The recent opening of the Panabo flyover is expected to boost economic activities as it is provides access to raw materials and finished goods to factories, warehouses, suppliers, distributors, stores, and end-consumers.
Business and real estate leaders in Davao Region lauded the stakeholders and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the opening of the said infrastructure which is also expected to facilitate travel so consumers can purchase goods and services in their own communities. Ricardo “Cary” Lagdameo, first vice president of Damosa Land Inc., (DLI) said as infrastructure is a key component in advancing economic gains he believes this will benefit, not just Panabo City, but the entire Davao del Norte as traffic should flow much more efficient.
“Congrats to the Department of Public Works and Highways and all other stakeholders who made this project possible. I believe this has been in the planning for quite some time,” he said.
DLI has recently launched Agriya, an 88-hectare master-planned township development in Brgy. Pandan, Panabo City that has residential, commercial, institutional, and agritourism components. Billeted to be the first agritourism city in Asia, Agriya is yet another breakthrough project of DLI that introduces the concept of modern Agropolis (agricultural metropolis) in the Davao Region.
Antonio Peralta, chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines-Southern Mindanao Business Council (ECCP-SMBC) said the importance of the newly constructed flyover in Panabo City will certainly ease the traffic conditions during rush hours. He said this would also make travel within Panabo City and its outlying barangays easier, thus, resulting to improve traffic flows and thriving of business activities. “The difficulty of traffic jams in Panabo’s intersections has led to delays for businesses meeting their delivery schedules and meetings. The newly constructed flyover will definitely boost Panabo’s local economy,” he said.
Peralta added that this new infrastructure development will make nearby industrial parks attractive to new locators given the ease of travel in the city.
One industrial park operating in Panabo City is DLI’s Anflo Industrial Estate, a 63-hectare industrial Special Economic Zone registered under the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA). It is the Philippines’ Premier Agro-Industrial Hub and is located strategically between two major economic hubs, Davao City and Tagum City. Arturo Milan, regional governor of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), said the opening of the Panabo flyover is a vital infrastructure development for the city and the nearby provinces as this will pave the way for faster and more efficient transport of essential agri and commercial goods to and from Panabo City, thus contributing to the business activities and recovery of the city and the region. “The flyover will serve as a major infrastructure that can contribute to Davao region’s transition to the new normal,” he said.
According to the statement, the 195.59-meter Panabo City steel flyover aims to eliminate traffic congestion in the intersection of Daang Maharlika National Highway-Tadeco and Panabo Wharf Road. The flyover has 304-meter approaches and was completed by the DPWH Unified Project Management Office – Bridges Management Cluster (DPWH-UPMO BMC).
