7/27/2019 Davao City needs long-term urban planning - SUNSTAR

Davao City needs long-term urban

planning
ACE JUNE RELL S. PEREZ
August 9, 2016

LONG-TERM urban planning is needed to make sure that Davao City does not become another
 Metro Manila, a top real estate executive said.

 Lawyer Nelson Wee Arquiza, Jr., chair of the International Relations of the Philippine
Association of Real Estate Boards (Pareb) told reporters Monday during the Kapehan Sa
 Dabaw at the SM City-Annex that with the increasing traffic woes here.

Although relatively tolerable compared to Metro Manila, better urban plan is the answer.

“We are going to the direction where Manila is now, if remained unplanned we will most likely
as saturated and congested as Manila,” he said. But he added that in general, development vis
a vis population, there is still room for growth.

Also, Felino Palafox Jr., principal architect and urban planner of Palafox Associates, one of the
leading architecture and urban planning firms in the country earlier said that the City has to
be at par with some progressive foreign cities and countries such as Singapore, Dubai and New
York.

“What are lacking here are sidewalks, bicycle lanes, pedestrians, and flood control and
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/91082 1/10
7/27/2019 Davao City needs long-term urban planning - SUNSTAR

drainage, among others," he said.

He said that what makes other countries and cities more progressive is it implemented a very
good urban planning.

“We have to integrate land use planning, transportation planning to make it progressive, it
has to be integrated, coordinated, and comprehensive in area, time meaning immediate action
for the plan which should not only be short term and opportunistic but also long term and
visionary,” Palafox said.

When asked if Davao can still integrate a better urban plan considering the booming climate of
business and influx of investments in various sectors, Palafox was quick to add that since only
10 percent is built up in the country, some 90 percent is still open.

“Even with the investments climate now in Davao, still only 10 percent has been built up and it
can still be good for urban renewal development and re-planning meaning the city can still
come up with better urban planning,” he said.

When Arquiza was asked about his take on the Davao City Assessor’s Office plan of reviewing
the property valuation to increase and introduce new rates on real property taxes, he was
quick to add that such move is but necessary.

“Maybe, there might be a difference already (real property valuation) but when you do that, of
course, the government also has to study in order to make it friendly to investors,” he said
adding that increasing the level of taxes competition against nearby cities will be more stiff.

“Appraisal has to be done, experts should be tapped and as a policy, government should study
the implications of raising taxes as other cities are also offering tax incentives so once you
make it (taxes) higher the city has to make sure that it will not force investors to go away,”
Arquiza added.

He also said that development in the city has to be spread out and should not be focused in

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/91082 2/10
7/27/2019 Davao City needs long-term urban planning - SUNSTAR

the city proper alone. “Davao City is a large city but most are crowding in the city proper that
is alarming, that is the very big problem of Manila, we should not replicate that, we have to
distribute the big companies, if they want to set up factories spread it out because if all in the
city proper pollution will worsen,” he said.

Arquiza also said that if companies will build outside the city proper, their expenses will be
costly but the land is cheap, thus, the City Government’s suggested move of coming up with a
lot of incentives to encourage such direction.

style="display:block; text-align:center;"
data-ad-layout="in-article"
data-ad-format="fluid"
data-ad-client="ca-pub-2836569479021745"
data-ad-slot="4158864647">

DISCLAIMER:
SunStar website welcomes friendly debate, but comments posted on this site do not necessarily reflect
the views of the SunStar management and its affiliates. SunStar reserves the right to delete, reproduce
or modify comments posted here without notice. Posts that are inappropriate will automatically be
deleted.

Forum rules:
Do not use obscenity. Some words have been banned. Stick to the topic. Do not veer away from the
discussion. Be coherent. Do not shout or use CAPITAL LETTERS!

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/91082 3/10
7/27/2019 Davao City needs long-term urban planning - SUNSTAR

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/91082 4/10
7/27/2019 Davao City needs long-term urban planning - SUNSTAR

Sponsored Links

This Photo Has Not Been Edited, Look Closer At The Hole
Trendchaser

Father And Son Take Same Photo For 25 Years! Don't Cry When You See The Last One!
TopGentlemen.com

アシックス V-SWIFT FF AWC

¥14,580 - asics.com

How To Lose Weight Quickly

FruThin

Filipinos Flock Online After Iraqi Wins Massive US Lottery

theLotter.com

A Browser that's 200% Faster than Chrome

browserguides.org

0 Comments Sun.Star Philippines 

1 Login

 Recommend t Tweet f Share Sort by Best

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/91082 5/10
7/27/2019 Davao City needs long-term urban planning - SUNSTAR

Start the discussion…

LOG IN WITH
OR SIGN UP WITH DISQUS ?

Name

Be the first to comment.

✉ Subscribe d Add Disqus to your siteAdd DisqusAdd 🔒 Disqus' Privacy PolicyPrivacy PolicyPrivacy

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/91082 6/10
7/27/2019 Davao City needs long-term urban planning - SUNSTAR

Sponsored Links

アシックス V-SWIFT FF AWC

¥14,580 - asics.com

5pcs Portable small Transparent Plastic Empty Spray Bottle Refillable Bottles
$1.28 - aliexpress.com

This Photo Has Not Been Edited, Look Closer At The Hole
Trendchaser

Father And Son Take Same Photo For 25 Years! Don't Cry When You See The Last One!
TopGentlemen.com

Filipinos Flock Online After Iraqi Wins Massive US Lottery

theLotter.com

How To Lose Weight Quickly

FruThin

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/91082 7/10
7/27/2019 Davao City needs long-term urban planning - SUNSTAR

MORE LOCAL


sunstar.com.ph

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/91082 8/10
7/27/2019 Davao City needs long-term urban planning - SUNSTAR

SUPERBALITA STORIES
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/91082 9/10
7/27/2019 Davao City needs long-term urban planning - SUNSTAR

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/91082 10/10