Open Letter on Shrine Hills
We would like to clarify that contrary to the media report, it was actually the Davao City Local Zoning Review Committee, not IDIS, who submitted the proposed amendments on the Urban Ecological Enhancement Sub-Zone (UEESZ) provision in the Davao City Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance for second reading at the City Council. The Local Zoning Review Committee (LZRC) is a recommendatory body created under the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance 2013. IDIS, along with Ecoteneo, represent Davao City environmental NGOs as members in the committee and support the proposed amendments. The 25% recommendation was a decision of the LZRC, a collegial body, so to say that the 25% is solely recommended by IDIS is erroneous and is an insult to the discretion and authority of the committee.
Save Davao Shrine Hills: Davao City’s Last Urban Ecological Frontier
The Shrine Hills, located at the urban center of Davao city, finds a similar case with that of the Cherry Hill Subdivision in Antipolo City, which tragically resulted in 59 lives lost and hundreds of families lost due to landslide in 1999. Land and subdivision developers are very eager to develop the area as it is strategically located in the middle of the City. Here’s what environmentalist groups’ response to the position paper submitted by DMC URBAN PROPERTY DEVELOPERS, INC. (DMC UPDI) ON THE PROPSED AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY ORDINANCE NO. 0546-2013.
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.