
THE Metro Davao Urban Master Plan can make Davao and Mindanao the front door of the Philippines for Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, and the gateway to the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). As an architect and urban planner, I see Metro Davao’s potential to significantly contribute to local and nationwide development. The Celebes Sea, which is south of Metro Davao, is becoming a significant navigational route linking the Pacific Ocean and the West Philippine Sea (or the South China Sea). With the Davao Gulf opening up to the Celebes Sea, its high potential for port development makes it a prime gateway. The hinterland of Metro Davao is Mindanao, which is about the size of South Korea. Metro Davao is 10 times the size of Metro Manila, nine times the size of Singapore, and six times the size of Hong Kong. Thus, Mindanao is truly the land of promise.
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