THERE will be no relocation for all residences who will be affected by the 200-hectares Davao Coastline and Port Development Project of Davao City Government, a city councilor said.
“There will be no relocation because President Rodrigo Futerte (former City Mayor) does not want to remove the people in the area. He wanted the resident to be part of the development,” Davao City Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang told reporters in Monday’s “Kapehan sa Dabaw” at the annex of SM City Davao.
“In fact, the Mega Harbour team had promised that they will improve the pathways in resident’s area,” he added.
The project was funded by the Mega Harbour Port and Development Inc.
Marcelito Manalili, Mega Harbour marketing head, said the area affected by the project will undergo slum upgrading instead of relocation.
“Residents by the project need not to worry as they will be relocated in a settlement area established inside the development project,” Manalili said.
It has been initially identified that around 13,000 residents expected to be affected by the construction of P39-billion reclamation project.
But the developer said they still have to finalize on how many families will be affected.
In a previous report, the project developer is targeting to comply necessary permits within one year before the construction of the project starts.
JVA
The Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) between the developer and the City Government of Davao for the reclamation project covering coastal areas in Davao City was inked last Tuesday, June 21 at the SMX Convention Center, SM Lanang Premier.
Dayanghirang said the construction of the project will last in three to four years.
“We are hoping that we can secure all permits in a year or less,” Manalili said.
At present, the project developer is bent on submitting their assessments regarding the traffic, social, and environmental impact of the project.
Some of the permits to be secured by the developers are the Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC) from Department of Environment and Natural Resources and permits from Philippine Ports Authority and Philippine Reclamation Authority.
Based on the project description, the over 200-hectare port and residential complex which will be 40 meters away from the coast stretching from Agdao to Bucana will develop four-island projects.
It will have components of port operation, commercial, industrial, and residential.
Also, the Davao City Coastline and Port Development Project aims to make an economic turn-around serving the cause of the marginalized people within the area providing sufficient and basic opportunities for a better life.
The project is expected to generate employment, create a new cityscape and make it highly competitive.
Green Urbanism is also an overriding concept in the development. ( ASP/With Mara Iannah Panganiban/UIC Intern)