DAVAO CITY – A Davao City councilor is pushing for new legislation to establish an institutional mechanism for science-based hazard mapping and land-use governance.

Councilor Alberto Ungab, head of the Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, proposed the Davao City Risk-Informed Hazard Map Governance Ordinance of 2026 before the City Council during their regular session on Monday.

In a privilege speech, Ungab called on the local government to move beyond responding to disasters after they happen and instead focus on reducing risks through early planning, hazard assessment, preparedness, and other proactive measures.

Ungab warned that relying on outdated hazard maps exposes public safety, municipal infrastructure, and private investments to avoidable hazards.

The councilor emphasized that hazard maps help ensure that roads, schools, hospitals, subdivisions, and communities are planned using reliable scientific information.

"These maps are important in identifying areas that may be affected by future disasters," Ungab said. "Science continues to evolve. If we continue making decisions using outdated hazard information, we expose everyone to unnecessary risks."

Rather than relying on static mapping data, the councilor said, the draft measure creates a permanent Hazard Map Governance System.

The framework requires all official risk evaluations to undergo technical validation, public consultation, and legal approval before being integrated into local policy and urban development decisions, he added.

Ungab said the proposed ordinance would create a team to review hazard maps, a panel of experts to provide technical advice, and a digital database for hazard information.

He added that the ordinance would also require public consultations to include local communities' experiences in hazard assessments.

Ungab emphasized the importance of public input, noting that residents' lived experiences should complement, rather than replace, scientific analysis.

He said that under the proposed system, designated hazard zones will be used to require site-specific engineering assessments and environmental safeguards, rather than arbitrarily restricting land usage without due process.

"A hazard map should guide responsible development – not automatically deprive a citizen of the use of property without due process," Ungab said.

The draft measure has been approved on first reading and referred to the City Council Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management for further review.