Davao City, JICA greenlight study for sewage system project

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will soon conduct its Masterplan Study on Comprehensive Wastewater Management in Davao City.

JICA and the City Government of Davao, led by JICA Chief Representative Sakamoto Takema and Mayor Sebastian Duterte, approved the study after signing the Records of Discussion for the project at the Arcadia Activity Center on Tuesday.

The signing was also attended by the Consulate-General of Japan in Davao Ishikawa Yoshihisa with delegates from JICA and the Japan embassy, Davao City Water District (DCWD) executives, city councilors and other public officials.

Acknowledging the need for a sustainable wastewater management system in the city, Duterte, in his speech, vowed the local government’s full support for the study, which he said marks the first step in ensuring adequate water supply to the city’s growing population while mitigating pollution in the surrounding waters.

“Given the beneficial impact that a comprehensive wastewater management presents to our community, it is only right that we unify our efforts in establishing an effective network to execute the vital steps of data collection, evaluation, and analysis of the current situation,” the mayor said.

“It is the significant information gathered throughout the process that will help resolve different gaps and take us closer to the fulfillment of our vision,” he added.

JICA Chief Representative Sakamoto Takema, on the other hand, said clean water is “very crucial to economy.”

“It is where sustainable food production, exports, and tourism depend on. Through this study, JICA assures you that we are with you on crafting the best approach to wastewater management,” he said.

Sakamoto bared that talks between the local government and JICA for a sewage system project started way back in 2018 as sanitation and clean water supply became more crucial in the ever-growing city. He said the master plan study for the project would have begun earlier were it not for the pandemic.

“We continued to conduct the basic study by JICA and, unfortunately, we had the COVID-19 pandemic but, finally, today I am very happy to sign the RD (Records of Discussion) for starting this project. So simply saying, we will start very soon,” Sakamoto said.

Engr. Ivan Cortez, Head of the City Planning and Development Office, said the study will yield the specific requirements for the implementation of the project and determine the responsibilities and duties of which agencies and service providers.

“We will expect a lot of meetings and coordination with a lot of agencies including water District, including the barangays involved,” Cortez said.

Cortez said the city government applied for the project years ago with the assistance of the National Economic and Development Authority.

While the long-term plan is a centralized sewage system in the city, the CPDO chief said the DCWD’s septage management program, which is currently in development and will provide septic dislodging and collection services in residential areas, will still be implemented.

Funded by JICA, the study is expected to begin this year and will be conducted by a third-party firm chosen by JICA. The master planning will have a three-year timeline and will consist of “wastewater management planning, feasibility study for priority projects, and capacity development, among others”. CIO