Generose Tecson, city tourism officer, said the marching order from City Mayor Sara Duterte is to beautify the wharf. (Earl O. Condeza/davaotoday.com)
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The City Tourism Office said it is planning to improve and beautify the Sta. Ana wharf in order to transform it into a baywalk area.
During the regular Monday news conference, Kapehan sa Dabaw, Generose Tecson, city tourism officer, said the marching order from City Mayor Sara Duterte is to beautify the wharf.
“We will turn it to prominent baywalk area. We want to do a park there,” Tecson added. “We are a big city, no one benefits from the wharf except the island hoppers, divers, and most of them were visitors.”
“That is why we need to beautify it, not to beautify right away but atleast maintain its cleanliness,” she said.
The beautification project would be submitted to the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority although the budget “as of the moment has not yet been projected.”
Tecson said they will be creating “islands” just a meter above the main floor because of the fact that the wharf is prone to flooding when high tide comes.
“I am not sure if there will be a contractor or the city will work on it,” Tecson said. “The center part will be raised by one meter and we will be asking construction companies to put their dump in the wharf.”
The islands will be interconnected with each other and it will be adorned with ornaments such as trees and grasses.
Food stalls and souvenir shops are expected to be placed in the islands. All of it will be integrated with the existing terminals in the wharf.
“We want people to see changes in the wharf, it may not be done yet, but at least there have been things done to beautify the area,” Tecson said.
The initial plans for the beautification of the Sta. Ana wharf is set to push through this coming May 2017. Further actions for the beautification project will be done afterwards.
The project is in collaboration with the City Environment and Natural Resources Office, City Engineering Office, City Economic Enterprise, and the City Administration for Operations Office.
Aside from the Sta. Ana wharf, the CTO also plans to make some developments in the Magsaysay Park.
Tecson said they are having partnership with the Davao Tourism Groups to set up a culture and arts space in the park.
“Right now our artists do not have place in the city, so maybe later, when we can achieve it, they will be situated there,” she said.
Tecson added that they also plan for weekly performances, jamming sessions which can be held at the amphitheatre.
The Chinatown in the city, which is located in Uyanguren street is also one of their promoted projects, making it “really look like China.”
With the help of the Chinatown council, Chinese-figured lamp posts have been set up along its roads. (davaotoday.com)
