DAVAO CITY — President Rodrigo Roa Duterte signed into law a measure establishing the Metropolitan Davao Development Authority (MDDA), Malacanang announced today.
Republic Act (RA) No. 11708 or “An Act creating Metropolitan Davao Development Authority” establishes the special development and administrative region, to be known as Metropolitan Davao, which consists of six (6) cities and nine (9) municipalities.
Based on RA 11708, the Metropolitan Davao includes Davao City; the cities of Panabo, Tagum and Island Garden City of Samal in Davao del Norte; Digos City in Davao del Sur; Mati City in Davao Oriental; and the municipalities of Sta. Cruz, Hagonoy, Padada, Malalag, and Sulop in Davao del Sur, Carmen in Davao del Norte, Maco in Davao de Oro, and Malita and Sta Maria in Davao Occidental.
House Deputy Speaker and Davao City 3rd District Rep. Isidro T. Ungab, the principal author and sponsor of the measure at the Lower House, thanked President Duterte for signing the MDDA Act, as this sets off the transformation of the socio-economic landscape, growth and development of the Davao Region.
“This is a landmark legislation for the Davao region for this will spur progress and development in the area. I would like to thank all those people who worked hard to make this piece of legislation a reality, esp. to Sen. Francis Tolentino, who spearheaded the passage of the bill in the Senate,” Ungab said.
Ungab also thanked Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, given that the creation of the MDDA was one of her initiatives as the head of the Metropolitan Davao Development Coordinating Committee (MDDCC), a special committee under the Regional Development Council -Davao Region.
Under RA 11708, Ungab sees a stronger coordination among Metro Davao’s component cities and municipalities, in the planning, implementation and monitoring of priority programs and projects, and the MDDA Act will ensure a synchronized and unified development in the Davao region
