THE Regional Development Council-Davao Region (RDC-Davao) aims to position Davao Region as an “international logistics hub for Southern Philippines”.
“Another main strategy is transforming the region’s production sectors and institutions to generate more and better quality jobs... a transformation unique to Davao Region [is to make the region] as an international logistics hub for Southern Philippines,” National Economic and Development Authority-Davao Region (Neda-Davao) regional director and RDC-Davao vice chair Maria Lourdes Lim said in a press conference on Davao Regional Development Plan (DRDP) 2023-2028 on May 23.
Lim said that the Regional Development Council had come up with this strategy with their agency’s vision to improve internal and global connectivity to trade, transport, tourism, and other sectors which can welcome investments and opportunities to the region.
She added that to boost this potential for Davao Region, there must be greater integration of the intermodal transport system and accelerate the development of infrastructure facilities and logistics along Davao Gulf.
Lim said big-ticket projects which shall be implemented to reach Davao Region’s potential to be a logistics hub include Sasa Wharf Rehabilitation Project, Davao International Airport Modernization Project, Davao City Coastal Road Project, Davao City ByPass Road Project, Davao City Expressway Project, Davao City-Samal Island Connector Project, and the Mindanao Railway Project, reaching Tagum, Davao, and Digos cities.
“The Regional Development Council-Davao Region (RDC-Davao) agreed to adapt this strategy, for Davao Region as an international logistics hub because of the main gateways [that the region have]... and to promote trade and commerce by physically connecting our areas,” Lim said.
She said that should the region adapt to this logistics hub, it will boost exports to other places locally and internationally and should encourage more imports and vice versa, which are needed for more capital formation.
Having a more accessible and integrated transport and logistics system, the official said it could cut down transport costs.
“By providing a more efficient intermodal and integrated transport and logistics system, this cost of transport will be lowered through the collaboration of our infrastructure agencies and also our local government units,” Lim said.
“We also want to advocate for consolidated economic upscale so that we can produce the necessary surplus to transport or export more of our domestically-produced goods,” she added.
Meanwhile, Arturo Milan, RDC-Davao chairperson, said Davao Region must utilize and upgrade Davao Region’s access points to international markets, such as the ports in Sasa and Davao International Airport.
Milan added they are also positioning the region as the center for importing and exporting goods in Mindanao. The RDC-Davao is also campaigning for more international and local direct flights to and from Davao Region.
“These are the comparative advantages that we have that we wanted to develop to make Davao region as the international logistics hub,” Milan said. (ICE)