DAVAO CITY – As early as 1990s, coastal cities and municipalities along the gulf of Davao have been broaching the idea of a unified development plan to ensure inclusive growth and progress in this southeastern part of the country.
This idea may become a reality soon after the affected local government units (LGUs) headed by Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, who is also the chairperson of the Regional Development Council-XI (RDC-XI), formed the Metropolitan Davao Development Coordinating Committee (MDDCC) with a singular purpose to develop the coastal cities and towns along the Davao Gulf into a more vibrant and progressive metropolis in the country.
As a show of her commitment, Mayor Duterte-Carpio last week created its own Davao City Coordinating Committee, a steering body to represent the city to the MDDCC and to make sure that plans and programs of Davao City are integrated into the program plan of action of the said committee.
Among the tasks of the coordinating committee is to ensure that land use and other development initiatives of the city and the MDDCC are consistent with regional and national development objectives and priorities. The body is also tasked to prepare priority programs and projects, identify sources of funding and to monitor their implementation.
The RDC XI created the MDDCC as a transitory structure for inter-LGU cooperation in crafting plans, investment programs, facilitate project implementation and monitoring Metro Davao initiatives. Aside from the city, members of the MDDCC are the chief executives of cities of Panabo, Tagum, Samal and the Municipality of Carmen in Davao del Norte, and Digos City, and the Municipality of Sta. Cruz in Davao del Sur.
Mayor Duterte-Carpio said that like what Davao City did, “each LGU within the Metro Davao needs to form a steering group to coordinate with the MDDCC” so that their individual development perspectives will be integrated and plans will be easily implemented.
The Davao City Coordinating Committee is headed by the mayor as chairperson, vice-mayor as co-chairperson and all department heads of the local government unit, including the Davao City Police Office, and representatives from some national agencies, Davao City Chamber of Commerce and other in the private sector.
