Shrine Hills is Davao’s Urban Center Bird Refuge
As many as 72 species of birds have been documented in Davao City’s Shrine Hills. Twenty of these recorded birds are found only in the Philippines. The area is seen as an urban forest, a much needed green space in the urban district and hailed as the city’s last potential large-tier park based on the public parks study in Davao by New York University. Environmental groups are advocating for Shrine Hills’ continued protection and are proposing the privately-owned publicly open spaces (POPOS) concept as a win-win solution for land owners who want to develop their properties for business. “We managed an impressive 26 species on the day and the total species recorded in the Shrine Hills area now numbers 72, 20 of which are endemic,” said Pete Simpson, Wild Bird Club of the Philippines, who has been making records of birds for Jacks Ridge and other areas in Shrine Hills.
Make Shrine Hills Publicly Accessible Open Space
Davao City — Environmental groups are pushing for a win-win solution to protect Shrine Hills while providing private developers returns for their investments through the adoption of the privately-owned publicly open spaces (POPOS) concept in the City’s Zoning Ordinance. Ecoteneo and Interface Development Interventions (IDIS), NGO members of the Local Zoning Review Committee, along with Davao Shrine Hills Advocates (DSHA) and members of the Sustainable Davao Movement, have proposed amendments to the Urban Ecological Enhancement Sub-Zone provision of the city’s Zoning Ordinance. The proposal endorsed was due for plenary presentation in the City Council session last March 9 but was reverted back to the committee level with the directive to ensure attendance of Shrine Hills land developers who were no-shows during the last hearings. The committee hearing with Shrine Hills land developers has been moved to April 11, 2018 Wednesday at the SP Session Hall.
No Climbing of Mt. Apo from Davao City
The Watershed Management Council (WMC) of Davao City asserts that the Brgy. Tamayong trail to Mt. Apo will remain closed and warns the public for consequences of unrestricted access. “The WMC wants to address the problem of illegal hikers and climbers in Mt. Talomo-Tamayong trail so it issued a resolution supporting PAMB’s decision on the continued closure of Tamayong entry point in Mt. Talomo,” said Chinkie Peliño Golle, Acting Director of Interface Development Intervention Inc. (IDIS), who requested to convene the council for an emergency meeting last April 7.
Interfacing Interventions Newsletter for Partners and Stakeholders
IDIS Newsletter Vol 2 Issue 2017
5th Lunhaw Awards launches Green Champion Award
DAVAO CITY – Lunhaw Awards organizers are adding new categories to its annual search for green initiatives citywide with the inclusion of the Green Champion and the Outstanding Barangay Green Initiative awards. “The Green Champion Award takes its cue from the achievements of the late Councilor Leo Avila who was a proponent of several landmark environmental ordinances in the city. This category will be open to outstanding advocates in the area of environmental policy, legislation and environmental management.”, said Lunhaw Awards co-organizer, Mary Ann Fuertes.
Sara slams groups over WTE criticism
“They’re barking up the wrong tree,” Mayor Sara Duterte said addressing the Integrated Development Interventions (IDIS), an environment group who criticized her over her partnership with Mayor Kenji Kitakashi of Kitakyushu, Japan for a waste management project. The mayor clarified the signing was for the technology assistance on waste management of the Kitakyushu Government to the city. “They are barking up the wrong tree because the WTE (Waste to Energy) is with the private company particularly the Nippon Steel,” Duterte told Mirror. She said the signing was for the technology assistance of the Kitakyushu government to the city of Davao.