City Council voted YES on PALC Approval

As expected by most of us who have watched and participated in the fight for disapproval of the PALC, the Davao City Council voted YES for the PALC at 11-8-2 for DMCI and 12-8-1 for Crown Communities.

These Councilors will be judged by history as having turned their back on Davao City, particularly Ma-a and immediate neighboring barangays, on the matter of Shrine Hills Development. They certainly do deserve a red mark on their report cards from us.

Now that these Councilors, by voting YES, have given their assurance that DMC-UPDI and Crown Communities will do responsible housing development at Shrine Hills, then on their shoulders should also lay the burden of seeing to it that these developers do practice it. Davao City and the world will watch how they will fare. They cannot hide behind legislative walls and procedures.

Still, the struggle is not yet over for the Federation and other concerned citizens and organizations. There are other avenues available to make DMC-UPDI and Crown Communities practice responsible housing development. If the Federation stops its vigilance, these developers will shelve the mitigating plans they have boasted to work on. Without doubt, eyes and ears will remain focused on these Developers and these YES Councilors for the coming months.

How the Councilors voted for DMC-UPDI application for PALC:

How they voted for the Crown Communities PALC application:

VM Sara said there is no solution to the Shrine Hills Drainage

Grace L. Plata wrote on Sunstar November 19, 2008 that "DAVAO City Vice Mayor Sara Duterte said it is difficult to find solutions and eventually approve the Preliminary Approval and Location Clearance (PALC) application of Shrine Hills developers with the drainage pathway emerging as the main contentious point."

Stacey Baird, one of the more active residents of Maa on the Shrine Hill struggle, personally wrote the Vice Mayor stressing that the non-resolution of the key issue of drainage is more reason for non-approval of the PALC. He added that drainage should be in place well before any other construction movement (italics mine).