House Deputy Speaker and Davao City 3rd District Representative Isidro T. Ungab praised the Senate’s approval of House Bill No. 8930, also known as the Metropolitan Davao Development Authority (MDDA), on its third and final reading.

Ungab is HB 8930’s principal author and sponsor at the Lower House. According to him, the creation of the MDDA is one of the initiatives of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, being the head of the Metropolitan Davao Development Coordinating Committee (MDDCC), a special committee under the Regional Development Council in the Davao Region.

The bill aims to develop the socio-economic landscape, growth, and development of the Davao Region, mainly its six cities and nine municipalities which are considered part of Metropolitan Davao. 

Metropolitan Davao consists of 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.

The Deputy Speaker notes that the creation of MDDA will guarantee stronger coordination among Metropolitan Davao’s component cities and municipalities in the planning, implementation, and monitoring of priority programs and projects.  

He expressed his confidence that with the MDDA creation the need for a synchronized and unified development in the Davao region will now be addressed.

Ungab gave his profound thanks to Francis Tolentino, the Senate Committee on Local Government Chairman and former MDDA Chairman, who had spearheaded the passage of the bill at the Upper House as well as his contributions to its development.

The Representative also took the opportunity to thank the MDDA bill’s co-authors in the Senate, namely, Senators Bato dela Rosa, Imee Marcos, Bong Go, and Majority Floor Leader Migs Zubiri.