DAVAO CITY — The plans for the Davao City Chinatown as one of the major tourism destinations in Davao City are still being pursued, according to Davao City First District Councilor Myrna Dalodo-Ortiz, current chairperson of the City Council Committee on Tourism and Beautification.
“Ang Chinatown nato naapil jud na siya sa atoang City Land Use or Comprehensive Development Plan wherein one of the areas na gihatagan pagtagad sa atong ginatawag na tourism master plan it’s just that may lull tayo na ano because of the composition of the members of the Chinatown Development Council (Our Chinatown is included in the City Land Use or Comprehensive Development plan, wherein it is one of the areas given focus under the tourism master plan. It’s just that there is a lull because of the composition of the members),’
Ortiz said.
Councilor Ortiz says the Chinatown Development Council is still being reconstituted, and once it reconvenes, the development plans for Chinatown will push through.
The Davao Chinatown Development Council, composed of local government and private-sector representatives, particularly from the Filipino-Chinese community, is tasked with formulating policies for the development plan for the 44-hectare Chinatown.
Ortiz ensures that the development of Chinatown into a tourism destination is included in the city’s plans.
“Rest assured, kaning development sa atong chinatown is included sa atong land use plan (Rest assured, this development of our Chinatown is included in the land use plan),” Ortiz said.
Under the 25-year Davao Tourism Masterplan formulated by the City Government of Davao in coordination with private urban development planner Palafox and Associates, the Chinatown district was one of the areas identified for tourism development.
Under the plan, a Davao Chinatown Night Market will be established along Tomas Monteverde Street, and it will be included in the first phase of the master plan.
On March 31 of last year, the Technical Working Group meeting for the Davao City Chinatown Development Plan was held to align objectives and discuss the plan’s direction.
During the meeting, the Office of the City Building Officials shared the Chinatown Development Map, providing insights into spatial dynamics and development potential. The City’s Business Bureau, during the meeting, presented a business inventory, offering a clearer view of the area’s economic landscape.
Over the years, some projects would provide distinct aesthetic landmarks to the Chinatown district, which is the largest in the country in terms of land area.
Four Paifang or Chinatown archways were built to mark the district’s borders. They were built around 2008-2009, and their construction was sponsored by several Filipino-Chinese companies. A pocket park named Unity Park was unveiled in 2020, and Chinese-inspired street names and signage were put up in the district.
The Davao City underground cabling project along Ramon Magsaysay Avenue (Uyanguren) is nearing completion. The underground cabling project in one of the major thoroughfares in the Chinatown district will enhance the place’s visual appeal. (PIA/RGA)