DAVAO City Third District Representative Isidro Ungab, author of the Metropolitan Davao Development Authority (MDDA) law, felt that the Marcos administration would not prioritize its materialization.
Ungab said during the 75th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China on Monday, September 16, that he has been monitoring the MDDA’s implementation since it was signed by former president Rodrigo Duterte on April 13, 2022, months before he stepped down from the presidency.
"Gi-follow up na nato na tanan especially after the approval of the law. Supposedly for implementation na siya," the lawmaker said.
He added that it seems that the current "administration" is not interested in materializing it.
"I just hope and pray na sa next admin[istration] ipadayon," Ungab said.
The Dabawenyo politician said that "politics" is a huge factor in the delay of MDDA’s implementation considering the tension between the Dutertes and Marcoses.
"Sa akong nakita, outside the kulambo gyud ang Davao karon," he added.
Republic Act No. 11708, or “An Act Creating the Metropolitan Davao Development Authority (MDDA),” was signed into law establishing the special development and administrative region to be known as Metropolitan Davao, which consists of six cities and nine municipalities.
According to RA 11708, Metropolitan Davao includes Davao City; the cities of Panabo, Tagum and Island Garden City of Samal in Davao del Norte; Digos City in Davao del Sur; Mati City in Davao Oriental; and the municipalities of Sta. Cruz, Hagonoy, Padada, Malalag, and Sulop in Davao del Sur, Carmen in Davao del Norte, Maco in Davao de Oro, and Malita and Sta Maria in Davao Occidental.
Ungab, who previously said that it is a "landmark legislation" for the Davao Region, said the MDDA law aims to focus on socio-economic opportunities, and would further unite all Davao provinces into one region.
"It will be very good for the economy and for the development of Davao Region, and for the entire Mindanao," he said.
Similar to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), MDDA's legality is in accordance with the Philippine Constitution, whereas Article X, Section 11 states, “The Congress may, by law, create special metropolitan political subdivisions, subject to a plebiscite as set forth in Section 10 hereof.”
Also, “the component cities and municipalities shall retain their basic autonomy and shall be entitled to their own local executive and legislative assemblies. The jurisdiction of the metropolitan authority that will thereby be created shall be limited to basic services requiring coordination.”
“There will be more economic activities because the MDDA can cater to a lot of economic activities and may open several economic opportunities without necessarily touching the political structure,” Ungab said in a previous interview with SunStar Davao. RGL