More than two years after the Covid-19 pandemic shut down Davao City, things are starting to grind back to normal.
Face-to-face classes have returned, traffic is back, people have trooped to the malls and Davao City is springing back into its usual Davao City ways.
With that comes the phase of recovery bolstered by the construction sector roaring again.
With growing optimism that 2023 is a good year for the economy and the markets, Davao companies are determined to reverse the tide.
A case in point is Damosa Land, Inc. (DLI) which is accelerating its projects in the Davao Region and some parts of Mindanao this year.
In a recent interview, DLI president Ricardo F. Lagdameo announced ongoing projects in Samal, several in Panabo City, and in Davao City.
“A lot of these projects are slightly delayed due to the pandemic but now we are very confident, we are moving forward, and we are launching them simultaneously while completing the other projects. Medyo busy ang new year natin,” he said.
DLI is also eyeing to launch a new subdivision project in Catalunan Grande, Davao City by the second or third quarter of this year.
DLI is currently developing Bridgeport with low-density residential buildings, prime open lots, residential, commercial, and dining, and an exclusive marina.
Another homegrown firm bullish to revive its growth is developer Aeon Luxe Properties Incorporated (ALPI) which came back stronger after the pandemic.
In December last year, ALPI officially broke ground for its newest project in Davao City, the Aeon Bleu, along Dizon Road in Bacaca.
The project couched in a 1.6-hectare property is a six-tower mixed-use development, which will comprise of two residential towers, one condotel, one corporate tower, Club Aeon, and one future development. The tallest of the buildings will be up to 26 stories.
“It’s been a long road but now we are finally here. Following the success of Aeon Towers, our revolutionary concept for urban reimagination, the Aeon Bleu, will soon be on display in the Davao Metro,” said Ian Y. Cruz, president, and CEO of FTC Group of Companies Corporation.
With the reopening of the economy, traffic congestion has also been experienced in the urban areas. Like it or not, the massive traffic jam during morning and evening rush hours are back and even worsened in Davao City.
Yet, the public felt a flicker of relief when the Department of Public Works and Highways 11 (DPWH 11), announced that the Bago Aplaya to Tulip Drive segment of the Davao Coastal Bypass Road is expected to be opened to motorists in April or May this year.
“Within the second quarter of this year maybe early April or May pinakadugay na, ablihan na nato ang gikan sa Bago Aplaya padulong sa Tulip Drive junction sa coastal road,” Dean Ortiz, DPWH 11 spokesperson, said.
Current undertakings in the coastal road include the completion of the Sta. Ana Wharf bridge, pavement coming from Sta. Ana Wharf going to Bucana and the access roads from Boulevard.
The construction of the 18-kilometer coastal road started in 2017. It stretches from the Toril district in the southwestern part of Davao City to R. Castillo Street area.
The coastal road is intended to provide an alternative route to the Pan-Philippine Highway in the southern part of the city, which has been experiencing heavy traffic congestion.
Vaccination drive
The city’s vaccination cluster, tasked with the vaccination drives in public areas, has been dissolved, and the inoculation against the Covid-19 virus will now be solely available in the district’s health centers.
Dr. Josephine Villafuerte, the head of the Davao City Covid-19 Vaccination Program, said mobile vaccinations and vaccination hubs in malls had ceased operations, transferring the immunization campaign to the city’s 18 district health centers.
“Though the city’s vaccination cluster is now dissolved, this does not mean the vaccination campaign will cease, especially since the vaccine has effectively reinforced the population’s immune system against the virus,” Villafuerte said in a radio interview.
Vaccination, she said, will now be available every Friday in all district health centers.
“Since Davao City has already reached a 100 percent vaccination rate and has only a little work left to do in terms of administering booster shots to the pediatric demographic, dissolving the vaccination cluster is only pragmatic,” she said.
Top business-friendly city
The city government of Davao and power provider Aboitiz Group inked a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) early this year aiming to make Davao City the most business-friendly city in Mindanao.
Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, together with Anton Perdices, senior vice president and chief operating officer (COO) of the AboitizPower Distribution Unit and Rodger Velasco, president and chief operating officer (COO) of the Davao Light and Power Company (DLPC), led the signing of the MOA in streamlining business processes under the Project Bilis Davao through digitalization of the issuance of building and business permits, tax mapping, and the use of online payment channels.
Perdices, who represented the business units of the Aboitiz in Davao City, said this aims to promote ease of doing business with the city and to attract more investors, encourage new businesses, and promote economic growth.
“The rise of the digital age has transformed us all. It created a necessity for people of all ages to adapt and innovate digitally. It has since created the need for a more flexible way of doing things, including the integration of online processes in our day-to-day business,” Perdices said.
Highly-urbanized city vision
Rodrigo “Rigo” Duterte II expressed support to the vision of his father, Representative Paolo Duterte of the First District of Davao City and his uncle, Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, to make Davao City a highly urbanized city with what he considers as a major reason attributed to the city’s rapid growth.
“Kaning mga developments karon like high rise buildings kini isa ni sa mga indications na ang Davao City padulong na nga mahimong highly urbanized city,” Rigo said.
He said this can bring many opportunities for growth and poverty reduction as well as generate job opportunities, educational opportunities, and better living conditions among Dabawenyos.
Among the sectors that generate employment is real estate, although, significantly hit by the pandemic resiliently walked on the path to recovery.
Metropolitan Davao Development Authority
Davao City is optimistic the Metropolitan Davao Development Authority (MDDA) will soon go full throttle.
Davao City 1st district Rep. Paolo Duterte has called for the immediate implementation of Republic Act (RA) No.11708 or the MDDA law which created the MDDA.
Duterte was referring to Republic Act (RA) No.11708 or the MDDA law.
“We should not delay anymore the implementation of the law creating the MDDA. Metro Davao is seven times the size of Metro Manila and even bigger than the land area of Singapore. The MDDA is necessary so that the development plans of the cities and municipalities comprising Metro Davao will move in a synchronized path that is beneficial to all,” Duterte said in a statement.
Duterte considers the development of Metro Davao, which serves as the economic and administrative core of the Davao Region and the entire Mindanao, requires a unified approach to lessen, or even nip in the bud, the problems that plague fragmented urban communities.
The cities of Davao, Panabo, Tagum, Island Garden in Samal, Digos, and Mati, as well as the municipalities of Sta. Cruz, Hagonoy, Padada, Malalag, Sulop, Carmen, Maco, Malita, and Sta. Maria in the Davao Region will comprise the MDDA, as per RA No.11708. (With reports from PNA)
