Davao City Infrastructure Development Plan and Capacity Builiding

INTERIM REPORT PART 8

Chapter 17 Environment Management Plan

Reactor: Architect John Immanuel R. Palma

Sustainable Davao Movement

ON THE ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN

The management plan’s premise lies on remarkable growth of Davao city in terms of its
urbanization. This means that more people are enticed and most likely would be living on urban
than rural areas as this growth continues. But it is a well-known fact that along with the
advantages of urbanization, it also has many deleterious effects. Majority of these ill effects have
been derived from environmental problems. The report anticipates such problems including
exacerbated traffic, decrease of green areas and contamination of water and soil. It is noted that
even though there were several environmental issues raised on the report, the document focuses
more on environmental problems on the elements of water ( pollution & hygiene) and Air quality
( pollution control).

The report also highlights the importance of utilizing SEA or the Strategic Environmental
Assessment that seeks to extend traditional environmental assessments into a more systematic
and critical consideration of the environmental impacts of a project in the context of social and
economic factors. It should also be noted that the report (JPT) points out that the development
of the SEA stems from the various consultations using the participatory approach which is
essential in crafting a more holistic SEA. Supplementary to this tis the proposed thorough review
previous EIA and ECC documents to help craft a better assessment of environmental and social
impact components of a project.

The EMP prepared, outlines the key environmental management that will be initiated by the
project proponent to manage each project’s key environmental concerns. The proposed
Environmental Management Plan envisions a Beautiful and Clean Davao (ABCD). It focuses on
three pillars, namely: Pollution and Hygiene, Environment Friendly Infrastructure and Land use
covering Forest/Biodiversity. These pillars are the basis in crafting management measures and
basis following a suggested timeframe.

It is observed that the EMP presented is still much on the developmental phase and still has a lot
of room for improvement that will come from the data gathered from the various consultative
and participatory approaches, as well as consultations with the various LGU’s and Government
agencies. The measures and actions presented in the EMP can still be enhanced to show a more
detailed mechanism in addressing environmental impacts during the design, construction and
operational phases of each project.
 Davao City Infrastructure Development Plan and Capacity Builiding
INTERIM REPORT PART 8
Chapter 17 Environment Management Plan
It is recommended that the EMP expands and improve its measures and actions (ABCD) to
incorporate action in terms of the following:
a.) In terms of prevention:
1.) Environmental Planning Controls: This would include land use planning, reviewing
zoning for specific uses.
2.) Judicious sitting of industries: to optimize land use and minimize impacts from
pollution
3.) The Safeguarding of land for drainage, and sewerage and solid waste collection,
treatment and disposal facilities.
4.) Protection of Water catchments and implementation of Sustainable urban
drainage systems.
5.) Protection, rehabilitation and establishment of Green Spaces
6.) Regulatory Controls and Policies: controls on air and water pollution and
hazardous chemical and hazardous industrial wastes.
b.) Measures and Actions on Enforcement should be crafted.
c.) Management strategies should include measures and actions concerning Education
and Partnership:
a. IM4Davao cannot succeed alone,
b. Work with industries as partners to move towards self-monitoring and co-
regulation,
c. Conduct regular dialogues with industries, professional institutions, etc.
d. Conduct regular training courses for professionals, industries, etc.
e. Seminar, workshops, conferences, for industries, businesses, etc.

The development of the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) should make it the mechanism
to ensure that environmental considerations are integrated into the project survey and design,
contract documents and project supervision and monitoring. These are tools for mitigating or
offsetting the potential adverse environmental impacts resulting from various activities of each
project.

In the coming years, given this infrastructure development plan and the strict implementation of
the EMP, we hope that this will guide the city to exercise wise and judicious stewardship of our
resources and optimized the balance between development and environment (conservation). It
is our belief that thru the careful crafting and implementation of the IDP and EMP that Davao city
will be provided with good living standards and a high quality living environment, where
development can be synonymous to conservation, restoration and rehabilitation .
Davao City Infrastructure Development Plan and Capacity Builiding
INTERIM REPORT PART 8
Chapter 17 Environment Management Plan