The Metropolitan Davao Development Coordinating Committee (MDDCC) approved the Terms of Reference for the formulation of a comprehensive and sustainable urban master plan for Metropolitan Davao during its first quarter meeting conducted on February 21, 2020 that was presided over by its Chairperson, Davao City Mayor Sara Z. Duterte.  The urban master plan shall cover Davao City, Digos City, Tagum City, Panabo City, Island Garden City of Samal, and the municipalities of Carmen, Davao del Norte and Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur, which comprise the Metropolitan Davao.

To guide the future growth and development of the metropolis, the Committee deemed it necessary to formulate a comprehensive and sustainable urban master plan for Metropolitan Davao.  The urban master plan shall support the realization of the vision for Metropolitan Davao of becoming “a highly industrialized and globally competitive metropolis with highly-skilled and productive human resources, both men and women, and diverse but cohesive communities living in a safe, climate-resilient environment with modern and efficient infrastructure, sustained by governance that promotes equal opportunities for all”.

The Metropolitan Davao Sustainable Urban Master Plan shall cover the following areas of cooperation identified by the Metropolitan Davao LGUs, viz: 1) Land use planning; 2) Agri- ecotourism promotion and management, and urban greening; 3) Davao Gulf coastal resource management; 4) Joint service delivery for urban facilities and services, including transport and traffic management, roads and other infrastructure development projects; 5) Joint service delivery for urban facilities and services – housing; solid waste management; sewerage systems; disaster risk reduction, public safety, integrated flood control and climate-change proofing; digital connectivity; and water and energy. 

Presented also during the said meeting of the MDDCC was the Metropolitan Davao Urban Master Plan (MDUP), 2018-2040 which was commissioned by the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) in 2017.  It was agreed that the MDUP shall be considered as input to the Metropolitan Davao Sustainable Urban Master Plan (MDSUMP) commissioned by the Committee. 

In support to the efforts of the MDDCC to strengthen cooperation between and among Metro Davao LGUs and to share resources, Mayor Duterte also committed to include the Metro Davao LGUs in the scope of the on-going Transport and Traffic Master Plan formulation conducted by DoTr for the City of Davao.  The effort shall also serve as input to the MDSUMP.

Official Development Assistance (ODA) shall be tapped to fund the said Master Plan. (Ruth C. Lasquite, NEDA XI)