While Davao City continues to position itself to its sales pitch “Life is here”, there are some areas experts believe it should also give attention to. Significantly, it has much to do with the health and well-being of its residents.
According to a group called Interface Development Interventions Inc. (IDIS), Davao City needs more parks and open spaces.
It cited among others, the benefits of citizens having access to public open space which are reportedly associated with “low crime rates, lower levels of obesity , better general health, lower urban temperatures and high property values.’ A team from the prestigious New York University (NYU) visited Davao on May this year to assess the city’s public parks and open spaces. The research revealed that Davao City is severely short of land for medium-sized public open spaces and is completely lacking of large regional parks which are valuable in interrupting the urban heat island effect and flood control.
The research particuarly pointed on Shrine Hills which, according to their research, can serve as a massive new urban park in the tradition of Central park in New York or Hyde Park in London. The study showed that Shrine Hills is totally inappropriate for residential development but could become a vital urban amenity to provide environmental services. For the record, the current World Health Organization (WHO) standard requires 9,000 m2 or almost 1 hectre per 1,000 city inhabitants and roughly having green spaces with 400-500 meters or 5-minute walk from one’s home.
In highly developed countries like Australia and the United States, open spaces and parks abound just about every block and corner of each suburb or village. They not only feature benches and grass but serve as picnic areas and outdoor gymnasium. Some are equipped with jogging lanes and fitness equipment.
While Davao City has parks like the People’s Park and other village parks around the city, it needs to build more parks and playgrounds in areas where potential problem areas in health and peace and order abound.
Recently, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) in partnership with local governments across the country launched the children-oriented program on sports dubbed as “Pinoy Children’s Games”, the concept of which is to get children early to sports in order to inculcate in them a healthy lifestyle. This can best be achieved if the city and other cities around the country, are equipped with venues for the program. This is where the sports programs of the country and the infrastructure requirements meet.
Davao City, which happens to be the pilot area of the PSC project, can take the lead in investing on these type of infrastructure. There is nothing to lose in investing on programs that will ensure children to grow to their full potentials.
It’s about time the city lives up to its slogan–”life is here.”
