Metropolitan Davao charts sustainable future with JICA-supported 20-yr urban master plan
With support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Metropolitan Davao aims to become a model city for sustainability through a comprehensive 20-year master plan that would benefit over five million residents.
The Third Steering Committee Meeting for the Project for the Comprehensive and Sustainable Urban Development Master Plan for Metropolitan Davao, held in Davao City last Aug. 19, showcased refined strategies and key priority actions to guide the region’s development from 2025 to 2045, JICA Philippines said in a statement on Wednesday, Aug. 27.
The master plan is expected to drive economic growth not only in Davao Region but also across Mindanao and the rest of the Philippines.
This master plan project began in March 2024 and is expected to complete its final report by November this year.
The partnership between the JICA and the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) in Region 11 seeks to transform Metropolitan Davao into a model of sustainable economic growth, environmental responsibility, and effective urban management.
JICA Philippines said Metropolitan Davao is shaping its future as a sustainable and inclusive urban center in the south.
JICA expert team (JET) leader Ken Kumazawa outlined six strategic priorities: building sustainable cities, improving transport, boosting inclusive growth, protecting Davao Gulf, strengthening climate resilience, and enhancing smart metropolitan governance.
JET’s interim report anchors these strategies on the vision of ASCENDS, an acronym that stands for Advancing for a Sustainable, Comprehensive, Economically Inclusive and Environmentally Sound, Safe and Peaceful, Metropolitan Davao.
This integrated approach showcases JICA’s model of combining infrastructure development with governance and capacity building to promote growth that is sustainable, inclusive, and resilient, the Philippine office of the Japanese government’s aid arm said.
(Ricardo M. Austria)