The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed on Friday the record of discussions (ROD) for the formulation of a Comprehensive and Sustainable Urban Development Master Plan for Metropolitan Davao.

Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio and former Mayor of Davao City opened the ceremony with an inspiring message. The ROD was then signed by NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan on behalf of the Philippine government and Sakamoto Takema, the chief representative of JICA in the Philippines, representing Japan.

Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines, Koshikawa Kazuhiko, and NEDA Undersecretary for Regional Development, Carlos Bernardo Abad Santos, were present as witnesses.

The ROD outlines the agreements on the implementation by both Philippine and Japanese governments of the Philippine-Japan Technical Cooperation Project, which aims to formulate a Master Plan that will ensure the sustainable urban development of Metropolitan Davao and its influence areas in Davao Region.

Its main objective is to stimulate economic activity in the region while also addressing urban development and environmental conservation.

The Master Plan serves as a roadmap supporting the resource mobilization and service delivery of the Metropolitan Davao Development Authority (MDDA).

It aims to solidify the cooperation and partnership of the 15 LGUs comprising Metropolitan Davao, which was officially established as a special and administrative region through the passing of the MDDA Law on April 13, 2022.

“There is a particular need to coordinate and promote socioeconomic growth and sustainable development in Metropolitan Davao. This collective development shall serve to benefit the 3.4 million residents of the area. Thus, I urge our local chief executives of the fifteen LGUs to give your all-out support to this Project, as this presents a great opportunity to realize the development prospects of Metropolitan Davao, Mindanao and the Philippines, at large,” said Balisacan.

The implementation of the Master Plan for Metropolitan Davao is in line with the Marcos administration’s goals under the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028. Identified as one of the cross-cutting strategies of the PDP, the government seeks to develop greater collaboration between local and national governments by positioning them as equal partners in the development agenda of the country. NEDA Public Affairs