the GIDAs and farms especially if the LGU desires better internal mobility within its rural areas. This also coincides with the previous enumeration on food supply chain disruptions.

On Housing

1

Establish public transport routes to the social housing communities

Relocated individuals tend to go back to the city because of limited services and livelihood opportunities in the relocation site, often an underserved area for public transport. In building social housing, it is essential to also build services around the area of the relocation site. They must establish public transport routes to the social housing communities.

2 Establish a sub-urban center near the social housing communities

Establishing sub-urban centers is a far dream for the members of Metro Davao, except for Davao City. It is quite a very long run for other members of Metro Davao because they do not have the financial and technical resources Davao City, a highly-urbanized city, has. Establishing a public transport route to the social housing communities will be the key to creative sub-urban centers. It is feasible given the wide range of the HPBS and the Mindanao Railway Project.

3

The LGUs must be capacitated and financed enough to have an established Local Housing Office or Division that will have the sole responsibility of addressing the issue of a lacking Local Shelter Plans.

The human and financial resources of LSPs must be identified, and the offices necessary for these in LGUs must be capacitated

4

Intensified efforts for housing initiatives with the role of Davao's key shelter agencies

KSAs must continue upholding their mandates to make housing affordable and accessible, especially now that the growth of the population of the metropolitan is increasing annually. These housing initiatives must be balanced and considerate of the environmental and socioeconomic concerns of the constituents.

5

Faster coordination with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (one-stop processing center)

In an effort to help individuals in processing the requirements asked by the government for social housing, the DHSUD must establish a one-stop processing center in coordination with the LGUs in Metro Davao. In this way, the time, effort, and financial resources that an individual needs to spend just to get a housing unit will be reduced.

6

Rental subsidies and financial literacy programs for addressing the affordability gap between the income classes

The affordability of housing must be improved with the rising population within the region, the government must increase its efforts in providing opportunities such as subsidies to its citizens and a financial literacy program that capacitates them with an awareness into the class gap.

Example of Provincial Development and Physical Framework Plan (PDPFP) [Davao Del Norte]

Example of Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) [Davao Del Norte]

On Coastal Resource Management

1 Integration of coastal zone and resource management plans

Coastal resource management is one of the key areas identified by the Metro Davao Development Authority to prioritize. Each LGU that is part of the Metro Davao has its own coastal zone and resource management plan that must be integrated into the comprehensive land use and development plans to be crafted by the Metro Davao Development Authority to have a shared understanding and policy-making approach to the issues concerning coastal development.

2 Institutionalize One Davao Gulf Network

To optimize the planning and implementation of an integrated coastal zone plan, it must include not only the key political actors of Metro Davao, but also non-government organizations, peopleʼs organizations, the private sector, volunteers, and experts. A network may help ensure that the metropolitan governmentʼs plans are evidence-based and are in coordination with other LGUs surrounding the Davao Gulf.

On Land use planning ang urban management