DAVAO CITY, Philippines – After the City council of Davao amended the 2013 Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance, environmental group Interface Development Interventions (IDIS) now urge the City Mayor’s office to sign the amended ordinance and implement it with tight monitoring.
The amended 2013 Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance,seeks to expand the protection and development of environment-friendly construction at the 222-hectare Shrine Hills identified as an Urban Ecological Enhancement Sub-Zone (UEESZ).
The proposed amendments expounded on the provisions under Section 3 of the zoning ordinance instructing the City Government “to manage, protect, conserve, and implement greening programs in areas determined as prone to natural hazards and deemed critical in providing the ecological balance and enhancement in the city’s urban zones.”
IDIS executive director Chinkie Pelino-Golle told media that it is now the turn of the executive department to fast-track the process of the amended ordinance to become a law and allocate an appropriate budget to fully develop Shrine Hills in Matina into an eco-tourism park.
“We suggest that the city government will allocate budget in implementing the amended ordinance as well as provide a clear presentation of a development plan per year for options in both land-owners and big developers in putting up development,” said Golle.
The 222-hectare UEESZ shrine hills is the only remaining forest in Davao’s urban center housing area and has as many as 72 species of birds.
Under the amended ordinance, the city will:“promote environmental stability and biodiversity conservation initiatives; enhance climate change mitigation and adaptation measures in the UEESZ areas; promote and establish privately-owned public open spaces, and urge the consolidated effort of private landowners and all stakeholders through massive greening programs.”(davaotoday.com)
