Env’t and urban mgt part of Davao-Manado sisterhood

Both the cities of Davao and Manado in North Sulawesi Indonesia, are growing cities, so the soon-to-be-signed sisterhood agreement between the two cities will include environment and urban management.

“The reason why we amended the sisterhood agreement before its renewal is to make it responsive to the present developments being faced by the two cities,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado, chair of the Committee on International Relations said.

The original sisterhood agreement signed between the two cities was in 1993 and a lot of changes have occurred almost 16 years after the signing, she said. It is thus very important to review the terms of the agreement, she added, so we can make it tailored-fit to the signs of the times.

Zozobrado said she has discussed the proposed amendments with Indonesian Consul Lalu Malik Partawana and they have agreed to come up with a dynamic agreement that will mirror the present developments in both cities.

She said that while the amendments will still be reviewed by the Committee on International Relations this second week of August, both parties have agreed in principle, to include not only Information and Communication Technology in the agreement, but also the very timely issue of environment and urban management.

“Both cities are becoming the urban centers of their regions and we would like to be able to contribute to each city’s development by prioritizing environment and urban management issues,” she said.

The reason why cities encounter problems with traffic and other infrastructure is because of the lack of planning. By incorporating environment and urban management in the sisterhood agreement, she said, both Davao and Manado recognizes the need for proper planning to steer both city’s development to the right direction.

“This is in fact a very exciting sisterhood agreement because it is more proactive and considers the future demands of both cities when in comes to growth and development,” she said.

Zozobrado said the Consul has been very cooperative in negotiating for the new agreement. We are confident that we have a sisterhood agreement that will be of help to both cities in the long term.

Winning orator urge dads:
“choose dev’t. without sacrificing env’t.”

“Please plan for Davao City’s development by considering development without sacrificing the environment,” was the plea of high school student Ernest Jan P. Mendoza during the culmination of the 2nd Jesus Z. Zozobrado Oratorical Contest held at the Mintal Gym last December 1, 2008.

“This will lead to more investors and increase our finances which will lead to progress and peace,” Mendoza said. The Sto. Nino High School student, who won the championship for his piece on “3rd District: Adopting Sustainable Land Practice For Ecological Stability”, went home richer by P5,000.

At present, he said, we see commercialism in the third district but there are only few industries established here and so far none is perceived to be harming the environment. “We like the 3rd congressional district the way it is,” he added.

He said the government should control the cutting of trees and the conversion of farms to housing projects. While the people wish for and welcome change, he said, we do not wish to see tall buildings rising here—modernization toppling the rural areas.

“The change we want is the transformation for a better agricultural system to help the farmers yet preserve the environment and the ecosystem to keep the whole of Davao City free from flood, land erosion and other natural calamities,” Mendoza said.

While we understand that Davao must provide food and shelter for its growing population as well as provide opportunities for its increasing workforce, he said, this should all be done using sustainable land practice to promote ecological stability.

“We do not want Davao to end up like Manila---polluted, dirty, overpopulated, an urban jungle,” he said.

Development costly for Dabawenyos

Development may have pushed Davao City to a world-class city status but it has taken its toll on the city's environment which is evident in the flooding, pollution and other problems the city is faced with.

"There is no denying the fact that we need development to further the city's growth but it should not be made at the risk of destroying our natural resources including our environment," said councilor Rachel Zozobrado when she welcomed the participants to the elimination of the 2nd Jesus A. Zozobrado oratorical contest which started last Friday.

Zozobrado said Davao City was already a picture of a fully developed city and most people thought that it had already maximized its growth in 1997. In a span of four years, she said, this was proven wrong because commercial establishments started to locate in the city like there was not tomorrow.

She said housing developments in the city also started to mushroom leaving no place unturned. Even the most rural areas were a target for development both for commercial, housing and industrial purposes.

"While this is definitely a move towards the right direction for the city, it took a toll on the city's environment," she said. The recent flooding problems being experienced by Maa resident as well as residents of other subdivisions should be a concern for everyone, she added.

Our environment is clearly the recipient of a heavy burden while we the people of Davao are enjoying these developments, she said. "Dabawenyos should realize that while we are enjoying these developments we also set to lose with the environmental problems faced by the city," she added.

Zozobrado said there are reports that the city's once-clean beaches have been monitored with coliform and other pollutive substances that are bound to affect our water resources including our fish which we brag about in the export market. A recently concluded report by several agencies indicated that even our aquifers are already polluted and this should start to worry us, she said.

Zozobrado said the city is faced with environmental issues which clash with development issues. While we need these developments to veer us to the next century and to make us more competitive, she added, we also need to preserve our environment to have a more sustainable existence.

She challenged the students to be in the forefront of environmental protection even while still in school.

While our generation is faced with the task of finding a solution for our development and our environmental problems, she said, it is today's youth who would be inheriting these problems and these choices in a few years.

Zozobrado told the participants of the oratorical contest to become aware of the challenges faced by our environment today "so that you will be able to make the right choices when your time comes."