Mayor Sara seeks to fast-track major Davao City dev’t projects

DAVAO CITY – Presidential daughter and Mayor Sara Z. Duterte has urged the Department of Finance (DOF) and National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) to hasten the implementation of the city’s major development projects that are still pending.

In her State of the City Address (SOCA) on Monday afternoon, Duterte particularly cited the Davao-Samal Bridge, High Priority Bus System (HPBS), and Waste to Energy Facility projects.

She explained that these big-ticket projects would need national government support for their full implementation.

“Ang gusto lang nato is to solicit their support for the projects so that ma-materialize siya or masugdan siya within the next three years of administration of President Duterte (We just want to solicit support from the national government so that these projects will materialize and will be finished within the remaining three years of President Rodrigo Duterte’s admnistration),” she said.

She said the documents for the Davao-Samal Bridge and HPBS are still in the office of NEDA while the Waste to Energy are still with the DOF.

The mayor said the HPBS along could cost around R13 billion, the waste-to energy project R1.5 billion, while the cost for the Davao-Samal bridge has yet to be determined since it is still on the final stage of study.

Meanwhile, Duterte also said that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has committed to allocate R2.6 billion to build more roads and bridges in the city next year, City.

Duterte said the DPWH would undertake more road and infrastructure projects in support of the local government’s “Peace Project” that is “envisioned to finally interconnect all the barangays of Davao City.”

Duterte claimed the Area Clearing Validation Board of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has declared all of the 13 barangays in Paquibato District insurgency-free.