President Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a measure to establish the Metropolitan Davao Development Authority (MDDA), a House official said on Thursday.
Republic Act (RA) 11708 or “An Act creating Metropolitan Davao Development Authority” establishes the special development and administrative region, to be known as Metropolitan Davao, which consists of six (6) cities and nine (9) municipalities.
House Deputy Speaker and Davao City 3rd District Rep. Isidro Ungab was the principal author and sponsor of the measure at the Lower House.
Based on RA 11708, Metropolitan Davao includes Davao City; the cities of Panabo, Tagum and Island Garden City of Samal in Davao del Norte; Digos City in Davao del Sur; Mati City in Davao Oriental; and the municipalities of Sta. Cruz, Hagonoy, Padada, Malalag, and Sulop in Davao del Sur, Carmen in Davao del Norte, Maco in Davao de Oro, and Malita and Sta Maria in Davao Occidental.
Ungab also thanked Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, given that the creation of the MDDA was one of her initiatives as the head of the Metropolitan Davao Development Coordinating Committee (MDDCC), a special committee under the Regional Development Council -Davao Region.
Under RA 11708, Ungab sees a stronger coordination among Metro Davao’s component cities and municipalities, in the planning, implementation and monitoring of priority programs and projects, and the MDDA Act will ensure a synchronized and unified development in the Davao region.
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go meanwhile commended Duterte for signing into law Republic Act No. 11708.
Go, who authored and co-sponsored the measure, assured his fellow Mindanaoans, especially Davaoeños, that the MDDA will improve the coordination among the local government units of Davao City and of nearby areas.
He said this will result in better delivery of public services and integrated development planning, among others. This, he said, will benefit Mindanao as a whole.
The MDDA is tasked to consult, coordinate, and work closely with the local government units, the Regional Development Council of Region XI, national government agencies, people’s organizations, non-government organizations, and the private sector operating in Metropolitan Davao.
In coordination with the National Economic and Development Authority and the Department of Finance, the MDDA can also interface with foreign assistance agencies to obtain financing support, grants and donations in support of its programs and projects.