Davao City looks to revise zoning plan of flood areas

DAVAO CITY Jan. 23 (PIA)- The City Planning and Development Office of Davao City is eyeing the revision of its Comprehensive Land Use Plan particularly in reclassifying flood-prone areas. Robbie Alabado CPDO head said that flood-prone areas as identified in the flood map prepared by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) in 2007 will be reclassified from residential zones into parks and commercials zones. He said that the revisions in the city’s zoning ordinance will take into consideration geo-hazard maps and Geographic Information System to determine areas which are not suitable for residential zones. Alabado said that in the 1996 revision of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan ordinance they have identified large amount of areas suitable for residential communities. The January 20 flooding brought about by continuous rains swelled the Davao River and inundating riverside residential areas such as Jade Valley, Gem Village and Matina Gravahan. About 14,000 families or about 42,000 individuals were affected by the recent flooding. Alabado said that identified flood prone areas will be zoned into parks and recreation areas, commercial and industrial zones. “As long as hindi tinitirahan ng tao.” (As long as it is not inhabited) As for existing residential communities in flood prone areas, Alabado said they could require the areas to higher building standards. He said that most of the residents have already adjusted to the floods in the areas which occur every 10 years. “Others have left the area, sold their properties or built second floors in their houses.” Alabado said referring to the residents of the flood-prone areas. (PIA/RG Alama)