THE Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) for the P39-billion Davao Coastline and Port Development Project is set to be signed by the Mega Harbour Port Development Corporation and the City Government of Davao on Monday, April 25.
Mega Harbour Port Development Corp. is the developer of the reclamation project, said Ivan Cortez, officer-in-charge of the Davao City Investment Promotions Center.
The project was passed by the City Council last April 12 with 17 affirmative votes and one negative vote.
Davao City Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang earlier said that once the JVA is signed, it will be sent to Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA)-Central Office for further assessment and will then pass through the National Economic and Development Authority.
Cortez reaffirmed that PRA will “initiate another Swiss challenge, a government bidding process that allows third parties to propose better offers.”
“Since, this is a reclamation project for mixed-used development, national level has to come and it will be expected that another Swiss Challenge will be open,” Cortez said.
Under the Executive Order No. 146, the National Economic and Development Authority Board is mandated to approve reclamation projects. The PRA, for its part, will process, evaluate and recommend the approval of the proposals to the board.
Dayanghirang is expecting the approval of the project to take a year. But he is confident that the project will improve the economic and industrial landscape not just the areas reclaimed but also the whole city.
Under the project plan, it will stretch from Bucana shores to R. Castillo, Davao City.
The project will have a port operation and industrial, commercial, and government centers.
It will include the establishment of mixed-use development of port operation and industrial, commercial, tenement housings and government centers.
The original construction target date was set on March this year, the project is targeted to be finished by 2019.
Based on the initial plan, construction will commence with 75.01 hectares (has) Island one stretching from Agdao to Sta. Ana which has a port operation and a five-hectare government center component.
The port operation of the first island is eyed to have a berthing capacity of 2.5 kilometers, twice the current capacity of the Davao Sasa Port.
The second island (39.24 hectare) will be intended for the central business district and shopping center.
The third island that will have a total area of 59.47 hectares will be allocated for tourist centers and residential resorts.
The 40.89-hectare fourth island devoted for township development will face the Sandawa area and it will be connected to the road leading to Quimpo Boulevard.
Dayanghirang reassured that the Council will look deeply to that of Traffic Impact Assessment, the housing resettlement program, and the environmental compliance certificate for the Davao City Coastline Development Project.